Page 102 of Wish I Didn't Want You Back

I pulled out my phone and clicked on Molly’s name. I typed out a quick text asking her to call me when she got a chance.

And when I stepped outside onto the bustling streets of New York, I felt free as a bird and was ready to go home.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

BROOKS

Bob’s hardware store was a short twenty-minute drive, just on the other side of the county line. It was small, and the type of place you only shopped at if you had a reason to go there. My dad and I used to come here when we needed something that the bigger chains didn’t carry. Bob was a quiet guy who didn’t like getting pulled into other people’s messes.

That was why I had to be careful when I walked through the door and started asking questions. I had just left the flower shop. I had only stopped by to pay for the flowers that Harlow ordered. The moment Mona spotted me, she beckoned me over to the counter. Her voice was low as she went into detail with me about the conversation she had with Harlow earlier. By the time she was finished, I was thanking her for letting me know and flying out the door.

Now, I was standing outside the hardware store, trying to keep my temper in check so I didn’t come across as a crazy lunatic. The bell jingled as I stepped inside. I spotted Bob crouched low in front of the electrical aisle, balancing a box of outlet covers on his bad knee. He didn’t ask why I was there, because he already knew. Instead of beating around the bush, Ipulled out my phone and showed him a photo. It was a picture of Baz, all decked out in a tux, with a slimy smile on his face.

Bob took one look at the photo and confirmed everything. It was clear, based on his recollection, that I needed to call my brother.

I wasn’t sure what pissed me off more? The fact that Baz would mess up her house, or that she almost married the guy.

I paced outside the hardware store, probably looking like a strung out coke head. I watched the traffic crawl by, waved hello to a few people I recognized, but I was about ready to jump out of my skin by the time Tuck’s car rolled down the street.

He pulled up to a parking spot in front of the store, put his cruiser into park, and stepped out.

“What’s going on?” he asked, pushing his sunglasses onto his head.

I folded my arms. “According to Bob Henning, Baz was at the store the night Harlow’s house was flooded. He was rude and acting weird. He didn’t think much of it until he spotted him at the pub the night we got into a fight. Said Baz came in and picked up some supplies right before closing.”

“What kind of supplies?” he asked, glancing over at the store and staring through the glass window.

I exhaled through my nose. “The kind of supplies you would need if you wanted to flood someone’s house.”

I had my suspicion, but this was more like a confirmation.

He squinted his eyes against the sun. “How did you figure that out?”

“Mona,” I said, placing my hands on my hips, trying to stop them from shaking. “Bob was in Blooms and Vines this morning. He and Mona got talking. Said everything clicked when he saw him at the pub last week. I showed him a photo on my phone, and he confirmed it was him. There was no hesitation.”

Tuck went quiet for a moment and ran a hand down his face. I could see him thinking that over and connecting all the dots. “I’ll need to obtain his statement. Does he have a copy of the transaction?”

“I didn’t ask,” I said, rubbing at the knot in the back of my neck. I had so much nervous energy flowing through my limbs, I was about ready to burst. “Do you think that’s enough?”

He adjusted the badge on his waist. “Not sure. I’m going to check. The ID helps, but if he has a copy of the receipt, that’s even better. It might still be all circumstantial, though.”

“Figures.” I kicked a pebble off the curb. “But this is good, right?”

He nodded his head and pulled his phone out. “I gotta call Chief and see what he thinks. I need to get a formal statement from Bob. It definitely helps make the case.”

It was a strong lead. I hoped it would be enough.

I paced the sidewalk while I waited for Tuck to finish up his call. I didn’t know what would happen next or if this would even lead to any charges, but it was a start. It was the only proof we had that connected him to the house. It still blew my mind how far an entitled asshole would go to get what he wanted.

She never did a damn thing to either of them, yet they both treated her like she owed them her life. All she wanted was a little peace, and they couldn’t even give her that.

I wanted to drive to New York and kick down his door so I could finish what I started, but I understood this had to be handled the right way.

Tuck pocketed his phone and started walking toward the store. “I’m going inside to talk to Bob and see if he is comfortable making a formal statement.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said, falling into step beside him.

He rolled his eyes as he reached the door. “Let me do all the talking, and don’t go all Sherlock Holmes on me.”

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