Half Empty (First Wives, #2)(78)
Chapter Twenty-Seven
While Trina accompanied Avery to her follow-up appointments with the plastic surgeon and the orthopedist one last time before returning to Texas, Lori and Reed detoured to the law office of Dwight Crockett. Alice’s estate attorney had been the one to say there would be letters arriving throughout the year, and since there had yet to be one such note, Lori decided to probe further.
With the help of her friends, Trina locked up the Hamptons home and packed all her personal belongings. Everything else would be dealt with later. If Trina had any say, she wouldn’t deal with it ever again. The skeletons in the closets there seemed to come to life, and she was getting tired of jumping at her own shadow.
Shannon met Trina, Avery, Wade, and Cooper, the relief bodyguard, on the tarmac. They arranged a jet large enough to accommodate their group through Fairchild Charters, a company Trina had once worked with and had one day hoped to equip with her team of elite flight attendants. Now she was using their services as a paying customer.
Strange how life worked out sometimes.
She recognized one of the pilots when she entered the jet.
They exchanged pleasantries before she introduced him to everyone. “We’re just waiting for Reed and Lori.”
Unable to help herself, Trina assisted the flight attendant serving and did a quick check to make sure they had everything they needed for the three-and-a-half-hour flight to Texas.
The surgeon had removed the bulk of Avery’s bandages, leaving her with a small scrap of material over her nose. Most of the swelling had gone down, and the colors on her face were a nasty yellow green, but even those were looking better each morning.
The longest lasting effect was the haunted look in Avery’s eyes. Trina saw it every time Avery didn’t think anyone was watching her.
Social services at the hospital had suggested Avery see a psychologist or counselor of some sort to help deal with the aftereffects of the assault. At the time, Avery didn’t want to hear it. But maybe in a few weeks Trina could talk her into it.
“We’re here,” Lori announced as she and Reed climbed the steps into the plane.
Trina met the whites of Lori’s eyes. “Do you have the letters?”
Her smile waned. “Let’s get on our way.”
The hope in Trina’s chest sunk.
When the pilot had the jet in the air, Lori relayed her conversation with Mr. Crockett.
“He had been instructed to send the letters to a mailbox in Arizona.”
“Arizona?”
Lori nodded. “Starting six months ago.”
“Who was supposed to pick them up in Arizona?”
“Dwight didn’t know. He was assured the letters would get to you,” Lori told Trina.
“I haven’t gotten them.”
“I told him that. He seemed surprised.”
Reed unbuckled his belt and moved to the minibar, selected a bottle of water.
The flight attendant attempted to help him, but he waved her off. “I’ve already informed the team. We’ll find out who has control of the box and if the letters are just sitting there, or if Alice had another party invested in getting them to you.”
“Did he send out everything?” Trina asked Lori.
“He says there is one more letter in his possession. I asked him to hold on to it until he hears from me. In light of everything going on, he agreed.”
“Well, that’s something, at least.”
“So what’s the plan now?” Avery asked.
“I’ll get you comfortable at the ranch, and then Lori and I will go to the bank, check out whatever is in that safe deposit box.”
“I’m going to have to go home for a few days,” Shannon interjected. “I don’t want to miss any more appointments than I have to.” She paused. “Unless you need me.”
“We have it,” Avery told her. “But take a bodyguard.”
“I doubt anyone is after—”
Reed stopped her. “You’ve heard every conversation we’ve had. I’ll have someone on the ground ready to accompany you wherever you need to go until we get to the bottom of all this.”
Shannon frowned.
“Hey, at least you don’t have to worry about Scarface taking you out. Since he’s dead.” Avery’s off-color words made everyone pause.
She looked up. “What?”
“Whoever hired him isn’t,” Reed reminded her.
“Don’t you have clients to see, Lori?” Trina redirected the conversation.
“This has been more important.”
“I won’t disagree, but you need to get back to your life, too.”
“Trina—”
“I have bodyguards and Texas law behind me.”
“And me.” Wade reached out for her hand and laced his fingers through hers.
“Didn’t I hear something about a Vegas show you’re scheduled to perform?”
“I’ll cancel.”
Trina lost her smile. “No, you won’t.”
“Excuse me?”
“Wade. That’s ridiculous.”
He matched her frown with one of his own. “You are more important than a crowd full of strangers.”
As much as she wanted to fall into the image he was painting, reality kicked her. “I don’t know when things are going to settle down. You have a life, and I’ve taken you away from it since the day we met.”