Page 37

Unable to sleep, Adam had done the only thing he could think of. Bake. After the long night, which had resulted in Veronika’s apprehension and arrest, he’d been so restless and upset that baking seemed the only way to expend the useless energy ricocheting through him.

As he’d kneaded the dough, he’d done some deep thinking. About his guilt at not protecting Sydney better. About Veronika’s anger and the cause of it. About his friendship with Sydney and, potentially, the loss of it.

Now, with a loaf delivered to Sydney’s, he felt some calmness at last. No, she hadn’t answered his text, but he understood it might take her a while. He got it. He really did.

He couldn’t imagine what she was thinking or feeling right now, but it couldn’t be good. Her entire world had been turned upside down, and she’d been put in danger last night. She had to be struggling to make sense of it all.

She’d barely looked at him when she’d left last night, nor had she said a word to him, either.

He also understood that. She’d come face to face with things humans weren’t meant to. Been hit with the realization that there were things in this world beyond normal comprehension. Just plain beyond normal.

He had work tonight. He was looking forward to it, not only because he was pleased to still have a job but because it was the perfect safe, public place for Sydney to come talk to him. If she wanted to.

Which he really hoped she did.

He fed Sugarbelle, who’d already been out around 5a.m., then he made himself a cup of coffee and sat on the couch to watch a cooking show and try to get his mind off things.

It helped a little, but he felt himself getting sleepy. He gave in, lay down on the couch, and, with Sugarbelle on his chest, he drifted off.

His dreams were more like nightmares, filled with images of accidentally dropping Sydney midflight. He woke up feeling less tired but more mentally drained than he had before, but there was nothing he could do about it. Time and, eventually, he hoped, a good conversation would help.

Stomach grumbling, he went into the kitchen.

A big breakfast couldn’t hurt either, although it was late enough to be lunch.

He fixed a big cheese and veggie omelet, fried up some sausages, and toasted two thick slices of his freshly baked bread.

He spread those with butter and jam, then took his plate and another mug of coffee outside.

Sugarbelle was more than happy to sniff things and explore while he ate. He hoped it was enough exercise for her, since he doubted Sydney was about to show up at his door and ask if he was ready to go to the park.

That would have to wait for another time. If it still happened. He lifted his head as he chewed. It would happen. He just had to think positively.

His phone vibrated in his back pocket. He set his plate down to tug it free and answered the incoming call. “Hello?”

“Adam? This is Birdie Caruthers, down at the sheriff’s department.”

“Hi, Birdie. What can I do for you?” It was odd talking to the woman he’d once assumed had spent twenty-five thousand dollars on him in the name of charity. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing.

“Are you able to come in today to give a statement about last night’s incident?”

“Sure. How long do you think it’ll take? I have to be at work at seven, but I can come in anytime.”

“Maybe an hour, maybe less. Hard to say. I think Sheriff Merrow would like to speak to you as well.”

“I can come in around two. That work?”

“That’s fine. We’ll see you then.”

He hung up, put his phone on the step beside him, and went back to eating. Sugarbelle was chasing a butterfly. He planned to let her play as long as she wanted, then he had a new thought. Maybe he should take her to the park anyway.

He needed her worn out. She had a long night alone ahead of her, because there was very little chance that Sydney would come over to check on her. Although she did still have his key. But it was too much to expect.

He finished his breakfast.

“Sugarbear, come here, baby.” He patted his leg. She looked at him, sneezed, then trotted over. “You want to go for a walk?”

She tilted her head like she didn’t have any idea what he was talking about. He understood. It wasn’t something they’d really done.

“You’ll like it, I promise. New things to smell and pee on.” He took his dish and mug inside, leaving the door open for Sugarbelle. He changed from his lounge pants into shorts and put a ballcap on.

Sugarbelle had already come inside, so he got her leash attached and closed the back door. “All right, let’s go see if we can find a squirrel, huh?”

Sugarbelle looked excited, even though he was pretty sure she had no idea what they were about to do.

