Page 143 of The Defiant Curse

“Aye, and now I’m in even more shit.”

She laughed, but honestly, he did give her some perspective on this. As a cop also, she appreciated his opinion. Lady Justice might just be blindfolded for those occasional times when someone had to make a distasteful choice.

She’d never thought about it that way. It was always that Lady Justice was blind to being judgmental.

“I can’t believe that I needed a break, and my big choice was to come to a castle with a ghost, bones in the lake, and a mystery that doesn’t seem to end.”

He grinned.

“A busman’s holiday, it seems.”

She snorted.

“It’s absolutely shit, and I don’t think we’re sane.”

Oh, well, tell him something he didn’t know.

“I’ve seen some stuff there. I get it. Maybe this is part of the journey, Elizabeth. Maybe coming here was the path so you learn something from it. In everything we experience, there’s a lesson. Trust me when I say I was freaking pissed when my boss told me I had to babysit bones in a castle, but look where it led. I have a nosey hacker who eavesdrops on my conversations, and is one step away from interfering in my job.”

Gabby giggled.

“I mean, he’s not wrong,” she said, making both Graham and Michael laugh.

Elizabeth took the words, and she ran with them because she appreciated him trying to help her through this.

“Someone’s wise,” she admitted.

He stopped her.

“Not me. That’s Fiona. You should meet her. She’s insane, she’s birthed too many kids, and she’s bossy as hell. She loves fiercely. And she’s loyal. I bet she could put your mess into perspective. In fact, you kind of sound like a Fiona. Just saying.”

She smiled.

Elizabeth was so grateful to have friends.

“I’d like to meet her. She raised a good son, and I’m glad my friend found him on her journey.”

Yeah, he was too.

Gently, he kissed her on the cheek. As the villagers milled around, he shared a little of himself so she could find her way back to herself.

And it seemed to be working.

“The problem with amazing women is they carry a lot. Some say they’re made for it, and some say they carry it because it distracts them from their own burdens. You’ll find yourself again, and when you do, you’ll be stronger than ever.”

She understood that.

And she hoped he was right.

Finn wanted her to heal. The world needed people who cared and fought evil.

There weren’t enough of them.

“Take some time, and while you’re here, I hope you learn one thing while in Scotland.”

Now, she was curious.

“What?”