Page 33 of Sentinel's Kiss
“I don’t like it.”
Ryder leaned back against the headrest. “You don’t have to.” She sounded tired. He hoped that asshole Munson hadn’t been too hard on her.
“The Judge is going to be pissed.”
“Why? It’s not me on the tape. Must have been another girl he raped. The one who stayed silent because she was afraid no one would believe her because when one girl was brave enough to step forward, it didn’t fucking matter.” Ryder snarled the last part.
“Is there something you want to talk to me about?” he said. “If not me, then maybe Jules or Lucy?”
“I’m fine.”
She didn’t sound like everything was fine but he knew enough not to push it.
“Are you still going to be able to go beat the shit out of the other asshole?” Sentinel asked. “Even with all this heat on you?”
“Especially with all this heat on me.”
“It’s risky. I’m going to be around tonight because of the change in plans. I’ll take him out and make it look like the sniper who’s working with the Pyros.”
Ryder shook her head. “You need to keep Ashley preoccupied so she doesn’t go around looking for things that are better off left alone.”
She had a point, but the longer he spent time with Ashley the more he wanted to keep her as his own. He didn’t like not having a claim on her. He wanted her all to himself.
“Anything new on Stan?” he asked, trying to focus on business rather than pleasure.
“Nope. He has nightmares though. Bad ones.”
“Good,” Sentinel said between his teeth. “What’s his browser history look like?”
“In addition to the porn?”
“Do you know my browser history too?” Sentinel asked.
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”
“It’s just that I accidentally clicked on the link with the—”
“Stop right there.” She held up a hand. “We both don’t want you to finish that sentence. Anyway, Stan’s having an online affair with a Russian girl looking for a husband.”
Sentinel snickered. “Is he sending money to help a Nigerian prince too?”
“Surprisingly, no. I traced Dominika back to a sweatshop in Zelenograd. Let’s just say I’m pretty sure she doesn’t look like her profile picture.”
“Is he sending her money?”
“No. I haven’t figured out the scam yet. I’m not sure if it’s human trafficking, fraud, or if it really is some kind of fucked-up dating site.”
“So you mean he could very well be trying to buy a bride?” Rage flared through him. Stan didn’t get to abuse another woman, and on the off chance that this was a valid dating site, he sure as hell didn’t get to have a happy ending. Not when Sarah was cold in a grave. Stan didn’t get to go on with his life and have kids and a picket fence.
“Maybe. I think they’re after his Social Security number or his credit cards. But that’s the only thing he’s been up to.”
“Where’s his money coming from?”
Ryder hesitated and looked out the window. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah it does. He’s not working. He didn’t have a job for the last year of Sarah’s life. How is he fucking making rent?”
“It’s not relevant,” she said.