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“Derek fought me to get out there. I held him back as much as I could, but he’s fucking strong.”

Shaking my head, I can’t even imagine. “I’m surprised you could hold him.”

“When she said the safe word, I let him go. We both rushed out, but when I went to Star, Derek went straight and finished things.”

“So that’s how it happened.”

I take a step back, turning to face the female voice addressing us. Melissa is standing in the doorway. Her dark brow is furrowed and her lips are tight.

“Hey, you’re back.” Patrick’s out of his seat and headed toward her.

She steps into the office and meets him, giving him a warm hug. “I forgive you for not keeping your promise,” she says, leaning back and mussing his hair. “But I don’t forgive you for not telling me.”

“None of this was supposed to happen.” He follows her back to the desk. She steps over to where I’m looking out the window at the highway.

“Marcus is going to help us. He said he’d fly to Baltimore to meet you. He’s scheduled a meeting with the prosecutor, but he needs us to send him everything we’ve got on Sloan and Derek.”

Putting the case down, I snap it open and pull out the files I’m taking with me. “Fax these to him now. I want to have them with me when I get there.”

She nods and takes them from me, but she stops to speak to Patrick. “Is there any chance Elaine can come here today or tomorrow?”

“She was planning to drive up with Lane on Thursday. Her school’s spring break is next week.”

“We’re going to need her sooner than that.”

“What are you thinking?” Patrick sits on the edge of the desk facing her.”

“My photograph, the email receipts I printed off... I’d say she could FedEx them, but I don’t want to take any chances of them being lost.”

He nods and pulls out his phone. “She’ll do that for you. I need to ask her now so she can find a substitute.”

Melissa rubs her eyes. “I wish I could have Dex here with me. I miss him so much.”

“She could bring him with her. Lane needs the company.”

Shaking her head, she drops her hand with a sigh. “He’d better stay with Mom in case I have to go to Baltimore. I want to be free to do whatever Derek needs on a moment’s notice.”

God, I hate hustling her right now. I’m concerned as well about the possibility of a long, messy trial. None of us want that.

“I need to get on the road,” I say, nodding to the papers.

“I’ll fax these now,” she says, heading down the hall.

Patrick walks back around the desk and drops into his chair. “Bennett cooked us good forcing Derek to confess like that.”

“Let me know if you find anything else useful.” He nods, and it hits me he arrived last night. “Why aren’t you sleeping at Derek’s place? There’s no reason for you to be in a hotel.”

He glances down and manages to look embarrassed. “Star and I have sort of a past. I don’t want to make Elaine uncomfortable.”

“That’s pretty mature of you, brother.”

“Yeah, well, I tested Elaine enough in the beginning to last a lifetime.” He glances over his shoulder, out the office window as he says the last bit. “She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

I’m feeling pretty generous, considering my recent developments with Mariska. “I hear that.” We pause a moment. “Stay at my place. Melissa’s here now, and Mariska will probably be back and forth to Bayville.”

His lips poke out and he nods. “It’s a good idea.” Turning back, we exchange what is possibly the first warm greeting in our lives. “Thanks, bro.”

“No worries.”