Page 66 of Under the Lies

I’m helpless as I watch his eyes go from the letter to the pictures.

The letter. The pictures. The pictures, the letter.

His face remains blank while he takes it all in.

The only sign he’s feeling any emotion at all is by the cracking of his neck and the widening of his stance.

It’s not until he’s shredding the paper, making it snow flecks of paper onto the floor that he shows how pissed off he is.

Chest heaving, he asks, “Did they leave anything else?”

“Flowers,” I whisper.

“Did they have anything in them?”

“N-no.” I didn’t even think to. They’re just flowers. What could be hidden in them? “I ran out of my apartment as soon as I read it. Coming here.”

Noah gives a short nod, not elaborating.

Pan meows, pawing at Noah’s leg.

“That’s why I brought Pan. I couldn’t leave him there.”

Noah nods again, barely hearing me.

“What would they hide in it?” I ask softly. My first thought goes to a bomb.

“A recording device. A camera.”

“A bomb?”

He shrugs. “Sure.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.” I wrap my arms around my waist.

“It’s not supposed to.”

I grimace at him. “Gee. Thanks.”

“I didn’t say it to comfort you, Sayer.” He moves toward me. I look up at him feeling lost. I feel tired and lightheaded and I just want someone to hug me.

Screw it!

I throw my arms around Noah’s neck, thinking he’d immediately push me away, only to be thankfully surprised when his arms wrap around my waist and I’m being held tight.

“You’re safe.”

My body deflates, not knowing I needed to hear those words come from Noah to relax. Knowing it’s true.

Noah rubs my back in reassuring circles. I think he’s waiting for me to lose it and cry and if that’s true, he’s going to be massively disappointed. I haven’t cried in a very long time.

I didn’t even cry at my granddad’s funeral. I’m not crying now.

“What’re we going to do, Noah?”

“I don’t know.” He sounds angry about it. “But I’m going to keep you safe.”

“How? Will you get better security at my apartment or…what? Why are you looking me like that?”

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