Just Forget (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 4)
By Blake Pierce
()
About this ebook
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery.”
—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
JUST FORGET (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 4) is the fourth novel in a new series by #1 bestseller and USA Today bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose bestseller Once Gone (a free download) has received over 7,000 five star ratings and reviews.
A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured FBI agent, the CAMI LARK series is a riveting mystery, packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love.
Book #5 in the series—JUST ONCE—is also available.
“An edge of your seat thriller in a new series that keeps you turning pages! ...So many twists, turns and red herrings… I can't wait to see what happens next.”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A strong, complex story about two FBI agents trying to stop a serial killer. If you want an author to capture your attention and have you guessing, yet trying to put the pieces together, Pierce is your author!”
—Reader review (Her Last Wish)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A typical Blake Pierce twisting, turning, roller coaster ride suspense thriller. Will have you turning the pages to the last sentence of the last chapter!!!”
—Reader review (City of Prey)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Right from the start we have an unusual protagonist that I haven't seen done in this genre before. The action is nonstop… A very atmospheric novel that will keep you turning pages well into the wee hours.”
—Reader review (City of Prey)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Everything that I look for in a book… a great plot, interesting characters, and grabs your interest right away. The book moves along at a breakneck pace and stays that way until the end. Now on go I to book two!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Exciting, heart pounding, edge of your seat book… a must read for mystery and suspense readers!”
—Reader review (Girl, Alone)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Related to Just Forget (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 4)
Related ebooks
Just Hide (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 6) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJust Right (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 3) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnsaid (A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller—Book 4) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJust Once (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 5) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJust Me (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnhinged (A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller—Book 3) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNo Fear (A Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 3) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAbsent Feeling (An Amber Young FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 3) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAbsent Remorse (An Amber Young FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 2) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNothing There (A Juliette Hart FBI Suspense Thriller—Book Two) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlready Cold (A Laura Frost FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 11) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlready Lost (A Laura Frost FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 8) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlready Lured (A Laura Frost FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 10) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlready Chosen (A Laura Frost FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 7) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Already Taken (A Laura Frost FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 6) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Her Last Desire (A Rachel Gift FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 8) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Girl He Crowned (A Paige King FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 5) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUndone (A Cora Shields Suspense Thriller—Book 1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Need You (A Daisy Fortune Private Investigator Mystery—Book 1) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlready Missing (A Laura Frost FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 4) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHer Last Mistake (A Rachel Gift FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 7) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5City of Bones: An Ava Gold Mystery (Book 3) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNo Quarter (A Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 5) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5All He Takes (A Nicky Lyons FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 6) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNever Again (A May Moore Suspense Thriller—Book 6) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAll Mine (A Nicky Lyons FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCity of Vice: An Ava Gold Mystery (Book 6) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAll For One (A Nicky Lyons FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 5) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHer Last Hope (A Rachel Gift FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 3) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5No Refuge (A Valerie Law FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 7) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Mystery For You
The Stories of Ray Bradbury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Flight: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Paris Apartment: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5None of This Is True: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pretty Girls: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pieces of Her: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hallowe'en Party: Inspiration for the 20th Century Studios Major Motion Picture A Haunting in Venice Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Short Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The River We Remember: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Still Life: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Pharmacist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hunting Party: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder Under a Red Moon: A 1920s Bangalore Mystery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Life We Bury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5False Witness: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big Sleep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hidden Staircase: Nancy Drew #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Pale Blue Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Iron Lake (20th Anniversary Edition): A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Night in the Lonesome October Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Going Rogue: Rise and Shine Twenty-Nine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sydney Rye Mysteries Box Set Books 10-12: Sydney Rye Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Finlay Donovan Is Killing It: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Did I Kill You?: A Thriller Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Girl, Forgotten: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Just Forget (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 4)
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Just Forget (A Cami Lark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 4) - Blake Pierce
JUST FORGET
(A Cami Lark Mystery —Book Four)
B L A K E P I E R C E
Blake Pierce
Blake Pierce is the USA Today bestselling author of the RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seventeen books. Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising fourteen books; of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; of the MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, comprising six books; of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising seven books; of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising six books; of the JESSIE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising twenty six books; of the AU PAIR psychological suspense thriller series, comprising three books; of the ZOE PRIME mystery series, comprising six books; of the ADELE SHARP mystery series, comprising sixteen books, of the EUROPEAN VOYAGE cozy mystery series, comprising six books; of the LAURA FROST FBI suspense thriller, comprising eleven books; of the ELLA DARK FBI suspense thriller, comprising fourteen books (and counting); of the A YEAR IN EUROPE cozy mystery series, comprising nine books, of the AVA GOLD mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the RACHEL GIFT mystery series, comprising ten books (and counting); of the VALERIE LAW mystery series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the PAIGE KING mystery series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the MAY MOORE mystery series, comprising eleven books (and counting); the CORA SHIELDS mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); of the NICKY LYONS mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting), of the CAMI LARK mystery series, comprising five books (and counting), and of the new AMBER YOUNG mystery series, comprising five books (and counting).
