Page 72 of Shadow Justice

He looked at her one last time, and some of the anger seemed to fold inward, becoming wounded dignity. “I hope you never learn what people become when the place they trusted turns against them.”

He walked out before she could answer.

The bell over the door chimed after him, bright and cheerful and cruelly ordinary.

For several seconds, no one moved. Then Maya cleared her throat, and Holly pulled herself together because the shop was full of customers and Sanctuary could not collapse simply because its owner wanted to.

“I’m sorry,” she said to the room, forcing her voice to hold. “Everything’s fine. Does anyone need a refill?”

Maya grabbed a coffee pot and started making rounds.

The customers slowly returned to their drinks and conversations, though in the softer, self-conscious way people did after witnessing something so unexpected.

Holly went behind the counter because it gave her a place to put her hands. She picked up a rag and folded it twice before she realized she was folding a wet rag for no reason.

Reid sidled up to her. “What he said wasn’t true.”

She looked down at the counter. “Some of it was. I did let him believe you were just helping.”

“To protect the investigation and protect you.”

“I lied.”

“That doesn’t make your compassion fake.”

The tears came too fast, and she blinked them back hard. “He helped me. I keep saying that as if it proves something, but he did. When I was scared and overwhelmed, he helped me. And now he looks at me like I betrayed him.”

“He came in here and used the best parts of you against you.”

She wanted to argue. She wanted to defend Allen one more time, to say he was frightened and grieving and maybe being watched by someone who meant him harm. But the part of her that had heard his voice go cold when he understood Reid’s role couldn’t quite manage it.

Reid took out his phone. “I’m calling Claire.”

Holly nodded. He stepped to the end of the counter and called. The line went to voicemail, and his message was brief. “Claire, it’s Reid. Allen Davies came into Sanctuary claiming he saw a dark sedan outside his house and office this morning. He believes he may be under surveillance. Confirm whether any agency has eyes on him, and if not, I need you to treat this as a possible threat report. Call me back.”

He ended the call and looked at Holly. “We’ll find out.”

She wanted to ask what they would find out. Whether Allen was being watched by the FBI, the killer, or no one? Whether his anger had been fear or manipulation?

Instead, she nodded and finished the morning with her heart sitting heavy in her chest.

The rest of the day moved in pieces. Lunch rush came and went. A woman asked if they had oat milk, and Holly discovered they were out. A man complained the patio tables were damp, and Reid handled it before Holly could decide whether to be kind or brittle. Maya dropped a mug and nearly cried, then laughed when Reid solemnly declared it an offering to the floor gods and swept up the pieces.

Claire didn’t call back.

By five, Holly’s body felt as if it had been filled with wet sand. Roni brought Blue through the front door fifteen minutes before closing, and Blue bounded straight to Holly, tail wagging hard enough to move his whole back end. She crouched to hug him, pressing her face into his warm fur longer than necessary.

Roni noticed, of course. “Rough day?”

“Long day.”

Roni glanced at Reid, then back at Holly. “Do I need to be annoying in a helpful way or annoying in a distracting way?”

“Tomorrow,” Holly said. “Pick one and surprise me.”

“Done.” Roni kissed the top of Blue’s head. “Be good, chaos goblin.”

Blue wagged.