“Yeah, I just got back from—”
“Oh, sorry,” she squeaked, bolting up out of my grasp. She wiped her nose nosily and stepped back, face flushed.
“It’s okay, Liv. Come here,” I said, climbing to my feet. “I was at work all night.”
She looked at me like she didn’t believe me, like I was lying. She pinched up her lips and couldn’t look me in the eye.
“You don’t believe what I’m saying do you?” I stepped closer to her, touching my finger to her chin, and lifting her face to mine. “Where do you think I went?” I chuckled. My fingers ached to trace the shape of her lips, the slope of her neck.
Tears glossed her eyes and streaked heartache down her face. I couldn’t figure out why.What the fuck was I saying wrong?Why do woman have to act like so damn confusing all the time?
I spread my hands across her skin and gently wiped away her tears with my thumbs. “Look, whatever you’re thinkingabout methat’s making you cry even more, just stop. I got called in last night, because they found the cadets.”
Her shoulders loosened and relief flooded her features.
“Oh good,” she breathed out,so damn innocently. “Brooke’s been worried about—”
“No,” my voice cracked over hers. “I’m a detective, Liv. Nobody calls me in, because they want me around. They call me, because something bad happened.”
Her gaze widened, “Bad?”
“They found the cadets’bodies,” I said in a quiet voice.
“Oh, okay,” she said nodding and straightening up. “Okay,” she repeated, wiping her face clean. “Brooke went shopping for food. She was going to make dinner. Her car pulled up when you came back here, so she’s home now. Let’s go tell her together.” She pulled herself together as if her world wasn’t just falling apart. I stood there blinking at her, stunned. That was it? She pulled back her own emotions—her own crisis—to help her friend get ready to deal with bad news, so she could be there for her.
“Come on,” she whispered, sniffling. She held out an open hand to me, blinking up at me as if she knew the secret to whatever strength was needed for this, that she would show me the way.
I reached for her outstretched hand, grabbing onto it tightly.
It gave me strength, support. Understanding.
The walk back to my house was slow, both of us steady, hands clasped tightly, eyes staring into one another’s. I wanted it to last forever. I didn’t want to face my sister and watch her hurt, but more surprisingly to me, I didn’t want to let Liv’s hand go. I wanted to keep walking, holding her hand, off into the distance somewhere far away where bad shit didn’t happen to good people.
Brooke’s trunk was open and plastic bags full of food teetered over each other. Humming a song, she pulled out a bag and spun in our direction. Her eyes locked on our hands, and she smiled, but that instantly disappeared when she looked up at our faces.
Liv gave her a small sob of sympathy, and Brooke’s movements stilled. “What happened?”
Groceries spilled from her hands, and her fingers clenched into fists. Her eyes flashed straight to mine, “Dean?”
“They found the bodies late last night—”
“Bodies? Both of them?” she asked in a whisper.
I nodded once.
Her face went pale, and then she ate back the pain likea damn good officer.
“What happened?” Brooke demanded, reaching up and slamming her trunk closed, leaving all the groceries inside. Her keys dangled in the lock. “I want to know everything,” she said, flattening down her coat, composing herself.
“Both shot, execution style,” I said, swallowing hard. “They were in that vacant condo unit for sale around the corner from our office.”
“What?” she asked, voice shaking. “What were they doing there?”
“We don’t know, Brooke. But I promise you; I’m going to find out.”
Tears collected in her eyes as she looked up to me and nodded her head quickly. “I know you will.” She rubbed at her eyes and looked down toward the ground. “I’m…I have to go see their parents. I…Liv, I’m sorry…I…”
“No,” Liv gasped. “Don’t be sorry. Go. Go, Brooke. I’ll make dinner and you go.” She hugged my sister, yanked her into her arms and gave her whispered words I couldn’t hear. Brooke touched her forehead to Liv’s and took a deep breath, nodded and said, “Thank you, Liv.”