An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.
img1.pngCopyright © 2023 by Blake Pierce. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Jacket image Copyright Joraca used under license from Shutterstock.com.
BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE
AMBER YOUNG MYSTERY SERIES
ABSENT PITY (Book #1)
ABSENT REMORSE (Book #2)
ABSENT FEELING (Book #3)
ABSENT MERCY (Book #4)
ABSENT REASON (Book #5)
CAMI LARK MYSTERY SERIES
JUST ME (Book #1)
JUST OUTSIDE (Book #2)
JUST RIGHT (Book #3)
JUST FORGET (Book #4)
JUST ONCE (Book #5)
NICKY LYONS MYSTERY SERIES
ALL MINE (Book #1)
ALL HIS (Book #2)
ALL HE SEES (Book #3)
ALL ALONE (Book #4)
ALL FOR ONE (Book #5)
ALL HE TAKES (Book #6)
ALL FOR ME (Book #7)
CORA SHIELDS MYSTERY SERIES
UNDONE (Book #1)
UNWANTED (Book #2)
UNHINGED (Book #3)
UNSAID (Book #4)
UNGLUED (Book #5)
MAY MOORE SUSPENSE THRILLER
NEVER RUN (Book #1)
NEVER TELL (Book #2)
NEVER LIVE (Book #3)
NEVER HIDE (Book #4)
NEVER FORGIVE (Book #5)
NEVER AGAIN (Book #6)
NEVER LOOK BACK (Book #7)
NEVER FORGET (Book #8)
NEVER LET GO (Book #9)
NEVER PRETEND (Book #10)
NEVER HESITATE (Book #11)
PAIGE KING MYSTERY SERIES
THE GIRL HE PINED (Book #1)
THE GIRL HE CHOSE (Book #2)
THE GIRL HE TOOK (Book #3)
THE GIRL HE WISHED (Book #4)
THE GIRL HE CROWNED (Book #5)
THE GIRL HE WATCHED (Book #6)
THE GIRL HE WANTED (Book #7)
THE GIRL HE CLAIMED (Book #8)
VALERIE LAW MYSTERY SERIES
NO MERCY (Book #1)
NO PITY (Book #2)
NO FEAR (Book #3)
NO SLEEP (Book #4)
NO QUARTER (Book #5)
NO CHANCE (Book #6)
NO REFUGE (Book #7)
NO GRACE (Book #8)
NO ESCAPE (Book #9)
RACHEL GIFT MYSTERY SERIES
HER LAST WISH (Book #1)
HER LAST CHANCE (Book #2)
HER LAST HOPE (Book #3)
HER LAST FEAR (Book #4)
HER LAST CHOICE (Book #5)
HER LAST BREATH (Book #6)
HER LAST MISTAKE (Book #7)
HER LAST DESIRE (Book #8)
HER LAST REGRET (Book #9)
HER LAST HOUR (Book #10)
AVA GOLD MYSTERY SERIES
CITY OF PREY (Book #1)
CITY OF FEAR (Book #2)
CITY OF BONES (Book #3)
CITY OF GHOSTS (Book #4)
CITY OF DEATH (Book #5)
CITY OF VICE (Book #6)
A YEAR IN EUROPE
A MURDER IN PARIS (Book #1)
DEATH IN FLORENCE (Book #2)
VENGEANCE IN VIENNA (Book #3)
A FATALITY IN SPAIN (Book #4)
ELLA DARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER
GIRL, ALONE (Book #1)
GIRL, TAKEN (Book #2)
GIRL, HUNTED (Book #3)
GIRL, SILENCED (Book #4)
GIRL, VANISHED (Book 5)
GIRL ERASED (Book #6)
GIRL, FORSAKEN (Book #7)
