“What happened to Annie…” I shook my head. “I don’t know. I think she’s mixed up. I think… no one ever tried to help her work through what she saw out there. Her parents abandoned her. They threw money at the problem, thinking that would fix it. And when it didn’t, they stuck her in a fancy care facility for two decades.”
Everyone was silent, contemplating that.
The meeting fizzled out not long after. The was no big moment of consensus. No satisfying conclusion to reach. We all got up and went our separate ways, each battling with the uneasy realization that this was not a Hollywood ending.
In real life, not every case is tied up neatly with a satin bow. But I figured, at the end of the day, even if we never found out exactly what had happened in those woods, we’d already been given the best possible outcome.
Rory was home.
Safe.
Alive.
Seemingly no worse for wear.
That was more than I’d dared hope for, this same time yesterday. And I planned to take that as a win, no matter how it came.
The Gravewatch men dispersed to their various duties — surveillance, skip-chasing, security, and whatever else badass private investigators did to merit charging such exorbitant hourly fees. Judging by their swanky offices, they weren’t hurting for cash flow. The building was located on Pickering Wharf, a busy area of restaurants, shops, and offices crammed onto a narrow, one-way-traffic loop that overlooked the docks. Prime real estate.
The limited parking was its only downside. Since it was pouring rain, Cade went to get the car while I waited under the front awning with Gwen and Florence. He’d parked in an open spot down the block.
Gwen opened her fancy black umbrella with a flourish. “All right, ladies, I’m heading back to the store. I left Agatha and Sally there unsupervised,” she said worriedly. When our eyes met, she arched an auburn brow in question. “See you tomorrow, Imogen?”
She wasn’t just asking as a boss trying to lock down an employee. She was asking because she was worried that, now that the case was wrapped up and my car was fixed, I was going to hightail it out of town without leaving a forwarding address. She wanted me to stick around Salem — and not just for a handful of shifts.
“See you tomorrow, boss,” I assured her, smiling. “You know, I’m thinking of redecorating Zelda’s space. Making it my own, since I’ll be around a while… Getting some personalized appointment cards…”
Her eyes twinkled. “Good.”
“I’m heading over to The Sea Witch to check on Gigi, Rory, and Declan,” Florence cut in. “You want to come with, Imogen?”
“I do. But can we go later this afternoon? I need to go home for a bit first. Socks is in desperate need of a bath.”
“Listen to her! Calling Cade’s househome.” Flo squealed and grabbed my arm. “I love this!”
“Me too!” Gwen squealed.
I couldn’t help joining in with a squeal of my own. “Me three!”
“Get in the car, dollface.”
We all jolted at the sudden intrusion into our squeal-fest. My head swung sideways and I felt all the blood leave my face. There, standing in the pouring rain, his expensive suit getting wetter and wetter with each passing second, was Adrian.
He was holding a gun.
And he was pointing it straight at me.
Damn and blast.
* * *
“Adrian, what the hell?” I snapped, staring at him. My primary emotion probably should’ve been fear, but all I felt in that moment was annoyance.
“Thisis Adrian?” Flo asked.
“Your asshole ex-boyfriend Adrian?” Gwen added.
“Idiotex-boyfriend Adrien,” I corrected. “Based on recent events.”