Page 116 of Forever Enough
“Oh, dear,” she muttered, bringing her hand to her mouth to muffle a laugh.
“Go ahead and laugh.”
Pressing her lips firmly together, she violently shook her head.
“I’ll go change into the spare clothes I keep in the office.”
Turning, I headed back the way I’d come, Lou hot on my heels, issuing apologies.
“I’ll make us some hot tea!” she called out from the other side of the bathroom door.
Slipping the wet sweatshirt over my head, I replied, “Sounds good!”
My change of clothes were sweatpants and a shirt, but thankfully my emergency set included socks and another pair of sneaks. I pulled my damp hair up into a bun on top of my head and emerged with the wet clothes in hand.
“Let me hang them up so they can at least air dry some.”
Holding the pile of wet clothes out of her reach, I replied, “I’ll do it, you just get that tea ready.”
I made my way back into the greenhouse and hung my shirt and jeans over a clothesline Lou had up for the rags and such we used for cleaning. Something caught my eye, and I looked and saw someone walking outside, toward the greenhouse.
“I’ll be right back, Lou, someone’s outside the greenhouse.”
Without hearing what she said, I headed to the main door and opened it, only letting out a small screech when Merit was right on the other side. She was with a man in his late forties. He was tall, with light brown hair, and dressed in a navy-blue suit.
“You scared me,” I said with a nervous laugh.
“I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. When I called Lou’s cell to see if you were here, she said you’d gotten wet and were changing. I figured I would just escort Detective Brice to the greenhouse.”
I smiled, but I was pretty sure it was fake as all get out. “Detective Brice from…?” I asked as I motioned for him to come into the greenhouse.
“Atlanta.”
Everything inside of me went cold. Merit quickly walked into the greenhouse and asked, “Should we go to the office, or perhaps back up to the house?”
He looked at me, then her, then back to me. “That’s up to you, Ms. Reeves.”
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “If you’re here to tell me something bad, I’d rather you just tell me.”
Pulling off his gloves, he nodded and looked around the greenhouse. “Is there a place where we can sit down?”
“My office,” said Lou from behind me. “I just made some tea.”
“Wonderful,” Merit said as she took my hand in hers. “Lou, will you lead the way for Detective Brice?”
Lou grinned and motioned for the police officer to follow her. I looked at Merit, who gave me a soft smile and squeezed my hand.
My breathing had picked up, and for a moment I was worried something had happened to Emily. It wouldn’t be a Georgia detective coming to tell me something had happened to my sister in New York City, though.
Somehow my feet moved, but I felt far removed from the scene. Once we got into the small office, Lou opened up a couple of folding chairs, poured some tea, and handed a cup to Detective Brice.
“We’ll let you have some privacy,” Merit stated as she motioned for Lou to follow her out.
“No, please, will you both stay?” I asked.
I sank down into the chair opposite Lou’s desk as she handed me a cup of tea, then poured one for Merit and herself.
“Why are you here in Montana? Does this have anything to do with George and Anna?”