“I’m not upset,” I said gruffly.
“I just care about you and Royce so much, sometimes I butt in where I don’t belong.” She pulled back, sniffing. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she laughed self-consciously.
My chest squeezed oddly. “It’s okay. You’re just trying to help. Knowing me, I… I need the help.”
She sighed. “Go lie down. I’ll stay until Royce gets home. He doesn’t want you to be alone.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” I said softly.
She winced. “I know. Nobody does.”
As I left the kitchen, I couldn’t shake the feeling we weren’t just talking about her keeping me company.
Chapter Twelve
Royce
I was pulling on my jacket, preparing to leave the station for the day, when there was a knock on my door. “Come in.”
“Hello, hello!” Mayor Penelope Granger called out in a singsong voice. She poked her head around the door, smiling. “Guess who?”
“Well, this is a surprise.” I couldn’t remember the last time Penelope had just dropped by to see me. Not that she never visited the station, but she usually called first. It was impossible not to feel a pang of uneasiness at her spontaneous visit.
“You don’t look very happy to see me.” She pouted, tugging off her floppy sun hat.
“Of course I’m happy to see you.” I forced a smile, pushing away my impatience. I really, really wanted to get home to Max but didn’t want to seem inhospitable.
“Looks like I caught you on your way out. Should I come back another time?”
“Nah, sit.” I gave her a lazy smile and gestured to the chair in front of my desk. “My door is always open to you, Penelope. You know that.”
She took the offered chair. “I won’t take up too much of your time. I just thought it was a good time to drop by for a little chat. It’s been too long since we had a real heart-to-heart.”
“It has been a while.” She seemed to have a nervous energy buzzing through her, which in turn made me uneasy. I sat behind my desk, clasping my hands on top.
“First things first, how is Dr. Thornton doing?” she cooed.
I grimaced. “He’s a little banged up and sleeping a lot, but I think he’ll be just fine.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful news.” She sighed. “What an ordeal he’s been through. Poor thing.”
“Yeah. It was an awful experience, but he’s safe now.”
She nodded. “Who would have thought that River Martin would snap like that? I mean, I simply adored him.”
I noticed.
“Lots of people did,” I said pleasantly.
“To think he kidnapped poor Dr. Thornton. Well, it’s just inconceivable, that’s what it is.”
“Agreed.”
She began to tick things off on her fingers. “Drugging Dr. Thornton, that’s simply unforgivable. Kidnapping him? Good Lord. Threatening to kill the poor doctor at gunpoint? Oh, my. All of those things must add up to someveryserious charges.”
“The gun was a fake, just for the record, but yes, River got himself into a real legal mess.”
“You’ve interviewed him, of course?”
