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Chapter Nine
When Elise thoughtabout this day much later, she referred to it as the day everything changed forever.
But there, outside the Grand Hotel as she gazed up into Wayne’s eyes, her heart heavy and her mind buzzing with fear, she couldn’t have known.
She had entered a complicated world of family secrets and personal tragedies and many, many in-between hours, when they hadn’t known about her or her mother, not for a moment, not at all. Wayne had offered up a slight concept—something to do with him not being able to let people in. But what did that mean? Did it mean that he wanted to try to let her in?
Could Elise rationalize changing her life forever for this stranger before her?
She shot down the staircase, her hand gripping the railing and her legs feeling light. She ran as quickly as she had as a youngster, wild and alive, until she reached the ground, turned up to find Wayne hot on her heels.
“You thought you could outrun me?” Wayne said with a laugh. “You have another thing coming.”
Elise laughed, in spite of all of it. “I can’t believe I was ever so foolish.”
“Me either. I’m rethinking all of this,” he said.
They headed back toward the road that led out toward the police station. Elise cupped and uncapped her elbows, suddenly frightened.
“What if Alex found a way to frame me for the fire?”
“Then he’s a whole lot smarter than I ever thought he was,” Wayne affirmed.
“Tracey mentioned that Alex was especially close to their mother,” Elise said contemplatively. “Which says a lot, I guess. Now that I storm in here with news of a woman Dean cheated on Mandy with...”
“He was a momma’s boy for sure,” Wayne said.
“But he’s been through so much. Even Dean said Alex’s life has been especially hard on him,” Elise said.
“But that doesn’t mean you should let him push you around,” Wayne said.
Elise arched her brow. “Do you think that’s what I’ve allowed him to do? I’m still here, aren’t I?”
“You said you were headed off the island.”
Elise laughed good-naturedly. “That might have had more to do with you.”
**
HAD WAYNE REALLY AFFECTEDElise that much?
Nobody ever really knew how powerful they were in other people’s lives.
Wayne had learned this first-hand after his attempts at dating people casually over the previous few years. Usually, things were only casual on his end, which had led to countless broken hearts and a great deal of gossip.
Before Wayne could dig into Elise’s comment, Elise walked into the police station. He hustled in after her to find Officer Cutler and Alex himself, both seated on the other side of the desk. The image was a funny one, as though both were attempting to compete for whatever power came with the position of Mackinac Island police officer.
“Elise!” Officer Ben Cutler said. “Good to see you again.”
Alex glowered beside him.
“And you as well, Ben. How are the girls?” Elise asked.
Wayne laughed inwardly. How was it possible that she had already gotten so close to the officer assigned to go over her case? Was she really that friendly?
Was she really that perfect?
“They’re good, thanks. They had me putting together a new playhouse for their dolls last night, which is how I got this,” Officer Cutler said, lifting his hand to show a huge bandage.
