Page 13 of Matlock
I rubbed my hand over my face, and then patted my chest and hips, searching for my cigarettes. Simon hated that I smoked, but we weren’t together. He’d made it clear that if I wouldn’t claim him, he would do whatever the fuck he wanted. That meant I could too.
I pulled out a cigarette and moved it up between my lips when Nav whined, “Don’t fucking light that shit in here.”
“Asshole.” Holding the cigarette in my fingers, I continued to pace the room. “Rosalind Winthrop is from New York. We were in college together.”
“Scorned lover?” King asked. I heard Nav snort, and I glared at him.
“No. She had a thing for Fury, but he wouldn’t give her the time of day.”
“Shit,” Nav cursed as he turned to look at me. “I forgot you grew up with Fury. How come you didn’t join the Soulless Sinners?”
“I left not long after I passed the bar.” It was all I would say about that. “Even if I’d stayed, I wouldn’t have joined. George Stone was a dick.”
“So what’s this woman doing here? And what’s her beef with you?” King asked as he leaned against the wall. He looked relaxed. But I knew better. King hadn’t had a moment to relax since last Thanksgiving. And now, with Grace pregnant in the middle of a war, he was always on edge.
I was happy for him and Grace. Glad they finally gave in and let themselves be happy. Grace would be a great mom. King, on the other hand, would be an asshole father if Grace had a girl. I knew it was killing him not to know, but Grace insisted she wanted to wait.
I’d never seen myself having kids. Never saw myself settling down. Occasionally, Simon made me wonder if it was possible.But I’d shut that shit down. My whole life I’d been hiding who I was; now I was too fucking old to change it.
“She claims she wanted a change of pace, but I know Rosalind. She was forced here. I just need to know why.”
“And her beef with you?”
“She doesn’t have beef with me. She didn’t even know I was here until she walked into the station. This is about Simon. It has to be.”
“Does Simon know her?” Nav asked.
“How the fuck would Simon know her? He’s lived in Diamond Creek his whole fucking life. He’s never even been out of Nebraska, except to go to Denver.”
King looked at Nav and shook his head slightly. Nav sighed and turned back to his computer.
“What?” I asked, my eyes dipping from one to the other. “You have something to say?”
“Nope.” King pulled away from the wall and said, “Nav will get you the information you need. Go outside if you’re gonna smoke. I don’t want that shit around Grace.”
“I’ll wait here.”
“No, you fucking won’t,” Nav snapped. “This will take a while, and I don’t need you hovering over my damn shoulder. Get the fuck out.”
“Asshole,” I hissed.
I walked outside and stood on the porch. It was almost spring, and the temperature had finally warmed up to something comfortable. When we moved here, I’d been surprised by the weather and how similar it was to New York.
There were times I missed living in New York. There was no question I could have made a fortune there. I could have made enough to join the Soulless Sinners, even with their asinine rules and requirements. Like they were something special.
But I couldn’t go back. There was no statute of limitations on what I had been accused of. There was also no evidence because I was fucking innocent.
I pulled out my phone and called my oldest friend.
“Hey, Tony. What’s up?”
“Do you remember Rosalind Winthrop?”
The phone got quiet, and I looked at it to make sure we were still connected. “Chris?”
“I do,” he sighed. “She made my life hell until I joined the club.”
“She’s here,” I said.
