Liam nodded and turned to look up to the two-story Bayside Apartment complex. “Matt, yes. Zoe was with me.”
“Zoe? What was her reaction?” A stab of pain shot through her arm as she reached for the door handle.
“Don’t. I’ve got you.” As he’d done in the emergency room circle drive, he hopped out and jogged around the vehicle. “Zoe acted like a kid who stepped into Disney World. Matt, not so much.” Holding out his arm, he guided her out of the car. “Are you sure about this?”
“I am. This is the right thing to do.”
As easy as the sun, he joined hands with her. “Okay, but I need to be honest with you that I never know what to say in loss situations, let alone one that involves an abusive estranged husband who tried to kill his wife as well as one of my best friends.”
He acknowledged that this was important to her and went along with it. She had hooked the best, smartest man on the planet. She might be slow, five years slow, but she was brilliant.
She climbed the stairs and knocked on Apt. 2. There was shuffling behind the door, but no one answered. She glanced up to Liam. He shrugged.
Waiting another moment, she heard footsteps creak to the door, then stop. Miriam must have been at the peephole. She opened the door. The size of her smile was in direct contrast to the pale color of her skin and dark rings beneath her eyes. Her black dyed hair looked like something might have nested in it. The tank she wore exposed the entire nicotine patch stuck on her left upper arm, which would be impressive if not for the lit cigarette in her other hand.
“Liam. Willow, hello.”
Willow paused before asking, “May we come in, friend?”
“Of course,” Miriam said and stepped aside. The living room was a combination living room/kitchen/dining room. Other than the strong smell of burnt coffee and cigarette smoke, it was OCD clean.
“I heard about your arm,” Miriam said through the cigarette that dangled from her lips.
It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours.
“And, you about my husband. Small town,” she added as she placed a hand on her hip, fingers pointing behind her. “It’s why you’re here?”
Crossing her arms over one another, she grabbed each elbow. Dark circles ringed her eyes. “I’m surprised you’re out of the hospital.” Lifting her cigarette hand enough to reach her mouth, she took a deep drag.
“I, we wanted to let you know we love you and are here for you. Are you okay? How are you holding up?” She placed her good hand on Miriam’s arm. It was ice cold, and Willow could feel the goose bumps beneath her fingers.
Taking a deep breath, Miriam blew smoke into a fallen clump of hair stuck on her forehead. “Best day of my life, really.” She blinked and looked Willow in the eye. “Oh, and for you, too, right? Case is closed?”
“Right,” Liam answered for her.
He was smart not to let on about what they knew. Still, it seemed deceptive.
Liam added, “There is that, but we are still sorry for…everything.”
“Yeah. There is that.” She turned away and grabbed the back of her head. “Sorry about the mess. I’ve been busy.”
There was no mess. She still hadn’t offered for them to sit. Willow sagged more and more by the minute and wasn’t sure if she would make it long enough for a sit visit anyway. “What have you been doing, if it’s okay for me to ask? We really must have some coffee soon. Did you hear the Coffee House is offering a free cup in exchange for a bucket of beach garbage?”
“No, I hadn’t heard that.”
Awkward silence followed, especially since she hadn’t answered Willow’s question. “Well, we won’t keep you. I’ll call in a day or so about that coffee.”
“You do that, yes. Get better, Willow.”
As he pulled into Willow’s drive, Liam made a list of things to do. Clean up fallen brush, trim the grass, shape the palm trees, and power wash the siding. He knew keeping busy was his knee-jerk to calm all that had happened in the last day or so, but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to properly process until he’d gotten some sleep anyway.
“Did you hear me?” she asked.
“Of course, I did. I’m a guy.” He had no idea what to do with this new thing that was them. Or, how it happened, for that matter. His delirious mind was full of the recent events and turns in everything that was anything. It might be that this was all a dream or drunken stupor, and he was going to wake up any second.
He grinned as he pulled his Ranger next to Raine’s truck. “Okay.” He shifted into neutral, set the emergency brake, and turned to her. “Tell me again. I’m listening.” It was hard with her arm in a sling, a bandage on her forehead, and the most incredibly soft lips he’d ever kissed speaking to him.
“We need to have a family meeting. Go over everything. Make sure everyone is on the same page. Invite Matt.”
Spoken like a Clearwater. He sighed and added, “Heal from the damage of a building falling on your head.”
“Roof,” she amended. “How is your back by the way?”
Reflexively, he arched. It was sore as hell. How did she know about that? “Good as ever.”
