Page 48 of Traces Of You

“I don’t think so. When I call for an update, they say there are no signs of any crime and everything points to you leaving on your own, but it’s an ongoing investigation if I have anything else to report.”

“I left my purse and ID there.”

“Oliver had more than enough time to get rid of those things.”

“It’s probably for the best,” she said. “If they found the blood I left, there’d be a lot more on the news about it and this allowed me to slip away quietly.”

“I hope that is the case for you, but I’d still stay away. I’d advise you to get to Canada where he can’t come get you. I don’t trust him. He may be looking for you, but can’t go around asking more questions without someone getting suspicious.”

“I know. I understand and appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Really, I do.”

“Take care of yourself, Maureen. You know to call if you have to, but don’t do it often. I’ll be in touch if I hear anything.”

“I know. Thanks.”

She put the phone down and dropped her head between her knees, inhaled in and out a few times, and lifted her head again.

It felt too easy.

But until anything changed, she was going to live a little.

That meant leave the property, run to the store for a few items, then return. Not much more.

She’d told Brooke she’d do deliveries so she had to get out there.

She pulled her laptop out and did some more work on the fliers for Clay and the barn.

How fun it’d be to have the wedding and events there.

Brooke said she and Callum even got ordained so they could marry people on the property.

They were fixtures in this community and were doing so much to continue with the growth.

Her eyelids were drooping an hour after she checked on her shop. Things were steady there and she’d continue to work on it for the security of the fallback money.

Money was something she had little of growing up and learned to make what she had stretch further than Elastigirl.

Her phone buzzing made her eyes snap open, her heart racing.

She shouldn’t feel that way when only a few had this number.

It was Ford texting to see if she could talk. She looked at the time and saw it was close to nine.

No wonder why she was tired. She must have dozed off on the couch and not have realized it.

Sometimes it got so warm in the cabin that it made her drowsy.

She picked her phone up to call.

“Hi,” he said on the first ring. “I didn’t wake you, did I? I know you go to bed early.”

“I’m still up,” she said. At least in her eyes she was since she wasn’t in bed.

“I’m only checking in. My meeting went late and I just got home.”

“Home or Clay’s house?” she asked.

She knew he’d been staying there.