Page 144 of In the Air Tonight

I want so badly to tell him how I feel, but not right after his property was damaged because of me. I’ve never come close to telling a man I love him, so I’m not at all sure of the proper timing for such a thing. But I know this isn’t it. I want it to be special and not done out of duress.

He makes dinner for us—delicious pasta with chicken and broccoli—that he serves with crusty bread and the crisp rosé he introduced me to.

“This is delicious. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Taking his wine glass off the table, he sits back in his seat. “Where should we go to escape this nonsense?”

“I don’t know. What do you suggest?”

“A friend of mine from RISD runs a seasonal place on the Cape that goes dormant this time of year. You want to check that out?”

“That sounds amazing. I’d love to.”

He puts down the glass, reaches for his phone and sends a text.

My phone rings with a call from Providence, which gives me a pit in my stomach. “Hello?”

“Hi, Blaise, this is Josh Spurling from the AG’s office.”

“Hi, Josh.”

“I wanted to give you a couple of updates. First, Ryder Elliott was interested in a plea agreement that would’ve had him pleading guilty and serving five years with three years of probation and lifetime registry as a sex offender. However, Denise expressed her displeasure with the deal, so we’re going forward with a trial.”

My first thought on hearing that iswow, good for her.

“A preliminary hearing will be held next Friday at Superior Court in Newport. I’m not sure of the time yet, but I’ll need you to testify.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Excellent. Thank you.”

“I should let you know what’s happened here.”

“What’s up?”

I tell him about Sienna’s text, the dead animal on the stoop, Mary Elliott’s visit and the apparent firebombing of Jack’s property.

“Houston has informed me of the earlier incidents, and they’re completely unacceptable. We’ve made clear to Mr. Elliott and his family.”

“What if it’s not them doing it?”

“Who else would it be?”

“A number of men are implicated in the cover-up that was part of the original case. They might think getting rid of me would simplify things for them.”

“We’re investigating that aspect of the case and will put them on notice as well. If anything else happens, I want you to call me immediately. In the meantime, I’m asking the State Police to keep an eye on the place where you’re staying.”

“My friend and I are planning to leave tomorrow for the Cape for a few days.”

“Please text me the address where you’ll be, and I’ll ask Mass State Police to increase patrols in the area.”

“You really think that’s necessary?”

“I don’t want to take any chances with your safety.”

“Okay, well… Thank you.”

“Thankyoufor putting yourself through this.”

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