Page 105 of Edged

“Sorry about that,” Nita said, knowing her early morning call meant Diesel had to make arrangements for Casey.

“Nah, it’s all good. Sometimes she wanders up there if she’s had a bad dream. Now about this entry for your friend—” Diesel teased, holding up the page that read Bitch Mitch. Diesel tapped the stick figure she’d drawn. “An amazing likeness. You should pursue drawing instead of this lawyer thing.”

“It’s very accurate, actually. You just haven’t seen him with his clothes off,” she joked back, sipping her coffee.

“Are you saying without his pants he’s all stick figure? Because based on his size, I doubt it,” Diesel laughed.

Nita gave her an exaggerated smile and said, “I’ll never tell.”

“But you have told,” Diesel said, setting the open book back on her lap. “You care about this guy. I read this whole thing, and your description for Stickman is the most pathetic attempt to not care I’ve ever witnessed.”

She could have brushed Diesel off, or come up with a hundred lies for why she wrote what she wrote, but instead she sagged against the couch.

“I have no defense, Your Honor, except that I’d like to postpone my testimony for a morning when I’m not rushing to take my bar exam,” she said wearily.

Diesel looked up, then snapped the book shut and smiled.

“Adjourned,” Diesel said, getting up and checking her watch. “Do you want to throw my housecoat over that, or do you want to change?”

Nita spentthe next hour in the car poring over her notes and trying not to think about where Ryder was, what he’d said to the police, or worse—what they’d found out about the dead body.

“Geez, who died?” Diesel teased, making Nita’s head snap around.

“What?” she asked, her voice harsher than she intended.

“Your face. I thought you were studying, but you look like you just had a ghost walk over your grave,” Diesel said, doing a shoulder check before changing lanes to take the Tacoma exit.

“I guess the reality of taking this test is getting to me,” she said, shoving thoughts of the dead body to the back of her mind.

She eyed the warehouses and buildings as they got into the busy morning traffic. The fog from earlier having mostly lifted.

“You’re going to ace this test. You know that, right?” Diesel asked.

“I know,” she said, not even caring about the test.

“Or are you thinking about something else?”

“Like what?”

“Like a certain guy,” Diesel said, then punched her leg. “A certain Stickman who may be waiting for you back at Cavendish.”

“No, he’s leaving today. He’s probably halfway to Spokane,” she said, and a heaviness settled over her.

Diesel was quiet for a long moment, then spoke without a trace of humor.

“He was a cool guy, Nita. I won’t lie. But he was your bounce back guy, after Luke. Someone to help you clean the pipes for someone you can be serious about,” Diesel said, the words soft.

“He certainly cleaned my pipes,” Nita agreed and gave Diesel a grin. Diesel smiled back, but without a hint of mockery.

“I know you say you’re not into relationships, but I know different,” Diesel said. “And if you give it time, you’ll find your guy.”

“Hm,” she said, and looked away at the traffic ahead of them.

“And if Ryder comes back in another ten years, you’ll have to stay away from him,” Diesel said.

“Oh yeah? Why?” she asked, looking curiously at her friend.

“Because Casey’s decided she wants to marry him,” Diesel explained, and punched her leg again.

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