Page 39 of Heartfelt Pain
“You’re an overthinker, but you love Elijah,” I say.
“I do,” she agrees, a soft blush flushing her cheeks. “He said he’d take me to the chapel any time of the week. I think he has an entire plan just waiting. I’m pretty sure if I called him right now and said let’s get married this very second he’d already have the Plaza booked.”
She’s probably not wrong. Elijah likes his dramatics and when he marries Len, he’ll want the entire world to know it. Plus, if there’s anyone who can pull off a surprise wedding at the Plaza, it’s totally him.
“Do you want to elope?” I ask knowing how shy she is.
“Yes,” she admits. “But it’s not fair because I know how much it means to Elijah.”
“Elijah can get over it. All he wants is you and he’ll do anything to keep you happy.” I catch her hand again. “Do you want to get married soon?”
“Yes and no. Elijah is mine, but it’s barely been a full year since we’ve been together. And there’s a lot going on right now.”
“Like what?” I ask.
“You know. Milo,” she refers to her nephew, “and Ads. I don’t want this big thing to take over.”
“You should totally let it take over,” I tell her. “Milo will look fucking adorable in whatever wedding outfit Lia and Nat and Peter put him in and Ads is fine.”
Len shoots me a look.
“Your sister’s happy for you. I know you’reworried about her, but I can’t imagine her doing anything to dampen the day.”
As far as I know, Adeline never talks about killing Leopold. It’s everyone else around her, acting strange.
“You should elope and go travel,” Isolde says from where she walks slightly in front of us.
We’ve now made it to a more industrial part of town. Mid-size brick warehouses form neat little rows. I suspect several of them are empty, due to the lack of workers. It might be closing time, but there’s a hushed nature over the area.
Lennie pulls her coat tighter to her, realizing it too. “Where are we going exactly?”
We stop in front of a door, the blue paint looking fresh.
Isolde beats on the door. Nothing.
“Is someone expecting you?” Len asks after another round of beating.
“Open up, Trevino!” Isolde gruffly shouts.
My mouth drops open. “You can’t be serious.”
Lennie’s head swivels between us. “Trevino?”
“You took us to meet up with the Ghost?” I ask. Isolde is still banging on the door.
Lennie gasps. “The Ghost!”
I glance around, taking in the details of the neighborhood. Normally, I’d be excited to meet up with the Ghost. I’ve never met him in person, but Isolde’s acting funny.
“Trevino!” she shouts.
Lennie steps closer to me, keeping her voice low. “Um, the Ghost?”
I rub my temple. “She’s the one who figured out who he is. You know that.”
But the details are lacking. Isolde came back one day with the name and number of the man. Information like that would be worth her weight in gold. We decided, after Marissa,it’d be best to diffuse some tension in the city. I handed the information over to Lev Zimin.
There’s been peace because, after Marissa’s death, the Ghost went quiet.
