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As Alex hovered near the edge she opened her eyes fully and looked down as the gusts of wind, stronger up here than at ground level, swirled and throbbed around her slim, fragile figure.
“You just can’t, Alex,” repeated Devine. “You know that. Jenny was a fighter. And so are you. I know you are. I believe in you. I believe inyou.”
A long moment passed during which both Devine and Palmer were holding their breaths.
Then Alex slowly took a symbolic step away from the edge. A moment later she turned toward them. Devine hopped over the railing of the widow’s walk, rushed to her side, slipped one arm around her waist, and gripped her hand with his free one.
“Come on,” he said. “You must be exhausted. And freezing.”
Devine led her off the roof and down to the second floor, where he and Palmer got her into bed.
At the doorway Devine said to Palmer, “Do you know what triggered this?”
Palmer looked unsure. “I heard her call out, so I went to see if she needed anything. I don’t think she was awake. I mean, she was lying in bed, but she was moving around sort of jerkily and saying stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?” Devine said quickly.
“I don’t know. I mean, it seemed like she was having a nightmare, but where it seems so real you’re punching and kicking in bed? You know what I’m talking about?”
He glanced at the now-sleeping Alex. “Yeah, I know.” He looked back at Palmer. “Anything you can remember her saying? It’s important.”
An agitated Palmer thought for a few moments. “I remember her saying something like, ‘Why are you doing this to me? I thought we were friends.’”
In his anxiety Devine gripped Palmer’s shoulders. “She said that, you’re sure?Friends?”
“Yes. Why?” she exclaimed, looking both confused and uncomfortable.
Devine didn’t answer her. He just turned and stared over at Alex.
A friend who tried to kill you.
CHAPTER
54
DEVINE AWOKE WITH A STARTand looked around at the somewhat familiar surroundings. He was in Jenny’s old room, where he had fallen asleep—he checked his watch—a mere four hours ago.
He yawned and slowly stood, pressing down his rumpled clothes. He hadn’t bothered to disrobe because he had been too tired and the room was too cold.
He washed his face in the bathroom down the hall, tried and failed to smooth down his hair, and slowly opened the door to Alex’s bedroom after knocking quietly and not getting an answer. She looked to still be asleep. He leaned in close enough to make sure he could see the steady rise and fall of her chest.
He glanced over at a chaise against one wall, where Annie Palmer lay fast asleep under a heavy blanket. She had insisted on staying in Alex’s room, and Devine had decided to sleep on the premises, just in case something else happened.
He quietly closed the door and headed down to the kitchen. He didn’t see Dak. He made himself coffee and drank it while staring out at the ocean through a rear-facing window. The tide was coming in and breakers were exploding against the rocky shore.
“You’re up early.”
He turned to see Alex standing there, barefoot and in the same white nightgown. Her hair was sleep tousled, and her eyes and face were puffy.
“Just woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.” He held up the coffee. “Want a cup?”
She shook her head and walked over to stand next to him. She gazed out the window, her features troubled; her eyes seemed to be searching for...something out there.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For not letting me do...”
