Pay the Price (Harmony Grove Book 3) Carol Post (poetry books to read txt) 📖

with Prissy’s name on it? Was he a hit man? Murder for hire? No, she couldn’t have been that far off on her assessment of him.

She opened the folder and viewed the list of files inside. There was the police report and the autopsy report. She didn’t bother opening them. She’d already read them at the police station. Instead, she clicked on the file right below the autopsy report. It was labeled “bank records.” Did Shane somehow get access to Prissy’s checking account?

She glanced at the time in the corner. Shane would be back within ten minutes, maybe as soon as five. She clicked on the file and scanned the transactions, her jaw dropping as she viewed the deposits. That kind of money didn’t come from waiting tables. What had Prissy gotten involved in?

She closed the file. At the bottom was another folder titled “Background checks.” Four files were inside. The first was labeled “Branch, Stanley” Her mouth sagged. Shane had a background check on Chief Branch? She reined in her curiosity and looked at the next two names. “Driggers, Thaddeus” and “Driggers, Wilford.” Was that Hammy and Spike? It had to be. She stifled a grin. They sounded like a couple of accountants.

Maybe Shane was law enforcement. What other reason would there be for acquiring background checks on suspects? But if he was there to investigate Prissy’s murder, why didn’t he just tell her?

The last file was labeled simply Parker. Was it Prissy’s background check or other information on her? Probably an investigation into her affiliations, her criminal connections. Had Shane come by information he hadn’t shared with her?

Jessica checked the clock again, tension spiraling through her. Shane would return at any moment. She jumped up from the chair and sprinted to the front window. The small parking lot was still empty. She had at least another minute.

She clicked on the Parker file. Two seconds later, a younger version of her own face stared back at her. Her jaw went slack. Shane had ordered a criminal history on her. While he pretended to be her friend, he was having her investigated. While he talked about her trusting him and the two of them working as a team, he viewed her as nothing more than another possible suspect. He’d used her to further his investigation.

A sudden coldness filled her core, spreading all the way to her fingertips. She was right. Shane was too good to be true. She’d been snookered again.

With Daryl, she’d blindly swallowed his sweet words while he’d cleaned out her bank account and run her business into the ground. She obviously hadn’t learned her lesson. Because here it was, nine months later, and she’d bought a ticket on that same train. She’d dropped her guard, believing Shane cared for her, when all she was to him was a source of information.

What was wrong with her? Did she crave companionship so badly that she made an easy target for the conmen of the world? Was she really that pathetic?

She clicked the file closed at the same time the door opened. Shane stood with one hand on the knob, the other holding a Pappy’s Pizzeria box. She stifled a gasp and closed the laptop, as if that could hide or undo what she’d been up to. Shane’s jaw went slack, and something she’d never seen before flashed across his face.

“What are you doing?” His voice was several pitches higher than normal. Several decibels louder, too.

She stood, anger and indignation of her own coursing through her. “You had me checked out.”

“You hacked into my computer.” He closed the door behind him and moved toward her.

She clenched her fists, struggling to rein in her anger. “All this time, you’ve pretended we’re a team, and I’ve been nothing to you but another suspect.” She snatched up her phone and slid it into the back pocket of her jeans. His eyes followed the action.

“Your phone. You were holding your phone while I was logging in. While you made a show of turning away while I was putting in my password, you were videotaping me.”

He stared at her, jaw still slack. His face held shock, but there was something else, too. Hurt. As if she’d been the one to betray his trust.

She brushed past him, headed for the door. “Go ahead with your investigation.” She spoke without turning around. “I’ll even help you, because I’d do anything to find Prissy’s killer.”

She swung the door open and stormed onto the small landing. Then she spun to face him.

“Just don’t pretend that you care for me in any way.”

Chapter Ten

Shane strolled down the aisle, the shelves lining both sides filled with books. He had thirty minutes to kill, and what better way to pass the time than in a bookstore. Harvey’s New and Used Books was right next to BethAnn’s, but until this afternoon, he hadn’t ventured inside.

He checked the time on his cell phone, then slid it back into his pocket. Soon, he’d head next door to walk Jess home. If she would let him.

After she’d stormed out last night, he hadn’t gone after her. She’d needed time to cool down. Actually, he had too. He was still having a hard time wrapping his mind around what she’d done. Although he hadn’t moved past wanting to give her a good hard shake, he had to admire her ingenuity.

He’d called Ross last night to let him know what had happened. Ross had wanted to know whether he felt the case had been compromised, and he’d said no. Although Jess was angry with him, they both wanted the same thing—Priscilla Parker’s killers brought to justice. Jess wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that, regardless of how she felt about him.

He turned the corner and headed up the next aisle. Although his gaze slid over the titles displayed there, he didn’t really see them. When he’d walked into his apartment last night, he’d anticipated an enjoyable evening eating pizza and chatting with Jess. The last thing he’d expected