Page 70 of The Reluctant Hero

I refocus on the table with a strained smile. I despise this act. I want to go back to the office and sit on my ass. Listening to Amanda being a belligerent asshole puts me in a good mood.

Mikael thinks Amanda is worried Blake will buy her apartment complex. I can see why she’s not too thrilled about it. He’s busy trying to convince us that she cheated on him and stole some of his money. Right after telling us what a simp he is for his wife.

Things aren’t adding up at all.

I’m close to convinced that she’s innocent, and this is all a coincidence. As long as she doesn’t mess it up, I’ll keep thinking that.

In the meantime, it looks like I’m about to be the owner of an apartment complex. Maybe that will soften her up a little.

Amanda

We get back long before anyone else does. I glance at the phone Ace handed me and stuff it in my purse. I’m not in the mood to listen to music or harass anyone anymore. Loser quelled that without even trying. Ace finished hammering thenail home. No matter how much I argue with myself throughout the day, I can’t find the will to be an ass anymore.

Any time he tries to spark up a conversation, I shut it down without mercy. He’s beginning to look pissed, but I don’t care. He canhonestlykeep his bullshit to himself.

An hour later the group comes back, quiet and solemn. I keep working without acknowledging any of them. They settle into their regular positions, and the day drags on.

Close to five, I blink at a new name. Not one from the letters, one I’ve heard recently. A lawyer. A divorce lawyer, to be precise. One I called on Saturday and got turned away. The name was familiar then, and it’s even more familiar now. With it clearly typed up next to Loser’s name, I remember having dinner with him and his wife once. He’s one of Loser’s friends from college.

I lean back to look at the document in its entirety. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to, but who cares at this point? I could be spinning my wheels at home instead. Without a phone, it’s a little difficult to get a call back for an interview.

Are lawyers a kind of jack of all trades in the courtroom? This is a legal document for the foreclosure of a house, not a divorce settlement.

Maybe Jakolski was doing a favor for Loser. Shit, that means he has a damn network of lawyers to call on and keep me shut down on the divorce front. Damn it!

I pull out a different-colored marker and highlight it. Then, I make a note to the side about the fact that it’s a land dispute instead of a marital one. I don’t know why. It just piques my interest.

Damn it, I don’t want to be a part of the mystery club. If they end up offing my ex I don’t want to know the whys and hows. They can frame me without that.

“Blake has no interest in your apartment complex. Why did you bring it to my attention?”

My eyes skip to Matthias and narrow.

He’s been watching me stare at the highlighted name for who knows how long. If he’s telling the truth the threat of being kicked out is no longer an issue. I have a bad feeling about it, though.

“He might be payin’ the landlord to harass her instead,” Ace says casually from his leaning position behind Matthias.

I narrow my eyes on him angrily. “Goodbye trust. It was nice knowing you.”

He grins at me. “We’re a team, darlin’. This many heads put together can figure out a lot of shit.”

I throw my highlighter at him. It lands a few feet away from me in a feeble arc.

“I missed on purpose,” I glare harder to make up for it.

“Course you did,” he agrees smoothly. “He’s tryin’ to corner you, and I don’t like it.”

“Oh, becauseyoudon’t like it, let’s just tell everybody,” I said, layering the sarcasm so thick it couldn’t be scraped off.

“Sure,” Ace shrugs and then spills everything to the whole room while I gape.

“I wasn’t serious,” I try to interrupt, but Mikael gives me a quelling look that shuts me up. I don’t know why he’s the one who can do it, and I don’t want to find out.

They all listen to Ace explain the details of my idiotic life and current circumstances while I sink lower in my seat to hide. Where did that hat go?

“You haven’t mentioned any of this,” Matthias gives me a narrow-eyed look of displeasure.

“I didn’t realize this was therapy,” I mutter and glare at the table. Louder, I add, “It’s not your problem and has nothing to do with whatever you guys are doing, ok? Just consider itbetter ammo for when I need to be the killer at the climax of the mystery.”

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