Page 209 of Things We Hide from the Light

Annoyed, I waited shivering in the vestibule as Nash and Nolan canvassed both sides of the street.

“Well?” I demanded when they finally returned.

“They were long gone,” Nash said, his voice tight as he brushed past me and headed up the stairs.

“Chief doesn’t seem to like having his girlfriend threatened,” Nolan said to me as we trudged up behind him.

“I’m not his girlfriend. I’m… We’re…whatever.”

“You’re living together and wearing shit like that to bed. Pretty sure in some parts of the country, you’d be considered married.”

We’d made it to the top of the stairs when Mrs. Tweedy’s door burst open.

“It’s like a circus full of elephants escaped out here. What’s with all the thundering feet? You’re interrupting my beauty sleep,” Mrs. Tweedy said. She was wearing a housecoat and holding what looked like a martini.

“You sleep with a martini?” Nolan asked.

“This is my middle-of-the-night nightcap.”

FORTY-THREE

BAD DAY, BAD ADVICE

Nash

After the rock through Lina’s window and Grave’s arrival to take our statements, I’d lain awake staring at the ceiling for an hour, listening to the steady rhythm of Lina’s breath next to me. But instead of the comfort I usually found from her proximity, I was left with a gnawing anxiety.

Someone had threatened her.

If something happened to her… If I couldn’t protect her…

I’d finally managed to drift off only to dream of dark pavement, the menacing crunch, and the echo of gunshots.

When I jolted awake with a racing heartbeat and thundering headache, I’d given up on the idea of chasing more sleep and slipped out of bed.

It was a dreary gray morning with a slow, icy rain that somehow settled into your bones.

I took my first cup of coffee standing in front of the case board in the dining room and pushed aside the anxiety that threatened to choke me.

Either Tate Dilton had decided not to go so quietly or somehow this Duncan Hugo mess had spilled over onto Lina. Either way, I wasn’t going to wait and see what happened next.

I pulled out my phone and opened my messages.

Me: Meet me at the station. ASAP.

Knox: Jesus don’t you ever sleep? Lucian needs at least an hour to put on his fancy ass suit and commandeer a helicopter to get up here.

Lucian: I’m already dressed and I’ve conducted two teleconferences from the back room of Café Rev so far this morning.

Knox: Kiss ass.

Lucian: Sweatpant-wearing whiner.

I beatthem both to the station and nodded a curt greeting to the night shift.

I’d left my place without a goodbye just to prove to myself I didn’tneedto start my day with her.

My head felt fuzzy and my gut burned from coffee and nerves. Uneasiness crawled through my veins like a thousand spiders.