Page 113 of Deathtoll

Mr. Mauro was fully recovered, telling everyone who listened that Captain Bing had caught the idiot driver of the hit-and-run that morning. That crime, at least, couldn’t be laid at Asael’s feet.

Ashley Price and Jack Sullivan wished Kate and Murph happiness next.

“Thank you for your very generous gift, again,” Kate told Ashley, who was becoming a known name on the global art stage. She and Jack had delivered one of her paintings the night before because it was too large to drag it to the reception.

The painting showed Kate’s house, Murph and Kate walking through the front door together, holding hands. A single, breathtaking rose bloomed in her front yard in the painting’s foreground. The title of the piece was a quote from Anaïs Nin.“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

The art could probably pay for the baby’s college education someday, but Kate would never ever sell it.

“Honestly, it’s too much,” she told Ashley. “But I love it, and I’m not going to give it back. You’d have to kill me first.”

Ashley smiled, holding her own baby, while Jack herded their three older children. “It’s yours. It’s you. It was inspired by you. I could never sell it to someone.”

They hugged again, then Allie Bianchi was next.

“Where is Harper?” Kate asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t care.” Allie huffed. “You know what he told me while you were exchanging wows? At our wedding, he wants me to wear chaps.”

“To be fair, your ass looks great in chaps.” Kate grinned.

Allie rolled her eyes. “That’s what he said.”

Then Captain Bing came with Sophie. Since Murph’s parents were gone, he’d stood in for father of the groom, although he wasn’t that much older than Murph. It was the sentiment that counted.

Then Chase and Luanne and the kids. And the girls, in middle school, immediately announced that they loved Kate’s dress and wanted to get married as soon as possible. Chase’s hair was turning gray as he stood there.

Then Hunter and Gabi.

“Sorry,” Gabi said as she hugged Kate. “Just got the call that there are four siblings at CPS in West Chester that need a family by tonight. We accepted them, so we want to drive over right now. I don’t want them to be sitting there and wondering what will happen to them.”

Kate hugged Gabi that much harder. “You’re welcome to bring them to the reception.”

“Thank you. But I think they need to settle in, just get to know us first, until they feel comfortable.”

She was right, of course. Kate could still remember the despair and fear, the sheer overwhelmingness of each transfer. “When they’re ready, we’d love to have you over for dinner. I could talk to them about my time in the system.”

“I would love that. Thank you. I was actually going to ask.”

Then Joe Kessler came to congratulate, with his wife, Wendy, and their kids. And it was a good thing Murph had been looking at Kate all day like she was Venus reborn, because one could develop a serious inferiority complex when standing next to a professional model.

“You look ravishing,” Wendy said, as if she could read Kate’s thought.

“Thank you for doing my makeup.”

Then Maria moved up the line. With her date. Who could have been…double-take…Jason Momoa’s twin.

“He’s a psychologist?” Kate asked her friend under her breath, and must have sounded stunned, because Maria laughed.

“Were you expecting an academic with wire-rim glasses?”

Kate had no idea what she’d expected. She just tried hard not to stare.

She was hugged and kissed a hundred times more as the line progressed. Then another hundred.

She was surrounded by friends. These were her people. This was her town.Roots.She had something in Broslin that she’d never had any place else.

For once, life was ridiculously, unexpectedly perfect. Even at work.