Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) by Kaylie Hunter (novels to read for beginners txt) 📕

my legs out from under me to flop into a sitting position. Opening the glovebox, I pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slid them on as I settled into the soft leather. “Please tell me we’re going someplace where they sell booze.”

“We are, actually,” he said, chuckling, as he pulled away from the curb. “But first, Kelsey wants us to drive past the dentist office so you know what you’re walking into tonight.”

“Sounds good.”

I closed my eyes behind the sunglasses, enjoying the feel of the sun on my face as Wild Card drove. The sound of traffic faded. Details of the Benny, Mickey, and homicide cases faded, too. And the next thing I knew, Wild Card was shaking my arm. I opened my eyes. I’d fallen asleep. I lifted my head from the headrest to look around.

“The dentist office is the tan two-story at the end of the block,” Wild Card said, lifting one finger from the steering wheel to point. “I’ll drive by as slow as I can, but you’ll only get one pass to check it out. I don’t dare make another trip around the block. Your car stands out in this neighborhood.”

As Wild Card drove toward the building I turned to face him, leaning closer and placing a hand on his shoulder. I twirled his hair with my fingers, pretending to be a couple, as I studied the building. The main entrance was on the side closest to us. A few construction workers were packing up their tools in the parking lot. The building had a flat-top roof and two windows on each floor on the front and side. The sidewalk adjacent to the building was extra wide. As we drove past the building, I could see on the other side an alley barely wide enough for the wheeled dumpster which was likely rolled to the parking lot on trash pickup day. The alley side also had two large windows on each floor.

The next building over seemed abandoned, but the broken windows made it a likely location for the homeless to hunker down after daylight. I lowered my hand and straightened in my seat.

“You good?” Wild Card asked.

“Yup. Any information on the alarm system?”

“Sounded like Trigger took care of the alarm. He rigged one of the window sensors. Second floor on the alley side.”

I laughed. “I like Trigger. He’s my kind of crazy.”

“He’s got style,” Wild Card said as he pulled onto the expressway. “What I can’t figure out,” he shouted over the wind noise, “is why Kelsey hired him. He lacks discipline.”

“If you knew the old Kelsey, it would make more sense. Between the two of us, she’s always been the serious one. But she also has this crazy-fun side. I think Trigger reminds her of herself, back before…”

“Before Nicholas was taken,” Wild Card said, finishing my sentence. “Like the food fight earlier. And the pranks she used to play on me when we were married, putting manure in my bed.”

“Exactly. She used to spend as much time and energy enjoying life as she spent tracking down bad guys. She had a good balance. She was the same way when we were younger. She’d take me to the playground or to the lake and we’d goof around all afternoon. Then when we returned home, serious Kelsey would reappear.”

“So… Hiring Trigger reminds her of how she used to be?”

“Yes, but I think it’s more than that. I think she’s trying to find that balance in her life again. It’s why she can’t sit still. I think it’s also why she couldn’t commit to Grady, even before he turned out to be an ass.”

“Grady’s good for her. I don’t like to admit it, but they love each other,” Wild Card said, looking away. “They’ll get back together. She just needs time to forgive him.”

“I hope not.”

Wild Card glanced over at me, frowning. “You don’t like Grady?”

“I adore Grady. And I’ll always be grateful to him for helping Kelsey face our childhood shit and for helping us find Nicholas.”

“But?” he shouted over the wind noise.

“But I miss the old Kelsey,” I shouted back as he exited the expressway. I waited until he stopped at the next intersection to continue. “I miss the woman who challenged me to a hot dog eating contest. I miss the woman who rented a bounce house for my twenty-first birthday, which was an absolute hoot until we puked vodka all over the inside. I miss the woman who dressed up for every Halloween even if it meant cutting up boxes and grocery bags to make our own costumes.”

Wild Card smiled a sad smile. “She’s in there. I’ve seen her. But she’s been through a lot. She might not be able to make it back to the person you remember.”

“That’s just it. I adore Grady, but if she stays with him she’ll never find her way back. He’s too serious. Too much like this newer version of herself.”

Wild Card turned into the club’s parking garage, pulling the ticket from the machine, and waited for the gate to rise. “Why are you telling me all this?”

I was quiet as he drove to the second level and parked. He shut off the car, but we both sat there.

“Don’t give up on her, Cooper. She’s different when she’s around you. Better.”

He didn’t face me. His fingers flexed on the steering wheel as he stared at the concrete wall. “After Nola kidnapped her… When she came home, back to Texas I mean… I tried to be there for her. Tried to help her. But it was Grady who got through to her,” he said, shaking his head. “Not me, but Grady.”

“Grady pulled her out of a very dark place, yes. But you’re forgetting that when she escaped Nola, the only place she wanted to be was in Texas. She