Page 154 of Torin

I laugh and hug him. “Seriously. Thank you.”

“You did the work, Hannah.”

“I know. But you helped me get here.”

Bennett gives my arm a squeeze. “Go on. You have people waiting.”

I turn to the first student. One asks how I get frightened sources to trust me enough to talk. The next wants to know how I knew when I had enough evidence to publish. Another asks whether I ever considered abandoning the investigation.

By the time I’ve answered the last question, most of the lecture hall has emptied.

Torin is still waiting for me.

I make my way over to him.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“You looked good up there,” he says.

“Good?”

“Very good.”

I smile. “I liked it.”

“I thought so.”

“I was going to tell you about Colorado tonight.”

His eyebrows lift. “You can tell me now.”

“You want to hear about regulatory failures at a residential treatment center right now?”

“I want to hear about whatever you’re excited about.”

I take his hand.

“Okay. But you might regret saying that.”

“I won’t.”

“You haven’t heard how excited I can get about badly maintained public records.”

“Hannah.” He squeezes my hand. “I told you I wanted to know everything about you.”

“I remember.”

“I meant it.”

We start toward the doors.

“I’ve heard you talk about your work plenty,” he says. “I’ve never seen you with a room full of people who want to hear about it.”

By the time we reach the truck, I’m starving.

“Please tell me we’re getting food before we drive home.”