Page 39 of Motion to Dismiss

I’ve donated five thousand dollars under Scarlett’s name so far, and I have yet to reach her directly.

I refuse to give up, though.

I follow the prompts again, and this time, I donate ten thousand dollars.

WOW! You’re a STAR!

Thank you so much for your generosity!

Would you like us to call and tell you thank you now? Or would you like us to schedule contact?

I hit now and stare at my phone, waiting.

One minute passes.

Then two.

Then ten.

Before I can hit the “complaint” button, my phone lights up with the familiar Los Angeles area code.

I answer without saying hello.

“Well, hello there! Thank you so much for donating to the Arts!” Scarlett’s raspy voice floats over the line. “My name is Scarlett Winters, and I’m so excited to tell you about our lineup. What’s your favorite genre?”

“I like true crime,” I say. “But since it reminds me too much of my job, let’s pretend I like fantasy.”

She sucks in a breath, and the sound instantly takes me back to her mouth against mine.

“Jameson,” she says. “What are you doing?”

“I needed to find a way to reach you,” I say. “I need you to know that I could never be ‘just friends’ with you.”

“Well, we’re not anything right now, so that’s perfectly fine.”

“Are you in love with him?”

“Who?”

“Cole,” I say. “Your new boyfriend.”

“What the…” She lets out a breath. “You’re stalking me?”

“Rachel was stalking you,” I say. “She hasn’t given me an update lately, though. How are you?”

“Conflicted. And yourself?”

“Same.”

Silence settles over the line, and for the first time since I’ve known this woman, I have no idea what to say.

“I’ve been looking into Peter Hansel this week,” she says, and my blood instantly runs cold.

“Hello?” she asks. “Are you there, Jameson?”

“Yes.”

I’m in uncharted territory.