well as the towels I used in the bathroom.
Once again, the internet saved me. It appeared that I wasn’t the only twenty-four year old who didn’t learn how to do her own laundry as a teenager. Just as I’d learned how to work the dishwasher, I learned how to operate the washing machine. I learned I needed a specific kind of detergent, and that I was supposed to sort the clothes out in a certain way.
I found the ‘hand wash’ setting to be helpful for many of my outfits, and when I attempted to use the dryer, I only shrank one shirt.
I finished a load of towels and pulled them from the dryer, hugging the warm cloth to my chest. I’d found the scent I liked best -- a lavender that wasn’t overpowering, and Tyler hadn’t complained, so I assumed he liked it too.
On Friday night, I sat down and opened my laptop. Once a day, I logged on and checked the arrest records for Cook County, Chicago. I wanted to keep and eye on what was going on at home, as well as keep tabs on my dad’s partners.
So far, it had been exactly one week, and there had been no changes. No arrests, no news articles, no disruption in the city of Chicago.
I gasped as the page loaded.
There had been no changes until now.
Christopher and Carl had been arrested. Both of them. By the Chicago Police Department.
My heart stuttered and then sped up to a breakneck speed. It pounded so hard I felt like I could hear every beat.
I skimmed the charges, and then went back to read carefully. The arrests had happened yesterday, but were just now showing up in the system. There were no racketeering charges, no money laundering charges, no embezzlement charges. No felonies at all, and no FBI involvement. They’d been picked up for petty crimes, misdemeanors that had them released on bail just hours after their arrests.
They had both been arrested for trespassing and public intoxication and basic assault.
That wasn’t like either of them. They didn’t drink in excess, and they never did the dirty work of hurting someone themselves.
Trespassing? I doubted they did much of that themselves either. But maybe they’d gotten caught somewhere, and tried to play it off by acting drunk. This had to be related to them discovering I was looking into their crimes. Because they were well into their fifties, and they’d never been arrested before. All those years, and they’d never caught breaking the law.
It couldn't be a coincidence. Had they gone after my father? After my co-workers? Would they have hit the streets, and gone after Jenny?
In addition to my racing heart, my stomach churned and my breathing picked up. My vision tunneled until all I could see were their vile faces on the computer screen. This was not an outcome that I’d anticipated.
I sucked in air, willing myself to calm down. If I hyperventilated, Tyler might notice.
I looked up to see Tyler standing over me.
“Ava? Is something wrong?” he asked.
Oh fuck. It was too late. He’d already noticed. I opened my mouth to reply, but no words came out.
Chapter Twelve
Tyler
Ava’s breathing was rapid. Her face was ashen.
Had she gotten bad news? This looked more like fear than sadness. I’d already said her name, and she hadn’t responded. “Ava.” This time I put my hand on her shoulder. “What’s going on?”
She jumped about a foot in the air. Her head whipped up and her eyes met mine. Her lips moved, but still no words came out.
I pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. Because she wasn’t telling me anything, I looked closer at her computer screen. Mugshots.
The mug shots of two men took up the entire screen.
Christopher Moore and Carl Simmons. Arrested in Chicago, around twenty-four hours ago. I looked at the birthdates. These men were in their early fifties. Surely one of these wasn’t Ava’s ex, assuming that was what she was running from.
I read their charges. Not great, but nothing too scary either. In the scheme of things, their crimes were very minor, even to a sheriff.
The sight of them seemed to be making her panic worse, so I took the screen and pushed it closed.
“Hey, whatever it is, we’ll figure it out, okay?” I didn’t touch her again, but I did stay close. “Sit up straight and close your eyes. And breathe with me.”
She did as I said and shut her eyes, and she pulled herself up, straightening her spine.
I