I think it through. And none of my thoughts are nice. “He wrote once to tell me how pretty I was the night he got captured. How soft my skin was and how wide my eyes were.”
“He meant while he was strangling you?” asks the detective.
“Yeah.”
Noah shifts in his chair. The muscles in his jawline are taut.
“I think he was encouraging Laura to stalk me,” I say. “From some things she said. Being free would take precedence over messing with me for most people. But with the way his mind works, I just don’t know.”
“Would he blame you for his mother’s death?”
I frown in thought. “He was good at handling Dianne. Playing the part of the loving son to get what he wanted. But the stuff he would say to me about her sometimes when she wasn’t around…I don’t really know how much he cared about her. What mattered the most to him was his ego and maintaining control of situations.”
Detective Hahn sighs. “Keep your doors locked, Miss Walsh.”
The call ends and I set my cell on the table. Noah is still sitting where he has been the whole time. On the plate in front of him is the forgotten slice of apple pie. And the pint of ice cream is nearby sitting in a small pool of water. So much for our romantic dinner.
“We could go,” he says. “Hit the road and get out of here. Go find that beach we were talking about.”
“Leave the restaurant without a head chef?”
“They could handle things for a while.” He cocks his head. “How about we drive cross country. Take you and your dog to meet the Pacific Ocean?”
My brows are as high as can be. “You want to drive across the country with me?”
“Whatever it takes to keep you safe and get you the hell away from him.”
My smile is small but present. “Thank you.”
“But you’re not going to agree to go.”
“I need to be here for the walk with the cadaver dogs.” I take a sip from the glass in front of me. Warm white wine is really an acquired taste. And not a good one. “And also, I think if he honestly wanted me, he would just follow us wherever we went.”
Noah frowns. “You’re probably safer with the cops sitting out front.”
“True. And I haven’t run from him yet. I don’t want to start now. The house security system is solid. All of the doors and windows have locks on them. And Auggie will let me know if anyone is sneaking around,” I say. “There’s still no evidence to suggest Ryan is hanging around here. For all we know, he could have headed straight for the coast, stolen or bought a sailboat, and already be out to sea.”
“You don’t believe that.”
“I don’t know what to believe. He actually did used to talk about how his dad would take him sailing when he was little. But that’s beside the point. What I do know for certain is that asshole doesn’t get to tell me how to live.”
“Do you have a gun in the house?”
I shake my head. “No. I hate them.”
“You might want to think about changing your mind.” Noah sits back in his chair and gives me a long look. He seems calm onthe surface. Though there’s an intensity to his gaze. Something out of the ordinary. “Okay. We stay put.”
We sit in silence for a moment. Then I say, “It might be a good idea for us to put some distance between us for a few days. Just to be safe.”
“Sid.” And he smiles. The man actually smiles. “I was wondering how long it would take you to try this. Hate to say it, but you can be a little predictable when it comes to my safety.”
“Noah, be reasonable. He was so mad that time on the phone when he heard your voice. Just completely lost his shit. I’m not saying it would be permanent. But giving each other a little space while this is happening would probably be smart.”
He just watches me.
“You’re not going to fall for my bullshit,” I say finally.
“I’m really not, but I appreciate you trying. Baby, that asshole doesn’t get to tell me how to live my life either.”
