Blind Spot - Katana Collins Page 0,101

a shirt and shoes on before running out my door and banging on Shelby’s.

“Come on,” I said while knocking. “Answer, dammit.”

I grabbed my phone and dialed her number with no luck. No shock there. I dialed Harrison—gritting my teeth as I pushed send.

He answered on the third ring, sounding gravelly with sleep. “Hello?”

“Harrison…it’s Tate. Any chance Shelby is with you?”

“What? What’s wrong? Is she okay…?”

I gulped, not able to answer that question honestly. “I–I think so. She’s just pissed at me. Again.”

Harrison sighed, and I heard a bed creak and the quiet murmur of a woman’s whisper. Harrison had a girlfriend? “What the hell did you do now?”

“Nothing, I swear.” I fell back against her door, sliding down to a crouch. “It’s a… misunderstanding. Another one.”

Harrison groaned again. “Look, man. I don’t know. She’s not here. And she hasn’t gotten a new car yet. Not that it would stop her from just walking somewhere. But, if she’s walking, I’d guess it would be somewhere safe.”

Her safe place—like a wealthy neighborhood playground. “Thanks, Harrison,” I said.

“Don’t make me regret it, asshole. Be good to her.”

I swallowed. “I’m trying. I never want to hurt her again.”

“I’m not sure why, but I trust you.” I couldn’t be certain, but I thought I heard a smile in Harrison’s voice.

I hung up and ran for my car, pulling up Google maps for the North End. It wasn’t a far drive by any means, but I didn’t want to waste time wandering around looking for the place.

Within a few minutes, I pulled into the parking lot and jumped out of my car. It was Saturday morning, and the playground was a proverbial nightclub for toddlers, hopping with kids and nannies and parents. I snorted, shaking my head like a horse, and jogged over to the monkey bar area. Probably more nannies than mommies, knowing the sort of families that lived in this neighborhood. The sight of these kids being closer to the familial employees stirred up anger and emotions that I much preferred to keep pressed down deep in my gut.

I scanned the crowded park for Shelby. Shit…I looked out of place here. A random young woman at a playground never raised any red flags. A random young man? I might was well be wearing a giant “Predator” sign on my shirt.

It was far away, but at the top of the hill a woman sat in the grass. I squinted, shading my eyes from the morning sun. That could be her, though it was hard to tell. Fuck it, there was only one way to find out.

I jogged to the top of the hill, staying at the girl’s back. And as I got closer, it was definitely Shelby. She still wore the same clothes as last night, only now, she hugged the cardigan tighter around her.

As I walked up, I made sure to stir up some noise so as not to scare her. But she didn’t react. Not a flinch; not once did she turn to see who was approaching. Maybe she already knew. Maybe she didn’t care. I plopped down in the grass beside her. The dampness permeated my mesh shorts and was chilly against my bare calves. She was probably cold, I thought, noting the goose bumps that covered her legs.

“Shelby,” I whispered, finally gathering the courage to steal a look at her. Dried tears stained her cheeks, and her eyes were a bright, bloodshot red.

Still no response.

I leaned back on my hands, watching the kids below us playing. They were happy. Carefree. “It wasn’t my video, Shelbs. You’ve got to believe me.” When she still didn’t answer, my own tears climbed into my throat. Shit, I can’t cry in front of her. “You’ve got to trust me.”

Finally, she sniffled, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her cardigan. “I don’t think I’m capable of trust, Tate.”

I closed my eyes as a breeze rushed across my skin and over my face. At least she was talking to me. “Are you capable of listening?” I asked quietly.

She nodded, but even that took a moment of thought first. I pulled out my phone, finding my email exchange with Logan the day after he showed us that video. “Read this,” I said. She gently took my phone, and after a minute, a smile twitched at the corners of her lips.

“Fuck you, Logan. Don’t show me shit like that ever again. That was disgusting, and I don’t want any part of it,” she read aloud.

“And what’s the date