What If You & Me (Say Everything #2) - Roni Loren Page 0,24

Andi the horror writer didn’t outright deny the possibility of ghosts being real, but he was happy to see that little spark of feistiness back. An irritated Andi was better than a terrified one.

“Okay,” Christina said, letting her smirk drop. “Are you sure the back door was locked?”

“Absolutely,” Andi said without hesitation. “I never leave any doors or windows unlocked. I’m really careful about that.”

“Never?” Christina asked, skepticism in her voice. “It’s easy to forget sometimes.”

“She’s a horror writer and researches true crime,” Hill said, cutting Chris off. “She knows to lock her doors.”

Christina’s attention slid to him, giving him a discerning look. “So you two know each other well?”

He held the eye contact, playing poker. “Well enough.”

“Hill’s right,” Andi said, not catching the tension in the exchange. “Some people may forget to lock their doors. I don’t. My friends would tell you that I don’t err on the side of caution. I err on the side of paranoid. That door was locked. It’s my habit to check them at night, especially when I know I’m going to be under headphones.”

“Right. Well. There was no sign of forced entry,” Christina said. “Lock was intact. No splintered wood or marks on the frame. Maybe someone used a key.”

“Do you have a friend or boyfriend who has an extra key?” Brody asked, hooking his ankle over his knee and leaning back. “Or anyone who’d have access to one of your extras that they could’ve swiped?”

Andi rubbed her forehead beneath the curtain of her bangs, looking exhausted. “No. I haven’t lived there long. I have the only key.”

“What about the landlord?” Brody asked.

Hill shifted on the couch. “I’m the landlord. I didn’t unlock her door.”

Andi’s head snapped his way, a flash of shock there.

“Someone could have jimmied the lock without showing signs of force,” Hill said. “These locks are pretty old. I was already planning on getting them replaced.”

“Possible.” Brody jotted down something in his notebook. “Or maybe the door didn’t latch all the way and the wind knocked it open. We’d like to have Miss…”

“Lockley,” Andi supplied.

“We’d like to have Miss Lockley do a walk-through with us, make sure nothing is missing,” Brody said.

Andi tensed. “Are you sure you checked everywhere?”

“Of course.” Christina smiled empathetically, suddenly looking like the woman Hill used to love. “We secured it before coming over here. You’re safe to go back.”

Andi took a shaky breath. “Okay. I can do a walk-through. Can you come with us, Hill?”

The plea in her eyes did something to him. God, he wanted to take that fear out of her. Andi was one of those people painted in bright colors. Bright-red hair. Big blue eyes. Thick black eyeliner. Bright bold lipstick. Brash attitude. Seeing her scared and pale seemed like a crime against sunshine or something. “Sure. We’ll all go. We won’t leave you alone until you feel safe.”

She rolled her lips together and nodded.

He stood and put his hand out to help her up. She took it, but when he went to release her, she held on tight, sending a silent message. He squeezed her hand and kept hold of her. I’ve got you.

The exchange didn’t go unnoticed by his ex.

Part of him wanted to make a show of it. Put his arm around Andi like, Yes, this bright, beautiful woman is with me—even if it was a lie. But he knew Christina wouldn’t be jealous anyway. She was happily involved with Josh Matterhorn, the guy she’d left him for. The fellow firefighter who’d pulled Hill out of a burning building the night he’d lost his leg. The guy who used to be one of his closest friends.

The ghost of his old life rolled through Hill, and he had to breathe through the pain it stirred up. His relationship with Christina was dead. His relationship with Josh was dead. His leg was gone. His career was gone. The man he used to be didn’t exist anymore.

He could see that reality every time Christina looked at him. The man she’d wanted to marry had died in that accident. All that was left now was the echo of who he used to be. A cheap imitation with missing parts.

Andi squeezed his hand, bringing him back to the moment, and he sent her a silent thank-you.

They all made their way over to the neighboring side, and Andi went room by room, staying close to Hill. She was supposed to be checking for missing items, but he could tell she was more focused on checking