Chapter 25 #2
After, I borrowed a pair of old track pants and a t- shirt, not willing to put my smoky clothes back on.
West walked me out, shielding me from his neighbors’ view until I was safely in the SUV.
As soon as he was buckled in, I ducked down for the trip back through town.
Anyone who looked would see West driving by himself.
Fortunately, his SUV was jacked up high enough that it would be hard for anyone to see me.
They’d have had to climb up on the running boards, and West wasn’t slowing down long enough for anyone to do that.
I stayed where I was, uncomfortably draped over the center console and out of sight, until we turned into the long drive to Heartstone.
I’d been tempted—so tempted—to tease him with my head practically in his lap. I’d traced a fingertip up the inside of his thigh, and his hand had come down to grab mine.
“Behave,” he’d said, with a little regret in his voice.
“If I run off the road and smash into one of my citizens’ cars, it’s going to be awkward.
And the whole point of this is to keep you hidden, which will be a little difficult if I have to write up a police report on myself for distracted driving. ”
We stopped in front of the gates, West waving at the camera. Hawk’s team knew West and his SUV. The gate swung open, and we proceeded down the drive.
“I forgot to ask last night,” I said. “Did you talk to Griffen after the fire?”
West nodded. “He’s been briefed. I’m going to take care of this, Avery. You trust me?”
“You know I do,” I said. “I don’t think there’s anyone I trust more.”
“Okay then. I know you’re going to be bored and you’re going to go stir-crazy, but I need you to be patient and smart, okay? I’m going to find who set that fire and get your name cleared.”
“I believe you,” I said, reaching to unsnap my seatbelt and get out of the car.
“I’ll walk you in,” he said. “I’m going to talk to Griffen again.”
Whoever was on the cameras must have called ahead. Sterling and Griffen met us in the hall.
We’d barely made it through the front door when Sterling started in on West. “West Garfield, did you seriously arrest Avery?”
“He didn’t arrest me,” I started. “That was Jim.”
“Same difference! Are you kidding me? You put her in jail? You know she wouldn’t set a fire.” Sterling’s gaze shifted to me, and one blonde eyebrow raised. “Right?” she asked.
I knew if I said I’d set that fire, she’d still be on my side. Because that’s the kind of sister Sterling was—ride or die, even if I was committing arson. Fortunately, we didn’t have to worry about that.
“Right, because I didn’t do it,” I said with a firm nod.
She relaxed a little but turned her fury back on West. “You just left her there in jail after she almost died in a fire? I’m so disappointed in you.”
West didn’t seem bothered. “She’s fine, Sterling. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Do you have whoever did it?” she demanded, her eyes blue fire.
“Not yet,” he said. “First priority was getting Avery out of jail and home where she’s safe. Next on the list is finding whoever set that fire.”
“We can help,” Sterling said. “Avery and I can?—”
“No.” West shut her down. “You’re not helping. I’ve got this. I need Avery to stay out of sight. No visitors. No phone calls. Got it?” He looked down at me.
“Crystal clear, Chief. Lie low, stay out of sight, and let you do the detective work.”
“That’s my girl,” he said. He turned to Sterling. “I know you’re mad and scared and you want to help, but for now I need you to just?—”
“Yeah, I get it. Lie low and let you play the detective.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
“Why do I not believe her?” West asked, looping his arm around my shoulders.
“Probably because she’s full of it,” I said.
“And are you full of it?” he asked, a smile curling the side of his mouth.
“Sometimes,” I admitted. “But not about this. I’m serious, West. Getting arrested for arson is bad enough. I don’t want to end up like Anna Novak.”
West tightened his arm, squeezing me into his side. “It’s going to be okay, Ave.”
“I know it is. You’ll be back tonight?” I asked, suddenly wishing he didn’t have to go.
“Hopefully in time for dinner,” West said. He brushed his lips across mine, keeping things PG, considering my big brother was standing several feet away, not bothering to pretend he wasn’t watching.
West’s lips moved to my ear, and he whispered, “Don’t worry. Enjoy having a day off, maybe find Finn and plan for your new restaurant. But don’t worry, okay? I’ve got this.”
“Okay,” I promised, knowing it was a lie.
“Okay,” he said, dropping another quick kiss on my mouth. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Come on,” I said to Sterling. “I’m going to go see if I can get Finn to give me some breakfast.”
“Good luck with that,” Sterling said. “You know he doesn’t like to feed us once the dining room is closed.”
“True, but I got arrested yesterday, so maybe he’ll be feeling some pity.
” I headed for the stairs to the lower level, trying to turn off all my worries and think about the plans Finn and I were making for adding a restaurant to the brewery.
That was it—focus on the future, don’t worry about the present.
West had asked me to trust him, and I did.
“I have an idea,” Sterling said. “Go see Finn. I’ll be there in a minute.”
I stopped at the head of the stairs. “What kind of idea?”
Sterling smirked at me. “A secret idea. If it doesn’t pan out, it’s better if you don’t know.”
“You can’t just leave me with that. It’s bad enough I have to sit here while West goes out and finds the bad guy,” I protested.
“I’ll be down in a few minutes,” she promised, “and then I’ll tell you.”
“All right,” I said, knowing I’d have to be satisfied with that. Ever since Sterling had started working with Sinclair Security, she’d gotten mysterious at times, and I’d already learned there was nothing I could do to get her to talk if she didn’t want to.
Hoping Finn had enough pity in him to make me a cappuccino, I jogged down the stairs, crossing my fingers that it wouldn’t take West long to find what he needed to clear my name.
Heartstone Manor was almost a castle, but if I couldn’t leave, it wouldn’t take long before it would feel like the jail I’d just escaped.