Page 122 of Never Forget
Back at the apartment Jamie made coffee and sat down at the table. She held her mug the way she did when she was working up to something.
"Is something wrong?"
She exhaled. Hesitated.
"Morrison called this morning." She paused. "He's coming by this afternoon with an update on the arson. But before he does, I need to tell you something."
I set my coffee down.
"A while back, he came by with two agents from SLED."
"The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division?"
"Yes." She took a breath. "They were looking at the arson from a few different angles. One of them was my work in New York. The other was the fire department."
"Okay?"
"They looked into it. They didn't find anything."
The knot in my chest I hadn't known I was holding loosened.
"That's good then."
Jamie exhaled and smiled.
"Why'd you look like you were delivering bad news?"
"I knew SLED had been looking. And I didn't tell you." She turned the mug in her hands. "I felt bad about it."
"Why? I figured they would've told you to keep it confidential."
She shrugged. "I guess I just felt bad hiding it from you. I didn't want to put you in the position of having to choose between me and the department."
I reached across the table and took her hand.
She was still watching me like she was waiting for something to land wrong. I smiled at her, and I watched the last of whatever she'd been holding leave her shoulders.
I turned her hand over in mine.
"You were trying to keep me out of a mess. I can't be mad at you for that."
"Yeah."
"Come here."
She got up and came around the table, and I pulled her down into my lap. She settled against me with her forehead at the side of my neck. I could feel her breathing. Slower now.
"I love you," she said into my collar.
"I love you too."
We sat like that for a minute.
The phone rang.
Jamie lifted her head. Looked at the screen on the counter.
"That's him."
