AllFreeNovel
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“I’m being selfish, too, Lucy.”
In the kitchen, she used her free hand to pull out a pie plate. And a mixing bowl. She had cans to open—pumpkin, evaporated milk. She needed sugar and eggs and a pie shell.
“I want you here.”
Could she get through this time by leaning on him? Just a little bit? And come out unscathed?
She pulled out the big glass mixing bowl that Sandy had got for her when she’d first bought the place. Everyone had to be able to make cookies in the middle of the night, she’d explained.
“I had a visit from Cal Whittier today.”
Lucy stopped still, midway between the counter and the refrigerator. Was Cal finally ready to tell them the truth about his father? Was seeing Emma again, having her back in his life, more important than running and hiding? The thoughts flew so quickly, she hardly heard Ramsey’s next words.
“He brought me a package.”
“What package?”
“Claire Sanderson’s teddy bear.”
“The one that was missing from the box of evidence? But…Cal didn’t have anything to do with the box’s disappearance…?.”
Frowning, she leaned against the counter, trying to find a way past the muck in her own life to get into the case.
“He took it out of the evidence box the day they brought him in for questioning twenty-five years ago. He’s had it ever since.”
“And he just turned it over to you? Just like that?”
“Emma sent him in. He brought it to give to her.”
“The kidnapper’s prints might be on that bear.”
“I know.”
“We’re one step closer.”
“I know. Like I said, I need you here.”
For work. He needed her mind. Her support. Her tireless energy when it came to the case.
Good. That she could give him.
“I’ll get my flight changed. Do you have a preference between tomorrow night and Friday morning?”
Sandy would be passed out by dark.
“The sooner, the better. If you’re here in time, I’ll take you to Amelia’s with me.”
“I’ll text you my times.”
“And I’ll put some sheets on the bed in the spare room.”
The spare room. He wasn’t expecting her to share his bed. Not that he should be. Still, the confirmation was a little… disappointing.
S he couldn’t get a seat on a flight until Friday morning. Not because of cost, but because there were no seats available out of Cincinnati. Figuring it was for the best that she not land at night, anyway, giving her and Ramsey nothing to do but go home without work as a diversion, she texted her flight times, made her pies and went to bed.
And before she went to sleep, she thought of Allie, just as she always did. Not the baby her sister had been on earth, but the adult spirit her sister had always been. She closed her eyes and in a whisper said, “Thank you.”
The local, Comfort Cove P.D. lab dusted the bear for prints. The stuffed toy had leather insets on all four paws, a leather face and plastic eyes. All of which had at least partial prints.