GIRL, TRAPPED (Book #8)
GIRL, EXPENDABLE (Book #9)
GIRL, ESCAPED (Book #10)
GIRL, HIS (Book #11)
GIRL, LURED (Book #12)
GIRL, MISSING (Book #13)
GIRL, UNKNOWN (Book #14)
LAURA FROST FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER
ALREADY GONE (Book #1)
ALREADY SEEN (Book #2)
ALREADY TRAPPED (Book #3)
ALREADY MISSING (Book #4)
ALREADY DEAD (Book #5)
ALREADY TAKEN (Book #6)
ALREADY CHOSEN (Book #7)
ALREADY LOST (Book #8)
ALREADY HIS (Book #9)
ALREADY LURED (Book #10)
ALREADY COLD (Book #11)
EUROPEAN VOYAGE COZY MYSTERY SERIES
MURDER (AND BAKLAVA) (Book #1)
DEATH (AND APPLE STRUDEL) (Book #2)
CRIME (AND LAGER) (Book #3)
MISFORTUNE (AND GOUDA) (Book #4)
CALAMITY (AND A DANISH) (Book #5)
MAYHEM (AND HERRING) (Book #6)
ADELE SHARP MYSTERY SERIES
LEFT TO DIE (Book #1)
LEFT TO RUN (Book #2)
LEFT TO HIDE (Book #3)
LEFT TO KILL (Book #4)
LEFT TO MURDER (Book #5)
LEFT TO ENVY (Book #6)
LEFT TO LAPSE (Book #7)
LEFT TO VANISH (Book #8)
LEFT TO HUNT (Book #9)
LEFT TO FEAR (Book #10)
LEFT TO PREY (Book #11)
LEFT TO LURE (Book #12)
LEFT TO CRAVE (Book #13)
LEFT TO LOATHE (Book #14)
LEFT TO HARM (Book #15)
LEFT TO RUIN (Book #16)
THE AU PAIR SERIES
ALMOST GONE (Book#1)
ALMOST LOST (Book #2)
ALMOST DEAD (Book #3)
ZOE PRIME MYSTERY SERIES
FACE OF DEATH (Book#1)
FACE OF MURDER (Book #2)
FACE OF FEAR (Book #3)
FACE OF MADNESS (Book #4)
FACE OF FURY (Book #5)
FACE OF DARKNESS (Book #6)
A JESSIE HUNT PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE SERIES
THE PERFECT WIFE (Book #1)
THE PERFECT BLOCK (Book #2)
THE PERFECT HOUSE (Book #3)
THE PERFECT SMILE (Book #4)
THE PERFECT LIE (Book #5)
THE PERFECT LOOK (Book #6)
THE PERFECT AFFAIR (Book #7)
THE PERFECT ALIBI (Book #8)
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR (Book #9)
THE PERFECT DISGUISE (Book #10)
THE PERFECT SECRET (Book #11)
THE PERFECT FAÇADE (Book #12)
THE PERFECT IMPRESSION (Book #13)
THE PERFECT DECEIT (Book #14)
THE PERFECT MISTRESS (Book #15)
THE PERFECT IMAGE (Book #16)
THE PERFECT VEIL (Book #17)
THE PERFECT INDISCRETION (Book #18)
THE PERFECT RUMOR (Book #19)
THE PERFECT COUPLE (Book #20)
THE PERFECT MURDER (Book #21)
THE PERFECT HUSBAND (Book #22)
THE PERFECT SCANDAL (Book #23)
THE PERFECT MASK (Book #24)
THE PERFECT RUSE (Book #25)
THE PERFECT VENEER (Book #26)
CHLOE FINE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE SERIES
NEXT DOOR (Book #1)
A NEIGHBOR’S LIE (Book #2)
