Abrupt Changes: A Second Chance Romance (O-Town Book 3) by Karen Renee (comprehension books .TXT) 📕

His brows drew together. “Come again?”

“Told me I wasn’t here when my sister was killed. Then he muttered something about him not being here for her either,” I sighed and stupidly blurted, “Almost makes me wonder if he had something going on with her.”

Brock scoffed, only to start choking.

I moved closer to him. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “He didn’t have anything going on with your sister.”

My lips twisted with cynicism. “That’s not something he’d tell you, now, is it?”

His head turned a fraction. “No. And yes. He told me two years ago when he first came calling on your mother. And that was before your sister had to move in.”

I sighed. “Well, seeing as he’s been coming around for so long, who knows? I suppose he and Bronwyn could’ve—”

“He didn’t. They didn’t.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself.

I shook my head. “You’re right. Wynnie would never do that to me.”

His expression softened for a moment before he shuttered it. “Right. You have a good night, Raegan. And be sure to lock up after me.”

Clint

FOUR HOURS AFTER I dropped off Raegan, I walked into the Otero-Silva offices.

Our covers had nearly been blown tonight. It would be easy for me to blame this on Evan Dylan, the other operative on the case.

He was capable. But that was all I could say about him.

Seriously.

Like Brock, this guy was still in his probationary period, but where Brock had instincts and caught on in the field, Evan did not. And I was starting to wonder if he ever would.

So, I could blame tonight’s near-failure on the new guy, but it wasn’t in me to lie. The subject nearly spotted us because of Evan’s moves, but also because my head was preoccupied with Raegan.

If I had been focused, I’d have prevented Evan’s fuck-up long before it happened.

Hell, striding into the offices, I realized I’d gotten here on sheer autopilot since my head still wasn’t in the in the game.

I should have cut my connection with Penny and Bronwyn months ago. For some reason I couldn’t harden my heart to do that to them.

Being around Raegan for the first time in over nine years threw me a curveball.

At least I left Penny with over a dozen cans of peanuts.

That would last her for a while. Certainly, long enough for me to avoid Rae until she went back to New York.

My chest burned as I thought about her leaving. I didn’t need to deal with that pain again. It was bad enough ten years ago, and the final blow-up when I visited her in the Big Apple after she’d lived there for a year was the worst.

Bronwyn should still be alive. If I hadn’t been working this damned case, I would’ve been there four nights ago.

Yet, this rich asshole wanted physical proof of his wife cheating on him. All the better for his divorce. Having worked for Otero-Silva for the past seven years, I’d figured out that any spouse who suspected the other of cheating most likely was committing adultery themselves.

Still, I was grateful to take Raegan home early. Spending time with her, in any capacity, opened a wound I thought had scarred over but hadn’t. Her trepidation around me notwithstanding, it was like old times. The beauty of her personality came through even with people she had just met.

I clenched my teeth and shoved the thoughts aside. This case had eaten up more of my time than it should have, and my resentment grew by the day. Tonight had not helped matters.

“Sir. Sorry things didn’t go smoother tonight.”

Otero sat back in his swivel chair. “Bet you are. Investigator Dylan said you were spaced out. What the hell’s going on?”

I pressed my lips together and exhaled through my nose. “It won’t happen again, sir.”

He flicked a pencil out of his hand onto the desk. “Really? Then why were you spotted outside the Connelly residence today?”

My eyes widened and he held a hand up to me.

“I don’t have anyone tailing you. A police detective working that case pulled up right after you left. He called to find out if we’d been hired to investigate privately. I already knew you’d been over there in the days just afterward, but you can’t blame yourself for that woman’s death.”

‘That woman.’ Thank God neither Raegan nor Penny was here. They’d lose their minds. Hell, I was about to lose my mind.

“She was murdered, Paul.”

“People have household accidents, Clint.”

“If we were talking about Penny, you’d be right. A thirty-eight-year-old woman who used to be a star swimmer, I’m not so quick to add her to the accident statistics chart.”

A muscle ticked in Otero’s cheek before he slid his lips to the side. “That’s a good point. She fall?”

“When Penny found her, Bronwyn was in the tub and a glass of wine sat on the ledge of the tub. She might have fallen asleep or, depending on her blood alcohol levels, she might have passed out. Medical examiner reports haven’t come back yet, so we just don’t know yet.”

“We? Were you dating her?”

I shook my head. “No. Ten years ago, I was serious with her younger sister. Even after we broke up, Penny sent me Christmas cards and a birthday card.”

“She knows your birthday?”

“Most people celebrate New Year’s Eve, Paul. She always felt bad about my birthday being so close to Christmas and she didn’t like my day being overshadowed by ringing in a new year. Anyway, we kept in touch through the cards.”

His brows arched. “You sent her cards back?”

I shot a closed-lip smile at him. “Yeah. Don’t take away my man-card, all right?”

He chuckled. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Just surprised.”

“Anyway, six months before Penny had her first stroke, she mentioned wanting me to have a spare key to her house. She claimed it was so someone else could help her in an emergency, but I suspect she didn’t want to bother the girls with telling