Page 41 of Dead Man's Alibi

Something about lunchreally did not agree with the baby.Aly would feel fine in the morning.Eat normally, though she was avoiding coffee and caffeine like all the books said and thatsucked.Then she’d be hungry for lunch, sit down to eat it.

Then about fifteen minutes later, run to the bathroom and throw it all up.She knelt in the bathroom now, hoping once was enough.Sometimes it was.She really wanted today to be one of those days.

“I know you’re worth it and all,” she whispered to the baby as she had gotten in the habit of doing in such a short time.“But I’mnotloving this.”

She got to her feet, washed her face.She’d taken to keeping a toothbrush in the downstairs bathroom so she didn’t have to trudge upstairs to brush her teeth after.

Because she wasexhausted.She’d take the puking over this dogged feeling like she’d just rather be curled up in bed for eternity.

She stood in the bathroom, considering just that.She could just lie down on the couch.Set an alarm.Take a little nap.Landon was being all overprotective and thwarting her doing any of her outside ranch chores anyway.

Once she had her doctor’s appointment,thatwas going to be over, but for now what else did she have to do but sleep?She moved from the bathroom to the living room, looking around, feeling like some kind of criminal.She wasn’t anapkind of person.She was ago, go, gokind of person.

Just as she sat on the couch, she heard the sound of the back door opening.Boots stomping on the mat in the mudroom.She jumped off the couch like a shot and then felt ridiculously silly for it.

Still, she was glad Landon hadn’t caught her napping.He’d worry or fuss orsomething.

She frowned then.Landon had come in for lunch, then gone out for his afternoon chores not twenty minutes ago.There was no good reason for him to be back, unless he’d forgotten his phone or something.

Or he was checking in on her.And to think, if he’d been five minutes later, he would have caught her taking a nap.She wouldn’t have been able to live that one down.

She moved toward the kitchen, pretending to bustle as though she’d been doing very important house chores.But he appeared at the doorway between the living room and entryway, looking very grim.

She forgot all about looking busy.

“I just got a call from Cal,” he said.

If he was missing chores to come inside and tell her about a phone call in person, rather than just texting her, it was bad.Catastrophically bad.

Landon swallowed.He was working very hard to keep his reactions steady, but she knew him.She sawhim.Worry and frustration and a million other bad things lived underneath that stoic façade.

“Nate’s been arrested for the murder.”

Aly had to reach out for the wall to steady herself.“What?No.No.That can’t be right.Cal…”

“Cal is bringing Sam up here.I guess Nate was hoping she could stay for a few days so someone could keep an eye on her.Then Cal will handle Nate’s… stuff.He’ll take care of Nate.”

Aly managed an inhale.Yes, catastrophically bad.She let out a slow breath.She needed to think.Focus.Problem-solve.

“And we’ll take care of Sam.Of course.”Aly’s mind was reeling.None of it good.“I’ll… I’ll make up a room for her right now.”It was something to do.Something concrete.“I’ll… we’ll keep an eye on her until Cal sorts this out.I’ll make her favorite dinner.It’s spaghetti.I’m almost sure of it.”

Landon reached out, took her arm.“Honey, you just got done puking your guts out.”

Aly waved that away with her free hand.“Our friend is hurting, Landon.We can’t do anything about Nate, so we’ll have to leave that up to Cal.But we can try to ease Sam’s hurt while he does.”

She looked up into her husband’s dark eyes.Hurt didn’t begin to cover what she saw there, but there was nothing she could do for him.

Except wrap her arms around him and hold on.For a moment, he stayed stiff, but eventually he softened, hugged her back, rested his chin on the top of her head.

“How’d this happen, Al?”he asked, sounding lost.

She shook her head against his shoulder.“I don’t know.”It wasn’t fair, that she knew, but whatwas?Before she could find some sort of positivity in this awful moment, the front door opened.

Sam and Cal appeared.It seemed like Cal was all but dragging Sam.But not because she was fighting him.Just because she wasn’t moving on her own at all.

Aly turned from Landon and rushed over to Sam, enveloped her in a hug and squeezed tight.“It’s going to be okay,” Aly assured her, even as Sam just stood still and accepted the hug without reciprocating.

Aly looked up at Cal, hoping for affirmation.He didn’t meet her gaze.He dropped a bag, presumably Sam’s, next to the coatrack.