Evan lifted his hand but it dropped again. Whatever strength he had was gone. All the threats extinguished.

On Evan’s second try his hand landed on Connor’s arm. “She belongs to me.”

That she heard.

She sat back on her knees, refusing to get closer. Also refusing to give in. “Never.”

Connor shot her a glance then nodded. “Never.”

Chapter 34

The nightmare of the last twenty-four hours wouldn’t leave Connor’s head. He stood in front of Maddie’s floor-to-ceiling windows and stared out over the water. Her view put his at the cabin to shame. Miles of water. Today the sky was blue but the gray would soon return. He half wondered if that was a metaphor for something.

He didn’t have the energy to work through any problem at the moment. He wore his lounge pants and vowed not to get any dressier for days.

They had been questioned and requestioned. Every agency sent a representative and ran through a list of questions. When a federal law enforcement official—on leave or not—was involved in a shooting, a lot of people showed up to lock the story down. Ben. Police from Seattle. The FBI. Representatives from the Marshals Service. Each wanted a piece of them and almost no one looked like they believed the whole story.

Of course, it wasn’t the entire story. They strategically and by silent agreement left Maddie’s secret piece out. The two of them shared that information and no one else needed to know. That was the unspoken deal.

Daria returned home. Maddie commented that she looked more broken than she had when Ned went to prison. Connor had trouble mustering any sympathy. She’d bought into the stories about Maddie. Sure, Evan used her, too, but Daria struck him as someone who wanted to believe the worst. It was likely the only way she could cope with the series of disasters in her life. That part he got.

“You’ve been staring out the window for hours.”

The exaggeration made him smile. “It’s amazing what almost dying will do to you.”

She groaned. “Don’t joke about that.”

He turned to see her sitting on the couch. She had thrown on her pajamas but that was it. Even though it was noon, they’d only rolled out of bed an hour ago and he was fine to jump right back in. All she had to do was give him a signal. Any signal.

“It’s over.” More than a little relief came with saying those words. From the notes to Owen’s death to the attack on Paul, they were able to tie it all back to Evan and his delusions.

“Is it?”

And like that she ruined his good mood. “Do you know something I don’t know?”