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When Viv walked through the front door, Rae watched her hesitate in the entryway before setting her purse and keys down and heading to the kitchen.
“Smells good,” Viv said, pushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear.
“I hope I didn’t overcook the salmon. I did three minutes each side, medium-high heat, like you showed me.”
“I’m sure it’s perfect, hon.”
Hon.That was an encouraging start to their meal.
Viv took her plate and the glass of pinot grigio Rae had poured for her to the small round dining table, not to the living room couch where they’d gotten into the habit of eating while watching TV.
“Let’s eat like real people tonight,” she said.
“Sure.”
Rae sat across from her, feeling the weight of expectation heavy in her empty stomach. After a few bites of perfectly cooked salmon, her nerves eased some. She had done something right.
Viv was about halfway done with her meal when she heavily sighed. “Okay, we need to address the elephant. And by elephant, I mean whatever you haven’t told me yet about California.”
Her words jarred Rae so much she started choking on a bite of lettuce. She cleared her throat and took several gulps of water, more than what she needed. She thought about saying she had to go to the bathroom, which wasn’t true but likely would be any minute. She wanted to do anything else in the world but talk more about what had happened in California.
“Listen, hon, I understand a lot of horrible shit happened to you there, but what I don’t know is how you escaped the situation and why you seem terrified every time someone knocks on the front door. Do you think someone followed you all the way here?”
Rae closed her eyes and tried to control the rumble of fear traveling up her back. If she told Viv, she might lose the only person still alive who loved her. When she opened her eyes, hot tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I’m scared to tell you.”
Viv reached across the table and took her hand. “It’s okay. You can tell me anything.”
“But you may not like me once I tell you.”
Viv’s brow creased, her face full of concern. “You’re my friend. Nothing you tell me will make me love you less.”
Rae wasn’t sure if she believed her, but she wanted so much for it to be the truth.
CHAPTER 20
RAE
2024
After her drink with Devon, Rae came home to an empty house and a text message from Lily saying she was staying the night with Klo. Better Klo than Gabby, but it hurt not to see her daughter, to sit her down and try to explain her lies over the last fifteen years. She wanted to hold her girl, who was on the verge of becoming a woman, to tell her she would always be her baby, her salvation. Instead, she doubled up on her edibles and fell into a troubled sleep.
The next morning, she relayed to Angel everything Devon had told her as she hurried to prepare for her first client of the day, a man who loved electrical play.
“I can’t believe she won’t tell the police,” Angel said. “What are you going to do?”
Rae had thought about it most of the night as she tossed and turned, her edibles doing nothing but making her feel slightly paranoid. “I think I have to tell Detective Clearwater. Something about those parties feels bigger than Thomas’s disappearance.”
Angel stopped scrolling through the day’s appointments on the computer and looked at her. “Do you think those parties have anything to do with the subs going missing?”
“I don’t know.” It felt like they did, but she had no proof of it, only a gut instinct. “But I’m calling him after this first appointment.”
Keeping her mind on her client was a struggle, but Rae managed to get through the session with a satisfied customer. Then she called Detective Clearwater, who picked up as soon as she was transferred to his line.
“I suppose you’re calling me, Ms. Dixon, to chew me out again about the article.”
“As much fun as that sounds, I’m not.” Rae hesitated, unsure how much she should say by phone. After what Devon had told her, she understood why her friend was afraid and wanted to speak in person. “I have some important information for the investigation, but I have to meet you in person to discuss it.”
