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Chloe’s second biggest fear was that Center would manipulate her child, get her to trust him, and use her in a revenge plan. Right now, that doesn’t seem too far out there. If this Cora is Chloe’s and worked her way into CeCe’s life, that takes planning.
I position myself between CeCe and the bathroom.
“We should let her get dressed and?—”
An ear-piercing scream rips through the air, and I turn and see her, a lot more of her than I should, but Jesus Christ, she’s … stunning, too.
“Oh my God. Oh my God! Oh! My! God!”
“You’re okay, Cora. We’ll give you a minute.” CeCe grabs my shirt and tries to tug me out of the room.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have just come here, but”—she grabs her top and throws it over her toweled head—“my father’s away with his girlfriend, and I agreed to meet up with some guy I met on a dating app. He suggested we meet at my place instead of Brews for coffee.” She grabs her pants and slips them on. “He told me he already knew where I lived, that he knew all about me, even things I’ve never told people closest to me. I freaked and stayed here last night. I’m so sorry.”
Holy fucking shit, could it be?
“You did a smart thing. It would have been smarter to call the cops.” I pull my phone from my pocket.
“No.” Cora holds her hand up. “Please, don’t. My dad’s going to freak out about this already. I don’t want him to know.” She pulls the towel off her head.
CeCe gasps. “Wow, that?—”
“Was stupid.” She bends down and grabs socks out of her bag.
“I was going to say it looks great.”
Pulling on her socks, she huffs, “Trust me; it was stupid. He said he likes blondes. I’m such an idiot.”
“I won’t call the cops, but I’d love to see his name and profile if you don’t mind.”
She looks up at me. “I’m sorry, who are you?” She immediately shakes her head. “Jesus, I’m normally not such a wreck, and I have no reason to ask questions when I’m the one who shouldn’t be here.”
“You’re shaken. It’s understood. It was smart of you to get somewhere safe. Next time, maybe call me so I can come get you?” CeCe says sweetly.
“There will not be a next time. I’m going to keep dating assholes my age and not older men who you’d think were more mature, but go figure that I’d find one who was a creeper.” She looks at me again.
“This is Gwen York. She’s one of my sister’s best friends, and she’s, uh … she’s?—”
“Going to check out the building on the back of the property to see what would be needed to fix it up and?—”
“Puppy spa?” Cora asks as she stands.
“Yeah,” CeCe lies, and she does it horribly. “She used to be a police officer, which is why she’s asking to see whatever information you have on this creep.”
“You won’t tell my father, though?” she asks, genuinely worried.
“How old are you, Cora?”
“Eighteen.”
“Making you an adult.” I nod.
“Right, of course.” She moves to grab her phone and hands it to me, telling me her code.
When I open her app and see a picture that even I can tell is fake, my stomach turns. I see that the name he’s chosen is Daniel, and I know that it’s not a coincidence.
I look at CeCe. “You have coffee here?”
“I’ll make it,” Cora offers.
