Page 60 of What Comes After

He offered his love and support, he called to check in, and he and Mary visited me regularly while I was in the hospital and ever since I’d left. In addition to that, he’d been focused on something else, too. While his primary concern had been my physical safety and well-being, Scott had been on top of this in a different way. Though he didn’t give me all the gory details, it was made clear to me that he’d been on top of the police and how they were handling this situation.

As it turned out, the men who’d attacked me hadn’t been caught. Though I probably should have been scared, I wasn’t. I didn’t fear them coming after me. I was convinced they had no idea who I was, beyond being just another obstacle for them that night. Their beef wasn’t with me; it had been with Roy. And they’d managed to eliminate that problem for themselves.

“Really?” Theo replied, the surprise evident in his tone.

I watched as his face twisted in an unusual way while he listened to his father speak, and any of the positive vibes I’d been feeling over the last few days instantly vanished. I had an inkling this had to be related to my attack.

Had Scott heard something from the police?

“Alright. Let me talk to Devyn, and I’ll give you a call back in a little bit,” Theo said.

After saying goodbye to his dad, Theo disconnected the call and focused his attention on me again. One look at him, and the conflict swirling in his eyes became evident.

Not wanting to make this any more difficult for him than it already was, I urged, “Tell me what’s going on.”

“My dad got a call from the Iris Police Department,” Theo revealed as he walked back to the table.

When he sat down, he took a sip of his coffee, set the mug down, and clasped his hands together in front of him. I couldn’t miss just how much tension he was carrying in his entire frame.

“I assume they had some news,” I replied.

He nodded. “They’ve got two guys in custody. In addition to having you go down to the station to identify them, they’d also like to ask you some extra questions. The men they’ve got aren’t talking, and they want to see if you’re able to provide any additional information about the others.”

I slowly moved my head up and down, indicating I’d heard what he said, and eventually replied, “Okay.”

“How do you feel about this?” he asked, concern littering his features.

“I’m alright.”

His eyes searched my face for a long time before he said, “I think I need to tell you just how proud I am of you. With all that you’ve dealt with in the physical sense at the hands of these so-called men, you’ve been a real trooper when it comes to how it’s affecting your mind.”

“Thank you, Theo. That means a lot.”

He shook his head. “I hate that you have to go down to the police station to identify these guys, but I’m guessing you feel a bit of relief.”

I shrugged. “Not really.”

Theo sighed. “They’re going to find the other two guys, Devyn. And until that happens, I promise that nobody is going to be able to hurt you again.”

My brows pulled together. Theo clearly believed I was concerned about my physical safety.

“I’m not afraid of them,” I told him.

He offered a small smile and said, “I know you’re trying to be tough, but it’s not necessary with me. It’s okay to feel afraid.”

It seemed Theo was the one who needed some comfort now. I reached my hand out and covered his clasped ones on the table. “I’m not afraid, though,” I insisted. “Theo, those men were never after me. They were after Roy, and I just happened to make a foolish decision that put me on their radar. Trust me, they did what they felt compelled to do. More than anything, I’m upset with myself.”

Confusion washed over his face as he sat back in his chair. “What are you talking about? What do you mean, you made a foolish decision?”

I thought back on everything I could remember from that night. All that had happened, all that I’d learned.

“None of it had to happen,” I claimed.

“Of course not, but it’s not like you could have prevented it,” he reasoned.

“Maybe I couldn’t have prevented what started it, but I could have stopped myself from getting involved and making it so I wound up in the hospital. Plus, it was completely preventable.”

Nothing I was saying was making any sense to Theo. He was growing more and more confused with each second that passed.

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