Page 27 of Little Dark Deeds

“You think maybe I should try talking to her about not pushing herself to work the case with us?”Foley asked.“Might be best if she sits this one out.”

Might be best for me to sit it out?

I think not.

“I’m not sitting anything out,” I shouted.“I’m fine.I just needed a minute.”

Or sixty.

“All right, all right,” Foley said through the closed door.“Didn’t mean to offend you.We’ll ...ahh, I’ll leave you to do, well, whatever it is you’re doing.”

It went quiet again, and then I heard a woman’s voice, and I knew things were about to change.

There was more whispering, only this time I couldn’t make out what was being said.The bathroom door opened.Hands on hips, my mother looked down at me, her expression telling me she was in full problem-solving mode.

“Well, aren’t you a sight,” she said.

I thought about making a witty comeback, but for once, I didn’t have one.

Maybe everyone was right in saying I wasn’t in the frame of mind I needed to be in to work this case.

I didn’t feel like myself.

I felt like the farthest thing from it.

Was everyone else right, and I was wrong?

What if me being involved made things worse, not better?

What if ...

My mother cocked her head to the side and reached out a hand.“It’s time to get up off the floor, dear.You’recoming with me.”

CHAPTER 12

Five minutes later, I was sitting in the passenger seat of my mother’s car, listening to her hum along to Post Malone’s song “Sunflower,” which was playing on the radio.