Page 67 of Never Give Up

“Sure thing,” he says with an easy tone that doesn’t come close to touching the serious expression on his face. “I’ll be inside in a few.” He motions to the door. “I’ve got a little bit of work to do out there for my report.”

Jake stays outside while I go in and start to bake with the boys, trying not to let them see my heart break in the process.

24

BRIAN

“What couldn’tyou tell me with Maya there?” Jake says on the phone.

I stay parked on the side street around the corner from her and tap my fingers on the wheel. “Sorry I told you to call; I just thought we should discuss it first. Before you walk in and she bites your head off.” Clearing my throat, I tap the wheel again to gain some composure. “Maya told me something that isn’t in the reports from the attack. Something she didn’t remember until just now.”

“Does it have something to do with that crazy-ass word being painted on her door?” Jake doesn’t miss a beat, and his voice fills the car’s speakers through the Bluetooth connection.

“Yeah, apparently the attacker told her something that night.” I outline it quickly and concisely and Jake swears in the background more than once while I’m talking.

“Well, it’s logical she might not remember everything at that moment. That’s why eyewitness reports are considered unreliable. Besides, her attack was beyond traumatic.”

But anger and fear that I try to keep down bursts free and I grip the wheel hard. “No, Jake. She knew the whole time. She didn’t forget. She just didn’t want to tell us.”

“Bullshit.” His short barking laughter just pisses me off. “She’s not an idiot. Even if you are.”

“Tell me again how you treat your enemies?”

“If I tell you I’d have to kill you.” Jake pauses. “Look, she wouldn’t jeopardize the investigation. And you know it. Somewhere in that thing you call a brain, you’re just worried about her and trying to rationalize the fear you feel at the thought of losing her.”

“What about surveillance footage? From today, I mean. Or whenever he did it. From when she left for shift until earlier today,” I say, ignoring Jake’s attempt at humor.

“I’m looking at it now, but he avoided the cameras. Parked right out of frame and walked around the edge of the field to get to the door. While he’s on camera, we can only see his back, and he was dressed in all black. He’s a sly asshole. I’ll say that much. He’s got to be watching the house still. Knows where the cameras are.” He pauses. “It’s time to get her out of that house.”

“We need to get more cameras up, too.”

“I hear ya. And we can ask the neighbors if they saw anything or anyone.” Jake pauses. “We need to convince her to stay somewhere else.” He’s repeating himself like I haven’t been thinking about it and asking myself how I can convince her to move in with me for a week straight.

“Where? She’s stubborn as hell and getting her to stay at my place longer than a night might be a hard sell, but I’ll try.”

“There’s my place, Poppy’s—”

“No.” The word is out before I can stop it. “She won’t put her friend in danger, and where is she supposed to sleep at your place?”

“I’m not the one with a hard-on for her, bud.” But Jake sighs. “I guess we’re gonna have to try and force her hand.”

Frustration fills my bones, and I have to fight to keep it in check.

“No one can force that woman to do anything.”

“Why don’t you talk to your parents?” Jake suggests. “They have the extra space, and the house would be safe. Your dad threatens to shoot anything that moves, and half the department learned from him.”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” I say, even if I don’t want her staying anywhere but with me. “I don’t think she’d agree to stay with me long term. But I might be able to convince her to do that.”

“I have to talk to Maya.”

After Jake hangs up, I call my mom and ask about Maya. My questions are met with nothing more than enthusiasm. A backup plan, I call it, because her staying with me would be the first option, but it will be safer for her, and that’s what matters. After the call, I pick up paint for her door and then pizza for dinner. By the time I pull back into Maya’s driveway, it’s about two in the afternoon.

She’s out of breath with an enormous smile on her face when she opens the door. “We might have had a little fight. I may have lost. Don’t judge me.” And she turns and runs back into the house, with me left standing there to follow her into the chaos.

Once I manage the destruction outside with Jake at my side.

Jake and I are covered in paint and walk in to see both boys sitting in front of the couch, watching a movie about space pirates.

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