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Back No Going Back: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part 1
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. Part 2
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. Part 3
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. Part 4
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. Part 5
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. Part 6
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. Acknowledgments
  82. About the Author
  83. Also by Sheena Kamal
  84. About the Publisher

“Well, neighborhood watch heard what they thought was a scream coming from Steph’s house and went and knocked on the door. There was no answer, but Brenda next door had a key so they asked her to open it to check if Steph was okay. Found her with her arm broken. Looks like she interrupted a burglary or something.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah. She got that arm twisted bad but managed to fight back. Got her hands on her bear spray and just went off on that bastard. Got him real good. And when she screamed, well, that’s when the watch went and knocked. Steph said the guy took off then, through the back. Who the hell beats up on a woman, though? It makes me sick!”

I feel the same. I get back in the car.

This is what I think happened. When Van Nguyen saw my face, he couldn’t immediately place it, but he knew he should have. Because he was the one who arranged the surveillance. When he realized he saw me here with Stephanie Kwan, he or his goon decided to come back and confront her. He was the one who sent the text.

As I drive away, I take out the phone I have, the burner, and toss it out the window.

30

Later, after I’ve gotten a new phone and updated my contacts, I let myself into Simone’s apartment. It’s been a long day and I’m tired. Whisper seems to be as exhausted as I am. She barely eats the gourmet dog food I picked up for her, which was expensive. I don’t even bother explaining that while she’s got the best the pet store has to offer, I’m eating from the discounted deli section of the grocery. I’ve got bigger problems than the luxury lifestyle she’s become accustomed to, courtesy of Leo, who must have a more generous credit card limit than me.

After a long shower, as hot as I can stand it, I turn up the thermostat and try to process the events of the day from the couch. It feels as though I’ve lived a week in the past twenty-four hours.

Dao’s search for me is ramping up. He’s sent his attack dogs to use my connections to lure me out.

It’s also clear that he’s not here to greet me in person. If he had been, he wouldn’t have sent others to do his dirty work for him. He would have been in the Hastings alley himself. Waiting for me down the street from Stephanie Kwan’s place. Or at Leo’s apartment. I can see him now, perched on an armchair in the dark, biding his time until I walk in the door.