“Willow,” Miles calls and I look his way. “I told Clay, but I have a sketch artist meeting you at the station this evening.”

“Oh, okay sure.” I accept a cup of coffee from Clay, then feel his hand against my lower back, his touch putting me at ease.

“It shouldn’t take long.”

“Okay.”

He looks down at Winter and I notice then that she has a pair of headphones on her head and is watching an iPad that is set up in front of her.

“I also want to fill you in on the news we got back from the coroner last night,” he says gently.

My muscles bunch.

“Miles,” Clay growls.

“Would you rather her find out at work when people start talking?”

“No, but I’d also appreciate you letting me fill her in when she’s not in the kitchen, surrounded by people and able to let go if she needs to.”

“Just tell me,” I say quietly, cutting into what I can see becoming an argument between the two of them.

“Mouse.” Clay slides his hand across my back and squeezes my hip.

“It’s okay.” I tip my head back to look up at him. “I just want to know.” I focus back on Miles. “Tell me.”

“She was murdered, beaten pretty badly then strangled.”

Closing my eyes, I let that information sink in and try to understand why or how someone would do that to her. It doesn’t make any sense.

“Baby.” Clay turns me to face him and takes the cup from my hands before hugging me.

“She never hurt anyone, I just don’t get it.” My throat starts to ache like I’m going to cry.

“You never will, Mouse.” He presses his lips to my temple and holds them there.

I fight back tears, refusing to give into them. It would be easy to call into work, then spend the day crying, but that’s not going to help get answers or justice for Carly. Someone has to know something, and even if Miles and Tucker can’t get Carly’s account information for the dating site without a warrant, that doesn’t mean I can’t see if I can.

“I’m okay.” I tell him after a few minutes, and he leans back enough to look me in the eye.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” I drag in a deep breath through my nose. “I just want to know who did that to her.”

“We’re going to do everything we can to find out,” Miles says.

I look over at him and nod.

“I want you to eat something,” Clay tells me.

I shake my head as I pick up my coffee. “I’m not hungry.”

“I’m sure you’re not but you need to eat.”

“I will at lunch.”

“You need to eat now,” he argues.

“Is this weird for anyone else?” Dayton asks.

Miles chuckles while Hazel laughs.

“Just asking.” He mutters and I imagine that if I looked up at Clay, I’d see him glaring at Dayton.

“I think it’s sweet.” Hazel shrugs.