Page 24 of Montana Silence

Rayne never pressured me to be any one way. If I needed to stand and walk around, then that’s what I did. Right now, I needed to be on my feet. It felt safer. Like I could run if I wanted to, even though there was nothing to run from here.

“I don’t like the way she’s pressuring you,” Rayne said.

I shook my head. Obviously, I didn’t like it either. “But she’s not wrong.”

Spreading her hands open, Rayne shrugged. “Will there be a benefit to your testimony? I’m sure there would be. But whether Malcolm Novic receives parole doesnotrest on your shoulders, Mara. The committee that’s in charge of the hearing has a duty to look at all the evidence of his crimes committed, along with the new testimony during this hearing.

“Even if you do testify, the decision lies with them. And of course, you could testify, and he could still be released. I just want to make sure you know that this is not your responsibility.”

Of course, she was right. My stomach still churned with nerves and anxiety because of what Claire had said. If he got out and did to more girls what he’d done to others and tried to do to me, it wouldn’t beentirelymy fault. But I would have had a hand in it, and I wasn’t sure I could live with myself.

“I need to think about it.”

She nodded. “Whatever you decide, make sure it’s right for you. And however you choose, we’ll deal with it.”

“Thank you.”

It was the end of our time, our having talked about things before the call. I said goodbye to Rayne, glad to know she supported the idea of Liam and me. When I told him I didn’t want to tell anyone, I didn’t count Rayne because she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone. Next time I saw him, I would let him know.

I wasn’t quite ready to go home yet. Everything Claire said was circling around in my head, and I still needed the sensation of movement. The ranch truck was parked outside Rayne’s office, but Deja Brew wasn’t far. I would walk down and grab a drink before heading home.

Lena and Evie never gave me a hard time if I wasn’t up to talking, and Lena always knew what I needed without fail. It was her superpower, and everyone knew it.

The door to the coffee shop opened quickly, and I had to pull up short. A woman came out, nearly running into me, and she pulled up short too.

“Oh!” She put a hand on her chest. “It’s you. I really need to stop doing that. Seems like every time I see you, I’m nearly knocking you over. At least you weren’t holding anything this time.”

It took me a second to place her.

She held out a hand. I shook it automatically. “I’m Brynn, by the way.”

Brynn. Oh. She was the woman I’d run into leaving Rayne’s office the other day after the veil arrived. Rayne had said her name. “Mara,” I managed to say quietly.

“Mara.” Brynn lit up. “I’m so sorry I ran into you the other day. I just moved here, and I’m a total mess. But I’m trying to get to know people.”

She stepped around me. “Listen, I’d stay and try to chat for a minute, but I’m actually on my way to see Rayne. But I hope I’ll see you around!”

Before I could even think about whether I could speak, she was gone down the sidewalk in the direction I’d just come from. She seemed nice, from the thirty seconds we’d been in each other’s company.

Anyone who was seeing Rayne got immediate points in my book. As a therapist, she worked with many kinds of clients. But she didn’t work with people like Malcolm. There were no prisons nearby, and all the bad apples Resting Warrior had encountered were now far from here.

But Brynn seemed like someone people would like. I wouldn’t say I was the authority on instinctually judging someone’s character, but I was getting better.

I went inside, and Lena immediately saw me and smiled. “Hey, Mara. It’s been a while since I saw you in here.”

Nodding, I smiled back. It had been a while since I’d been in town. After the call, my words were gone. Instead, I placed my hand over my heart.

Evie stuck her head out of the kitchen and waved.

“You want your regular?”

I gave Lena a thumbs-up, and I went to the comfy chairs that were placed off to the side. What was I going to do? Flying down to Arizona to see my worst nightmare wasn’t on my list of priorities.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out. Liam’s name on the screen made me smile.

Are you free tomorrow?

I answered immediately.

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