“That’s alright,” Sydney replied.
“I just wanted to let you know that Mr.Milford will no longer be requiring your help with the Grant case.”
“Oh?”Sydney perked up.
Fink closed his eyes and let out a relieved breath.Thank fucking Christ.Finally, something in their favor.
“Yep.You’re free to enjoy your holiday.”
“What happened?”Sydney asked.“I thought he needed me to testify.”
Fink’s lids flew open, and he glared in her direction.What the hell was she doing?They were in the clear.She knew damn well how that occurred.Why was she asking some secretary for details?
“You haven’t been following the news?”Tonya asked.
“I’m in the process of moving.Cut all my subscription services.”
“Ah.”The woman clucked her tongue.“Well, since it hit the papers, I guess there is no harm in saying it.Mrs.Grant overdosed.They’ve ruled it a suicide.Poor thing.Though I guess being investigated for murdering her husband really took a toll on her.”
“Yeah,” Sydney agreed as a wide smile spread on her face.“Wow.”
“Such a shame.”Tonya sighed.
“It’s really sad,” Sydney agreed.
“But I don’t want to keep you.Hopefully, you can still enjoy your day.”
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Sydney said before ending the call.
Scrambling over the half-deflated air mattress, Fink held out his arms.Narrowly avoiding tripping, he gripped Sydney and hugged her tight against him.Together, they squealed and jumped in place.They could officially put the murder of Mitchell Leonard Grant Jr.behind them and start their life together with no threats breathing down their necks.
Epilogue
Sydney
Hand turkeys.Colorful, fake, fall leaves.A cornucopia.Cassidy and Hauwa’s home was decked out for the holidays.The walls were lined with framed photos of the foster children who had come and gone—no matter how short their stays.
These two knew how to create a warm, welcoming, and accepting space.They were special.Sydney could never explain how.Until she went to Maine with Fink, their house was the only place that felt safe.
Would he feel the same way?
Worry crept into her chest, rattling her ribs, as he stiffened in Hauwa’s embrace.He glanced in Sydney’s direction, and she offered him an encouraging nod.Hauwa was a big ball of love.It was hard for Sydney to accept at first, too, but eventually she got there.
She suspected this level of love and acceptance would be foreign to Fink as well.It took getting used to—time.Maybe he’d get there eventually, but at least for now, he came, and he was open to enduring their affections.
Thankfully, she saw them only once a year.This wouldn’t be a frequent thing, so he wouldn’t have to suffer the niceness of others.
“We are delighted to meet you,” Hauwa declared in her thick Nigerian accent.“Sydney has told us nothing about you, but I’m sure you can’t be worse than her last date.”
“Oh my God.”Sydney’s cheeks flared in embarrassment as she covered her face with both hands.
Fink chuckled.“It helps that the bar is on the floor.”
“More like the basement.”Hauwa clapped him on the back before setting her lovable eyes on Sydney.
With her arms outstretched, she wiggled her fingers.
“There’s my little troublemaker,” she greeted warmly.
