AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gus’s face softened just a little. “Are you comfortable staying with Mac on your own?”
Theo regarded him, startled. “Don’t you trust him?”
Gus smiled. “Yes, I trust him. With my life and my sister, in fact. He’s a good bloke. I just wonder if he’s starting to think of you as something more than my kid sister.”
“I should hope he is!” Theo bit back.
“You know what I mean.”
“You don’t seriously think that he wants to get rid of you so he can be alone with me?” Theo knew her brother was tired and under pressure, but this was ludicrous.
“Of course I don’t. But if we’re doing this, I want to be completely sure you feel comfortable. ’Cause, if not—”
“Gus, you idiot, there is nothing romantic between me and Mac. After what happened with Dan, falling in love with anybody ever again is pretty much off the table.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want that for you, Wombat,” Gus said gently. “Maybe just stay away from the senior citizens from now on.”
Theo leaned over and punched him in the shoulder. “What happened had nothing to do with Dan’s age, Gus.”
“A younger bloke might not have had time to make that kind of enemy.”
“What kind of enemy?”
“The kind that murders you.”
“Gus—”
He put his arm around her. “I’m sorry, mate. I’m tired and cranky and furious that I can’t make it go away.”
Theo leaned into him. “Go back to your house, Gus, if it’ll make Mr. Hayes happier. I’d never forgive myself if you lost the partnership.”
“You’re not going home.”
“We’ll talk about that if and when I’m allowed to leave town.”
And so, by the time Mac returned, Gus was ready to go. Theo felt a moment of panic when he threw his bag into the cab of his truck and started the engine to let it warm.
“If you change your mind, just call,” he whispered as he hugged her goodbye.
“I’ll be fine.” She didn’t hug him too tightly lest he sense her uncertainty. “Don’t worry about me…or at least try not to spend all your time worrying about me.”
Gus shook Mac’s hand. “I owe you, mate.”
“I’m fairly sure that someone in my family will need an attorney again, sooner or later.”
Gus laughed. “You’re on.”
He climbed behind the wheel, leaning out to speak to Theo. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow and we’ll go into the station together.”
She waved him off, feeling strangely desolate as his truck disappeared into the street. It was ridiculous. He was only going a few streets away. And she would see him tomorrow before she even had time to miss him. She hoped this would make things easier for him at work.
Despite everything that lingered in her mind, Theodosia Benton slept soundly that night. Perhaps it was the wine. Perhaps she was simply becoming so used to fear and disaster that it no longer had the capacity to keep her awake. There was a labyrinth in her dreams, vast and dark. Gus reached out and grabbed her before she wandered into it, and then she was in Mac Etheridge’s arms. Someone began knocking from inside the labyrinth wall.
Theo opened her eyes. The pounding was real. Still in pajamas, she met Mac and the police on the stairs. He was dressed and for a moment she panicked that she had overslept and somehow missed her appointment. But it was still not yet six. Gus has said ten…she was sure he had said ten.
Mac had out his phone. “Theo, you may want to get dressed. Detective Mendes would like us to come into the station to answer some questions.”
“Now? Why?”
