He shoots a look Angel’s way, and he finally speaks.
“I barely slept.” His voice sounds rough. “I kept replaying her words.”
He stares down at the table.
“Thinking about what she chose to say.” A pause, like he’s picking apart everything in his mind. “And what she didn’t say.”
No one interrupts.
“I… last night I was so hyped up on finally finding Mara. Figuring out what was going on. I didn’t… I should have…”
Angel rubs his face, then slams his fists down on the table in frustration.
“Fuck… everyone’s right.”
He exhales slowly.
“I haven’t been the same in years.”
The truth hangs heavy in the air.
“When Mara disappeared, it all came rushing back.” His voice drops. “Every time I drive now, I keep watching the ditches.”
I suck in a breath because I know why he’s looking.
“Thinking I’m going to find her there.” He swallows. “Like Kiara.”
Silence. Even the wind paused.
“Since Mara disappeared,” Angel continues quietly, “I keep dreaming about the night we found Kiara.”
His voice cracks. “But it’s Mara’s face when I flip the body.”
My hand reaches out before I even think about it. I squeeze his shoulder, and he nods once. Then straightens.
“I know you wanted to kill Razor last night.”
His eyes flick toward me.
“Hell, I wanted to help you.”
A breath.
“But Bex was getting somewhere.”
He shakes his head.
“I thought she was leading us to something.”
His jaw tightens and he swallows hard.
“Something is going on under my roof. I have felt it for a long while but didn’t know what or who and...”
He looks at both of us.
“And I can’t go off half-cocked anymore. We need proof.”
His voice hardens.