Page 156 of Head Room

Not until we were in Mike’s SUV did anyone comment.

“He didn’t even yell at us,” Jennifer said.

“There’s only one explanation,” Diana said, “the old wedding softie.”

****

I was distracted.I admit it.

All through the boisterous, casual dinner in a private room at Hamburger Heaven with my siblings and their families, along with Mike, Jennifer, Diana, and her two kids.

Though I did pay attention to this being the first in-person reunion between Diana’s daughter, Jessica, and my nephew, J.R., since last summer.A gap covered by lots of communication.

Diana nudged my leg under the table for gawping at them.But I got her back later for the same sin.

They appeared to be getting along well, despite clear awareness of being watched.

I caught Tom’s half-grin, which told me he’d caught both their interplay and Diana’s and mine.

Mike got a message, then coincidentally, Diana, Jennifer, and I received messages simultaneously after the right interval for him to forward it to us.

Nola Choi found out Kam Droemi had fled her apartment before deputies arrived.

I suspected Shelton would not have been as friendly at Jay Haus’ office if he’d known both birds had flown.

He might even have blamed us for not holding onto Kam.

Okay, I blamed us a little, too.

But surely law enforcement would find both of them soon.Soonish.

Mom broke up the evening early, insisting I needed to get a good night’s sleep, like a child on Christmas Eve.

I felt a little like that, too.

Because, along with the questions pestering me, a countdown ran in my head.

Not like when I’d married Wes, I realized.Then, my thoughts had been about the day — our wedding day.At least I hadn’t been self-centered enough to think of it only asmywedding day.

Still, my focus had been on the day.

Now, I thought of how long until Tom and I officially started our marriage.

Though without urgency.

Because we’d started our union well before.

I think I fell asleep smiling.

And I didn’t wake up to questions of murder and guilt.

DAY SEVEN

FRIDAY

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

The remnants ofthe snow-rain system had passed.The sky was big, blue, and beautiful.