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they had gotten into the car. “You scared me tonight.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“I’m happy you reached out to me,” David hesitated.

“But?”

“I’ve known you for a long time. You’re smart, and I don’t believe for a second that you’re incapable of taking care of yourself. But you can’t take on the world alone.”

“I’m not—”

David held up his hand. “Maybe I’m crossing a line here, and maybe I’m reading the room wrong, but if I don’t say it, I’m going to regret it.”

“I’m listening.”

“You mean a lot to me and Lisa. I’ve seen the real you over these past few years, and I know without a doubt that you’re one of the best people I’ve ever met. You’re selfless and brave and good, right down to your soul. But you also scare the shit out of me sometimes.”

“I do?”

David nodded his head and Cassie caught a glimpse of a tear in his eye. “You have a gift that can help so many people, but sometimes I think you forget to help yourself. It’s okay to want to take a break once in a while. It’s okay if you fail. I learned a long time ago that I can’t save everyone. That sometimes keeps me up at night, but it also keeps me sane. Something tells me you struggle with the same thing.”

Cassie didn’t know what to say. She nodded.

“You have a profound effect on people,” he continued. “Harris has known you for a couple of days and you’ve already changed her.”

“I have?”

“She’ll never admit it but yeah. You have.” He wiped a tear away. “I guess what I’m saying is that sometimes you’re like a candle that’s burning too bright. You add a lot of light to this world, but I’m terrified you’re going to burn out too soon. I know you’re always going to get mixed up in cases like this, but you can’t go running in there half-cocked. You have to be smart about it. You have to let people help you.”

Cassie placed a hand on David’s arm. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about anything other than trying to stop this guy.”

He patted her hand. “I want you to keep helping people for as long as you’re up to the task. But you must take care of yourself occasionally, too.”

“I’m trying.” Cassie blew out a large breath. This was not the conversation she was expecting to have tonight. “After Novak, when all the ghosts left, I didn’t feel as relieved as I thought I would. I felt empty. I was on edge. Like at any minute they would come back unannounced.”

“And they did.”

“But it felt good to help tonight.” She stared out the windshield and watched as police officers came and went from the building. “It feels good to know that I can help bring peace to Elizabeth, Hannah, and the others. It feels good to know I saved Katie’s life tonight. I love my job at the museum, and I wouldn’t give it up for the world, but my abilities make me who I am.”

“It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself more than you’re trying to convince me.”

Cassie’s laugh was watery. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “That’s true. It’s not always easy, but tonight reminded me how strong I can be. It was a good feeling.”

“I’m glad. Don’t do it again.”

Cassie laughed, and she was relieved when David joined in with her. “I’ll try to be better. I promise. No more late-night texts about hunting down a serial killer on my own.”

“I don’t think that’s too much to ask,” David said. “C’mon. Let’s get you situated. I need to call Lisa so she can stop worrying about you.”

“Tell her I’m sorry, too.”

David led Cassie into the precinct where she was passed off to another officer. It was the cop she had seen at Sage’s crime scene, the one who had talked to the reporter. Now that she was up close, she could see how young he was. He couldn’t have been on the force for more than a year, two at the most.

Cassie was taken to an interrogation room so she could get her statement down as soon as possible. The walls of the room pressed in on her and she remembered the countless times she had been somewhere similar. The bad memories stuck out.

It didn’t take long for her to write out and sign her statement. She and the rookie went over it twice to ensure she had included every detail. And she had.

She started at the graveyard and the vision from Jessica and went on to her decision to search downtown Savannah for the medical transport van. While it would make things more complicated in court, given the way they stumbled upon the evidence, they caught the killer red-handed and that was the most important fact.

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