“It came back negative.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “So, she might be sober.”
“Might be. But that’s not the only kind of high Jackie goes after. She likes being caught up in that whole world. Makes her life feel exciting—”
“When it’s anything but,” I finished for him.
“Nail on the head.”
“I left a message for my lawyer. We’ll see what she says on Monday.”
Hayes clapped me on the shoulder. “I’m sorry, man. I’m still digging. There might be more to find. The cop I talked to in Salem was a straight shooter. She said this whole crew Jackie was mixed up with is bad news. Jackie likely took off after her man went to prison because there was no one left to protect her. She didn’t want to be exposed.”
My fingers dug into the blanket at my sides. “So, she comes back to Wolf Gap, thinking I’ll shield her from this bullshit.”
“That’s what I was wondering.”
“She bringing trouble back here?”
Hayes opened the cooler and pulled out a Coke. “That, I don’t know. But I asked the detective I talked to if she would keep her ear to the ground, and she said she would.”
At least, there was that. We should have an early warning if shit was about to hit the fan. “I need her gone, Hayes.”
“I know you do, and I think she’ll go once she realizes she doesn’t have a prayer of a shot with you.”
“I don’t know how I could make that any clearer.” But Jackie was used to getting what she wanted. She had a natural bent towards manipulation and twisting the truth. Maybe she’d end up shacked up with that lawyer she talked about and would leave me the hell alone.
My gaze lifted at movement in the distance. Hadley hugged a young woman who I knew was Calla, and then Toby enveloped her in an embrace. The hold went on for a beat longer than was friendly, and my eyes narrowed on the man.
Hayes barked out a laugh. “Are you going to go piss a circle around her now?”
“Shut up,” I said, climbing to my feet. “I think it’s time I officially meet these friends of hers.”
“If that’s what you want to call it,” Hayes said through his chuckling.
He could laugh all he wanted. I had a woman who meant the world to me, and I wouldn’t let anyone screw that up.
34
Hadley
Toby released me.“Feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“It’s been less than a week,” I said with a laugh.
“Usually, we’re filming a couple of times a week, at least,” he grumbled.
“Toby,” Calla said quietly as she slipped her arm through his. “You know it’s not safe for Hadley to do the videos right now.”
“Yeah, yeah. I just think it’s a bunch of BS that we’re letting this creeper win,” he argued.
“What creeper?” Birdie asked as she skated up.
I glared at Toby. “No one, Birds. Hey, you’re looking pretty great. How do you feel?”
“Awesome! Is it time for me to learn a trick?”
Toby grinned at Birdie. “Looks like we’ve got another Little Daredevil in the making.”