Page 21 (1/2)

"No!" He said the word aloud Megan was right; he had to talk to Faith, convince her that leaving Cedar Cove would be wrong He didn’t know if he’d be able to talk her out of this--or if he even had the right to try The thing was, he couldn’t idly stand by because Faith ed here

He reached for the phone just as his chili was done Ignoring it, he punched out her nu machine infore, he hung up

More depressed than ever, Troy paced the kitchen, gulping down spoonfuls of chili as he considered his options

Perhaps it was just as well that he hadn’t spoken to Faith, he told himself If she felt she had to escape Cedar Cove, then o

That conviction stayed with him for five whole days--until late Wednesday afternoon On his drive ho lot He needed bread, anyway, he reasoned, and pulled into a space as far from hers as he could find He didn’t want Faith to assuh, in truth, he was

The weather, overcast and glooan’s phone call, his appetite had vanished and he wasn’t sleeping well Although he longed to talk to Faith, he realized he couldn’t ask her to remain in Cedar Cove, and yet…he had to If she left, he’d always regret it

After their last , he’d felt hopeful that at some point they’d be able to put their differences behind theood instincts about people and situations in his years of police work, he couldn’t read Faith or understand her feelings

Teeks ago, when she’d called him about the intruder outside her bedroom , reconciliation had actually see her with Will Jefferson, but that night he’d let her kno much he loved and needed her He hadn’t used those precise words but he couldn’t have ured it, the nexthis patience would eventually be rewarded Apparently he’d been wrong

By the tirabbed a cart, his coat was damp Once inside, he did a wide sweep of the perietables and then the frozen-food section Finally he spotted Faith halfway down one of the center aisles She appeared to be reading the back of a box of pasta

Atte to look casual, he entered that aisle and slowed down as he drew close Faith glanced up and her eyes widened when she saw himent and maneuvered his eht to toss in a few iteive her the impression that he’d been in the store a while

"Faith," hemoment, and Troy decided to wait her out, let her speak first Silence was a coative technique; ap in the conversation and rushed to fill it They often revealed more than they intended

"How are you?" she asked aardly after half a enerally answered a question with one of his own He did that now "Did you have that security systeested?"

"I did and it orth every penny," she told hi of spaghetti noodles and dropped it into his cart, as if that was the sole reason he’d co Her reaction to his next question would tell hi day?"

She blanched "Oh, so Megan told you"

"Wasn’t that what you wanted?"

Frowning, she looked down at her cart as though she’d forgotten soht be

"Wasn’t it?" he repeated, unwilling to let her sidestep the question

Her shoulders sagged "I suppose I did," she mumbled

"You couldn’t have phoned ht and stared down at the floor; he could tell his questions unsettled her "Every tiry" She looked up and ry," he said "You’re welcome to live wherever you wish If you want to uest" He snapped his mouth shut before he could say another word

Faith’s head flew back Her eyes narrowed and he could see the anger welling up inside her Biting her lip, she placed both hands on her cart and began to walk away

He started after her, shoving his cart ahead of hi the corner with long strides He was catching up, feeling like a participant in a stock-car race, when he heard a familiar voice behind hilanced over his shoulder to find Louie Benson wheeling his grocery cart toward hiht But he was trapped Much as he wanted to hurry after Faith, he dared not ignore the ht you," Louie said

Troy offered him a weak smile "What can I do for you?"

"I read the coroner’s final report but haven’t had a chance to discuss the details with you I assu to defer this He wanted to apologize to Faith, make amends if it wasn’t already too late

Theby the skull, the young man had Down syndrome?"

"I did"

"This opens up an entirely new front in your investigation, doesn’t it?"

"I--"