Page 24 of Grumpy Ex's Secret Baby

“Doesn’t need a new paint color either,” he said, stomping out his first cigarette and lighting another.

Laughing, I shook my head. “Roy, there are no walls in the building right now. All the drywall has been ripped out. It needs a new coat of paint.”

Roy rolled his eyes and waved his hand. “Get out of here and go bother the sheriff. I’m sure that little shit will be happy to see you.”

Coffee nearly flew out of my nose when I started laughing. It was good to see that nothing between Roy and Corey had changed. Corey used to bother the living hell out of Roy when we were younger—as only a nephew could.

“I’ll tell him that his uncle says hello.”

“Tell him that his uncle fondly says to remove the stick out of his ass before he comes to dinner on Sunday.”

“Alright,” I said, my grin widening as I walked away.

The sheriff’s office was quiet when I walked in. Most of the deputies looked like they were either asleep or on their way to falling asleep. I shook my head as I walked past reception and headed straight to Corey’s door.

I drained the rest of my coffee before walking into his office, knowing that I was going to need all of the caffeine I could get to survive a conversation with him, especially when it was something he didn’t want to talk about.

“What are you doing here?” Corey asked with a smile as I walked into his office.

“What’s being done with Haley and those letters that she received? Has any DNA analysis been run to see if the envelopes were licked by somebody in the criminal database already?”

“No.” Corey’s smile dropped, and he became all business as he leaned forward on his desk, clasped his hands together, and prepared to give me the same speech that he had likely been giving Haley.

“Look, Corey, you’re my friend, and I mean well when I say this, get your shit together. Figure out who the hell is sending her letters and get it dealt with. If this sheriff’s department doesn’t have enough money to get it done, I have more than enough to make it happen.”

“I don’t want your bribe money.”

“I wouldn’t think of it as bribe money. I’m giving your department a donation so it can get off its ass and get things done. You’re supposed to be protecting people, and I don’t see how that’s possible if you won’t send letters out for testing.”

Corey’s face turned red as he leaned back in his chair and glared at me. His hands unclasped, only for him to cross his arms over his broad chest.

“We can do our job just fine. I suggest you leave.”

“Oh, Corey, is this really worth hurting our friendship like this?” I asked, leaning forward. “See, you and I have been friends for a very long time, but what worries me is how incapable you are of caring about anyone other than yourself and how the public perceives you. Tell me, how well do you think they’ll perceive you when I tell people you don’t care about a stalker?”

“Go ahead. You’ve been out of this town for a long time. People won’t believe a thing you say.” He shook his head. “I told you, and I’ve told Haley I’m working on this. I can’t make you believe me.”

“But you could try a little harder,” I said as I stood up. “And maybe that’s the part I’m struggling with the most. Your lack of effort.”

“It’s not a lack of effort.”

I shrugged and walked out of his office, pausing in the doorway. “And that’s where I think you’re wrong. But we’ll see.”

As I walked out of his office, I kept my head held high, my pace steady and confident. It was the same walk I had every time I walked in and out of a meeting. I was the one who was in control of the situation, not whoever I was talking to.

While I didn’t like threatening my friend, I couldn’t help but wonder what else he was ignoring as the sheriff.

Once I left the sheriff’s office, I pulled out my phone and called my mother. For a few minutes, she asked the normal questions about how I was doing now that I was back home and how business was going. She slipped in a mention of seeing that Jared—the former third partner at Crestwood Capital—had gotten his prison sentence extended.

I would be lying if I said that it didn’t make me even a little bit happy. He had nearly sent our business under.

It was nice to see him finally getting what he deserved.

“So, why are you calling?” Mom asked, her tone amused. “And don’t say it’s to check on my cancer treatments. I’ve been feeling better than I have in a long time. I know the doctors have told you that already.”

“How’s Dad?”

“He’s fine too,” she said, chuckling. “Now stop stalling and tell me what’s got you bothered enough to call me.”

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