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He didn’t answer right away. When he did finally speak, it was with a voice she recognized, the one Logan used when he was trying to keep someone at a distance.
All practicality and reason.
“I know you best,” he said. “Or I did. We thought it might be easier for you if I led the assessment. More men will be coming.”
She nodded, feeling deflated. She didn’t know what she’d expected. That he would admit to being worried about her? To wanting to see her?
Stupid.
“Okay if I ask you some questions while you eat?” he asked.
She nodded, forcing herself to breathe, to push aside all her fanciful thoughts of first loves and old friendships.
She was a prosecutor for the state of Illinois, for god’s sake, not some blushing schoolgirl dreaming of happily ever after. She needed to think about this like Logan was thinking about it. Like a job she’d hired someone to do, an electrician hired to fix a faulty switch or a CPA hired to calculate her taxes.
This was no different. She just needed someone to keep her and Leo — and Bea — safe until the Vitsin case went to trial.
That was all.
9
Logan watched her chew a bite of sandwich. Dammit, why did she have to be so beautiful? Why did her face have to hit him like a gut punch after all these years?
He hadn’t wanted to come, but he’d secretly hoped seeing her would exorcise the last remnants of her from his mind. That the longing he felt whenever he thought of her or heard her name would subside once he came face to face with the demon of their shared past.
He’d actually thought he’d built her up in his mind, that she’d become a ghost he couldn’t slay for the very reason that she was a ghost. That the part of him holding onto her was the last vestige of the boy he’d been.
He’d thought maybe if he saw her as the man he was, she’d look different to him, that what they’d had together would look different.
What a dumbass.
It didn’t look different. It looked how it had always looked — like he’d lost the most beautiful, enigmatic, amazing woman he’d ever known. It was true that she’d grown in beauty, but it was more than that. She was brave and strong, an incredible mother to Leo, even more beautiful than he remembered.
He tried not to think about it, to focus on the job as he asked her questions about the house and her routine. He took notes, just like he had with Bea. He hadn’t wanted to make Leo nervous by taking notes while he asked him questions, but he would add his thoughts to the rest later that night.
He started to get a picture of their days and nights — school and work, Chinese on Wednesdays and pizza on Fridays, Saturdays with Nathan, sometimes into Sunday if Leo wanted to stay at Nathan’s house, which was two blocks over in an attempt to keep things easy for the kid.
Sundays Nathan and Ella took Leo to the park together, doubtless an attempt at keeping things normal for their son, who would someday realize how lucky he was to have parents who could divorce so amicably.
That part stuck in Logan’s craw. For Ella and Leo’s sake, he was happy they’d been able to maintain a sense of friendship in the wake of their divorce, but he couldn’t help wondering what it meant. Was there a chance of reconciliation?
He had no doubt Nathan would want Ella back. From what Logan had read about the man, he was no fool.
Gabriella picked at her food while they talked, answering his questions with thorough and thoughtful answers. She was obviously unsettled by the intrusion, but she didn’t challenge him. She was a lawyer. She could read the intent behind his questions, knew he was trying to find holes that needed to be plugged.
“All set,” Ford said, coming into the kitchen. “But I can wait in the other room if you want to finish in private.”
Logan shook his head. “Good timing. We’re all set for now.”
“When was this system installed?” Ford asked Ella, referring to the security system.
“Right after Nathan and I bought the place, so… about five years ago,” she said.
“It’s not a bad system, but you could do with some upgrades, especially given the current situation. I’ll write it up and have Logan send it over,” Ford said.
“Thank you,” she said. “I probably should have had it looked at sooner, or at least gotten one of those doorbell cameras everyone seems to have now.”
Ford was all smiles. “Don’t beat yourself up. If it wasn’t for your case, what you have would be perfectly serviceable. It’s such a nice home. Might as well take advantage of a bad situation and beef things up a bit.”
