“But you knew better.” Wren brushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead.
“It was a gamble. I gambled with your life.”
“No you didn’t.” She kissed his cheek. “You knew.”
“Shane, Bear, and Gabe let Willow take the lead off the other direction. They made noise, just enough to let Weisser know he was safely hidden. Waylon and I kept following his trail. Until we found you.” He grabbed his hair. “You were less than fifty feet from the SUV. He was so close to escaping with you.”
“But you saved me, Elias.”
He was quiet.
“Mission accomplished. So what are you carrying?”
“He never should have gotten near you.”
“And somehow you’re to blame?”
He nodded.
“Why?”
“He couldn’t get to Barbie or Kyla. He knew Kit Larson had dropped the story so he wasn’t interested in her. That left finding you. Well, finding Brooke Greene.”
Wren covered her face. “And I was stupid enough to think I could publish the photo essay and let Kyla interview me. He recognized my voice.” She shook her head. “I did the interview because I rationalized that he had ankle jewelry and was headingfor prison. I didn’t think he even had much in the way of internet access. Stupid.”
Elias lowered her hand. “Not stupid, Wren. Weisser never should have been under house arrest. All it took was a two-dollar roll of tin foil to build a damn Faraday cage for the bracelet and block the real telecom signal. A spoofing service online pinged the police with fake messages telling them he was at home. The law failed you.”
“Yes, it did. So, why areyoucarrying their failure?”
Elias tensed. “After his arrest, he became fixated on you, thought you’d been watching him for years, waiting to destroy him. It’s all in his last journal.”
She tsked. “Gotta love a narcissist.”
“Wren.” Elias shook his head. “I never should have let you put yourself into danger like that.”
“Pfffth. You couldn’t have stopped me.”
“Wren—”
“No, Elias, listen. If you had told me I couldn’t, I would have ignored you and done it anyway. Then, you would’ve been mad and we’d have broken up. But nothing would have changed with Weisser. Except for the ending. He would’ve still found me and kidnapped me. But I’d be dead now. Or worse, I’d be with him on the run.”
She gently clasped his chin and turned his head so he was looking her in the eye. “But you respected my decision. You supported me. Yousavedme. And bonus, Weisser won’t be stealing money from sick people anymore. Now it’s Mai Tais and mahi-mahi time for me and you, baby.” She smiled at him.
“One thing you got wrong though, Scrubs.”
“What’s that?”
“I never would have broken up with you. Never.”
Wren pulledup in front of her home. Chuck and Penny were looking out the window, tails wagging. She jogged to the door and let herself in. Elias was at the stove, and something smelled amazing.
“Guess what? Ellie and Bear are pregnant!” She did a little dance in place.
Elias smiled. “Little Bear cub.”
“Little Bearand Elliecub, mister. She’s doing the heavy lifting.” Wren crossed the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Elias from behind.
“Looks like you’re excited about it, Scrubs.”
