I’m having a hard time imagining this timid girl as a singing icon. If I had to guess who could be Dreamcatcher among the three girls in this room, she’d probably be my last.

“You don’t want to talk about work.” Gavin crosses his arms over his chest as we stand next to the coffee table. “There’s no interesting case right now. Connor is going crazy with boredom. He might start looking at the old unsolved case files just for fun.”

“That’s true.” I release a deep breath. “I want to thank you for—”

“For pulling your head out of your ass,” he finishes, and as usual, there isn’t a grin on his face.

I nod. “Whose idea was it?”

“Hers, of course. I told her multiple times that you’re not worth burning a barn for, but she won’t listen.” He shrugs, eliciting a chuckle out of me.

“I have no doubt you would have said that.”

“You know I don’t sugarcoat, Spencer.” Gavin grabs my shoulder. “So take it seriously when I say she really wanted to be inside that barn. She didn’t want you to think that everyone was tricking you. Only when I said that I wouldn’t even consider it did she begrudgingly agree.”

My mouth goes dry and my legs weak just imagining what could have happened if Autumn hadn’t agreed. “Thanks a lot, man.”

“So, is there anything more you want to discuss about work, or can I go back to the table?” He raises an eyebrow.

“What are you still doing here anyway?”

“I took the case from Andy Bruno.” He shrugs and looks away.

“What case?” My curiosity is piqued when Gavin’s face hardens.

“Minnie’s. I’ll find out who’s threatening her, and then I’ll make him pay for everything he’s put her through. By the time I’m done with him, he’ll regret the moment he ever heard her name.” Gavin storms past me and flops back into his seat with his arm curling around the back of Minnie’s chair.

Have I done the right thing in assigning someone like Gavin to Minnie?

EPILOGUE

LUKAS

“You won’t tell me where we’re going, even now?” Autumn asks after taking a sip from her bubble tea as she leans against my bike.

I shake my head, trying to bite back my smile. It’s been two weeks since the fire, and my life couldn’t be happier.

“That’s so unfair.” She shakes her head, and I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her waist.

“It’s a surprise, wife. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.” My voice grows heavy. It’ll be a bittersweet moment for both of us. I’m not telling her the destination because I don’t want her worrying about my feelings during the ride.