Page 78 of Saltwater Promises
Except it was, perhaps, the worst thing that Mike had ever done.
He knew the hangover from this case would be much worse than any he’d had before. Not just because there would be no new case to take its place, but because he had to live with the knowledge that he had almost gotten Lynn killed.
Once everything was settled, Mike offered to pick up some food and give Lynn a lift back home.
“Or, if you don’t feel safe, we can find you a hotel or a – ”
She cut him off. “No, I’m definitely ready to go home.”
They got into the car he’d “borrowed” and went through the nearest drive through. Lynn got a fish sandwich and Mike got a large coffee.
She finished her food before they got to the airport, then admitted that she was getting sleepy. He assured her that she could sleep on the flight, and that he’d find her some earplugs.
He left the car in the parking lot of the airport with a note that read, “Thanks for your help.” Hopefully the guy would come back looking for it and wouldn’t be too mad.
The plane was still there, though someone had moved it out of the way. Mike arranged for a refueling and then got them up into the air.
Once airborne, Lynn didn’t manage to fall asleep, but spent most of the trip quietly looking out of the window.
Mike felt pressured to say something. “I’m so sorry you missed your show.”
“Oh, that’s all right. I was really dreading it,” she said. “Though my friends will really get a kick out of this story.”
She was too much. She was handling this like a pro. All this time, she was much more of a pro than he had ever been. She had all the grace and style that he lacked, things that he would never have. What was Mike but an adrenaline junkie who went after these cases for the wrong reasons?
Only to have people like Lynn suffer.
He got clearance to land at the Bellingham airport, and once parked, Mike helped Lynn get a taxi. He insisted on going with her to make sure that the house was secure. The police had apparently found her front door wide open when they went looking for her.
When they got there, Mike carefully searched the house, and despite not finding anyone inside, he was still worried that someone else might come after her.
Lynn only laughed. “How can that be? Everyone was arrested. Unless there’s another crime ring that you didn’t tell me you were bringing down.”
“Well, no, but we don’t know why they wanted you, and – ”
Lynn shook her head. “I’ll be fine here, I promise. Get some rest. You look exhausted.”
He smiled. Typical Lynn, worrying about him. “Well, I’ll be within reach if you need me.”
“Got it.”
He paused. “One more thing. How would you feel about having tracking enabled on your phone?”
She laughed. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. How about some cameras, then?”
Lynn shook her head. “Good night, Mike.”
“Good night, Lynn.”
It was worth a shot. He flew back to Tacoma, landed the plane, and left an apology with the keys inside the cockpit.
Mike then found his car in the parking lot, drove back to Anacortes, and had Hank pick him up. He didn’t sleep all night, worried that Lynn might call.
He ended up calling her that morning. She answered cheerfully, saying that she had a great night of sleep.
“I’m glad to hear that you’re taking it so well,” he said.
“What other way is there?”
She was right, of course. He let her have her peace and went over to pick up Biggles from Jade’s house. His old dog was happy to see him, greeting him with vigorous tail wagging and a single lick.
That was it, though. From now on, Biggles would be the only one who was happy to see him. He needed to stay away from Lynn, or anyone else that his reckless habits could harm. He would never investigate a case again.
He had no idea what else he’d do with his time, though. He took Biggles home and tried to get some sleep.
