Page 77 of A Circle of Crows


Font Size:

Iforced a sarcastic chuckle. “Oh, right. Like he misses me.”

Tomsighed into the phone, and I listened to muffled footsteps and the squeak ofnoisy hinges, before he said in a hushed voice, “He's terrified he's nevergoing to see you again.”

Myheart was stricken with an awful ache, as I replied, “Tellhim I'm going to be fine. Alec wouldn't even let me go with him tonight becausehe wanted to make sure I was safe. I'll be home in a few days.”

“Butyouwantedto go with him, didn’t you?”

Ihung my head and nodded to the TV. “Yeah, I did.”

“Well,I'm fucking glad he had the sense to make sure you didn't,” Tom grunted, and Ismiled at the lingering affection he would always have for me. “You better comehome, Rosie. We both need you here. Okay? Don't forget about us while you'regetting your revenge over there.”

Hechuckled, a feeble attempt to lighten the mood, but I knew that, in a big way,he meant what he'd said. Still, I made sure I laughed, hugging an arm tightlyaround my middle, and promised I'd be back before he knew it.

Then,I lied and told him I was tired, and he let me go. I knew I wouldn't be gettingany sleep, and with the phone lying next to me on the couch, I stared ahead ata rerun ofFriends. Monica had just stuffed her head inside a turkey,and yet, I couldn’t find it in me to laugh. Instead, I listened to theiraccents and longed for home. I missed my house and my bed. Even my job soundedappealingat the moment, despite what a tyrant my bosscould be. But going home also meant going back to normal, and what would normallook like now, after Gracie’s death? How would I go forward without my sister?

Witha miserable sigh, I laid my head back against the couch cushions. I was foolishto believe that life would ever be normal again. There was now a Grace-sizedhole in the world, and nothing would ever fill it. That emptiness would remainuntil the day I died and saw her again, and right now, that didn’t seem sovery faraway. For a moment, I found I couldn’t wait. Ialmost allowed hope to take over, wishing my life would soon have reason toend, so she and I could be together again. But I rapidly shook my head,silently scolding myself for even thinking that way.

Ihad TJ to live for. I had my life. And then, I allowed the slightest littleflicker of hope to shine in the darkness, wishing that maybe I could have Alec,too. If we made it that far.

***

Iopened my eyes only to close them again from the harsh, bright TV light. I hadfallen asleep. For how long, I couldn’t be sure, but a pitch black hadblanketed the outside world and not a sound was heard within the house.

Sittingup and grinding the heels of my palms against my eyes, I slowly peeled my lidsopen and looked around the room. Disoriented, I tried to recall the moment Ihad fallen asleep, only to come up empty. I had been so exhausted, I must'vepassed out, and I considered the dreamless slumber a consolation prize.

HadAlec come home?

Theroom still looked the same as before. My shoes laid haphazardly beside thecouch, exactly the way they had landed when I'd kicked them off. My phone waslaying on the cushion beside my hand. The TV was playing the same channel ofold sitcom reruns. It was clear that nobody else had been in here, or at leastthey hadn't disturbed anything during their momentary visit. I checked my phoneto see if he had left any messages, only to find that he hadn't.

“Holycrap, it's already nine o'clock,” I muttered to no one.

Alechad left the house around seven. He'd been gone for almost two hours, andsomething in that amount of time seemed unsettling. It was too long. There wasno reason why he hadn't gotten in touch with me at all, unless something washorribly wrong, and with that in mind, I pulled his number up to call himinstead.

Butbefore I had the chance, my phone began to ring. Gasping with a jolt of myheart, I dropped it onto my lap and allowed a split second to catch my breath,before peering at the number. It wasn't Alec, I realized with a sickening punchto my gut, but it was the Fort Crow Police Station, and in a hurry, I picked itup.

“Hello?”I answered in a breathless rush.

“Ah,yes, is this … Rosalynn Allan?”

Thestrange voice on the other line had me grabbing my shoes and quickly pullingthem on, as I said, “Yes, this is she. Who is this?”

“Right,hello, miss. This is Constable Stirling Sharp from the Fort Crow PoliceStation. I've been given strict instructions from Inspector Brodie to call ye.He said ye were still in the country.”

Iran through the house to the foyer, as I replied, “You've heard from Brodie?He'sokay?”

“Aye,he just came in with Inspector Finley. Idunnoif yewere made aware, but the death ofyersister, Grace,was determined to be a homicide. Brodie has made the arrest and they're inquestionin' now.”

Reliefwashed over me with an abrupt, whispered sob, as I grabbed onto the newel postat the bottom of the stairs and bowed my head. Instant tears began to streamdown my face as I grinned like a fool.

“Oh,my God. Oh, oh, my God. I … I-I'm sorry. I'm just s-so happy,” I blubbered intothe phone, swiping at my face through an unnecessary bout of embarrassment.

“Noneed to apologize, lass. I can only imagine what ye'refeelin'.Do ye think ye can come down to the office? We'd like to takeyerstatement.”

Swallowingand struggling to pull my composure together, I nodded frantically. “Y-yes, ofcourse. I'll just see if, um, if I can get a ride from my friend.”

“Oh,someone can come pick ye up, lass. Where're yestayin'?”

Iopened my mouth to speak, before hesitating. Brodie hadn’t wanted anybody atthe office to know I was staying with him. He didn't want anybody knowing wehad been working together, period. Even with an arrest made, I still shouldn’tspill any details he didn't want known, so I cleared my throat and said, “Um,I'm sure it's fine. I'll just get my friend and we'll come down in a littlewhile.”