Page 121 of Only One More Lie

“But there was nothing,” Duke confirmed.

“I'm all clear. The panic I'm feeling is all just affect from the trauma.”

“I know you've been seeing a therapist.”

“And he’s been helping me a lot. He really has. But it's going to take a while to talk through some of the PTSD I'm dealing with.” She paused and frowned. “I hate to even use that term because I don't know if I've earned it. I feel like it's something that should be reserved for people who’ve been through war zones or something.”

“In your own way, youhavebeen through a war zone.”

She nodded, though the motion felt lackluster. Then she dragged her gaze back up to meet Duke’s. “I'm sorry.”

“Don't apologize. I just want you to know that you can always talk to me. I won't think less of you if you’re going through something and don’t have all the answers.”

“I appreciate that unconditional love and support I have from you. I'm going to try to do better.”

Duke leaned toward her and planted a kiss on her forehead, letting his lips linger there a moment. Andi leaned into him, relishing his touch.

Then the doors to the ambulance opened, and they knew that their moment was over. But at least they’d talked. At least Andi had gotten everything out into the open.

It felt good not to keep it inside anymore. Maybe she’d just been silly by wanting to stay quiet on it. Exposing her deepest fears to others was something totally out of her comfort zone.

But she was going to work on that.

Right now, they needed to check on the rest of their team.

EPILOGUE

TWO WEEKS LATER

“This is for you.” Andi handed Mariella a present. “It’s from me and Duke.”

She watched as Mariella gingerly opened it, a grin on her face.

After Mariella pulled off the colorful wrapping paper, she tugged off a box top and pulled out a . . . reindeer stuffed animal.

She squinted as if confused. But as she turned the reindeer around, she seemed to notice it wore a pink sweater with a name embroidered across the front.

Slasher.

Mariella burst into laughter. “I'm not going to live that one down, am I?”

“No, you're not,” Duke confirmed.

The whole group laughed.

Christmas was still five days away, but the murder club had decided to have an early Christmas celebration together.

Everyone had gone to Ranger and Simmy’s house. Anastasia was here with them, as well as Juniper. Jason had joined them from Salmon-by-the-Sea. Tim had been invited, but he was currently trying to make things right with Jared.

The DNA test had come back, and Juniper was indeed Simmy’s daughter.

The only explanation they’d come up with to explain the twist was that IVF treatments were too expensive and so Mark, Simmy’s first husband, had opted for artificial insemination instead. But only for Simmy’s first pregnancy.

He’d been anxious for this baby to be born—probably because the sooner the baby came, the sooner he would get paid. Therefore, he hadn't wanted to go through the longer IVF process.

Simmy and Juniper had been bonding ever since the news was confirmed—actually, before that. In fact, Juniper had come to live with Ranger and Simmy until she could get things figured out.

Operations at the reindeer camp had been temporarily shut down. But Ranger and Simmy were working with Juniper to help her figure out exactly what she wanted to do with the place—if she wanted to continue to run it or if she had other plans.

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