Page 200 of The Reluctant Hero

Shade hands me the new phone. It’s open to a website for a bank I’ve never heard of. Out of country. The amount of zeros in the bank balance makes me feel faint.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” my voice is a weak rasp as I stare.

“What do you want to do with it?”

My eyes bulge as they meet his. “Me?I don’t want anything to do with this shit.”

“So withdraw it all and sink it in an ocean,” he nods firmly and moves to walk away.

I grab his arm to stop him. I may not want anything to do with this, but I think I know a few people who would.

“Wait.”

He doesn’t say anything as he glances back at me with a raised brow.

“Can you get this money to the people Blake ripped off? Maybe the PI’s family. I… I think it was him down there.”

“Yeah,” he turns back to me with a frown. “That won’t take all of it, though.”

“Set the rest aside in another hidden account for emergencies.”

“Emergencies,” he raises a brow with disbelief.

“If they have people who are supposed to work in those places, they’re going to need help.” It makes me sick to even think about it. “This could get them home or into therapy or pay off hospital bills if they need it. Just…emergencies, you know?”

His blank face cracks a little as he looks down at the phone in my hands. “Just when I think you’re a ruthless bitch you prove me wrong.”

“Oh, fuck you, man,” I snap, raising a fist in a weak threat to hit him.

“And we’re back,” he claps his hands together briskly. “It will take time for me to get everything out and secured. I won’t move on the payouts until this is rounded up. The last thing we want is random people getting killed for mysterious money getting put in their accounts.”

“Good call,” I mutter and hurry to close out the banking information. I feel scummy just looking at it.

“About Blake.”

I give him a wary look.

“The photos are at his place or Fullerton’s. I’m going to look. I doubt they said anything about them to any colleagues. They’ll have them hidden somewhere they could keep an eye on them.”

“Or they destroyed them,” I frown. “It’s too dangerous at his place. They’ll expect me to come back. And they could have blown them up when they did the fuckingplayhouse.”

“I’m setting up surveillance to see who decides to come looking.”

I let out a weary sigh and rub my eyes before I give him a disgruntled look. “If anyone starts a fire, just let it burn. Getting insurance money for arson somehow feels cleaner than touching anything of Blake’s.”

I shudder at the thought.

Shade cracks a smile and nods, making his way back inside.

I keep standing there, staring out into the acres of clean-cut grass around me.

I’m a widow.

Am I supposed to pop out of the shadows to plan the funeral? I’d rather let him rot. His parents are gone. No extended family. The Blake line ends with him. Probably a good thing.

My phone rings, and I glance at the caller ID with a frown. It says Unknown, but I recognize the number all too well.

I have to answer. If I don’t, there will be hell to pay.

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