Page 132 of Smitten with the Single Dad

“I happen to think a gingersnap crust is the superior crust,” Justine added.

“And I happen to think you’re dead fucking wrong,” Burke shot back witha growl.

Justine snorted. “Well, his sour mood is still there. I’d say he’s mostly fine. Just need to get that wound cleaned up.”

Evie stayed with Burke and Justine as Justine pulled away from the restaurant and drove them up to the house so she could remove the bullet from Burke’s shoulder and properly stitch him up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a through-and-through.

One by one, they filed into the restaurant, leaving Everett outside with Dumb and Dumber.

The anger, devastation, and shock that rolled off Dom when he found out it was Nadine was something Wyatt would always remember. Dom wasn’t someone who trusted easily to begin with, and now, it would take him even longer to put his faith in anybody that wasn’t family.

All the staff was still there. It would have made people suspicious if they sent a few people home and kept others, or sent everyone home but Nadine.

“What’s going on?” Luke asked. “Why’s Officer Bruce here?”

Myla brought up Jenkins’ phone. “I have Officer Jenkins’ phone here. He received a text message shortly after Wyatt and Dom left, that they needed to go check on Burke. That Burke was being warned about something.”

Confusion and murmurs drifted around the staff. Wyatt, Dom, Bennett, Brooke, and Vica all kept keen eyes on Nadine. Her face was getting pinker by the second, and she got squirmy in her seat.

“I’m going to call the number and see who picks up,” Myla said, hitting the green call button.

A moment later, a phone started to vibrate, and all the staff began looking around at each other to see where the sound was coming from.

The first to realize it was Nadine’s phone was Kline. “Nadine?” he whispered, doused in shock.

Gasps and slack jaws filled the room.

Nadine’s nostrils flared and anger filled her eyes. “Do you haveanyidea howmuch med school costs?” she said with a sneer. She rounded on Luke. “Not all of us get scholarships.” Then she glared at Monique and Padma. “Not all of our parents put away and saved for our education. Some of us have to fight tooth and nail to get ahead.”

“We’re working too,” Padma said slowly. “We’re all students, struggling to make it. Just because my parents were able to stash a little bit of money away every month when I was a kid doesn’t mean I still don’t have to take out student loans and have summer jobs. Their savings for me barely covers the cost of one semester of classes a year. That’s nothing.”

Monique nodded in agreement. “I have to take fewer classes a semester and will take longer to graduate because I need to have a job while going to school. Otherwise, I can’t afford rent. My parents make too much for me to get student loans, but not enough that they’re able to help me pay for school.”

Nadine shook her head, and what Wyatt could only describe as an almost-air-of-arrogance he’d never seen before fell upon her. “But not all of you are planning to go to med school. I am. I have the grades. I have the volunteer work and the recommendation letters. I was even accepted to Stanford.”

“Yeah, but youchoseto apply to Stanford. There are other cheaper med schools,” Kline said. His eyes flared wide. “Did you frame Ginny? Is that why she’s not here?” Then he pivoted to face Myla. “Is Ginny okay? Did you arrest her, thinking she was the mole?”

Myla’s gaze dropped to the floor for a moment, she exhaled deeply through her nose. “I’m very sorry, but I’m afraid Ginny was found dead in her dorm room at the hostel this morning. Someone put a pillow over her face.”

Every single staff member stared at Nadine.

“Did you kill Ginny?” Renée whispered, choking on Ginny’s name as she stared at Nadine in utter shock.

Nadine growled. “She saw my text messages. She was going to rat me out. This countryneedsmore doctors. They don’t need more …Englishmajors, or whatever Ginny is studying.” Nadine protested before slapping her hand overher mouth.

Holy shit.

“Past tense,” Padma said softly. “Ginnywasstudying English. Because she wanted to be a teacher. Now she’ll never get that chance.”

“Were you also the person who rented Shelley Diamond’s garage off her to store the gray sedan that Jenkins and Fischer used to try to run over Vica?” Wyatt asked. “You just put on a blonde wig?”

Angry, fearful tears teamed down Nadine’s pale cheeks. “They offered me three grand in cash, and all I had to do was talk to Shelley, stash the car and pay her. I didn’t know that was the car they used to try to run Vica down. And I don’t know where the SUV they hit your truck with is being stored. I only told them what ferry you were on coming back. And I had no idea your kids were with you, I swear.”

Myla pulled in a long breath, then exhaled again. “Nadine Aikman, you’re under arrest for the murder of Ginny Simmons. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.” Then she walked up to Nadine, brought out another set of handcuffs, and urged the young woman to stand up.

Everyone just sat there, eyes wide, shaking their heads as they struggled to process what they were hearing and seeing.

Myla, Wyatt, and Dom walked Nadine outside, where Myla stuffed Ginny into the cramped backseat of the cruiser with the Dirty Cops of the Year.

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