Page 62 of The Followers

She told him what Molly had said about feeling watched, about the dog barking at night.

Oliver didn’t seem convinced, though. “I don’t know, Livi. Why would he be looking for Scott?”

“Maybe Scott saw something that night?”

“But why now, all these years later, when McKinley’s in Colombia? It doesn’t make sense.” Oliver hesitated before speaking again, his voice careful. “I’m not trying to be insensitive, but you tend to always think of the worst-case scenario.”

Liv pressed her lips together. He wasn’t wrong.

“I mean, you have to admit that the most likely explanation,” Oliver continued, “is that none of this has anything to do with Kristina’s murder. Molly feels like she’s being watched? She’s a goddamn internet celebrity. Your car was broken into by two random kids—it’s on video. Do we really think the same person is behind all of it? Why would a member of a drug cartel who lives thousands of miles away still care about something that happened nine years ago?”

He had a point. Except for one thing: “Someone called about the safe deposit box—”

“How many safe deposit boxes are at that bank? Hundreds, thousands, I don’t know. The lady could’ve gotten Kristina’s confused with someone else’s. How would anyone find you, anyway? You’re not an easy person to locate. You keep a low profile.”

Liv nodded, feeling reassured. “Okay, yeah. That makes sense.”

“Good—so you don’t need to go to that barbecue at Molly’s tonight.”

“Ah,” she said, as she realized what he was doing. “You just don’t want me going over there and meeting Scott.”

“You’re right, I don’t,” Oliver said. “I’ve told you from the beginning that I think it’s weird you’re friends with Molly at all. Thank god you’re leaving soon.”

“I’m actually thinking...” Liv took a deep breath, then said casually, “maybe I’ll stay longer. I applied for a position as a running specialist.”

She held her breath, bracing herself for Oliver’s reaction. Her brother’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Does this have to do with that guy? Jebediah or Zachariah or whatever his name is? I bet you love his long, white beard and his prophetic robes.”

“Shut up,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You know his name, idiot.”

She had told Oliver about Jeremiah, but not how she felt about him. It was early, but it already felt different than with anyone else she’d been with. Since that first time, they had spent more nights in bed together than apart. Just that morning she’d woken up to find him smiling at her, his fingers tracing lazy circles on her stomach. She didn’t know what to think. She only knew she didn’t want it to end.

“Be careful, Livi.” Oliver sounded protective, concerned. “Don’t make any long-term plans based on him. Guys are—”

She bristled. “You’re going to tell me what guys are like? Please, you’re always trying to figure them out, too.”

“I know. But I can tell you this for sure: there’s a big difference, in a guy’s mind, between someone who’s leaving town in two weeks and someone who’s permanent.”

The thought made her stomach twist. She had worried about the exact same thing.

“I gotta go, bro,” she said. Someone was knocking on her front door. “Love you tons.”

“You too.”

She unlocked the front door to see Jeremiah standing there. He looked like he’d just come from work, the sleeves of his blue button-down rolled up to expose tanned, lean forearms.

“Come in!” She was genuinely excited to see him, which struck her—she didn’t usually like people showing up unannounced. “Did we have plans? I thought I told you I was going to my friend’s barbecue tonight.”

He stepped across the threshold, shut the door with his foot, and swept her into his arms. Spinning her backward, he pressed her against the door as he kissed her neck with soft lips and enough sharp teeth to make her skin prickle.

“Don’t go to the barbecue,” he murmured.

She smiled, enjoying the feel of him pressed against her. “You can come with me, if you’re that pathetic. But I thought you had plans tonight, too.”

He laughed, soft and husky. “I canceled them. I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

Jeremiah had already taken her mountain biking on his favorite trail, fishing along the Animas, and picnicking up near Silverton. A month or two’s worth of dates packed into one week, sharing all his favorite places with her. That had to mean something, right?

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