I leave the substation and walk to my car on legs that feel like water. Once I'm inside with the doors locked, I let myself shake. How the fuck does she know about the forums? Fucking gossips on socials.
She's connecting RB the online artist to Roxy Brennan the person.
She suspects something, and not just about Gary Hollis, but about who I am and what I do.
But she can't prove it, and without proof, there's nothing she can do.
Dom's waiting when I get home.
He pulls me into his arms the moment I walk through the door, holding me so tight I can barely breathe.
"How'd it go?" he asks against my hair.
"She knows something's wrong, but she can't prove it."
"What'd you tell her?"
"The truth. That we're James and Roxy Brennan. That we were in Portland around the time of the murder and that we've never been to Arizona."
"And she believed you?"
"She didn't have a choice. The documentation backs it up and the story is consistent. There's no physical evidence connecting us to Gary Hollis."
He pulls back to look at me. "So we're clear?"
"For now. She said she'd be in touch if she has follow-up questions."
"Meaning she's not done."
"Meaning she's going to keep digging, but there's nothing to find. The people she's looking for don't exist anymore."
We stand there in the fading light, holding each other, processing what just happened. We were tested and the cover held.
"We should still be careful," Dom says. "Keep our heads down. No unnecessary risks."
"Agreed. But we're not running."
"No?"
"No. Because running would prove her right. Staying proves we're innocent."
He kisses me, slow and deep, and I can taste the relief mixed with fear and adrenaline.
"Tokyo's still happening?" he asks.
"Tokyo's still happening. The gallery confirmed last week. Three months from now."
"And if Chen comes back?"
"Then we deal with it. But I don't think she will. She's hit a wall. Even if she suspects us, she can't prove anything. And without proof, the case stays cold. All that provoking me was to get something she could work with, which means she doesn’t have enough to bring us in. But believe me, she knows it was us."
“Maybe I should end her life too,” he says into my hair and I giggle.
“If only that would help. We got this, baby. I love you,” I say as Dom holds me tighter before taking my breath away with a kiss full of love and devotion.
We make love on the couch, celebrating survival, reminding ourselves it was all worth it. His hands are everywhere, claiming and reassuring, and I arch into him with a gasp.
"We made it," I pant against his mouth.
