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My eyes teared up. I loved this woman like a sister. “You’re incredible.”
“We’re both pretty wonderful,” she replied. “Come on. Serve those eggs, and let’s eat before they go cold. Hopefully they’ll call soon with an update.”
I passed her a plate of scrambled eggs and finished dishing the rest for myself, then we shared our breakfast at the worn dining table. We didn’t talk much, but we didn’t need to. The comfortable silence between us said more than words. But despite the easy company and the relief of knowing Ezra had been found out, my mind whirred, jumping from one thing to another in its sleep-deprived state. I knew I couldn’t sit around all day. I needed to channel my restlessness into something productive.
“Do you think it would be all right for me to go back to my place to do some work?” I asked Kennedy as we cleaned up after breakfast.
She hesitated. “Given the circumstances, I don’t see why it would be a problem. The guy is locked away, and you said Nate thought everything was pretty much wrapped up.”
“True. Besides, Nate has Darrel Weich at the station too, so either way, there shouldn’t be an issue.” It was strange to think I was finally safe again.
“I’ll come with you,” Kennedy said. “That way you won’t be alone.”
“Thank you, that would be great.”
“No problem.” She laid her hand on my arm. “I’m happy to be there for moral support. I’m sure you were scared after that guy turned up on the doorstep last night.”
“I was, and you’re right, I don’t want to be alone yet.” Seeing Darrel Weich had made me realize just how easily someone could get to me if they wanted to.
I showered and dressed while Kennedy got ready to go. We drove to my place in Kennedy’s car. Hopefully she or Nate would drop me back at Nate’s house at the end of the day—presuming I still needed to stay there. If Ezra was charged, perhaps I wouldn’t need to spend all of my time with Nate. Would he want me to go back to sleeping in my own bed? We hadn’t discussed it yet, and that felt like an oversight. What came next could signal exactly where—and how fast—our relationship was going.
When Kennedy pulled up outside my property, Alice’s car was already there. Of course, it was a normal working day for her. I hadn’t thought to message to let her know what had happened last night, so she’d turned up at her usual time. She was probably confused as to why I wasn’t in the office.
“I forgot Alice would be here,” I said. “She’ll keep me company. There’s no need for you to hang around while I’m working.”
Kennedy frowned. “Are you sure? I’m happy to curl up on the couch and watch a movie or read something.”
“Don’t be silly. There’s no reason for you to be bored out of your mind when Alice is already here.” I grinned. “Do you really think she’d let me get away with brooding over anything?”
She brightened. “Good point. She’ll make sure you’re all right.”
“She will,” I agreed. “But thank you so much for staying with me overnight and for being willing to be with me today. It means a lot.”
“No problem, and I’m on the other end of the phone if you change your mind and want to call me back. I’ll drop everything and come right over, I promise.”
“Thanks, Kenz.” I reached across the seat to give her a one-armed hug, then got out of the car and opened the back door of the vehicle so Duke could leap out too. Daisy tried to follow, and I had to usher her back in.
“Sorry, girl, not this time.”
I waved Kennedy off and wandered up the drive. The front door was locked, so I used the key to let myself in and went in search of Alice. I found her in the office.
She took one look at me and asked, “What happened?”
I explained the drama of the night before, and her eyes grew wider and wider. When I finished, she tossed questions at me one after the other. I tried not to get frustrated with her, but I was functioning on less than a couple hours of sleep and wasn’t as patient as I might otherwise have been. Eventually, she seemed to realize I was struggling and smiled sheepishly.
“Sorry,” she said. “Why don’t I make us both a coffee?”
“Yes, please.” I could use more caffeine.
While she did that, I got to work. She returned soon after and settled in next to me. Our routine was much the same as usual for the next hour. At one point, I heard my phone ring, but Alice answered and checked the screen.
“Looks like one of those international scams,” she said, and rejected the call.
“Thanks.”
I tried to return my focus to writing, but no new words would come, so I gave up and went in search of more caffeine. I headed to the kitchen and started another brew. I was engrossed in my task when the sound of a footstep sent goosebumps prickling up my arms. That wasn’t the click-clack of Alice’s high heels. It was the soft tread of a sneaker.
I spun around. Ezra stood at the entrance to the kitchen, breathing heavily. His hair was a mess, and his expression was unreadable. I stumbled backward, shocked. Shouldn’t he be locked up? I grabbed blindly for something to defend myself with. From down the hall, I heard a muffled bark. I risked glancing away from Ezra for long enough to spot the knife block, which was only just out of reach. I edged closer to it, and his eyes followed the movement.
