“Absolutely,” Travis answered for me. Turning back around, I waved Leigh over and held the book up for the camera. Her arm slipped around my waist as she pulled me close, and her body trembled at my side. Travis snapped the picture. “You know, we’re going to the Green Lion afterward to celebrate. You’re more than welcome to join us.”
My jaw flexed, and I shot Travis a knowing look. This gathering was news to me, and I especially didn’t have the energy to entertain Leigh.
Leigh’s eyes and voice lit up. “Oh, that sounds like fun!” she released me and took her mobile from Travis, “I’d love to come.”
After everything was packed up and ready to go, I helped carry the boxes to Laurie’s car before we said our goodbyes. I got on to Travis for putting this last-minute outing together without talking to me about it first.“This is a good reason to celebrate,”he had said, but there was nothing to celebrate. The only true measurement of success was happiness, and my number was in the negative.
The drive back to Surrey was a tad over an hour, and I’d advised Travis I’d meet him in the beer garden after ringing Dex to check on the progress with finding Scott. I’d dropped the money off from the laundromat run the night before, and he seemed pleased with how smoothly the run went. In return, Dex confirmed he’d take a closer look into the cabin fire, get more details, and if Scott had any other properties or vehicles in his name. As always, he didn’t answer, and I left an urgent message.
The rain had stopped, and the temperature decreased as the sun descended behind the arbor. I didn’t want to be here, but Travis had invited his fiancé, Summer, and it was important to him for me to meet her finally. I spotted him in the garden at a secluded table in the corner with, I assumed, Summer at his side.
I made my way toward the two as they faced a band playing laid back acoustic music. A few people danced in the garden, chilled beer mugs in hand, as children ran carelessly about the swaying bodies.
After an hour, I’d learned Summer was older than I’d presumed, with golden hair, blue eyes, and soft features. At only four months pregnant, her loose blouse hid her tiny belly as she sipped on ginger ale. She was forthcoming, witty, and cursed like a sailor, but able to quiet Travis when no one else could. I liked her immediately and knew Mia would too.
Leigh showed, and I introduced her to Summer like the respectable gentleman I was, but I couldn’t help the way my crestfallen heart pounded to a somber beat as they shook hands. This entire day was meant for Mia and me. She should be here. Mia should’ve been the first girl I’d introduce to Summer, to Travis, to everyone.
I needed another fucking drink.
The girls took off to the loo—Summer’s third time—and Travis leaned into me with the cup brought to his lips. “The girl wants to fuck you,” he whispered now that Summer was not around. I didn’t bother meeting his eyes, keeping my gaze on the band and my hand steadying my bouncing knee. “She’s not bad to look at either. She seems young but legal. Maybe some fanny would be good for you, nothing serious. You’re on edge.”
“Grow up, Trav. My dick doesn’t get hard whenever a female is in proximity.” Not anymore. That was themedicatedOllie, the one polluted with pills and morality stripped.
Back at Dolor, I’d discovered a lot about myself—the hypersensitivity. For me, a whisper seemed like a scream—a touch, a violation—and the energy others produced, consumed me. I’d rather be back at the motel, but I had responsibilities now and people to please—a job to do. And Travis regularly reminded me. He was only trying to be a friend.
The girls returned as soon as my phone rang. It was Dex, and I excused myself and walked off from the crowd to answer.
“Scott has no other properties besides the two you’re already aware of,” Dex confirmed, which was what I’d been worried about. “It can take over eight weeks to identify the bodies from the fire, but they are confident one of them is him. We just won’t know for sure until after they complete their investigation.” A silence played out between us. “Look, Oliver. I’ll continue to look into this for you, but we have a dodgy cop who mentioned Scott is a member of the force, which you failed to mention. Now, I don’t exactly know what you got yourself into, but if I continue digging, I want you officially on my payroll. You work for me now.”
“The body in the cabin isn’t Scott’s. It can’t be. Keep digging. I’ll continue to work for you until Scott’s found, but I’m giving you one week to get me a lead—something. Check the airports, street-cams, all of Cheshire and Liverpool. If a week passes and you don’t have shit, consider this deal voided.”
“You’ll have to give me more. Why are you looking for him?”
“That’s none of your concern. Just find me Ethan Scott.”
“I’ll call back with your next assignment.”
The call disconnected, and helplessness crept along my veins until it reached my aching heart. My fingers clenched around the mobile, wanting to drive my fist into the first object my eyes came across, and before I knew it, I was inside the bar, ordering a shot of whiskey to dull the pain. For one night, I didn’t want to remember how bad it hurt. I was tired of waiting for Dex to find her for me. I was tired of waiting for her to come back to me. I was so fucking tired of feeling like this. I just wanted to get past midnight for once without the cold inside my chest, without the thoughts of our last moments replaying over and over in my head. I couldn’t accept she was dead. I couldn’t accept she left me. The only thing I could accept tonight was a shot of whiskey—or three.
Travis ushered me away from the bar and back into the garden where the music was pumping, and the crowd was increasingly rowdy. The hours passed as the rest of them laughed and danced, and I fueled up on liquor as I slowly burned in this miserable hell, invisible to the world around me.
Leigh tried to pull me up from my seat, but the only girl I’d ever dance with was Mia.
“His girl left him,” Travis incorrectly informed her. “He’s a bloody wreck.”
“She didn’t leave me,” I stated, but my voice choked on annoyance.
“What happened?” Leigh asked, taking a seat beside me and moving her hand to my thigh.
I should’ve moved it away, but my arm wouldn’t work properly. “She just …” I lazily snapped my finger, “vanished. Into thin air.”
“Well, she’s stupid for ever leaving you.”
I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes at Leigh. “She didn’t leave me.”
“She died,” Travis whispered, thinking I couldn’t hear him, but I did.
Leigh’s features changed, and she scooted her chair closer to me, too close, and moved her clammy hand over my tattooed arm. “Do you want to talk about it?” It was kind of her to ask. On any given day, I’d fancy any conversation pertaining to Mia. I could write an entire book on her eyes, her smile, her kiss, her lips, the way she made me feel, and how all the men in the world combined couldn’t compare to her strength. I admired Mia and what she was capable of.
