“Of course I made it. There isn’t anyone else here, is there?”

Ignoring the obvious pique in his voice, she glanced over her shoulder to signal to Edna to remain silent—not that she felt Edna was about to jump in. Edna wasn’t even eating, despite the food she’d put next to her. “Smells good.”

“I used to be a fabulous cook.” He spoke grudgingly, but she could tell he liked to talk, especially about himself, and especially in response to a compliment.

“What did you put in the eggs? Some onions and spinach with the sausage, maybe?”

He bent down to peer in at her. “Yes. I wanted to give the eggs a bit more flavor. And I figured you could use the vegetables.”

“Good idea. But what I really need is a toothbrush. You wouldn’t believe how terrible it is to go so long without brushing your teeth.”

“You don’t have a toothbrush?” he cried.

“No. Emmett never gave me one.”

He sighed. “He was hard to deal with.”

“Which is why I’m glad you’re here.” She held her breath, was afraid she’d gone too far with that statement. Psychopaths loved praise. She was pandering to his ego. But what she’d said was so farfetched it was hard to believe he wouldn’t recognize it as the lie it was and call her out on her attempt to manipulate him.

To her amazement, he didn’t. When he said, “I tried to tell you how lucky you were when I arrived,” as if he’d totally bought in, she felt the tension gripping her chest lessen ever so slightly.

“Emmett wouldn’t respond no matter what I needed,” she complained. “But I told Edna you’re not like that. You want us all to be happy together.”

“I do,” he said, his voice perking up.

“So you’ll get me a toothbrush?”

“Of course. Dental hygiene is incredibly important. It affects your overall health. But Emmett was an uneducated fool, so he wouldn’t know that.”

“He wasn’t as smart as you. That’s for sure. Could I also get another pillow and blanket for Mrs. Southwick? She’s having a hard time in here. It’s an adjustment, as you said before.”

As nicely as she’d asked, she’d thought he’d want to continue playing the hero. She expected him to agree to such a simple request. But his expression darkened. “No. She’s not getting anything.”

Evelyn widened her eyes. “Why not?”

“Because she has no manners, that’s why. She showed up here without even calling—and ruined everything!”

“I think it’s fortunate she came by,” Evelyn said, trying to soften his heart. “It’s made me a lot happier to have some company, hasn’t it?”

He seemed to consider her response. “Apparently so. I admit that at first I tried to look at it in a positive light, too. I thought she could help when it’s time for you to have the baby. I’m worried about how that will go without a doctor. But I wasn’t thinking clearly. It’s not as if she can just disappear from everyday life.”