Nolen
Something was up with Vanessa, but I couldn't figure out what it was. It was almost like she didn't want to know who was behind her attack. Or maybe she did know but didn't want to admit it to me.
Maybe it was an ex-boyfriend. Someone she was running away from but who had found her?
But that didn't make sense. Why wouldn't she just admit it? She knew what I did for a living, and it wasn't like this would be the first ex that my company had to deal with since moving to Willow Creek.
No, something was telling me it wasn't that but pushing for the information now didn't seem like a smart idea. Not when Vanessa was close to shutting down on me.
"I don't know. It's just a feeling I have," I finally admitted.
"Well, I think your feeling meter is a little off this morning."
Vanessa turned around after she said that, and it gave me even more reason to think something was up.
"If you say so." I cleared my throat. "I'm going to grab my laptop and try to get some work done. Are you fine to get around?"
Vanessa looked over her shoulder at me. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Definitely on the defensive this morning.
I pointed at her ribs. "I was referring to your ribs? How are they feeling today? Do you need help doing anything?"
Vanessa fully turned around and faced me. This time, though, there was a mask fully in place, and I could tell she was hiding things. I just wished I knew what they were.
Granted I too was hiding something, but only because it wasn't my secret to tell.
"They're good. I mean they ache, but it's what I would suspect them to feel like, considering what happened."
I doubted anyone could truly plan for how it would feel to have broken ribs unless it was something that happened to them before. I was about to ask her when the doorbell rang.
"Stay here," I demanded before pulling my gun from the holster and making my way toward the door.
I didn't think whoever hurt Vanessa would be back so soon, but one never knew, so it was better to play it safe.
Stepping up to the door, I looked through the peephole and groaned when I saw who was on the other side of it. I holstered my gun and pulled the door open. Before I could even say anything, Valerie pushed her way through with Aaron hot on her heels.
"Sorry, man. I tried to keep her away, but she wouldn't listen."
"Of course I wouldn't listen," Valerie snapped. "No one gets to tell me what to do."
I had to stifle the laugh that wanted to bubble out of my throat at Valerie's declaration. This wasn't the time for it, and Valerie didn't look like she would appreciate it.
"Valerie?" Vanessa asked in a shaky voice from her spot in the hallway.
"Oh, Vanessa." Valerie rushed over to her former employee. "I heard what happened. Are you okay?"
Vanessa looked like a deer in headlights one second and like she wanted to run away the next. I couldn't understand why she was having that reaction to Valerie when they had always been close.
Valerie must've noticed it as well because she took a step back and gave Vanessa space.
"I'm fine." Vanessa looked anything but fine at the moment. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to check on you to see if you needed anything." I could hear the hurt in Valerie's voice at being questioned.
I looked over at Aaron to see if he heard it as well but of course he did. The frown on his face said as much.
"I'm fine, really."
