There was a text from Sierra:
How did it go?
And one from Benji:
Tell Nina not to go online.
Mav frowned at that, but because he didn’t want to be angry when he was still basking in the afterglow of her, he didn’t open his web browser either. It wouldn’t serve a purpose. He believed Nina absolutely. He loved her indefinitely, and that was all he needed to know.
He called Sierra so that he could update her and say goodnight to Poppy.
She answered on the first ring with: ‘How is she?’
Mav ran one hand through his hair. ‘Not great, but she’s holding on,’ he said honestly. ‘She passed out about an hour ago …’
‘I can imagine.’
‘Yeah. She’s a trouper.’
‘And the police? What did they say?’ Before he could answer, Sierra continued, ‘Benji told me that Alexander Cane accused her of assaulting him. Apparently, it’s all over the news.’
‘Yeah. But the assistant chief of police believed her. Apparently, this isn’t the first time he’s run into that fucker.’
‘There was another woman?’
‘Yeah, but she changed her story a few days after reporting it.’
‘He paid her off,’ Sierra said.
‘Probably. Which also means she would have signed an NDA, so she won’t talk.’
‘Do you know who she is? Maybe we can find her, ask her to help us …’
‘I don’t.’
‘Let me look into it. I have a friend who works in admin for the LAPD. If the report’s not public already, she’ll get it to me.’
‘I don’t know. Dragging someone else into this feelswrong.’
‘So, we ask. But let her decide what she wants to do. We can do that much for Nina, Mav. Numbers matter in situations like this …’
‘Fuck.’ But because he knew she was right, he closed his eyes momentarily, said, ‘Okay.’
‘Stay positive, Mav. We have to believe that good will win. Otherwise, what’s the point?’
‘The cop put us in touch with a really good lawyer. So, that’s something.’
‘How long until you come home?’
‘We’re going to head back tomorrow and then come down when we’re needed.’ But because he was already dreading the months ahead, he felt that he had to warn her. ‘It’s going to be a long haul here, Si.’
‘Yeah.’
‘I’m sorry in advance.’
‘You can’t choose who you love, Mav. I know that better than anyone. And even if you could, I wouldn’t choose anyone else for you. Seeing you and Nina together …’ She sighed. ‘We’ll pull through. We’ll find a way to make the resort work – even if we have to become a social media hub.’
Mav shuddered at the thought. But he could live with it if it meant having Nina there with him. ‘It’ll die down.’Hopefully.
