Page 69 of Pretty Stolen Dolls

“Bo. Jade, the truck is registered to your ex fiancé, Bo.” His groan is one of frustration. “Unless he hit him and hasn’t come forward yet, it’s looking likely that Benny really does have him. I’m so sorry.”

CRUISERS LINE THE DIRT ROADleading up to Bo’s and my parents’ house. A frantic Maureen is holding her ankle biter dog and shaking her head. When she sees me coming, she rushes over to me, dropping the puppy to the grass.

She pulls me in for a hug, even though I don’t think she’s ever really approved of Bo and me. I was too damaged for her liking of a daughter-in-law.

“What’s going on, Jade?” she questions, wrinkles of worry marring her forehead. “Where’s Bo?”

Her new pup licks at Dillon’s boot and he frowns down at it.

“When was the last time you saw Bo, Maureen?” I question.

She shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders. “I haven’t seen him for weeks, but that’s not unusual. He spends all his time with you or at work.”

She doesn’t know we broke up.

Shit.

So, he never came here?

“The work colleague,” Dillon mumbles in my ear.

“And he sent that nice man here with my present.”

Both Dillon and I freeze. “What present?”

She points down to the puppy, now hiking a leg up to pee on Dillon’s boot. He shoos it away before it can, but it doesn’t want to go. Bending down, I grasp the fur ball and lift him. His tongue snakes out and licks at my face.

“Hey, little guy.”

“Who was the man? Can you walk me through what happened?” Dillon asks her, coming to stand in front of her, partially blocking me. She holds her face, anxiety building in her features.

“He was handsome with unruly hair and mesmerizing eyes,” she reveals. “He said the puppy was a gift from my Bo.”

The puppy’s collar has a dangling nametag that catches my eye.

“Dillon,” I breathe.

He glances at me over his shoulder and I hold the tag up for him to see.

DOLLY.

“Bo knows how hard it was on us when our old dog, Toby, passed away,” she tells us sadly, but then furrows her brows at me. “Jade, what is it? What’s going on? Where is my Bo?”

“Did you name him?” I gesture to the puppy.

Her eyes narrow as she watches someone behind me. “Why are there people looking around my property? I don’t understand.”

“Maureen, please listen to me,” I bark out. “Can you tell me if you named the puppy?”

“No, it’s a girl. She came with the nametag. I thought it was a little insensitive of Bo with everything that went on with you and your poor sister, but…” she trails off.

My head spins as vomit threatens to spill.

“He said you sent a gift for your parents also. I haven’t seen them, though…”

The world around me dips and then expands.

No.

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