Page 84 of Faking the Shot

He prayed that her mom would respond the way Ainsley hoped.

“Ainsley, you didn’t…”

“What’s she done?” Benson asked.

Ainsley’s mom pulled out a key, a house key, it looked like. It had a tag with an address written on it.

Winifred gasped. “That looks like—”

“It is.”

Whoa. Was this the house Ainsley had bought? Had she just given it to her mom?

“Ainsley, I don’t know what you’ve done, but it looks awfully like you’ve given us the key to our old house.”

“That’s because it is, Mom.”

“You bought us a house?” Benson asked, clearly confused.

Ainsley glanced at Mack, and he left Emmett’s side and drew near. “We bought Grandma’s old house.”

“But why?” Winifred asked. “You know that place holds so many bad memories.”

“So it’s time for some good ones.”

Clearly there was a mystery here he didn’t know. Neither did Emmett, judging from the confusion on his face.

“Ainsley, what do you mean?” her mom asked.

Ainsley glanced at Zac, and he offered a smile.

Her shoulders straightened. “I have long wanted to do more for the victims of domestic violence, and the White Night fundraiser only confirmed that. Mack and I have been wanting to buy Grandma’s old place for years, and have been waiting for the owners to sell. So when they finally put it on the market last month, we had to get it.”

“But why?” Winifred asked.

“Because we want to turn it into a safe house and refuge for women and children who are trying to escape domestic violence.”

Her mother covered her mouth. “You don’t mean it?”

Ainsley nodded, and seemed to take on a new confidence. “I do. I’m going to call it Violet House and connect it with local agencies like White Night who can help make sure that women are kept safe. I don’t want any other women to feel like they don’t have a safe place where they could go.”

“Like our mother couldn’t,” Winifred said softly. “God rest her soul.”

Whoa.Whoa.She didn’t mean to suggest—

“Our grandmother was beaten by our grandfather,” Mack said to Emmett. “By the time she was found it was too late.”

Zac glanced at Ainsley who pressed her lips together, blinking rapidly, like she might be fighting off tears. “Ains,” he said softly.

But she ignored him, going to embrace her mom and sister, and was soon joined by Mack. The four of them hugged as Zac swapped awkward glances with Emmett while Benson looked on.

The conversation centered around the house and Ainsley’s plans for a nonprofit, which her mom and aunt seemed thrilled by.

“My lawyer tells me as soon as we get the zoning changes approved, then we’ll be set to make this happen. But because this will be a safe place it’s also a secret, so we can’t post about it or tell anyone where it is.” She eyed Emmett.

“You know me, lips are sealed.” He mimed throwing away a key. Then his face softened. “You’re a good woman, Ainsley.”

She shook her head. “My grandmother, Violet, she was the good woman.”

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