Chapter 16
Noticing the slap mark on Irene’s face and her torn collar, Nancy gently comforted her. “Hey, it’s self–defense, you’re good. Besides, that bastard isn’t gonna die–just banged up.”
Only then did Irene relax her grip and let Nancy take the knife. And Nancy slipped it into an evidence bag.
Nancy turned to her, saying, “You had a close call tonight, honey. Thank goodness a fishing man across the lake spotted the trouble and called us.”
“If we’d shown up a few minutes later, things could’ve gone south real quick,” she added.
Hearing this, Shelby could have cried from frustration. That damn fishing man ruined everything, she screamed inwardly. Nancy helped Irene to her feet. “Come on, sweetie. You need to come down to the station and make a statement.”
“Okay,” Irene murmured. She glanced across to the other side of Silvergrove Park. “Fishing man” Valerie was waving her phone’s flashlight at her.
Irene lowered her head, a faint, satisfied smile touching her lips.
Across from Silvergrove Park, Valerie watched as the cops arrived on time and took Shelby away. She let out a low whistle, packed up her fishing rod, and got to her feet.
Turning around, Valerie spotted a guy sitting on the viewing platform not far off–another fishing man.
Valerie froze a lule. ‘Had this guy been here the whole time?‘ she wondered.
But the next second, her social butterfly nature kicked in. Valerie waved at him: “Hey there. You night fishing too?”
Jeremy held a thermal mug, gave her a casual glance, and grunted. “Yeah. How’s your catch tonight?” he asked.
Valerie held up her empty bucket with a grin. “Oh, quite the haul. Gotta go now, sir.” She grabbed her things and skipped away.
dent ri
Jeremy stared across the now–silent riverbank. He’d just sneaked out in the midnight to get some fresh air, never expecting to
witness such a show.
“Irene Jackson,” he muttered. “How come I never noticed Dorian’s girlfriend was such a troublemaker?”
With a mysterious figure suddenly appearing around him, Jeremy found himself curious about Irene for the first time.
In the middle of the night, Henry was called to the police station. After learning what had happened, he flew into a rage and slapped Shelby in the face several times.
“Shelby! Irene is our daughter!” Henry barked. “Even if you don’t love her, she
still your own flesh and blood.
“Irene might not have respected you enough, but did you really have to set her up like this? Since when does a mother hire someone to assault herjown kid?
“You’re downright vicious! How do you think Lucas will face the world after this?”
Shelby stared blankly, still unable to wrap her head around how Irene had set her up.
She’d thought her plan had been flawless, but no one expected that some fishing man would be at Silvergrove Park that late at night.
Only when Henry mentioned Lucas did Shelby snap back to reality.
She grabbed Henry’s hand, voice trembling: “Honey, talk to Irene, please! Make her drop the charges, get that pardon signed
no matter what.
“I can’t go to jail–if I do, Lucas‘ whole future is screwed!” The thought of Lucas‘ future finally struck fear into Shelby.
Chapter 16
Henry yelled, jabbing his finger at her nose, “Now you’re scared? Why didn’t you think of Lucas before you did this?”
“She pushed me too fart” Shelby shrieked, her face twisting with rage. “I’m her mother. Look how she treats me. “It’s freezing cold, and she wanted me to jump into the lake at midnight! I can’t even swim–I’d have drowned. “And she demanded thirty percent of my company–she’s a greedy devil! I was just trying to teach her a lesson.”
Her voice rose to a hysterical pitch. It’s all that fishing man’s fault! By this Shelby blamed everyone and everything-
except herself.
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