Page 124 of Kylie

“I can’t believe the gall of that woman. She wants to trade me for Cicily Rose.”

Fury, hot and bright, erupted under my skin. It flowed like magma in my veins. “What?”

Kylie waved me off. “It’s not an option, but she all but said she would trade me.”

“What else did she say?” I asked, proud of how level I kept my tone.

“Basically, that I wasn’t doin’ enough to find her daughter.”

“Does she know you’ve been talkin’ to Archer?” Well, shit. I did not mean to say that.

Kylie’s expression shifted from infuriation to … was that amusement?

“So you do know he’s been comin’ by.”

It wasn’t a question, but I felt compelled to answer. “Yes?”

She laughed. “Was that a question or a statement, Travis?”

“Yes,” I repeated, unable to hide the smile.

“Why haven’t y’all said anything?” she asked, gesturing toward the camera mounted in the corner. “I know there are cameras.”

Yes, there were several. They were only pointed at the doors, and we only installed them for security purposes, but they were there nonetheless.

“We figured you would tell us when you were ready.”

“He’s a friend.” She held my gaze. “We hardly ever talk about what happened or the case, and I think that’s why I like him. He doesn’t know who I was before and I don’t feel like he’s trackin’ all the differences between then and now.”

“He seems like a good guy,” I told her.

“Have you ever talked to him? I mean, on a personal level?”

“No. Not really,” I admitted. “But I know enough.”

Kylie stared up at me for a moment before she spoke. “I feel guilty.”

I did not like the sound of that.

I frowned. “About?”

“Cicily Rose. About how I’m not involved in the investigation. Not really. I’ve asked Archer if they’ve figured out where she is, but past that…”

“You know that’s their top priority, Kylie.”

“So you’ve talked to Brantley?”

“Yes. I check in with him every couple of days to see how things are goin’.”

“I just feel like I could be doin’ more. And maybe that’s why my mother made me so angry today.”

“There isn’t anything you can do that they aren’t already doin’.”

“Probably not. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel like I could do more.”

I understood because I was going through something similar. It had nothing to do with finding Meredith’s daughter. I wished that girl no harm, and I’d even dropped a few prayers, asking God to bring her home safely, but I spent most of my mental fortitude worrying about my wife.

Who wasn’t my wife in the eyes of the law, but she would always be in my heart.