Alright, let’s get this show on the road.
Adrian pulls the door open as soon as I climb up his porch. A concerned frown etched on his face. “Thank god, you’re here. She’s acting totally normal, but I’m freaking out.”
The golden retriever barrels out of the door from under Adrian. He holds her collar, pulling her back inside before she makes a run for it.
When I step inside, natural light streams through the wide windows, making the white décor feel warm and inviting. A stark contrast to when I was here the last time.
Minka curls herself in her yellow-colored monstrosity of a dog bed. It’s a travesty and sticks out like a sore thumb against everything else.
“Do you think she’ll be fine?” Adrian's voice right behind me startles me.
I start toward Minka, then turn to see Adrian looming over me. “She looks alright. I’ll do a quick checkup to be sure,” I say, backing up further to crouch down in front of Minka.
A sense of déjà vu hits me. I've been in this exact position with some of my victims. Muscle memory takes over, keeping my mind calm and heartbeat even. Putting my bag down, I get started while keeping an eye on Adrian’s movements out of the corner of my eye.
He settles onto the couch beside the dog bed, directly across from me. I angle my bag toward myself to keep its contents out of his sight and wrap my left hand around my taser. The cold metal instantly makes me feel more in control.
Dropping it back, I pull out everything I’ll need for Minka. I pat her softly, murmuring praises to her until she opens her mouth for me. Using my phone’s flashlight, I check the damage. “Throat is clear.” I meet Adrian’s gaze. “So, no choking hazard.”
He blows out a breath, shoulders visibly relaxing. Hisreaction relaxes me a little. He was genuinely worried. Besides, I’m wasting precious time I could be interrogating him by being unnecessarily paranoid. I have weapons I can use at the drop of a hat if it comes to that.
“It’s so nice to see you this worried about her. Your mom raised you right.” I smile up at him.
Adrian laughs, his eyes sparkling. “She’d kill me if she found out I let this happen to her precious baby.”
I laugh much harder than his comment deserves. “Well, that’s some good parenting right there. Believe me, I’ve seen enough bad parents to say that.” I give him a pointed look.
He sighs. “I don’t remember my dad much, but I have memories of him leaving me alone at home at two when he was supposed to watch over me. Believe me, I know bad parents.”
“And then parents wonder why their kids won’t want to talk to them anymore. You are clearly better off without him.” I check Minka’s heart rate.
Adrian nods, his expression turning distant. “My mom is worried I moved here to find him.”
My body freezes. “Did you?” It comes out as a whisper.
Adrian snaps out of whatever trance had him confessing that and frowns at me. “Of course not. Are you almost done here? I was leaving for a meeting when Minka pulled her little stunt. I need to leave if I want to make it on time.”
The change in topic gives me whiplash. Did I imagine that forlorn expression? That almost confession?
“Yeah, she should be fine, but you should keep an eye on her tonight.” I pack up my instruments, leaving the taser in. Getting up, I pat my clothes out of habit. The place is immaculately clean, almost sterile. “I’ll get out of your hair.”
He stands up with me, walking me out.
“Call me anytime if you need help,” I say once we're outside the house. As I walk to my car, it hits me that I hadn’t planned on leaving the place in one piece. And I still came, all alone, without any backup from Sam. He hasn’t texted back, which means he’s still sleeping.
The whole thing took less than fifteen minutes, but I’d prepared myself for an attack. I pull out of his house, knowing in my heart Adrian is hiding something. Something big. But no matter what I'd convinced myself this trip was about, he didn’t want to harm me.
Chapter Sixteen
Broken Hearts, Binoculars, and Bad Habits
Nick
I wake up to someone breathing loudly on my face. Blinking my eyes open, I swat Mickey away. I deserve at least one more day to wallow. I spent the entire day yesterday in bed, rewinding Elliot's every word in my head like the world’s most depressing highlight reel.
And still I don’t know where I went wrong. One minute I was discussing the case with him, and the next he was hurling accusations at me, calling our entire relationship a farce.
He’s wrong. I know he’s wrong. Then why haven’t I picked up my phone and called him yet? Fuck, why am I not already on his doorstep begging him to hear me out?