They went outside. He locked the door behind him, and they went to the sidewalk, going toward Sydney’s house. A part of him hoped maybe they’d run into her, but he also didn’t want to force anything.

Whenever she was ready to talk, that would be soon enough for him.

He glanced at her house as they went past. The loaf of bread he’d left earlier was still there in its brown paper bag. Was she not home? Her car was in the driveway, so someone had helped her get gas. Obviously wasn’t him.

Maybe she was out for a run. That could be it.

Or maybe she just hadn’t seen it. That was more likely. Wasn’t like he’d rung the bell or anything. She just didn’t know it was there.

He took some comfort in that.

When they got to the park, there was no sign of Sydney and Mackie. He walked Sugarbelle all around, letting her explore and sniff to her heart’s content. After about thirty minutes, she got bored and lay down.

“That’s it? No more sniffing?” He was sure if another dog had shown up, she’d be interested. “Okay, home it is.”

They took the long way around so that he didn’t have to pass Sydney’s again. He didn’t want her to think he was stalking her. He couldn’t tell if the bread was still on her porch or not.

They went in. He took a shower and headed for the sheriff’s department, figuring it would be fine if he was a little early.

He parked on a side street and walked in. An older woman with blue hair sat behind the desk. “You must be Birdie.”

She grinned. “I am, and you are Adam Rockford. My stars, you’re even bigger up close. Thanks for coming in.”

“No problem.”

She came around from behind the desk. She was shorter than Sydney by a few inches. “You want a cup of coffee or a bottle of water?”

“No, I’m good. Thanks.”

“I heard you adopted that little dog from the auction. The one you were holding.”

He nodded. “That’s right. I did.”

She shook her head, still smiling. “How about that. That’s fantastic. She settling in all right?”

“She’s doing great.”

“Glad to hear it. Come into the interview room with me, and I’ll have a deputy come take your statement.”

He followed her, taking a seat at the table.

“It won’t be long and someone will be with you.”

“Thanks.”

She closed the door, but before long, it opened again. A man came through. He had the kind of gruff authority that told Adam he was the sheriff. Had to be.

“Adam?”

Adam stood to shake the man’s hand. “That’s right. Sheriff?”

“Hank Merrow. Thanks for coming in.” He took the seat across from Adam, laying some paperwork on the table. “I’m sure you’re curious about what happened to Veronika.”

“I am.”

“She’s in holding. Technically, she’ll be charged with kidnapping, but the head of the local coven will be filing additional, non-civilian charges, if you catch my drift.”

“What sort of charges? It’s not that I care so much. We’re done. I wouldn’t get back with her if she was the last woman on Earth. I’m just curious.”

“Well.” Hank sat back and rubbed his chin. “The gist of it is, they’ll be asking for her powers to be suppressed for at least a year. Maybe longer, considering she not only used magic in front of a human but used her powers on her. Also, I understand she outed you to that human against your will.”

He nodded. “She did.”

“You’ll put that in your statement?”

“I’ll put everything that happened in there, including that.”

“Have you had contact with that human since?”

He shook his head, glancing down at his hands. “I’m letting her decide when she wants to see me again. If she wants to see me again.”

Hank sighed, nodding. “Hard situation. We do our best to protect the humans. You want one of us to talk to her?”

Adam looked up. “No, I don’t think that will help.”

“All right. You change your mind, you let us know.” He slid the paperwork across to Adam, along with a pen. “Write up everything as you remember it. You need more paper, ask Birdie.”

“Will do.”

It took him nearly forty minutes to write it all out. He took his time, making sure he included everything that might be important. He was just about done when the door opened again.

Birdie had returned. “You still doing all right? Need a drink or more paper?”

“No, I’m done. Just need to sign this.”

She closed the door behind her and stood by the table. “You like Sydney?”

Hearing her name woke something in him. “I do. A lot.”

“She likes you.”

“She might have liked me, but I don’t think that’s still true.”

Birdie nodded thoughtfully. “She’ll be all right. Might take her some time to settle into all this new information, but she’ll get there.”

He wasn’t so sure he believed that. He stood and handed her the statement he’d written out. “I really hope you’re right.”