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“She mentioned it, yes.”
“What do you think?”
“If you’re thinking of buying it, I think it’s one of the craziest ideas you’ve ever had, and you’ve had your fair share.”
“Wow. Don’t be shy. Tell it like it is.”
“You never liked the business,” Hayley said. “You hate stepping over the line. You don’t like confrontation. You quit the business for a reason.”
“Hey, I was always good with people.”
“Are you kidding me? You were shot and kidnapped, and I’ve never seen anyone get more doors slammed in their face than you.”
“Now you’re just being your usual rude self.”
“You asked me what I thought. The idea makes absolutely no sense to me. You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Why would you even consider giving that up?”
“I asked you what you thought about Lizzy selling the business. Although I’ve already begun to realize that bureaucracy equals paperwork and I’ve never been keen on paperwork, I have zero interest in becoming a PI.”
“Well, phew, that makes me feel better.”
Jessica laughed. “Kitally, on the other hand, has shown some interest.”
“Kitally wants to buy the business?”
“When Lizzy and I talked about it, that’s what she told me.”
“Well, she certainly has the money to do it,” Hayley said. “Either way, you should stick with the FBI gig, Jessica. You’re going to make a fine special agent someday. We all know that.”
“Thanks,” Jessica said.
“You’re welcome. Now if you could find an address for Nora Belle Castor, I will be forever indebted.”
“What did the girl do?”
“She’s trouble with a capital T. She beats the crap out of homeless people while they’re sleeping.”
“So, what are you going to do with her when you find her?”
“Don’t worry, I’m going to turn her over to the police.” And that much was true.
There was a long bout of silence before Jessica said, “Sure. I’ll call you if I get a hit.”
“Thanks. Talk to you soon.”
As soon as she hung up the phone, Hayley heard Lizzy’s footfalls approaching. Fu
Lizzy sat down on the curb next to her, a cup of hot tea snug between her palms. Hayley could hear her breathe in.
“It’s so quiet in there without Salma and the baby,” Lizzy said at last.
“You might want to enjoy it while it lasts.”
“You might be right.”
“If you came out here to find out if I was still angry with you, the answer is no. If you had finished Be
“I think it’s time to call it quits.”
“You can’t simply forget about Be
Lizzy nodded. “Not Be
“There’s only two more people left on the list who haven’t been taken care of. Scott Shaffer and the Ghost.”
“Bag it, Hayley,” Lizzy said. “It was never a good idea to begin with.”
“I’ll think about it,” Hayley said, even though she would do no such thing.
Lizzy looked at her for a long moment, then asked, “Do you remember the first time we met?”
Hayley dropped her head into her open palms. “Are you going to get all sentimental on me, Lizzy?”
“I don’t know . . . maybe. My hormones are raging. Are you really going to deprive me of one little sentimental journey through time?”
“Fine. Go for it.”
“The first time I saw you, I saw a little bit of me in you.” Lizzy nudged her arm. “Don’t make fun.”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“You had piercings all over your face, and your hair was dark and spiky. You had a tough look to you, but there was one thing that gave you away, something that told me you just needed a friend.”
It was quiet, and Hayley knew she was waiting for her to ask. “OK, I’m taking the bait. How did you know I was really this amazingly kind person with a soft i
“All sarcasm aside, it was the angel tattoo on your collarbone.”
Hayley shook her head.
“What?”
“You’re grasping at straws here. I almost chose a devil with horns instead of an angel. It’s just a tattoo, Lizzy.”
“You’re right. Who am I kidding? You made the sheriff bleed that day.”
They both laughed, and yet they both knew it wasn’t fu
“I wonder how many kids over the years really listened,” Lizzy said, “really understood what they would need to do to save their own lives.”
“No telling,” Hayley said.
They sat quietly for a moment, each lost in her thoughts.
“Brace yourself for some more sentimental claptrap,” Lizzy said.
“Oh God.”
Lizzy ignored her. “I know you miss your mom,” she said, “but I want you to know that I love you as if you were my own daughter. I never want you to feel as if you’re alone. Not for one minute. You will always have me, and I like to think that I will always have you. Does that make sense?”
Hayley gave her a nod.
“It’s hard to believe I’m going to be a mother, isn’t it?”
“Not really. I saw you hold Salma’s baby. You looked like a natural to me.”
“Jared would have been an amazing father,” Lizzy said.
“He would have been. But you will be an amazing mother, and that kid of yours will be just fine.”
“And you,” Lizzy said, “will be an extraordinary godmother.”
“I can’t be there for your baby,” Hayley told her. “I want to be, I really do, but I’ve decided to leave town.”
“I know you’re angry at me for not taking care of Be
“You didn’t let me down. Yes, I would have preferred it if Be
“Agreed,” Lizzy said.
“You never let me down, Lizzy. I let myself down. Sure, we might be able to put a few criminals away, save a few more lives from being ruined, but it will never stop. I get that. And, yes, there was a time when I thought I could fight evil with evil. Maybe you did, too. But I still have this rage inside me. It’s deep and it’s dark, and it hasn’t even hit the surface. I certainly can’t be around your son or daughter, a tiny person who would be influenced by my actions and words. I can’t change, not completely. I don’t even know if I want to change.”
“If you left, I would spend the rest of my days worrying about you. Stay with me. Help me raise this baby. You know I can’t do it alone.”
“Nice try. You’ve been alone most of your life. You were born to be a mom. Hell, you’ll be the best mom in the world. I know it and you know it.”
“I found a house in Loomis,” Lizzy went on. “It’s not far from here. The property is amazing. There’s a lake and an old barn. We could get a horse. There’s an extra room just for you. Whether you come to live with me next month or next year, I want you to know there will always be a room ready and waiting for you.”
“I appreciate it,” Hayley said.
Lizzy patted her knee and then pushed herself to her feet. No sooner had she walked back into the house than Hayley’s phone vibrated.