CUL DE SAC (Book #3)
SILENT NEIGHBOR (Book #4)
HOMECOMING (Book #5)
TINTED WINDOWS (Book #6)
KATE WISE MYSTERY SERIES
IF SHE KNEW (Book #1)
IF SHE SAW (Book #2)
IF SHE RAN (Book #3)
IF SHE HID (Book #4)
IF SHE FLED (Book #5)
IF SHE FEARED (Book #6)
IF SHE HEARD (Book #7)
THE MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE SERIES
WATCHING (Book #1)
WAITING (Book #2)
LURING (Book #3)
TAKING (Book #4)
STALKING (Book #5)
KILLING (Book #6)
RILEY PAIGE MYSTERY SERIES
ONCE GONE (Book #1)
ONCE TAKEN (Book #2)
ONCE CRAVED (Book #3)
ONCE LURED (Book #4)
ONCE HUNTED (Book #5)
ONCE PINED (Book #6)
ONCE FORSAKEN (Book #7)
ONCE COLD (Book #8)
ONCE STALKED (Book #9)
ONCE LOST (Book #10)
ONCE BURIED (Book #11)
ONCE BOUND (Book #12)
ONCE TRAPPED (Book #13)
ONCE DORMANT (Book #14)
ONCE SHUNNED (Book #15)
ONCE MISSED (Book #16)
ONCE CHOSEN (Book #17)
MACKENZIE WHITE MYSTERY SERIES
BEFORE HE KILLS (Book #1)
BEFORE HE SEES (Book #2)
BEFORE HE COVETS (Book #3)
BEFORE HE TAKES (Book #4)
BEFORE HE NEEDS (Book #5)
BEFORE HE FEELS (Book #6)
BEFORE HE SINS (Book #7)
BEFORE HE HUNTS (Book #8)
BEFORE HE PREYS (Book #9)
BEFORE HE LONGS (Book #10)
BEFORE HE LAPSES (Book #11)
BEFORE HE ENVIES (Book #12)
BEFORE HE STALKS (Book #13)
BEFORE HE HARMS (Book #14)
AVERY BLACK MYSTERY SERIES
CAUSE TO KILL (Book #1)
CAUSE TO RUN (Book #2)
CAUSE TO HIDE (Book #3)
CAUSE TO FEAR (Book #4)
CAUSE TO SAVE (Book #5)
CAUSE TO DREAD (Book #6)
KERI LOCKE MYSTERY SERIES
A TRACE OF DEATH (Book #1)
A TRACE OF MURDER (Book #2)
A TRACE OF VICE (Book #3)
A TRACE OF CRIME (Book #4)
A TRACE OF HOPE (Book #5)
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
The first thing Shiree Williams noticed, on arriving home on a cloudy mid-afternoon, was that the pathway outside their double-story Boston home had been swept clear. All the way from the road to the front door was spotless. She stared at it—surprised and reluctantly impressed—feeling somehow as if a wrathful wind had been taken out of her sails.
For how long, exactly, had she been asking her husband, Evan, to do that? She’d tried everything from texts to notes to reminders left on the refrigerator door.
It was almost as if that unswept, never-attended path had become a symbol for the frustration she was starting to feel about their entire marriage. That it wasn't working. That Evan was never going to be the husband she'd hoped he would be.
