With a long, hard look at her, he turned and went back upstairs.

The stony silence in the car worked on Sam’s nerves. She had no idea what she should say or if she should reach out to him. Something told her he wouldn’t welcome anything from her just then. What she didn’t know was why. Was he blaming her for this latest wave of devastating news? She’d just been doing her job.

She glanced over and found him staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts, far, far away from her. The distance frightened her.

“Nick.”

He didn’t answer, didn’t blink, didn’t seem to even know or care she was there.

Reaching over, she curled her hand around his. “Talk to me.”

“Nothing to say.”

“I’m sorry this has happened to your friend. And to you.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you mad at me?”

His eyes finally shifted from the window to focus on her. “Why didn’t you tell me when we were upstairs? When we were alone?”

“Because I couldn’t.”

“Right.”

“I did it that way to protect you! So your statement and your reaction would be witnessed and on the record. You were one of the last people to see him alive. I was trying to ensure that you’d be cleared of any suspicion.”

Sagging into his seat, he said, “I didn’t think of it that way.”

“I hated having to tell you that, and I hate that we’re once again on our way to deliver devastating news to two people who don’t deserve it.”

“No,” he said softly. “They really don’t.”

“Neither do you.”

“I don’t have a lot of close friends,” he said, once again looking straight ahead. “There’re not a lot of people I feel completely comfortable with. Julian was one of them.”

Her heart aching for him, she tightened her grip on his hand. “You have me now,” she said. “I’m right here with you.”

He replied with a small nod.

As Sam drove, she kept one eye on him. The combination of the two murders had plunged him into such deep despair that she had no idea how to reach him.

At the O’Connors’ country home in Leesburg, Laine greeted them with a warm smile and hugs.

“Nick! Sam! How nice to see you again so soon.” She ushered them into the foyer. “What brings you out this way?”

Nick fell into Laine’s embrace and broke down.

Alarmed, Laine held him close. “Sweetheart, what is it?”

Sam had never seen Nick quite this undone, even after John died, and was unnerved by it. She was also struck by the odd sensation of once again being on the outside looking in. That he’d waited to get here, to his adopted mother, before he gave into the full depths of his devastation hurt Sam.