Page 117 (1/2)

“You didn’t see Anita as prey after you saved her in the car” Edward made his words a statement

“No,” Olaf said, like he wasn’t sure he was happy with the answer, but it was still the truth

“Being able to protect someone you care for doesn’t er,” Edward said

Olaf frowned, and even though he had sunglasses on, you could see hiht to understand the concept “That Anita trusted ood”

“That’s what it feels like to protect a woman that you care about”

Olaf stared at hiained lines I’d never noticed before, like a previehat he ht look like in a few decades “She did help me torture the waitress in the restaurant later, after that” His voice was hesitant, alic train, but apparently Edas still on board, because he explained Olaf’s thinking

“Would you have played your part in threatening the suspect if you hadn’t had that moment of trust with Olaf in the car?”

I thought about the question, like, really thought about it I hadn’t enjoyed scaring the waitress, but she’d helped kidnap other wo to die horrible deaths If we hadn’t gotten her to tell us what she knew right then and there, more innocent women would have died It had been necessary, and it had been frightening to ain her infor we cut off wouldn’t grow back, and we’d saved the wo, so I counted it as a win, but it wasn’t one of my proudest moments Truthfully, I tried very hard not to think about it

“No, I don’t think I would have, but it wasn’t just that I saw him with your kids I didn’t realize he was Uncle Otto the way I was Aunt Anita to the man “I don’t kno much was pretend on your part, but Becca and Peter trust and love you They helpedto stand on the other side of the woman in Florida and do e did” There, that was the absolute truth

Olaf nodded “You stood beside ht to find a woe”

“Thank you” Noas not the time to lecture him on the fact that wo this discussion; never argue when you’re winning “I knew you wouldn’t let ht either”

“You trusted me,” Olaf said

I nodded “Yes”

The frown lines were s in his head again Sohts can be alhts or, worse, older certainties that are no longer certain

“I have had women trust me in the past, but they did not know the truth of me”