Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

Chapter 420

+25 BONUS

I knew exactly what I had asked Steve to look into, but this wasn't the time I'd imagined getting an update. My head was spinning with everything that had just happened, but now this uneasiness crept in, making my eyelid twitch. "What did you find?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"The info you had wasn't the full story. There's a final conclusion you missed," Steve replied, sounding just as confused as I felt.

I took a slow breath. "Were you able to find it?"

"No," Steve said, and suddenly his tone got more serious. "The officer who handled the case died shortly after your dad's accident."

A cold shiver ran through me. "When?"

"One month after the investigation was closed."

For a second, I couldn't even breathe. Steve's voice cut through the panic buzzing in my head. "Rea... you there?"

I jumped in, my mind racing. "Do you think his death was connected to how my dad's accident was ruled?" "Tve thought about that," Steve admitted. "But officially, it's listed as sudden cardiac arrest. There's a hospital report and everything." His words left me hollow, like the air had been sucked out of the room.

"I tried talking to his family, but they didn't know anything that would help," Steve added, and the chill in my bones deepened.

there's nothing left, right?" I

like," Steve said, sounding defeated. "Unless the officer left something behind, but his family doesn't know of anything. And with his sudden death,

accident was buried too deep-too many years had passed, and

colleagues? Friends? Did you check with them?" I

did," Steve replied, but there was a finality in his voice that told me not to

eyes, feeling like a weight was pressing down on me, "So unless

hopeful, but I could hear the doubt. "I'll keep reaching out to the officer's

night, a void that reminded me too much of the night my parents never came Home. "No need,

And anyone who could tell me

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"it's best to let the past stay where it

he didn't believe in digging any further. He had helped me, but deep

it," I said quietly. "Thanks,

I couldn't find more," Steve paused before

park opening or Hayden's proposal, so I

background, and after a quick goodbye,

sat there, my thoughts spinning, before I typed out a quick message: [Steve, what was

reply came back almost instantly: [Grady