Page 91 of Firefly Effect

“I love you, Evie girl.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-THREE

EVELYN

I felt Lincoln leave at some point in the early morning, and I opened my eyes just enough to see that the sky was still dark outside. Other than that disappointing loss, I strangely had the most restful sleep.

When my eyes fully open, I stretch and roll to Lincoln’s side of the bed, inhaling the scent that he left in his wake and sighing.

At one point, I thought I might never forgive him for lying, but that was fleeting. Somehow, deep down, I knew Lincoln has been doing what he must do, and for good reasons. I can’t even say I would make a different decision in his shoes, which is why I had truly forgiven him before he’d even stepped into Firefly last night. Before I knew there was something holding him back more than just his need for secrecy.

He’s part of the fucking FBI.

I thought I needed time to process it all, but I realized last night that I could process the situation with him rather than without him, and that’s exactly what I plan to do from here on out. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is finding the Firefly Man and bringing justice to the lives of his innocent victims and their families.

Somehow, I manage to be more like myself when my morning shift begins. By the time the night shift comes, I let the distractions of work take over my mind.

It’s a busy night, so Janessa is helping me behind the bar while Armando and Kyle wait on the tables. It almost feels like old times, when the Firefly Man was dormant and worries about a fresh death weren’t the hot topic around the Smoky Mountains.

I half expect Lincoln and Francine to walk into Firefly with Lucy around five o’clock. I never expected to miss that little girl so much, but it’s been over a week since I saw her last, thanks to recent revelations.

Frowning, I turn away from the bar and pluck my phone from my back pocket. Lincoln hasn’t texted in a few hours, which isn’t abnormal with how busy he’s become at work, but something makes me uneasy after our conversation last night.

Chalking my discomfort up to the unearthing of suppressed memories, I tuck my phone back into my pocket and turn to help the next customer. My whole body lurches with surprise when I see Uncle Patrick staring back at me with a grin.

“Patrick!” I squeal before leaping over the bar to throw my arms around him.

“Whoa,” he says with his familiar chuckle. “I knew we should have put you into gymnastics when you were younger.”

“Ha.” I squeeze him tight. “We both know I would have failed miserably, thanks to the lack of coordination bestowed upon us Vaughns.”

“Speak for yourself.” He pulls back before shimmying his shoulders. “This old man’s got moves for days.”

I smile as my chest swells with emotion. “I’ve missed you.”

He tilts his head. “I’ve missed you too, Evie girl. So, what do you say? Want to pour your favorite uncle his favorite drink? I’m a paying customer tonight.”

I laugh and walk back behind the bar to serve him. He tells me all the interesting details of his travels and how he’s already planning another trip around the Smokies. A knot begins to form in my chest. “Are you sure that’s a smart idea?”

Patrick tenses slightly, but his voice is light. “The Firefly Man hasn’t yet stopped me from doing what I love most. He’s not going to stop me now.”

I wouldn’t be so sure of that. But according to Lincoln, the killer only goes after men his own age, which puts Patrick out of the risk zone. Then again, Carley didn’t match up to that profile.

“Evie, you okay?”

I look up to find my uncle in mid sip, staring back at me with a frown.

“I’m fine. Sorry, just spaced out.”

Realization dawns on his face. “The murders are closer to home than they have been in fourteen years,” he says.

I nod, knowing I can’t tell him a shred of information that I know. “They are, and Carley’s been heavy on my mind because of it.”

He lifts his tumbler in the air. “To Carley. May her soul be resting where the Firefly man can’t reach her.”

I pour myself a shot and toast with him. The liquid burns down the back of my throat, sending a chill through my body. “I think I needed that.”

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