Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
I shake my head distracted by the best friend and boyfriend thing. “No, I just sort of thought…”
“Thought what?”
“I sparred with her in the gym once and she could fight. I assumed she was a cop.”
“No, not a cop. She does have a membership to a kickboxing gym. Works out regularly.”
“Does she have any family?” I ask.
“That’s the weird thing. There is no trace of her before her eighteenth birthday.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“I mean she didn’t exist until she turned eighteen.”
“I don’t understand.” I frown.
“In most cases, that means she has changed her name as soon as she was old enough.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Who knows?”
“Who was she before?” I ask.
“I can find out, but that info takes about a week or so. They have to go through records and stuff. Does it really matter anyway?”
I hold the phone to my ear as I think.
“I mean she’s probably dead,” he replies.
I shake my head. God, nobody is even looking for her. No wonder she wants a new start.
“Who does she live with?” I ask.
“She lived with her best friend.”
“The chick who was fucking her boyfriend.” I frown. This is unbelievable.
“That would be her.”
My heart drops. “How do they know she killed herself?”
“They don’t. Apparently the friend and boyfriend had gone out of town together and she had followed them and went berserk right before she went missing. The police found her car in the nightclub parking lot when she was reported missing two days later.”
“Apart from the appearing at eighteen thing, is there anything else unusual?” I ask.
“No. She’s a nurse and works hard. Goes to the gym. Keeps to herself and never been in trouble with the law. A few boyfriends. Five to be exact.”
“How long was she with this last guy?” I don’t know why I want to know that, but I do.
“A couple of years.”
Regret fills me. She probably loved him. I picture her face when she walked though that back door, and I just told her I was bored and going to spend the night with Chelsea tonight. What a weak prick. She really is out of my fucking league.
“Listen, I got to go into a meeting. I will ring you as soon as I get her birth information.”
“Okay, mate. Thank you. About a week, hey?”
“Yeah, speak soon.”
He hangs up, and I sit for a moment in the semi-lit office as I process her story. I shake my head in disbelief. Her boyfriend must be fucking batshit crazy to play up on her. Stupid prick. I think for a moment. I need to get her off this ship before Vikinos arrives. I don’t want her here after the shit goes down. I sit back in my chair and blow out a deep breath.
What do I do?
I bite my thumbnail and think for a moment. I do need a new part for the engine. Although it’s not urgent, I could pretend it is. I turn on my computer and type an email.
* * *
Columbia Docking Security
Permission requested to port for 48 hours for unscheduled urgent engine maintenance.
I look forward to your reply.
Mac.
* * *
I walk into the cabin to find Rosh laid facing the wall with her back to me, the desk lamp on and the room dimly lit.
“Hi,” I wait for her reply, but it doesn’t come. She stays silent.
I can tell she is awake. Unsure what to say, I take a shower without saying anything else.
After getting into my boxers I lie down beside her. She gets up violently and grabs a blanket and pillow and lies down on the floor.
“Are you mad?” I ask.
“Go back to Chelsea, you scuz bucket.” She growls.
I smile into the darkness. There she is—the fiery little witch I like so much.
“You sleep on the bed and I will sleep on the floor,” I reply.
“Fuck you. Don’t do me any favours.”
I lie down on the floor along the bottom of the bed. “I’m out of the bed, you have it.” It’s bloody hard on this floor, I shuffle around to try and get comfortable.
“I would rather die than sleep in your bed,” she snaps.
I chuckle and she kicks me hard with her foot.
“Ouch.”
We both lie on the cold, hard floor staring at the ceiling above.
“I thought you were a cop,” I mutter into the darkness.
She stays silent.
“I saw you kick Stucco’s ass… which I loved by the way.” I add.
Still, she says nothing.
“I had a search done on you. I was waiting for the results tonight.”
She sits up in an outrage. “You didn’t think to just fucking ask me?”
“I will repeat, I thought you were a cop. I didn’t think I could trust you.”
She flops back down onto the floor in a dramatic fashion. “You can’t.”
“Good. You can’t trust me, either,” I reply.
“I never did. I’m tired, so go back to Chelsea. Your jabbering is annoying.” She sighs.