moved into a room above Edie, and got a job at a bakery. From what I’ve learned, no one knows exactly why she left, but her parents have disowned her, and all of her friends—or those she once had—are torn between hoping she finds what she’s looking for and wondering if she’s crazy for giving up the life she had.”
“You didn’t have to run her name, Max. You wanted to for attention.”
She shrugs. “You’re not wrong. She’s news—big news.”
I see a calculating glint in her eyes, and my muscles bunch. “Max, please tell me you’re not going to write another story about her.”
“Why not?” She tips her head to the side. “She’s basically royalty.”
“She’s not royalty. She’s a person who left her life behind for a reason, and if she’s not telling you that story herself, it’s hearsay.”
“I talked to enough people today who were close to her to know it’s not hearsay.” I glare at her, and she holds my gaze for a moment, then looks away. “I have work to do, so if that’s all, I need to get back to it.”
“You run that story, me and my boys will never take another one of your calls, Max, and I mean that.”
“The good news, Calvin—I’m retiring this year. I won’t ever need to call you again.”
My jaw clenches, and my hands ball into fists. Fuck. I want to throw something, but instead of doing that and possibly losing my badge, I turn and storm across the room and out the building.
Once I’m in my truck, I turn on the engine and wonder what the fuck it is I’m going to do. Anna left her life behind for a reason. What that reason is, I have not a fucking clue. All I know is I need to warn her about what’s about to go down, then figure out how I’m going to deal with the fallout. She might not care that Max knows her story, but I have a feeling she’s going to care that I do. From the moment I first approached her, she’s been skittish and has used every excuse to avoid me, and this might give her a reason to cut me out completely.
I back out of my parking spot and head toward town. I have an hour before I’m supposed to be at her place. It’s enough time to go get Bane and pick up dinner, but not enough to go to the station and use my computer to find out whatever information I can about her life before she came here. I thought shit was complicated before. Now I know I was wrong. That said, I’m not willing to just walk away. The pull I feel to her is too strong, and I learned early on in life to follow my gut. My gut is telling me that I need to explore things with her.
When I reach my house, I go inside and sigh when Bane greets me at the door. One of the couch cushions is in the middle of the entryway, and white fuzz hangs from his jaw.
“Seriously?” I ask, and he lies down, dropping his head to his paws in an attempt to look innocent. “I thought we were past this stage.” I start to scoop up the fuzz that’s littering the floor, then pick up the cushion to see if it’s salvageable. It’s not; the hole is huge. I carry it through the house to the kitchen and shove it into the garbage. After I get everything cleaned up, I look at my dog, who doesn’t look like a puppy anymore but obviously still is. “Come on—you’re coming with me.”
I pat my thigh and head back out the front door with him excitedly bouncing at my side. I let him into the cab, then go around and get in behind the wheel. I call in an order for a half-plain, half-everything pizza on the way, then stop and grab a case of beer from the gas station before I go pick up the pizza. I reach Anna’s place twenty minutes later at five after six and notice Edie sitting outside on her porch swing when I get out. Taking the pizza and beer with me, I call Bane to follow.
“I thought for sure I’d be seeing this exact thing a week ago. You work slow, Calvin,” Edie teases as I walk up the driveway.
“Had a case come up, or I would have been here a week ago,” I inform her.
“Good