Page 49 of Like An Animal
What.
Belongs.
To.
Me.
Period.
“Send me all the information you have on her, Arny. Appreciate you, man.” I gently pat his shoulder before heading for the door.
“No problem, boss.”
“You’re looking for her,aren’t you?” My grandfather mutters through the Bluetooth in the car as Xavi sits next to me, typing away on his phone.
I don’t say anything.
“Goddamn it, Jeremy. Just leave the girl alone. She is not built for this life.”
“And that’s your opinion. I just so happen to disagree with you.”
I’m not paying attention to what he responds with because my little ghost walks out of the house I’ve been sitting outside forhours, the long dark hair I remember cut short to her shoulders. A soft tan covers her skin along with a flowy black sundress.
The small child bounces down the porch steps behind my little ghost, bouncing her head back and forth. The little girl looks nothing like Bron, except for maybe the dark hair up in pigtails.
Little Charlotte smiles in a way I don’t think either me or Bron are capable of. She’s a happy kid. My little ghost managed to do what neither of our parents were able to—keep the child safe and happy.
Bron takes the child’s hand in hers as a man walks out the door, leaning against a pillar on the porch.
The heat rises in my blood as I look at the fucker that must be her husband. He waves at them as Bron helps her daughter into the car. The fucker takes a sip from his steaming mug before walking back into the house. He closes the door behind him as Bron gets into the driver’s seat of the car.
“Who’s the suit?” Xavi asks and I hang up on my grandfather.
“A dead man.”
He shrugs as my little ghost pulls out of the driveway and I follow behind her. I keep enough distance that she shouldn’t pick up that she’s being followed.
I need to get a feel of her routine and how connected her life is with this town before I make my move. It won’t change that she’s coming back to Jersey with me, but it will give me an idea of the pushback I’ll receive from people who know her.
It’s good to be prepared.
We follow her out of the neighborhood and notice a change in her driving. She’s not being steady. Instead, she’s jerking the wheel and slamming on the brakes.
“Woah. What is she doing?” Xavi groans.
I’d like to know that, too.
Suddenly, my phone rings and I glance at the BlueTooth screen to see Arnold’s name flashing. I answer quickly.
“What do you have for me, Arny?”
He usually only calls me when he has something, but I haven’t given him any more tasks.
“Boss, you’re going to want to hear this. I tapped Bronwyn Durst’s calls and she just got off the phone with a New Jersey number.”
Jersey? Who the fuck does she know from there? Except me of course.
“Hello?” My little ghost’s voice comes through the speaker.
