Chapter 18 #2
I nodded and followed him as the doors opened. We made our way to the parking garage, and I sank into the passenger seat of his truck as he stowed Millie in the back, moving a few things to make room for her bag.
“Can I let her out?” I asked, surveying the official-looking radios, laptops, and other law enforcement items that I couldn’t name, scattered around the interior.
“Of course. I had her free while we waited for you.”
I turned in my seat and unzipped the bag for my cat, as Rob navigated the tangled exit of the parking garage. Millie chirped and snuggled into my lap, her purr lulling me to sleep as the city lights flashed by.
The next thing I knew, we were surrounded by mountains. I blinked, my eyes feeling as though they were full of the sand in Millie’s litter box. For a moment, I had no idea where I was until I looked over and saw Rob’s handsome face smiling at me, his eyes crinkled at the corners.
“Morning, beautiful,” Rob said. “We’re about twenty minutes from home.”
I rubbed my face as Millie made a sound in my lap. She snuggled closer, her tail wrapped firmly over her eyes.
“Morning. I don’t feel like I slept at all, but it had to be about three hours.”
“Not enough,” Rob said, reaching for my hand to give it a squeeze. “But you’ll be home soon. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll stay over with you. Your bed is way better than mine.”
I sat straighter, shock making my heart skip a beat.
“Home? My home? Are you serious?”
He chuckled and nodded, rubbing at the stubble on his cheek.
“If I didn’t like your apartment so much, I might be offended on behalf of my house. But I can’t deny, you’ve made your place a cozy haven. Mine is... well, more of a lock and leave kind of place.”
“The building isn’t going to be condemned?”
“No. The structural engineer recommended some repairs, but it’s been cleared for you to return. If you need help with the insurance company, let me know. I’m not afraid to pull some strings. And Freddie’s already offered to sell you some material at cost to help with the rebuilding.”
A warm sensation filled my heart, which was only partly because of the generosity of the Timber Falls community. Home. I was going home. I resisted the urge to kick my feet in glee, but it was close.
“Thank you, Rob. That’s the best news I’ve had in... well, it feels like forever, but I guess it’s only been a few days. I still can’t believe we caught Natalie.”
The smile on his face faded, and he glanced down at Millie in my lap.
“Yes. It is rather unbelievable.”
The joy I’d been feeling seeped away through the cracks I could feel forming deep in my heart. Memories of how Millie had helped me hold Natalie filtered to the surface. Rob’s reaction. How he’d even been there.
“I forgot to ask how you found us,” I said, stalling for more time against the inevitable.
“Well, now, that is a funny thing. Rolly James was heading home, and he said his dog went nuts and tried to climb outside the window of the truck cab. He’d never done something like that before.
Rolly pulled over, and Cooper leapt out as soon as he opened the door.
He followed Cooper, and that’s when he found Millie.
He knew something was wrong since the two of you were always together.
He called me, and I headed straight there.
Millie... waited for me, I think. As soon as I got there, she ran into the woods and then back toward me. ”
“She’s a wonderful cat,” I said, ruffling her fur. “The best.”
“Yes... I sent Rolly to safety, even though he swore he’d be back up for me, but I needed him to direct the ambulance crew and Trevor when he arrived. I followed Millie through the woods until I heard voices. And then...”
“You saw something you can’t explain,” I said, finally unable to contain my dread. “And now you’re wondering what end is up and what’s even real.”
He blinked a few times, and the corner of his mouth tilted up.
“That’s an... accurate way of putting it. You sound like you speak from experience.”
I nodded and continued stroking Millie’s fur.
I’d been both dreading and anticipating this moment for far too long.
Rob was a smart man. He was an excellent cop and graced with observational skills far superior to my own.
He’d been trained. I knew this would eventually happen, but it didn’t make it any easier.
My cat made a sound and pressed her head into my hand, waking. She looked at me, her eyes full of love, compassion, and acceptance. I nodded.
“Millie is what is called a guardian cat. She’s very rare.
There aren’t many of them. I guess she has a cousin who lives in South Dakota.
Anyway, she’s got special abilities. She’s not supposed to talk about it, though, and I think she could get into trouble if she does.
Technically, she’s not even supposed to talk, but... ”
Rob made a strangled sound, and I turned to look at him.
“Are you seriously saying that she... talks?”
“Yes. She talks. I can hear her. So far, other people can’t. At least I don’t think they can. You’d think someone would say something if they heard her talking.”
“You’d think that, wouldn’t you?” Rob asked. “How long?”
“Um, well, it didn’t happen right away. I thought I heard a few things when I first adopted her.
She was in the alley by the bookstore, remember?
If it hadn’t been for her darting in front of my SUV, Meg would have never seen me roll into town.
I slammed on the brakes, and Meg spotted me through the cafe window. ”
“I remember. But?”
“Sorry. I thought I heard a voice a few times, but I dismissed it as my imagination. Until... well, until I figured out it was Millie and she told me. She’s saved my life more times than I can count. And it’s only because of her I’ve managed to bumble about and solve the cases I have.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
I looked back down at Millie, at her beautiful green eyes and her soft ivory fur.
“No, I didn’t. I tried to. A dozen or so times. I didn’t enjoy it, Rob. But how do you even tell someone that? You probably think I’m crazy.”
I risked a glance his way, out of the corner of my eye. His hands gripped the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were white. His face was trained on the road.
“No. Not crazy. I wish... I wish you’d felt like you could tell me, though.”
“I’m sorry. I... wait... you don’t think I’m crazy?”
He looked at me. There was something in his eyes, some emotion I couldn’t quite name.
“No, Livie. I’ve seen strange things with my own eyes.
I saw the golden glow around Natalie. I saw the way this cat led me through the forest to get to you.
I’ve noticed many things over the past few months that didn’t...
add up, you could say. I don’t pretend to understand it, but if you say she talks to you and has abilities, well, I believe you.
We’re an honest pair, right? I don’t think you’d lie to me, let alone about something like this. ”
Relief flooded through me, and every one of my muscles relaxed until I was practically a puddle of goo in the passenger seat.
“You believe me?”
“I’ve always said she was a smart cat. I’ve seen a lot of things that can’t be explained in my time on the force. Sometimes, you just have to go with it. I hope she... likes me?”
Millie chirped, stretched, and leaned over, bumping his arm with her head. A soft smile curled around Rob’s lips as we passed the welcome sign for our town.
“I think it’s safe to say she loves you,” I said, reaching for his hand. “And she’s not the only one.”
A faint blush pinked Rob’s cheeks, and he cleared his throat.
“Olivia, I...”
He trailed off, eyes sharpening as we pulled onto my street.
The window of the bookstore was still boarded up, but the yellow tape was gone.
I was going home. But Rob wasn’t looking at the bookstore.
His attention was focused on a tall blonde woman standing next to a cherry red convertible, waving like mad.
He pulled to a stop as the woman ran over to us.
I watched as his finger hit the button on the door and the window slowly rolled down.
“Baby! Guess who’s back?” the woman asked, leaning in to plant a smacking kiss on Rob’s lips.
My stomach bottomed out as I gripped Millie to my chest. What on earth was going on here?