Page 170 of Distress Signal

“Don’t run away from me, Finn Lawless,” she said, tone far too stern for my fragile emotional state.

“Go back inside, belle. I’ll be fine.”

Instead of listening, she stepped up to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head between my shoulderblades, and held me. I covered her hands, which rested right above my waistband, with one of mine.

I didn’t know how long we stood like that, but enough time passed for me to regain some composure and spin to face her.

Resting her chin on my chest, she looked up at me. “Better?”

I choked on a laugh. “Not even close, but thank you for staying.”

“You don’t hide from me, Finn.Ever. You’ve seen all of my ugly. The least you can do is show me some of yours.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“I know,” she said with a sad smile. “But try, okay?”

She likely understood there were parts of me she’d never see. Not necessarily because I was afraid to show them but because I wasterrifiedto unpack them, to bring them back into the light of day. There were parts of my and West’s time in the service that neither of us would ever talk about again—not even with each other. Parts I refused tothinkabout.

But for her, I could try to be more open about the things that wouldn’t rip me to shreds to remember.

“I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t make it,” I admitted.

Reagan reached up and smoothed her fingers over my face, clearing away the tears that lingered on my cheeks. “We’re not going to talk like that. We don’t know anything yet. In fact, for all we know, things might not be as bad as they seem. Let’s go back inside and sit with your family, okay?”

I nodded and allowed her to lead me back into the waiting room. Before we walked in, though, I pulled her to a stop as something occurred to me.

“How’s Lainey? Why aren’t you with her?”

Instead of answering, Reagan pulled me forward. The crowd of deputies parted, and I gaped at the scene before me.

Lainey sat in one of the uncomfortable chairs, a hospital blanket tucked in tightly around her, a pole with an IV drip connected to her arm sitting a few feet away.

“She refused to sit in the back,” Reagan said with an eye roll. “Wanted to ‘be part of the action.’”

“I just can’t believe it wasTuck,” Mama was saying incredulously. “Like…Lyle Tucker. He was such a goofy boy, but he turned into what I thought was a fine man.”

“If it makes you feel better, I spent a lot of time with him, and he did seem pretty normal.”

My family, which had gathered around Lainey, gaped at her.

The silence was broken by slightly hysterical laughter.

It took me too long to realize it came from me.

Everyone joined in, and once we composed ourselves, Mama turned to Lainey and said, “You know, thatdoesn’tmake me feel better, but thank you for the laugh.”

Lainey smiled proudly. “Anytime.”

A murmur spread through the men and women gathered behind me, and I turned toward the door to see Sutton standing there. She picked her way through, Lane’s deputies patting her on the shoulder and offering words of thanks.

“Hey guys,” she said when she reached us.

I wondered if she knew her dark blue tee was covered in blood.

Honestly, I doubted it. She looked as wrecked as I felt.

Mama got to her feet and pulled Sutton into a hug. “Thank you,” I heard her murmuring over and over.