“You are such a liar.” Her arm lifted toward the door handle, then pulled back again. Smart girl. He jumped out of his Ranger and around the hood as he noticed Raine on the side of the house, checking on the water. “How is it?” he yelled as he opened his passenger door.
Her eyes met his, but she didn’t answer.
He stared at Raine as she went back to what she was doing that didn’t look a thing like checking on water.
He forced a grin as he held out an arm for Willow. “May I?”
She took his arm and eyed Raine as much as he had. “My place is a mess.”
“So?”
“So, you’re neat and organized.”
“And, you’re attentive, giving, and the best mother I know.”
Her eyes watered. He assumed it might not be from pain.
Standing in the drizzle, she said, “My Love Languages are gifts and words. You brought me flowers and personal compliments.”
“Oh, well. That’s good, right?” Rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger, he said, “I don’t know my love speaking thing.”
“Touch and words, I think. So, we’ve got words down and need to pay attention to gifts and touch.”
She reached up around his neck and lifted on her toes. Pulling his head, she laid those softest lips he’d ever kissed on his. How? When? Why? Yep. He was sleep drunk.
“What? Oh my gosh.” Raine marched from the side of the house and walked right by them. “Why the hell not?”
Willow covered her mouth and laughed enough for her shoulders to shake. The wince on her face had him placing his hand on her back and guiding her toward the door. He’d thought for sure Raine would be gone by the time they got there and definitely that she wouldn’t be coming in.
Toeing off his shoes, he set them straight next to Willow and Raine’s discarded pairs.
“Mom is home?” Willow asked.
“Yeah. We’ve got forty-five wash outs so far,” she said, referring to turtle nests, he assumed. “I dropped her off, so I could get out there.” Raine moved the crumpled blanket from the side of the couch and sat. “Come sit. I have something to tell you.”
There was a lot of that going on, and he had a feeling it wasn’t about catching him and her sister kissing.
Willow sat next to her, and he took the armchair.
“I want you to know that I’ve called Matt. All of your windows are locked as well as your front and back doors.”
He did not like where she was going with this and stood.
“Just,” Raine said and held out both arms to him. “Be calm, Liam. She needs you to be calm.”
“Would everyone please stop treating me like a glass doll?” Willow barked.
Raine raised her voice. “Or, someone who had a building fall on her last night?”
“Roof,” Willow said. “A roof that paused halfway before falling to the ground, and what the hell is wrong with my yard?”
“Someone’s been back there. Your plants are all stepped on.” Raine looked to Liam, then back to Willow. “Around the corners.”
The sound of tires over Willow’s gravel had Liam take the three long strides to the front door. Looking out the glass crescent window at the top, he spotted a squad car. Matt.
He didn’t come to the front door but meandered around the side of the house.
“You told him about my plants?” Willow asked.
Raine nodded. “How long has this—” She motioned between him and Willow. “—been going on? Am I the last to know again?”
Willow sat up straighter than her already straight body. “Nope. The first.” Did her face light up as she said that, or was that his sleep-deprived delirium?
“But,” Liam interjected from the front of the house. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“The treasure,” Raine finished for him. “Zoe called. Mom and Dad know.” She leaned forward and rested both forearms on her thighs. “I realize this might not be the time, but give me your phone. I want to see the pics.”
He nodded and swiped open his phone. As he handed it to her, she said, “Willow needs to get some rest, and I have to get out to…Oh. My. Gosh.” Raine stood as she swiped. “Look at these. I mean…” She started pacing. “Zoe said, and I believed her, but maybe not, because…look at these!”
“I know,” Willow said as a fat tear fell down each cheek. “He did it.”
“If you don’t mind,” Liam said, “I’d like to check the windows and doors myself.”
Raine nodded as she paced and swiped.
He stepped into Chloe’s bedroom first. The room was blue with a Dora bed and play kitchen set under the window. It was dusted and organized with the comforter turned back exposing freshly laundered sheets. Splitting the blinds between his fingers, he saw that the locks were secured.
What had Chloe’s reaction been when Willow told her about the so-called accident? Was it his right to ask? He rotated on the balls of his feet and went next door to Willow’s bedroom to check her locks. She was going to stay with him at his place. He would make her. He wasn’t a chauvinist. Mostly. And, he knew she could take care of herself…had taken care of herself and her daughter on her own for five years, but this was different.
Her room was just as dusted, but her bed wasn’t made and small nests of clothing were scattered everywhere. The blinds were open. His feet stopped as he imagined someone like Lucky Nemo searching in and around his Willow’s house for millions of dollars’ worth of treasure.
The locks were secure, so he closed the blinds and went to see about the rest of the house.