Page 66 of Jolene's Justice

“You forgot,” she admonished. “How could you forget something like that? It’s the same rule we talk about every day. I swear, you’ll be the death of me.” The exasperation was clear in the woman’s voice. As if they’d had this discussion numerous times.

“You know you’re grounded, right?”

Shiloh dropped her gaze to her feet. “Yes, Mommy. I know.”

“Okay, then. You can start cleaning out the bunny cages.”

Brodhi cleared his throat, and the woman startled and looked over her shoulder at him. A stunning pair of blue eyes met his. A familiar set of blue eyes.

Marnee Monroe.

Rage consumed him like a wildfire. His fists clenched, and he gritted his teeth as he stared at the woman he’d hoped to never cross paths with again. She had played a significant role in his anger, and it was something he’d never been able to shake off. He still felt her betrayal as if it was yesterday.

“Brodhi,” she gasped, rising quickly to her feet. The disbelief and apprehension in her voice was clear.

“Look, Mommy. This is Sorcha. Isn’t she pretty?” Shiloh beamed, coming to pet Sorcha again.

Without taking her gaze away from him, she answered her daughter, “Very pretty dog. It’s time to say goodbye to Sorcha and begin your chores. The bunnies are waiting for you.”

“Okay.” The disappointment couldn’t be missed in the girl’s expression. She gave Sorcha a hug, saying, “Bye, pretty girl. I hope I’ll see you again.” Then she turned those brilliant blue eyes on him. The same hue as her mother’s. Eyes that lived in his dreams. And his nightmares. “Bye, mister.”

He gave her a soft look and waved goodbye as she raced away toward where he could only assume the bunny cages were.

Turning his attention back to Shiloh’s mother, the softness he’d felt for the daughter evaporated into something hard. “She was wandering around the fairgrounds by herself. What kind of mother lets their kid do something like that?” He knew his words were harsh, but he couldn’t hold them back. The anger he felt because of everything he’d lost—everything this woman had a hand in destroying—was all consuming.

Her body tensed up, and she visibly bristled, throwing her shoulders back. “Not this mother,” she stated through gritted teeth. “She slipped away without my knowledge when I was working with the animals.”

“They let you work with animals again?” He could see the barb hit where it hurt.

If it was even possible, her spine stiffened further. She yanked on the bottom of her long-sleeved T-shirt in agitation. Jesus, it was in the mid-eighties. He was sweating just standing in the shade of the tent. What kind of person wore long sleeves in this heat?

“I have every right to work with animals,” she argued.

“Not in my book.”

“I had nothing to do with what happened.”

“Tell it to someone who cares,” he threw at her, then turned and walked out of the tent, Sorcha following dutifully beside him. He looked down at his best friend, feeling her confusion. Sorcha was very intuitive and could pick up on how he was feeling. Brodhi was sure he was sending out all sorts of mixed signals for the dog to sense.

Marnee Monroe had lived in his head for far too long. It was time for her to be ousted just like she deserved.

Finch

Finch retrieved a bag of gummy worms from his pocket, the sweet smell of sugar and artificial flavors wafting up to him. He took out a red and yellow one, the same colors that he’d shared with Jolene on their flight down to Georgia, and popped it into his mouth. The memory made him smile. Communication may have been strained, but they still had that common ground. He knew at that moment he had a chance to win her heart again.

As he chewed, he finished shutting everything down after the last helicopter ride of the day. He was ready to see his girl. In order to experience the fair themselves, they both decided to take the evening off from their responsibilities. He couldn’t wait to spend the evening partaking in all the goodies and rides with Jolene. The fair they’d attended in Georgia had been a lot of fun and had brought them closer than ever. He was eager to recreate the experience, but they would avoid the heavy talk about his ex this time.

They were going to leave all the heavy stuff behind and just enjoy their time together. After crazy kidnapping exes, scorned women turned arsonists, fires, and floods, they were more than ready to have a fun evening. But since that thought popped into his head, he couldn’t help but remember the days that had followed the fire.

Angelica was awaiting trial for kidnapping, attempted murder and a host of other charges. He wasn’t looking forward to the day when he’d have to testify to what he’d been through with his ex-wife. Thankfully, he’d have the support of his Nighthawk friends.

Previously, the thought of having to explain anything to the group of intimidating men was too much to bear. The thought alone had made him feel small and insignificant, like a mouse in the presence of lions. It felt like an indignity he wasn’t prepared to face. He’d braced himself for the weight of their judgment, but it never came. It was something he should have realized from the very beginning of his employment with the Nighthawks.

They were a stand-up group of men. They listened. They supported. They put his mind at ease, telling him he had nothing to be ashamed of. Then they moved on.

Jolene had been right. The shame was not his to bear.

Paris Winston was still being evaluated to see if she was competent to stand trial. He had his doubts that she was mentally insane. She seemed like the manipulative type. He should know. He’d lived with one for ten years. As far as he was concerned, the woman was guilty as hell and should spend the rest of her days locked up. He didn’t care whether it was in a mental facility or a jail cell.

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