Page 54 of Into the Shadows

“How scary. Especially when you were only teenagers.” I make notes as we continue to chat. I want to explore the meeting Crystal was supposed to have with Candace and Steven. How many people knew she did that? Who knew she had a meeting that night?

I manage to squeeze those questions in naturally, and the answers are insightful. Candace said Crystal did that for every play they produced. If a few students were struggling with learning lines or choreography, they would schedule extra time to work on it—usually on a weekend. The whole cast also knew who needed the extra help. Crystal wasn’t shy about calling them out or telling them to find a time to practice with her.

But the most important question remains. What happened between the last time Crystal was seen at the grocery store and when she was supposed to meet her students?

Chapter 31

Teddy

The pan sizzles on the stove, permeating the room with garlic and onions. Music plays over the speaker on my kitchen counter, some slow pop song that Lottie likes.

The only reason I let her pick the music is because I love watching her move to it. She offered to set the table, and now she’s dancing in the middle of my kitchen with plates clutched to her chest. Her hips sway in a hypnotizing rhythm—one I have to force my eyes away from to keep from burning dinner.

Even Loki, the little grey kitten who adopted me, has a hard time staying away from Lottie. He’s sitting on the back of the couch, watching her move around the kitchen. I think he loves her more than me.

Since the interview with the students last week, Lottie and I have spent every single night together. I’ve had this compulsive need to stay by her side twenty-four seven. She hasn’t complained, and I’m not about to point out my obsession on the off chance it chases her away.

I don’t like the idea of her being threatened by some unknown person. She’s been taking it seriously and has scheduledher next interviews over the phone. I want to lock her up in my house and never let her go outside, but even I can see how psychotic that is.

I get the chicken into the pan and lean against the counter. Lottie finally sets the plates on the table and does a little spin as she makes her way back to the kitchen. I step in front of her and grab her around the waist to keep her from falling.

She squeaks into my chest before finding her footing again. I tap the underside of her arms so she’ll lift them around my neck.

“What are you doing?”

I pull her close to my body. “Dancing with you. Got a problem with that?”

She tries to bite her lip to control her smile. “No.”

“Good.” The slow beat of the song flows around us. I have no rhythm at all, but Lottie doesn’t seem to mind. She lays her head on my shoulder, her hands cupping my neck. We’re barely moving side to side at this point, but I’m happier in this moment than I’ve ever been.

My timer beeps, interrupting our dance. Lottie startles and then giggles at herself. I kiss her as if my life depends on it. Sometimes, I think that’s true. There was never a question in my mind that Lottie would change my life if I let her in. What I never could picture was all the good things she would bring.

Happiness wasn’t something I thought I’d experience. I figured after I was discharged from the Marines, I’d find somewhere to settle down and, at best, be content with my surroundings. I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced being happy. Having Lottie in my life has shown me what a bleak existence I’ve lived.

The shadows in my mind have shriveled because of how bright she shines. Without her, I have no doubt those shadows would consume me.

“I got a call a while back from a guy in New York. He runs a security firm that does everything from off-the-books deployments to private investigations.” I keep my focus on the stove just in case Lottie looks at me like I’m stupid.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. He offered me a job.”

“Oh.”

Lottie’s defeated tone has me turning around. “What?”

“Are you…” She runs her finger along the grain of the wood table. “Will you have to move to New York?”

My shoulders deflate. Of course, she’d be worried about me moving away. I turn the burners off and sit next to her at the table. “No. Jackson said I could do the job from anywhere. I’ll have to go up to New York for a few days to meet the team and train with Jackson, but I’ll come home afterward.”

“What about deployments?” Her awe-inspiring strength shines from her eyes when she meets my gaze.

I smirk. “Baby, I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’m missing a leg.” Something in my chest loosens after I make the joke. Finding my circumstances funny is abnormal, but I can’t say I hate it.

She rolls her eyes and tries to hide her smile. “You’re still plenty capable of wreaking havoc.”

“While I appreciate your vote of confidence, my days of deployments are long behind me. I’m interested in the personal investigation side of things. I’ll probably still have to travel, but that might be a good thing for me. Staying on base while waiting for an assignment is about as stationary as I got. I’ll need some form of stimulation soon.”

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