“I hope you’re hungry,” Shay said. “Because I’m making you a sandwich, too.”

“Wouldn’t turn one down. Haven’t had time to stop for lunch.”

She rolled her eyes. “Like always.”

We’d developed a friendship of sorts with the sheriff. And Shay had taken that as permission to mother him. I gave Parker a small chin lift. “Hey, man. Everything okay?”

He slid onto a stool at the island. “Busy but fine. I just wanted to come and check on you and see how you were doing. But it looks like you’re fully up and about.”

I rounded the counter to take another stool. “Barely. This one has been stricter than a prison warden.”

Shay flipped a sandwich with a huff. “You try to keep someone from passing out and getting another concussion and all you get is grief.”

Parker chuckled. “He’s not the best patient, is he?”

“The worst.”

“Hey,” I complained.

Shay arched a brow in my direction. “Are you really going to argue that fact?”

I leaned back on the stool. “I might be a little impatient.”

She snorted as she plated the second sandwich and handed it to Parker. “Understatement of the century.”

Parker took a bite of the grilled cheese, and his eyes widened. “This is amazing.”

“Glad you like it.” She took her own sandwich and scooted onto the stool next to mine.

Parker took a sip of the Coke I’d brought him. “I asked Seattle PD to keep me up to date on your case, but they don’t have much hope of finding the guy.”

“I figured as much.” No one had seen the mugger’s face. And he hadn’t succeeded at stealing anything, so it wasn’t like my belongings would show up at a pawn shop. “I’m recovering, and no one else was hurt. That’s what matters.”

“Have you heard anything else about the murders?” Shay asked quietly.

Parker shook his head. “Nothing. It’s like he just disappeared.”

“Maybe he’s done,” she suggested.

Parker’s jaw went hard. “People like that, with that kind of darkness in them, they don’t stop killing. They can’t.”

The sandwich soured in my gut. As much as I knew Parker was right, I wanted to believe that the whole nightmare was over.

45

Shay

“All right, ladies, enjoy your feast.”

I swore the chickens clucked in response as if to say thank you. The further we got into the spring season, the more goodies I had for them from the gardens. And it gave me a weird sense of satisfaction to win over their normally cranky selves.

I picked up the basket of eggs and started back towards the house. I looked up to the bedroom window. No light shone, and I smiled. Brody didn’t want to admit it, but he was still recovering. He needed significantly more sleep than usual, and his appetite was greater, too.