I put a hand out to pet him. He doesn’t move away, so I touch him lightly, stroking from his head to his tail. He head-butts my wrist. I pet him again. We do this two more times and then he walks away. He’ll only let me in so far and not an inch further. I get the parallels between us. The irony isn’t lost on me.

I leave Oliver and go into the spare bedroom. This time last night I climbed into bed next to Leo. Tonight I’ll sleep alone. It’s better I make the transition sooner rather than later. Before I get used to it and can’t sleep without him.

I tell myself this and other lies over and over for the next couple hours. It’s because the sheets still smell like him. I’m not used to sleeping in such a large bed. This isn’t my house. I’m not used to the sounds it makes. The bed’s colder because we’re closer to the ocean. I’m anxious about Beau’s case. I’m lost because there’s nothing to do but wait.

—

I wake up in the morning rusty-eyed, with a headache. The sun is barely over the horizon. I throw on a sweatshirt and go in search of something hot to drink to soothe my aching throat. There’s a box of doughnuts on the counter and a take-out coffee cup. Leo must’ve gotten up early too. I lean over the cup and inhale. Earl Grey. Damn his thoughtfulness.

“You’re up.”

He looks as bad as I feel. I can only imagine what I look like.

“Thanks for the tea. You didn’t have to.”

“Habit, I guess.” He shrugs and takes a sip from the cup in his hand. “My dad called. He has some news for us. He’s on his way over.”

“Okay.”

There’s a knock at the door. Leo goes to answer it. I don’t know what to do with myself. This is so much more awkward than I imagined it would be. I want to say something to Leo, but there’s nothing really to say.

Mr. Nash comes in looking like he had almost the same night we did. The look on his face when his gaze swings to mine makes my stomach do a painful swoop. “You’re going to want to sit down for this.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask. “What happened? Is Beau okay?”

Leo pulls out a stool for me. He doesn’t put his hand in mine like he usually would to reassure me. Instead, he moves to the other side of the counter and leans against it.

“It’s not about Beau,” Mr. Nash says. “It’s about Mrs. Wheeler.”

Leo comes off the counter. “What about her?”

“Someone broke into the retirement home she lives in last night. The guy knew exactly which room was hers. He used a pillow to try to kill her. She managed to get to her call button and the nursing staff came in and interrupted the attack.”

“Oh, my God,” I gasp. “Is she okay?”

“Fortunately, she was moved to another room earlier that day. The woman in her old bed has some bruising, but she’ll be fine.”

Because of Leo. He had her moved to a room with a window. She could’ve been hurt or worse.

“He followed us,” Leo says. “He saw exactly which room we went into. Son of a bitch.”

“It’s not your fault, son. This guy’s a pro.”

“Did they catch him?” I ask.

“No. He got away. But they got his license plate.”

“Let me guess,” Leo says. “California license plate number 6TPW001.”

Mr. Nash nods. “The very one.”

I leap off the stool. “Who owns that car?” I have to know his name.

“Detective Paul Winfro.” Mr. Nash sets a file on the counter and opens it.

Leo and I both lean in for a closer look. Our gazes collide.

“Oh, my God,” I breathe.

“He’s one of the officers who showed up when your apartment got broken into.”

“And at Taco Mia.”

“And I bet that license plate goes to the black Mustang that followed me to Zelda’s house. He’s been fucking with us this whole time.”

“As far as I know he hasn’t crossed the border back into the states. Border Patrol has his info. If he tries to get back into the country he’ll be arrested on the spot.” Mr. Nash looks at his watch. “I’ve got an appointment in an hour with the Project Freedom attorneys to see if they’ll take on your brother’s case. I think with this new information combined with Mrs. Wheeler’s testimony we’ll have enough to bring Beau’s case to a judge for review. In the meantime, you two stay together and stay safe. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”

“Thank you.”

I’m too stunned to move. I can only stare at the photo of the man who killed Cassandra and destroyed my brother’s life. He doesn’t look like a monster. There’s no obvious sign of what he’s capable of. I can see why Cassandra trusted him and why he didn’t send up any red flags for anyone who knew him.

Leo comes back from walking his dad to the door. “You okay?”

“Yes. And no. I don’t know what I am.”

He picks up the photo. “He looks so normal. But then they say that about most killers.”

“You saved Mrs. Wheeler.”

He lifts a shoulder.

“You did. Getting her that room to make her happy saved her. You’re a hero.”

“I’m not a fucking hero.”

“You are.”

He makes a face and sets the photo on the counter. “How does it feel to have a name and a face for your nightmare?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out.” I drop back onto the stool. I don’t know what I expected to feel, but this empty kind of numb nothing isn’t it. I should be angry or sad or, I don’t know…Anything except this hollowness. Where’s the hate? I thought I’d at least feel hatred toward the man who destroyed so many lives.

“Maybe it will come to you later. I’m glad you finally know who was behind all this and that Beau will likely get his day in court. You’ve worked really hard. It’s nice that it’s paid off for both of you. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” I guess. I can’t even drum up any happiness.

“I’m going to take a quick shower.”

“Yeah, okay.” I take a sip of tea and turn the photo toward me. I can’t stop staring at that face. I don’t know what I expect it to tell me.

Why? I just want to know why? Why did he kill Cassandra? What did she do to deserve the cruel, inhumane things he did to her? How could he live with himself after doing that to her? And that poor woman in Mrs. Wheeler’s room. If Leo hadn’t moved her I don’t know that she could’ve fought him off the way the other woman did. Leo saved her life. He doesn’t think of himself as a hero, but he is.

I wouldn’t have thought he was capable of it when I first met him. I really didn’t think much of him at all other than his being the owner’s son. He’s so much more than the lazy skater dude I first took him for. So much more.

Chapter 34 Leo

I’m dying. I have to be. There’s no way anyone could survive this. Except Cora. She seems to be totally fine.

That’s not true. She looks like hell. Beautiful to me still, but she looks like she didn’t get any more sleep than I did.

And she cried. Her eyes are red-rimmed and swollen. It guts me to see her like that. I wanted so badly to put my arms around her and hold her. But if I touch her I know I’ll only end up dropping to my knees and begging her to love me back. Pathetic. I’m fucking pathetic. I can’t believe I held it together as long as I did. I couldn’t wait for my dad to leave so I could get the hell out of there. Being near her and not touching her, holding her, kissing her, fucking hurts.

I put on some swim trunks and find a beach towel. It’s still summer and I haven’t been to the beach once. Maybe a swim will help put things in some kind of perspective. Or at least give me something else to think about.

I find Cora sitting on the stool in the kitchen, staring at the photo my dad brought. How long has she been sitting there like that? She looks almost as miserable as I am. I fight the urge to go to her. Instead, I stay on the other side of the room, out of reach.