Page 52 of Wicked Games

“That I know you can be happy with or without me, which is very humbling for a man, by the way, but if that day ever comes when I don’t make you happy, you need to tell me so I can fix it. Brooke told me and I didn’t listen, but I don’t want to lose you, Avery, and after all this, I’ve learned what’s important. Too late, maybe, but as they say, better late than never. I might need a reminder here and there though, so don’t hold it against me.”

She sits in my lap, and I wrap my arms around her. I’m thankful she knows she can and that I want her here. “You might need to put up with me for a little while too.”

“That’s a deal. Can I live with you?”

She blinks. “You’re asking to move into my apartment?”

“Yeah. Until we can get something else figured out.”

“Hmmm. I suppose I could be persuaded. But you’ll have to put your name on the lease. Can you pass a credit check?”

“I think I got that handled,” I murmur against her lips. “We better call LaSalle, huh?”

“And Detective Mueller. I’ll send Hattie’s posts to you later.” She tries to wiggle off my lap, but I stop her, tightening my arm around her back.

“Thanks,” I whisper.

She hugs me. “Who saved who, Seth?”

“You would’ve been okay.” I know that without a doubt.

Leaning away, she says, “You would have too. I think Violet would have made sure of it.”

“It’s not her job.”

“She’s your friend. She signed up for that a long time ago. I need some coffee.”

I let her get up and watch her pad across the kitchen to the coffeemaker. She’s right. Now I have two strong, courageous women in my corner and I’m one lucky son of a bitch.

I sit at her island and she stands on the opposite side, my phone between us. I call Detective LaSalle and put him on speaker.

“Mr. Lockwood, I see you haven’t contacted an attorney,” he says wryly, and Avery lifts her eyebrows.

“I threatened to sue the police department if there was a leak,” I explain.

“I’m well aware,” he says, but I say, “I’m not talking to you. Avery McKay’s here.”

LaSalle pauses, but then says, “Because of Hattie Maitland.”

Because I’m in love with her. “Because Hattie’s her sister, but you should have known that.”

“I did. I spoke to William Maitland after Detective Mueller found the bullet and ballistics connected it to Jenkins’s gun. I mentioned Mrs. McKay, and he said the nature of their relationship wasn’t common knowledge to protect their career interests. You seemed to think that her renting the house next to you was merely a coincidence, and there was no reason to say differently. Are you telling me otherwise, now that you know they’re related? With her standing right next to you?”

Avery looks at me.

I didn’t think it was important then and still don’t. “No.”

“Mrs. McKay, can I ask when you decided to rent the house in Lakehaven Falls?”

Her answer is quick and confirms my theory. “Last fall. Darren and I were struggling in our marriage, and he suggested we get away when the university was off for the summer to try to work things out. We didn’t make it and I came out alone. You can ask Kelly Larson. She works at Lakehaven Realty. She’ll confirm when Darren contacted her and that I’m here by myself. I would give you her number but I don’t have my phone with me at the moment.”

I have her number in my contacts, but LaSalle can look it up himself and I don’t offer it.

“That’s fine, thank you. Do we agree that Mrs. McKay and Mrs. Maitland’s connection is of no use to this case?” He’s implying I’m wasting time, but that’s fine. Avery knows I trust her and LaSalle knows it now too.

“Not necessarily. She does have some information she found in the backend of Hattie’s website. It places Hattie at the park the day Theo was kidnapped and Theo’s nanny can confirm it.”

Avery talks LaSalle through the post she found in Hattie’s trash and he sighs. He knows whoever was working Hattie’s murder dropped the ball. A big, heavy one. If they’d found out she was there, they could have been working on why and how.