Chapter Thirty-Four
Two nights later, Olivia and Lincoln sat in the living room.
Olivia nursed a glass of red wine. Lincoln, taking over-the-counter painkillers for his broken collarbone, drank tea.
Across the room, Nicki had her face buried in her latest dragon romantasy book.
She seemed in no rush to go back to her apartment.
Lincoln’s cell phone buzzed. “It’s the cops from Summerton.” He answered the call and mostly listened, occasionally making noises of agreement. When he lowered the phone five minutes later, he made a strange face. “So, they found Tim’s body.”
Olivia exhaled. “That’s a relief. I didn’t see how he could have survived that fall, but he seemed invincible that night.” She understood why Zoe had feared him so drastically. She pictured him stalking her in the rain and shuddered. He’d been terrifying. “I have to call Zoe.”
“The police already notified her, but I’m sure she’d appreciate a call from you.” Lincoln nodded. “No one has to worry about Tim anymore. His remains had been predated upon. They had to run a rapid DNA test.”
“Oh.” Olivia didn’t know if she wanted the details.
Nicki lifted her head. “Predated? What does that mean, like hunted?”
“Not quite.” Lincoln paused, then said simply, “The bear ate him.”
“Huh.” Nicki cocked her head for a few seconds, then said, “That seems karmic.” Then she raised her book again.
Olivia took an extra-large sip of her wine.
The doorbell rang. The dog burst into an earsplitting chorus of barking and rushed for the door. Lincoln went to the door, nudging the yapping dog away with a toe.
Lance and Morgan walked in. The dog barked and growled.
“Good job, buddy. I’m scared.” Lance laughed. “He’s just a puppy.”
“Yeah,” Lincoln said. “We thought he was a chihuahua, but once we washed all the mud off him and brushed out the mats, we discovered he’s just a skinny puppy. The vet said he’s about three or four months old.”
Morgan crouched and held out a hand. “I think he’s very fierce.”
The puppy seemed to approve. He sniffed her hand and sidled up for a scratch.
“He weighs like, ten pounds,” Lance said.
“Eleven,” Olivia corrected. “I took him to the vet today. They think he’s some kind of border collie mix.”
“You’re keeping him?” Lance asked.
“We haven’t made a decision yet, but Jacob has no relatives.” Olivia shrugged. “The shelter is already full of dogs, and he’s underweight.”
Nicki lowered her book. “They’re keeping him.” She sat up straighter and focused on Lance and Morgan. “What happened?”
Lincoln led them into the living room, and they all sat.
“It was beautiful.” Lance rubbed his hands together.
“We followed Dylan from his apartment to the SportsCar, that little bar on Twelfth Street. Morgan went in and sat at the bar. Two eye bats was all it took to lure him in. He bought her a glass of wine, and she pretended to drink it. He was already hammered, so he didn’t notice.
When he went to the restroom, Morgan used one of those drink test strips, and it was positive. ”
Morgan frowned. “I never saw him put it in my glass. He was very slick.”
Lance wrapped an arm around her. “I was at the other end of the bar, watching. I didn’t see it either. But I viewed the security tapes in slow motion, and it’s there. On video. The guy’s a magician, but the camera doesn’t lie.”
“And?” Olivia asked.
“And he’s going to jail.” Lance’s voice was almost gleeful. “The cops found the panties and powder in his gym locker.” He coughed. “I might have suggested they look there.”
“Fantastic!” Lincoln said. “Well done, you two.”
Morgan smiled. “It felt good.” Years ago, she’d been a prosecutor. “The police cleared Cody. He had nothing to do with drugging Nicki. It was all Dylan.”
Nicki, who hadn’t spoken a word, said, “Cody’s still an asshole for leaving, but at least he’s not a criminal. But why would Dylan drug me? He was hitting on someone else that night.”
“Impulse,” Lance said. “I talked to the detective who interviewed him. Dylan had been drinking that night, and he was angry that Zoe had left. He was also pissed off that you dumped him as a client. He took it as a rejection of sorts. He saw you across the bar. He had the GHB in his pocket. He gave it to you instead of the woman he’d been chatting up. Basically, he was baked and ragey.”
“Zoe will be relieved that Dylan is in jail.” Olivia had been in touch with her. Zoe would be back to Scarlet Falls to pack up her things. She and her podcast would move in with Harold for a while. They both seemed excited.
After Morgan and Lance left, Olivia turned to Nicki. “How do you feel about Dylan? He drugged you.”
“Mad. Also happy he was arrested,” Nicki said. “I wonder how long he’s been drugging women?”
“A long time,” Lincoln said.
Nicki nodded. “I think I’ll be ready to go home tomorrow.”
“You’re welcome to stay with us for as long as you want,” Olivia said.
“I know.” Nicki gave her a one-arm hug. “And I appreciate it, but I’m going to pack my stuff.” She tucked her book under her arm and headed down the hall.
Lincoln moved closer to Olivia on the couch. “Are you OK with her leaving tomorrow?”
“She’s an adult, and I respect her decision.”
He leaned over and gave her a kiss. “You know, you told her she could stay with us, not you.”
“Did I?” Olivia hadn’t realized. “You pretty much live here.”
“Is that OK with you?” Lincoln asked. “Or am I overstaying my welcome?”
Olivia took a small sip of her wine. “For a while, I was worried that I only wanted you here because I was afraid to be alone, and you do make me feel safer. But I realize now that I want you here because I enjoy your company. The security is just a bonus.” She kissed him.
“I love having you here, and I love you.”