I don’t want her to linger too long in such macabre surroundings.“Inara,” I call.The twins pause so I can turn to her.
She’s still studying the room, a slight frown on her face.She’s in detective mode.
But I don’t want to leave her.I want her with me.I need her, I realize.Leaving her behind feels like ripping my heart in half.
I stretch out my hand and let vulnerability bleed into my voice.“Please.”
It’s all I can bear to say, but she understands.Her eyes light up, and her expression softens.She joins me, taking my hand, and I’m able to breathe again.
Inara
For the first time ever, I’m giddy.It must be the after-effects of adrenaline and a combination of relief and excitement at finding Rex and solving the case.Bubbles fill my chest like I’ve been sipping champagne.I can’t stop touching Rex, which is good because he’s kept hold of me since we left Ted’s dark room.It’s almost as if he’s afraid I’ll run away.
When we get a moment alone, I’ll have to tell him there’s nothing to fear.From now on, I only run toward him.
“What I don’t understand is how Ted incapacitated you,” I ask Rex.We’re back at Roy Manor, doing a post-op debrief with Mina and Hamish.
Rex’s face is stony.He hates this conversation.He hates any weakness.“It was a gas.Laughing gas, actually.He flooded the morgue room with it, then was able to inject me with a paralysis agent,” Rex says.
“We think Ted used gas on the Walker family, too.He might have even gotten the idea from you.”I would poke Rex, but he’s already holding my hand in both of his.He frowns down at it now.
“We spoke to the morgue attendant—” Hamish says.
“He was in on it,” Mina interrupts.“The morgue attendant was working with Ted.He helped Ted steal the victim’s remains from the morgue to lure you out.And once you were incapacitated, they loaded you onto a gurney and into an ambulance.Ted used that to get you to his place.”
I shake my head.
“We’ve also found evidence that Ted was blackmailing a number of people, threatening to release incriminating photos,” Hamish reports.“One of his targets gave him access to the helicopter.”
“This was his endgame,” Rex says.“He called in every favor and exhausted all his resources.He must have been planning it for some time.”
He and Mina start comparing notes on all of Ted’s movements.My body starts to droop as the last of the adrenaline leaves my system.
I don’t want to know every detail of Ted or BK’s final days.For once, I don’t care about building a body of evidence so the DA can prosecute the perp.The case is over.The two men who haunted my dreams are dead.
“You okay?”Rex murmurs to me.He’s looking a lot better than he did a few hours ago, and I’m probably looking worse.
“Yeah.”I let myself lean into him.“I’m glad it’s over.”
He pulls me into his lap and into a hug.I melt into him, letting his scent ground me.
I don’t remember closing my eyes, but the next thing I know, I’m waking up, still in Rex’s arms.I sit up slowly, blinking, and check the corners of my mouth for drool.“I must have dozed off.”
“You did.”Rex looks amused.
Hamish and Mina are gone.Rex must have sat here and let me nap on him.
I never thought I’d say this, but I hope he lets me nap on him again.Often.
But first, business.“What did I miss?”
“Fraternitas found the ambulance down the block from Ted’s apartment building, with the remains of Emily Rodriguez inside.Her body’s been returned to the morgue.Her family is making arrangements for a memorial service on Sunday.”
“I’d like to go.”
Rex nods as if he expected me to say that.“She was a nurse.I’ve instructed the Roy Foundation to set up a scholarship fund in her name.”
“She would’ve liked that.”
