He took another sip, watching the city wake up. “It was before I started slumming it with you four fuckers.”
My lips twitched. “Who knew Jake motherfucking Murphy would have secrets.” I clicked my tongue. “What’s happening to the world?”
“I’ve always had secrets.” My brow furrowed, and he turned to look at me. “I just have no interest in sharing them.”
I took note of the tension in his bearded jaw, the crease between his brows. “Why’s that?”
“Because they no longer hold value. It would be best if I let them die with me, you know?” He started walking to the car. “You coming, or am I leaving your ass here?”
When we got home, Grayson put me on mandatory forty-eight-hour bed rest. As much as I wanted to fight it, I was too sore and drained too. I gave in and told Margo to pass along the message that I was home to Angel.
Then a body washed up on the shore just outside Astoria.
I’d never driven so fast in all my life.
All I could see was her.
All I could feel was her.
My starlight.
Chapter Twelve
Angel
“Ineed you to step back,” the police officer said to everyone in the small crowd, but his eyes were on mine. “This is a crime scene! Back up!”
Today was Wednesday. My hiking day. It had been raining all night, and my usual trail was flooded in certain areas. So I’d stuck to my backup plan and moved to Sunset Beach, ready to walk in the sand until my legs were sore. When I was about ten minutes in and the glimpse of sunlight disappeared behind a wall of storm clouds, I noticed a cluster of people up ahead. As my curiosity piqued, a shrill scream echoed through the early gray morning, and my stomach dropped. My feet practically took flight as I ran over to them, thinking someone was hurt. I had some training in first aid, and I was willing to help. As I was running toward them, two police trucks drove onto the sand, sirens wailing.
It took me two seconds to decide that I wanted to see what was happening.
And when I pushed myself to the front of the crowd, something telling me I had to look, my knees nearly gave out at the sight of a body.
My hand was in front of my throat, my heart pounding so wildly that I was afraid I’d vomit it up. “Officer, please,” I begged, my voice small.
“I can’t have you here.” Then he lifted his head and shouted, “Everyone go home!”
“I know him.”
The police officer’s eyes snapped down to mine again, a deep crease in his brow. “What?”
I lifted a trembling finger, pointing at the body which was now halfway covered by a white sheet. “I-I kn-know him,” I pushed out, my body shaking. Tears hit my eyes then. “That’s—he’s—” I tried swallowing the painful lump in my throat and worked to suppress my voice. “He’s…fuck,” I gasped, doubling over.
“Whoa. Easy,” he said, holding me up gently. “Put your arm around my neck. Can you do that for me?”
Giving him a rapid nod as I turned my head away from the dead man, I hooked my arm around the officer’s neck. “Was this man from Astoria?”
“Yes,” I whispered, my eyes on the sand as we walked away from the body and the crowd. Two more police officers stepped up to control the crowd.
“Okay. I’m Officer Massy. I’m going to take you to Sheriff Humbly, and he’s going to ask you a few questions. Yeah?”
All I could do was nod. There was heavy pressure in my ears, and I could no longer hear the waves. Or smell the salt in the air. My tongue went numb and my limbs were seconds from following suit.
“Take her to the ambulance.”
Sheriff Humbly’s voice, usually warm and soft, was cold and full of authority.
“The woman knows the victim. Says he was from Astoria,” Massy told him.
