I made it clear before we entered her house that I wanted her with me at all times, no exceptions. She agreed and remained quiet as she threw some clothes in a bag. I was rummaging through the bathroom for anything I assumed she’d want or need when my phone rang. The smirk I saw on Amelia’s face told me I must have been grinning like a fool as soon as I saw his name.
“Hey, you,” I said into the phone as I playfully shoved Amelia.
Beckett’s smooth voice filled the line. “Hey.”
“Any luck?”
“We’re closer than we were,” he answered. “I’m waiting outside while they question someone, so I thought I’d say hi.”
“Oh. Well, hi.”
He laughed as though he could hear my enormous smile. “Hi. Is Amelia still with you?”
“Yeah. We’re at her house now. She needed to pick up some things since she’s staying with me for a few days.”
“That’s good. You’re a good friend to her, Ry.”
We talked for a few more minutes and it only made me miss him more. I felt like a kid, crossing my fingers that I’d have a chance to see him again soon.
I heard someone talking to him in a rushed whisper.
“Sorry, I need to go. Our lead paid off, they found Michael.”
As relieved as I was, my heart still skipped a beat and I had to lean against the counter. Michael had proven to be a dangerous man on more than one occasion and Beckett was walking right in to his line of sight.
“Wait! Beck!”
He paused, but I didn’t know what to say, how to express my fears without sounding like a needy child. But I hadn’t needed to. Beckett was still capable of reading my mind, just as he always had been.
“I’ll be okay, I promise. I’m not going near him. I’m leaving all the dangerous stuff to the police. I’m just going to question him after they take him into custody. All I’m worried about is getting the box back to its rightful owners, okay?”
I still couldn’t bring myself to say anything, chewing my lower lip.
“Ry?”
“Just… be safe, okay? And call me. I don’t care what time it is.”
“I will. Keep your phone close.”
A soft hand closed around my arm when I hung up. Only then did I realize how much I was trembling.
“They found him,” I told Amelia.
She let out a breath and leaned into me, as much for her comfort as my own. I folded one arm around her small shoulders and tucked her close.
“Hopefully this will all be over soon,” I whispered.
We loaded three bags into my car and headed back to my house, where I made chicken fajitas while Amelia rested on the couch. Most of her bruising was already starting to fade, but she was still sore and utterly worn out.
When we crashed on my bed sometime later, Amelia rolled to her stomach, punching a pillow under her. She tried to smile, but I could see the sadness hanging over her like a dark cloud. I figured it would be a while before I saw my chipper, bubbly friend again.
“You know, I was thinking, if I hadn’t of done what I did, you wouldn’t have reconnected with Beckett. So, I guess it’s true what they say. That everything happens for a reason.”
I frowned. “I never would have wanted this for you. You know that,” I said firmly.
She reached out to link our fingers together. “I know, Preston. You tried to tell me not to go and I chose not to listen, as usual. But what’s done is done and I’m lucky things aren’t worse. The people who Beckett is working for could have me thrown in jail, but they didn’t.” She paused, dropping her eyes. “It was my reality check, Pres. That moment we always talked about to pull us back from the ledge. I didn’t realize how close to jumping I actually was, how stupid I was to even be involved with Michael in the first place. I’m just lucky he didn’t hurt me worse than he did.”
“Ames.”
