Page 109 of The Two Last Moments

“I mean…” Ryan looks toward the front door, which isn’t visible from here, but we can both hear Starla humming quietly as she gets herself organized to head out to her car.

Whatever Ryan wants to say, he doesn’t want Starla to overhear. Maybe because she was talking bad about him? I don’t know what kind of workplace drama this is. I’mfartoo tired for it. But the sooner I listen, the sooner we’ll be done and I can get back to Danny.

“This way,” I say.

I walk down the hall toward the garage with Ryan padding quietly behind me. When I glance back, he’s scrubbing his hands nervously against the sides of his pants.

I open the door to the garage and switch on the main overhead light. We’re in Danny’s workspace, with the hood of the ’71 Charger propped up to reveal the engine block. The two other stalls of the garage are still in shadow. Nina’s minivan, and then her storage area, with its stacked furniture and boxes.

I spin around to face Ryan. “Well, here we are. What’s up?”

He’s still in the open doorway. Ryan steps toward me, shutting the door behind him. Then he rests his back up against it. I have a momentary flare of anxiety. I guess when he saidalone, he really meant it. He’s blocking the door back to the house.

But there’s the exit on the far side of the garage, and obviously, the overhead doors. Plenty of ways out of here. Not that I need one. The guy just want to talk, and both Danny and Travis aren’t far away.

Still, I back up until I’m resting my hip against the workbench. I cross my arms and tap my foot. Waiting.

“It’s about Starla,” Ryan says.

“Okay…”

He grimaces. “This could be something, or nothing at all. But I heard your friends talking about how the police caught somebody who assaulted you earlier, and it sounded like he was the same guy who hit you with a car. Guy named Zander?”

I hug my arms tighter around myself. Guess Starla isn’t the only nurse around here who overhears things. “Right. What about it?”

“So, this is weird. But a couple days ago, Starla’s phone kept ringing. She was just wrapping up her shift, and I was coming in. And she took out her phone and I saw the nameZanderon the screen. Zander with a Z.”

Cold runs through me, freezing my arms and legs with a sense of unreality. “It’s not an unusual name.”

“Isn’t it, though?” He holds up his hands. “You’re right. It could be a total coincidence. I’m not meaning to upset you. Really. But the thing is, other stuff has been weirding me out about Starla too. I’ve seen her on Nina’s iPad. When Nina was asleep.”

“They like to watch shows together on Netflix.”

“Yeah, but when I walked into the room, Starla closed whatever she was looking at. Like she didn’t want me to see. And other times, she’s been sloppy with Nina’s care when Danny’s not around.”

Practically the same thing Starla said about him.

“I don’t understand what you’re accusing her of. I guess you don’t like her. That doesn’t mean something is wrong.”

Ryan shrugs, looking down. “But the Zander thing. I felt like I needed to tell you.”

Beads of sweat roll down my sides. “It’s strange. Definitely. But I’m sure it’s a coincidence. The other stuff, you should talk to Danny about it. I didn’t hire Starla. It’s not my place.”

“I’m sorry. Wasn’t trying to upset you,Lark.”

I look up sharply at the edge in his tone.

Ryan’s pupils are dilated, his gaze going dark. And now I really don’t want to be out here anymore. “I’d like to go back inside.Now.”

Glowering, Ryan slowly steps aside. But he doesn’t get out of the way. Instead, he twists the knob himself, frowning at me as he turns toward the door.

But when he opens it, Starla is standing there on the other side.

“Gossiping about me, Ryan?”

She’s got both hands behind her back.

He sputters. “Were you spying on me? You see, Lark? This is why the lady weirds me out.” Starla comes forward, forcing Ryan to stumble backward so that she doesn’t run into him.

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