Then there was the whole issue of the dirty underwear, shirts, and socks that were strewn around the house. The plates and dishes left in the sink. The towels dumped on the bathroom floor. She'd always been a clean freak, but Evan didn't even seem to notice.
Running a hand over her neatly bobbed brown hair, adjusting the collar of her work jacket, Shiree thought about what this path meant.
She had to admit, she'd been ready for a fight. Today would have been the tipping point. In fact, she'd been planning to call Evan when she arrived home and tell him they needed to have a meeting.
A discussion.
He must have gotten an earlier flight home after his business meeting, and now this was almost like arriving at someone else's house. Neat, clean, and ordered.
Well, this sure is a turnaround,
she muttered to herself. She climbed out of her car—she’d parked in the driveway, because although there was room for Evan's sports car in the double garage, the side where her SUV was supposed to park was filled with junk.
Then she walked up the path, casting reluctantly admiring glances at the neat edges. This was a thorough job. If Evan had been motivated to do this, he might get inspired to do the other chores on the ever-lengthening list.
She didn't know where that would leave her. Surprisingly, she felt mixed emotions at the thought that he was now acting in a way that would mean she didn't have to nag. An underlying sense of disappointment simmered.
Was she the one who was pushing the relationship into conflict? The thought lingered for only a moment before she pushed it aside. Surely impossible—she wasn't that person.
She mounted the steps and paused at the door. There was a note on the door in neat block capitals: WELCOME HOME SHIREE.
Her eyebrows rose. That was sweet of him, she had to admit. He was definitely making an effort here, going above and beyond, in fact. The writing was very neat, a departure from the usual scrawl that in happier times, she'd joked meant he should have been a doctor.
Had he sensed that she was pushed to her limits? It seemed like he must have somehow realized that she was not taking this another moment. That was good, right?
She opened the front door, noticing that the doormat was also free of the usual coating of dust and leaves. However, when she tried to turn the key, she realized that the front door had been left unlocked and that was a no-no.
Irritation, briefly quelled by the sight of the swept path, flared inside her again. She'd told Evan how many times that they needed to lock the door when they got home.
They
being him.
We live in a good neighborhood, but that doesn't mean there aren't burglars and robbers around,
she had lectured him. I don't want to lose what we have. That flatscreen TV, the laptops, my clothes, and we always keep cash in the house.
But there's insurance, baby,
he'd argued, smiling. And I do lock up when it gets dark.
Insurance isn't enough,
she'd countered. I work in the industry, but I’m still the first to say that prevention’s better. There are excess payments, your premiums go up, and it’s a whole hassle in any case. It's easier just to do things right. Isn't it?
Sighing that things still weren't perfect, Shiree walked inside. She turned and locked the door behind her immediately. Someone had to do it and that was her.
With the door locked, she paused and sniffed. What was that smell?
It was delicious! Garlic, onion, the smell of browning beef. She'd always been a sucker for fine food, and the aroma that greeted her was as fine as any she'd ever smelled. Without a doubt, a sumptuous dish was being prepared in their large kitchen, which she'd always felt was over specified for their needs. Although it suited the house—came with the house, as Evan liked to joke—neither of them used it often. Shiree always resented the idea that she should be the one to come home and cook after a hard day's work, especially when Evan hadn't done his chores. And when he wasn’t working, Evan was usually online, watching TV, or playing a game and pulling him away from his screen when he was glued to it always seemed impossible.
She took off her shoes, obeying another rule in this house, and crossed the polished floorboards in her stockinged feet.
Maybe she'd been wrong, she acknowledged as she headed for the kitchen, noticing as she glanced inside that the living room was tidied and that there was even a pitcher of lemonade on the table with two glasses.
He really had turned over a new leaf, and she had to admit, she felt a grudging sense of admiration for the speed and thoroughness with which he'd done it. It really didn't seem like Evan at all.
Would she have found it so easy if it had been her who'd needed to backtrack? That was another rather uncomfortable thought that Shiree decided not to dwell on.
Instead, she decided, it was time to be gracious. To go through to the kitchen