“You think Lila and Margot were in your driveway, with a gun, at the same time as Dan, waiting for him to pretend-shoot you, so they could for real shoot you and frame him for the crime? That’s a complicated and unlikely plan.”
“But not impossible.”
“Almost impossible. Which you’d realize if you weren’t high on Percocet.”
“I’m not high. Just…floaty.”
“One feather doesn’t implicate Lila or Margot.”
“I know. We need to talk to Walt. See if he let anyone get on that boat with Heim.”
“We will handle that tomorrow,” she said firmly. “Not today. And by we, I mean Jean and me. You are going to go home and sleep before that wound gets infected.”
“Sleeping won’t stop an infection.”
“Delaney. This is me, telling you that if you don’t drop this murder case for at least one day, I am personally going to drive over there and tie you down to a cot.”
“Sounds kinky.”
“Well, if you want kinky, I can send Ryder your way. Jean told me about you two.”
What did Jean know? That we were dating? Well, that wasn’t even remotely true now.
“Hey,” I said, avoiding that conversation. “Have you seen him?” There was maybe a little too much worry in my voice.
“Ryder?” She paused. “Earlier today. Why?”
“No reason.”
Because he broke up with me in the hospital. Because no matter how sad I feel, I’m starting to feel something else: angry.
“What happened with Ryder?” she asked. “Did he hurt you?”
“No. We…he…uh…we’re done.”
“Done?”
“We tried a date. It didn’t go well. He ended it.”
I could hear her quiet breathing and the sound of the festival filtering through her phone.
“When did he end it?”
I did not need an angry sister going after my boyfriend.
“Just, if you see him, let him know we need to talk, okay? Now: how’s the rally going?” I asked in boss mode, ready to change the subject.
“Good. Busy. Weather’s cooperating. Go home, okay, Delaney? Jean’s still worried about you.”
“Roger that. Eat a deep-fried rhubarb dog for me.”
She snorted and cut off the call. I hung up and rubbed at the headache starting behind my eyes. The power was singing along, spreading out in my head like it was testing the boundaries of my control. It was looking for a way out.
I would love to give it one.
A sound at the back of the office stilled me.
I hadn’t locked the front door. Someone was in the building with me. Someone who had gotten past me while I was questioning Dan.
