“You don’t have to worry. Everything’s taken care of.” He was wearing a freshly pressed suit, and his face was clean shaven. His dark hair, combed and styled. All of this had been Raven’s idea, because they’d needed to sell their story to the police. “Your brothers are sleeping in our guest rooms, along with Flynn’s new friend, while the police track down your mother.”

Jack looked from Dr. Holloway to Raven. “But I don’t understand. How did you get me out?”

“Raven told me you broke into Evelyn’s office.” Dr. Holloway pulled out of the parking lot, easing the sedan onto the street. “He explained that you were looking for a suspect, so you could clear Belladonna’s name. You copied the files of her clients, and when the police arrived, you tried to burn them before you were found out.”

“I… yeah, that’s what happened.” Jack’s face was tomato red. Her gaze was on her feet. “You aren’t mad?”

“I wasn’t thrilled when I heard about what you did,” Raven’s dad said, signaling to turn left. “But we’re all trying to make sense of what happened to my wife, and I understand why you did what you did. The police asked me if I wanted to press charges, since I’m leasing Evelyn’s office. I said no.”

“You did?” Jack stammered, looking to Raven in shock. “But the police aren’t going to let this go. They think—”

“I know what they think,” Stefan said gently. “That’s why I sat down with the detective and explained that you couldn’t have had anything to do with Evelyn’s death. You were with me at the airport the entire time.”

“What?” The curve in Jack’s frown made Raven’s stomach hurt. He wanted to trace his fingers across those lips, teasing a smile out of her. He couldn’t help but notice that their hands were far apart. If he wanted to brush his pinkie against hers, he’d have to cross an ocean to reach her.

“My original flight was canceled,” Raven explained, inching his hand closer. Just a little. “But my dad didn’t get the message about it, so he thought I was getting in at eleven thirty. The camera on the front gate captured him leaving the house at ten o’clock. Since the airport is two towns over, it takes an hour and a half to get there. He was five minutes away when he thought to check his phone, and that’s when he realized I wouldn’t be getting in until the next day. So he went home.”