I can’t help the smallest laugh, or the way my stomach swoops like I’m falling. “Yeah. I think I can make something work.”
“Good. I can’t wait.” His voice is firm and sure.
“I should go,” I tell him. “I’m technically on a scene, and I need to look like I’m working.”
“See you soon,” he says, and then the line goes dead.
Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I head back up the lawn when I hear a loud cawing, and a moment later, Russell appears. He lands on the railing, eyeing me with some suspicion, then flies over and perches on my shoulder.
“Hi, buddy.” I stroke a finger over the top of his head so he doesn’t get all riled up, and he nudges me with the sharp end of his beak before settling in the crook of my neck.
He’s obviously not going anywhere, so I bring him inside with me and find Teddy and the other guy in the living room making notes.
Teddy glances over and laughs. “Fucking Snow White over here.”
“Maybe after I teach him how to mend all the holes in my boxers,” I say, then frown. “Is that Snow White?”
“Cinderella,” the other guy says. “My girls are obsessed.”
I grin as Russell begins to clean the hair behind my ear, and I glance around. There’s not much left on the shelves. There are a few knickknacks and some charred books left. Things from Leo’s past I never got the chance to ask about.
The couch is a mutilated pile of burnt filling, fabric, and metal. My stomach twists at the thought of Leo lying there,seizing, knocking down his candles, and nearly burning to death.
“Does the scene corroborate Leo’s story?” I ask.
Teddy’s brows fly up. “I haven’t talked to him yet, and you know I can’t give you details.”
I sigh. “Right.”
The guy slips his pen into his front pocket, then reaches into his trousers for his phone. “I’m gonna go make a call, then head out. You good here?”
Teddy watches his lips intently, then nods. “See you later.” When the guy’s out of earshot, he turns back to me. “What happened last night?”
“Off the record?”
“For now,” Teddy answers. He steps closer to me to hear me better. “How bad is Leo hurt?”
“Not as bad as he could have been. Second-degree burns over both legs and feet.”
Teddy winces hard. “Did you see the house before the fire started?”
I try to will away my blush. “Yeah. I was over here last night bringing him some food, and the power was out, so he’d lit a bunch of candles. I told him to be careful, but he had a seizure and probably knocked them over.”
“Shit,” Teddy whispers. “Was it a bad one?”
“I think he had a few in a row. He was still seizing when I got to the scene.” My voice goes a little tight, and I reach up to stroke over Russell’s beak to calm my nerves. “I talked to him a couple minutes ago, and he seems to be feeling okay now. He doesn’t know how bad the house is.”
Teddy shoots me a grimace. “I’ll hang out for a bit after I interview him. This fucking sucks.”
Bowing my head, I nod. “Yeah. It really does. You know this absolutely was an accident, right?”
Teddy gives me a flat look.
“What? I’m just saying?—”
“I know Leo,” Teddy says. “He’s one of my friends. I know this wasn’t on purpose.”
Before I can respond, Easton appears with two bags slung over his shoulder and an irritated look on his face. “Can you do me a favor?” I point at myself, and he nods. “Can you ride with Ted to the hospital and keep an eye on Leo until I can get there? Cam needs me to come in for a bit.”
