Page 16

Molly notices my expression.

"Who is she?"

I close the file.

"Someone I need to talk to."

Her eyebrows rise.

"That sounded personal."

"It isn't."

"Rhett."

I look at her. She doesn't push. She doesn't need to. She knows. There are things I don't discuss. Things that happened before I became who I am now. Things I buried. Or tried to. I stand.

"I'm going to Sleepy Hollow."

Molly nods slowly.

"I figured."

"You should stay here."

"Absolutely not."

"This isn't a normal investigation."

"Neither are most things involving you."

I almost smile. Almost. She hands me the coffee.

"You know, most people would take the weird missing person case as the weird part."

I grab my jacket.

"What do you think the weird part is?"

She looks at the screen.

"The fact that you look like you already know you're supposed to be there."

“Hey. I’m a state arson investigator as well. This little side trip could be in conjunction with an arson investigation.”

“Yeah, but it’s not,” she says dryly.

“No one but you has to know that.”

I step outside into the cold night air, and I do know one thing. Sleepy Hollow is calling.

And whatever is waiting there…

Has been waiting for me.

3

CARYS