she c ouldn ’ t g e t p a st w h a t Co r d B e n n e tt ’ s g e ntle b r o w n e y e s h a d look e d lik e . B ut those d a r k e y e s h a dn ’ t just b ee n g l a z e d o v e r w ith a n a l c oholic bu zz . T h e y h a d look e d i n cre dib l y e mp t y — a nd s a d . Sh e’ d n e v e r s ee n e y e s like th a t on a living thing so v a c a nt. She r e a li z e d now he mi g ht be the f i r st p er son sh e’ d e v e r b e e n ar ound w ho h a d ac tu a l l y t r i e d to t a ke his o w n li fe .
W h e n she spott e d the blinking li g ht on h e r a ns w e ring m ac hine she kn e w e x ac tl y w ho h a d ca ll e d. She h a dn ’ t liv e d i n a sm a ll to w n f or t w o d e ca d e s not to know how f a st n ew s t ra v e ll e d. She push e d the button on the m ac hine a nd list e n e d in s e qu e n c e a s h a lf the t o w n wa nt e d to know how she wa s doi n g .
Sm a ll to w ns didn ’ t n ee d to g o n a tion a l w h e n th e y h a d th e ir o w n n e t w o r k f u ll of p e ople w ho ca r e d.
Ke e g a n h a d kno w n th e s e p e ople f or most of h e r li fe . She kn e w t h e y m ea nt we ll. T h e y ’ d b ee n g r e a t af t e r both f u n era ls. B ut it didn ’ t m ea n h e r s a f e t y n e t wa s n ’ t f ull of hol e s. P e ople h a d th e ir o w n liv e s, th e ir o w n s e ts of p r obl e ms. T h e y didn ’ t n ee d to d we ll on h er s.
He r stom ac h r e mind e d h e r she n e e d e d to e a t.
E v e n thou g h s h e wa s cr a ving a c old b ee r a nd th a t c h ee se s a nd w i c h a nd fr i e s, she sn a g g e d a Sni c k er s b a r inst ea d o f f the c ount er , g r a bb e d a f l a shli g ht out of the l a und r y r oom a nd ca ll e d to the do g . “Y ou r ea d y f o r a noth e r a dv e ntu r e . L e t ’ s g e t the t r u c k a nd the n e tting a nd g o f ind us a s e a lion.”
Sitting in the b ac k s ea t of E th a n ’ s poli c e c r uis er , C o r d wa sn ’ t w o r r i e d. T his wa sn ’ t his f i r st r ide to the d r unk t a n k, a nd cer t a in l y not sp e n ding the n i g ht a t the c ou nt y ’ s e x p e ns e . N o r wa s he too c on c e r n e d a bout t he p s y c h e v a l u a tion. He ’ d s ee n a t l ea st h a lf a do ze n p s y c hi a t r ists af t er h e’ d b ee n re l e a s e d f r om the hospit a l a nd kn e w a ll the bu z z w o r ds b y h e a r t, a ll those k e y p h ra s e s th a t w ould t e ll the sh r ink he wa s a s s a ne a s th e y w ere . H e kn e w e x ac t l y w h a t to s a y to push a ll the r i g ht buttons. He’ d d one it b ef o re .
“Y ou g onna l e t me h a ve a phone c a ll, E th a n ? ” C o r d g r umbl e d. “ I g otta ca ll N i c k a nd J o r d a n, l e t th e m know th e y ’ ll n ee d to g e t som e o n e to do m y c h o re s.”
“ I h a ve so m e thing b e tt e r th a n th a t in mind. W e’r e m a king a stop a t the Co v e . Y ou ca n t e ll N i c k y o u r s e l f , f a c e- to - fa ce , m a n - to - m a n. I f w e d o n ’ t stop, N i c k will just m a ke a point to d r ive a ll the w a y to S a nta C r uz to p a y y ou a visit. T his w a y , I ’ m g ivi n g him the op p o r tuni t y w ithout h a ving to l e a ve his fa mi l y on a F r i d a y ni g ht to g e t in y our f a c e . Y ou n e e d h e lp, Co r d. T h a t ’ s w h a t I ’ m s a y i n g a nd th a t ’ s w h a t N i c k ’ s g on n a s a y . T his is y our c h a n c e to g e t it.”
Co r d wa t c h e d a s E th a n m a de the tu r n do w n a lo n g d r iv e w a y , p a st a n a pple - g r ee n s i g n th a t rea d P r omise Cove B e d an d B rea k fa st a nd p ull e d up b e side a n old V i c to r i a n.
