Inferno Part 2

~148~ Strike #2

Ellie's POV

We're having a ginormous barbecue at our house tonight. The entire family is over. Taylor and Jake are barbecuing, while Wes, Liam, and Alex are
trying to organize a touch football game.

Nora is sitting in a shady part of the grass, trying not to throw up. She's almost halfway done with her pregnancy, but she's been miserable. These twins are ganging up and kicking her booty.

We're having an amazing time together. I look over,
and Luke has tackled Trace, getting the ball from him. Trace starts cackling. "It's touch football, ya loser!" He snorts as he jumps up and jumps on Luke's back. Liam runs over, and pulls Luke's pants down while he's busy with Trace on his back.

Everyone is about to have an aneurysm, they're all laughing so hard. I look away. Even though his underwear is still on, I don't need to see my kid in his boxers.

We eat and play games, and just have a really nice time.

Suddenly Katie walks over. I immediately get a pit in my stomach. We really haven't seen her since she told us about Taylor's secret.

"Hey neighbors," she says, giving us a friendly smile.

We all stop goofing around, and immediately sober up.

"Why the long faces? You guys were just having a great time," she says, acting hurt.

"What do you want, Katie?" Taylor snaps.

"What? You won't offer me a burger?"

Taylor says nothing as he grabs a burger and puts it on a bun, handing it to her.

She crinkles her nose and shakes her head. "If I eat that, I'll be fat like the rest of the woman in your cult."

"If you don't want one, then leave," Taylor says, his voice shaking.

She smirks. "Calm down there, handsome. I will in a moment, I just wanted to have a chat with Alex first," she says, finding him in the crowd.

When her eyes lock on his, she smiles evilly. When I look at Alex, I know he knows. He's next on her list.

"You've been a bad boy, Mr. Detective," she says, shaking her head and clicking her tongue.

He just glares at her.

"Your wife is the one who keeps selling these houses out from under me, so it only seems fitting that I take you down next."

Lilah starts barreling over, ready to attack her, when Alex grabs her arm and brings her to his side, kissing her head.

"The authorities are on their way. Hope you were ready to lose your job. I just got off the phone with your boss."

Alex closes his eyes. Whatever she is saying he did, he must have done.

Taylor and I look at each other, absolutely devastated. Liam stares at his dad in horror.

"Would you like to tell them, or shall I?" She asks innocently.

"Go for it," he says simply,

"I'd love to," she says, clapping her hands together.

"Your perfect detective over here is what people like to call, a "dirty cop."

Nobody says a word, so Katie continues.

"A few years ago, Mr. Dreamy planted a ton of cocaine in someone's house. Then he came busting down the door, and "found" the cocaine with his unit. The innocent man has been serving five years in jail for a crime he never committed. Why would someone do something like that?"