It’s easier for me to say “Fuck it.” I’ve had very little to lose for a long time—Ava being the lone exception. Freya’s world is more layered than mine, I know better than to expect her to move through it the same way I do.
She doesn’t need to make announcements like this at five in the morning. “Wait a minute,” I suggest. “Let them head downstairs first.”
Her gaze warms in a way that hits me hard. “No use hiding the truth.”
And just like that, she hands me something priceless.
She’s not hiding. She’s not pretending. She’s about to walk out of this room knowing it ties her to me. Fuck, this woman continues doing things to me.
But as she pushes herself up from the bed with a groan, I see more than just the woman I yearn for. She’s a mother with a baby girl in her belly and a cop with a case on her shoulders.
I think about Ingram possibly lying about Andy Tarmigan. If he did, then Freya’s been sent on a wild goose chase—maybe to keep her away from the truth, maybe to frame Andy outright. But what about the red-paint transfer? If it wasn’t Andy that hit Zoe’s car, there’s someone else out there who did. Someone we don’t even see yet.
I hope whatever Ava found makes sense of it all because Freya is way too close to the shadows.
Yesterday, Freya was off, and we both got to pretend this case isn’t sharpening its teeth.
But today, my woman has to sit at a desk next to a cop I don’t trust. If Ingram fucked up not one but two cases, or worse, he’s covering them up, he has a lot to lose. And desperate people drag others down with them.
Freya slides her feet into my slippers, so tired, it’s absent-minded.
I need to end this now.
Last night gave me everything I’ve ever wanted.
Now I just have to make sure nothing takes it from us.
28
I saidgoodbye to my mom and grandma this morning and then fell back into bed.
Now I feel like the love child of a zombie and a half-crumbled mummy. No puns intended. But I’m sure I’ll come to after a while.
God, I miss caffeine.
I stumble back to my room and grab my phone off my nightstand.
Six missed calls. Three texts from Ava. One from Enzo.
They have more information.
Yesterday was a short break from thinking about what I discovered at the Tarmigans. Is Ingram lyingabout having pulled over Andy? Or is Andy lying about his whereabouts in Echo Valley?
And there’s still the possibility that Ingram never thought I would even find Andy.
After all, I didn’t; GhostEye did.
I can’t shake the feeling Ingram was trying to throw me off. But why? To save face?
I scroll down through the missed messages, and there’s one from Anton, too.
Mom and Grams are safe and checked-in.
He is the. Best.
And I can’t believe he’s mine.
But today, it’s back to work.