A t th a t mom e nt, Co r d didn ’ t know he c ould f ee l a n ymo r e c h a stis e d. B ut a t this point he h a d no doubt th a t if y ou g a v e E th a n Co d y t we n t y minut e s w ith a nun h e’ d f ind a w a y to m a ke t h e sist e r fee l g uil t y a s h e ll a bout som e thin g .
I t didn ’ t h e lp a
W h e n she spott e d the blinking li g ht on h e r a ns w e ring m ac hine she kn e w e x ac tl y w ho h a d ca ll e d. She h a dn ’ t liv e d i n a sm a ll to w n f or t w o d e ca d e s not to know how f a st n ew s t ra v e ll e d. She push e d the button on the m ac hine a nd list e n e d in s e qu e n c e a s h a lf the t o w n wa nt e d to know how she wa s doi n g .
Sm a ll to w ns didn ’ t n ee d to g o n a tion a l w h e n th e y h a d th e ir o w n n e t w o r k f u ll of p e ople w ho ca r e d.
Ke e g a n h a d kno w n th e s e p e ople f or most of h e r li fe . She kn e w t h e y m ea nt we ll. T h e y ’ d b ee n g r e a t af t e r both f u n era ls. B ut it didn ’ t m ea n h e r s a f e t y n e t wa s n ’ t f ull of hol e s. P e ople h a d th e ir o w n liv e s, th e ir o w n s e ts of p r obl e ms. T h e y didn ’ t n ee d to d we ll on h er s.
He r stom ac h r e mind e d h e r she n e e d e d to e a t.
E v e n thou g h s h e wa s cr a ving a c old b ee r a nd th a t c h ee se s a nd w i c h a nd fr i e s, she sn a g g e d a Sni c k er s b a r inst ea d o f f the c ount er , g r a bb e d a f l a shli g ht out of the l a und r y r oom a nd ca ll e d to the do g . “Y ou r ea d y f o r a noth e r a dv e ntu r e . L e t ’ s g e t the t r u c k a nd the n e tting a nd g o f ind us a s e a lion.”
Sitting in the b ac k s ea t of E th a n ’ s poli c e c r uis er , C o r d wa sn ’ t w o r r i e d. T his wa sn ’ t his f i r st r ide to the d r unk t a n k, a nd cer t a in l y not sp e n ding the n i g ht a t the c ou nt y ’ s e x p e ns e . N o r wa s he too c on c e r n e d a bout t he p s y c h e v a l u a tion. He ’ d s ee n a t l ea st h a lf a do ze n p s y c hi a t r ists af t er h e’ d b ee n re l e a s e d f r om the hospit a l a nd kn e w a ll the bu z z w o r ds b y h e a r t, a ll those k e y p h ra s e s th a t w ould t e ll the sh r ink he wa s a s s a ne a s th e y w ere . H e kn e w e x ac t l y w h a t to s a y to push a ll the r i g ht buttons. He’ d d one it b ef o re .
“Y ou g onna l e t me h a ve a phone c a ll, E th a n ? ” C o r d g r umbl e d. “ I g otta ca ll N i c k a nd J o r d a n, l e t th e m know th e y ’ ll n ee d to g e t som e o n e to do m y c h o re s.”
“ I h a ve so m e thing b e tt e r th a n th a t in mind. W e’r e m a king a stop a t the Co v e . Y ou ca n t e ll N i c k y o u r s e l f , f a c e- to - fa ce , m a n - to - m a n. I f w e d o n ’ t stop, N i c k will just m a ke a point to d r ive a ll the w a y to S a nta C r uz to p a y y ou a visit. T his w a y , I ’ m g ivi n g him the op p o r tuni t y w ithout h a ving to l e a ve his fa mi l y on a F r i d a y ni g ht to g e t in y our f a c e . Y ou n e e d h e lp, Co r d. T h a t ’ s w h a t I ’ m s a y i n g a nd th a t ’ s w h a t N i c k ’ s g on n a s a y . T his is y our c h a n c e to g e t it.”
Co r d wa t c h e d a s E th a n m a de the tu r n do w n a lo n g d r iv e w a y , p a st a n a pple - g r ee n s i g n th a t rea d P r omise Cove B e d an d B rea k fa st a nd p ull e d up b e side a n old V i c to r i a n.
A t th a t mom e nt, Co r d didn ’ t know he c ould f ee l a n ymo r e c h a stis e d. B ut a t this point he h a d no doubt th a t if y ou g a v e E th a n Co d y t we n t y minut e s w ith a nun h e’ d f ind a w a y to m a ke t h e sist e r fee l g uil t y a s h e ll a bout som e thin g .
I t didn ’ t h e lp a
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