“If Day doesn’t take my call I’m going to go see him. I’m not impressed at all with his ghosting us.” Day and I had worked together for years and he was usually a reliable guy, or at least honest about what he could and could not do. This disappearing act was extremely concerning and not a good look.

Ron nodded as he moved to the door. “I’ll do a little more digging around and ask the IPD guys what they’ve heard of who’s being problematic. I’ll call up Tony too.”

Tony was a deputy sheriff we worked closely with on our sexual abuse cases and he was definitely going to have some insight on what was going on.

“That sounds good. Thanks. I hope we can deal with this before it happens again.”

The look he gave me clearly said, “You and me both.”

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Patrice

“Bruh, the school’s paying for the movers? Damn. You stuntin’ for real.”

I smiled at Nesto as we stood in my apartment watching two guys place my new couch in the middle of the living room. It was Wednesday afternoon and I’d been dealing with movers since I’d finished my morning class.

“They told me a set amount I can spend. They don’t give me cash, just reimburse receipts. So, I figured I might as well spend it and get some professionals instead of trying to bribe you, Jude and Ari with beer and pizza,” I said after I handed one of them a tip and thanked them for hauling all my stuff for the last couple of hours.

Nesto chuckled and looked over at Ari and Yin, who were in my kitchen unpacking plates and glasses. My mom had gone a little overboard with getting me stuff for the apartment once I got the job, and before I left New York I had boxes of housewares from her. Not that I was complaining—I hated shopping and she had great taste.

Nesto must have guessed what I was thinking because he grinned at me and started for the kitchen. “Odette really did the most, damn,” he said, as he peered into one of the boxes on the kitchen island. “Are those champagne flutes?”

I nodded as he gently picked up one of my twelve brand-new glasses. “Yep, she got me a dozen. You know how she is.”

My mother. I loved her, but she was a lot. She was always so preoccupied with appearances. I knew it was her way of showing people that she was worthy of respect, that she wasn’t relying on the government or whatever. Her way of making people think twice before they made assumptions about her or me.