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I shrugged. How would I know? Angel seemed to pick up on that.
“Butch is with Simone. Those two never do a job without the other,” Angel answered his own question.
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” I said, wondering if Simone and Butch were a couple.
“Not sure, and do not ask. That’s their business,” Angel replied, even though I hadn’t asked.
“We should hear something within the next twenty-four hours, forty-eight tops if this guy has the balls to hold out against Simone. But I’d give him three max before he’s spilling the beans. Man’s an asshole wimp. He took a coward’s way out to gain his job, and he’ll still be yellow-bellied now,” Angel said with a bite.
“Fingers crossed,” I whispered. A weight eased off my shoulders. Finally, we were making headway in proving my innocence. So far, Simone had interviewed the three nurses and one doctor who’d seen me in the ER. With her ‘persuasion skills’, Simone had managed to get them to admit they’d been bribed to falsify evidence around my injuries and had all been handsomely paid.
Simone had not only got a recorded version of their confessions but also a written one for court. Now she was doing the same with the legal representative who’d screwed me over. Things were coming together. I was unsure of what the plan was once they’d got his confession. Butch planned to talk to the nurses who were present during my intake and the guards and get their catalogue of my injuries.
I wondered how this would be presented to a lawyer and whether that attorney could be bought once the truth was exposed. Was there enough evidence to arrest Cordelia and the Wellsprings, or did we require more?
“You okay, Julie? You’ve gone quiet,” Angel asked gently.
“Yeah, sorry. It’s just hit me how close we are,” I replied.
“Ain’t there yet, but we will be. Your innocence will be proved. We’re about halfway there. Hang in and obey the rules and watch out for any trouble,” Angel warned.
“Will do,” I promised and hung up.
Today, Faelea and I were spending time by the pool. So I hurried out to join her.
A week later.
This was a dilemma. I wanted to buy Faelea a birthday present but couldn’t take her with me. Faelea was too young to be left home alone, even in a house as secure as this. I couldn’t ring Simone and Butch for babysitting and didn’t want to order Faelea something off the net, as it seemed impersonal to me. Dithering, I was wondering what to do when the gate’s security buzzer rang out.
Standing in front of the camera was Mrs Jepson, holding a plate. Hesitation made me pause, but after a second buzz, I clicked the gate and let her in.
Mrs Jepson walked to the front door, where I met her smiling face.
“Hello dear! I was making cookies and done extra. My grandson and his greedy friends have plenty, so I thought you and the little girl might want a plate,” she announced.
“That’s very kind of you,” I replied. Mrs Jepson cocked her head, and I remembered my manners. “Would you like to come in?”
“That would be wonderful. I made chocolate and chocolate orange cookies. Girls love chocolate, or most do in my experience,” Mrs Jepson said, screwing her face up. She followed me into the kitchen, where Faelea was sitting at the breakfast bar eating a sandwich.
Faelea looked surprised as she saw our guest, and I saw her guard go up.
“Hello there! I live across the road and brought cookies as I made too many,” Mrs Jepson exclaimed with a huge smile.
“Hi, I am Faelea,” Faelea replied, looking at me before answering.
Mrs Jepson’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she kept up her cheerful stance.
“I’m Mrs Jepson, or you can call me Aggie, which is short for Agatha. Now, child, eat that sandwich and have some yummy cookies. A nice ice-cold glass of milk would do wonderfully with them,” Mrs Jepson said.
I opened the fridge and grabbed the milk, pouring three glasses of it as Faelea shoved what remained of her sandwich into her mouth and pointedly looked at the plate.
Mrs Jepson chuckled and unwrapped it, and Faelea’s eyes grew huge. My heart soared at the look of pure excitement and childish greed at seeing the cookies.
“May I have a chocolate one?” Faelea asked politely.
“What beautiful manners. Your mom taught you well,” Mrs Jepson exclaimed, and I knew she didn’t miss the stare Faelea and I swapped. Faelea looked sad, and I looked bitter.
“Yeah,” Faelea said shortly, picking up a cookie. “Oh wow!”
