by Mary Stone
“Let them talk, Mom. If they’re that focused on my life, they need a hobby.” She scoffed, waving her fork in the air. “It’s not like I’m a celebrity. The dinner will be a success with or without me.”
“Honestly, Eleanor, that’s not the point. It’s about giving back to your community and standing up for the issues that need our attention. Surely we raised you to understand the importance of being present. I’m not sure how helping your fellow man is something you so easily dismiss, but I would urge you to reconsider.” The frown vanished from her mother’s face the instant Helen turned her attention to Nick. She gave him a warm smile. “Especially since Nicholas is heading this one up. It’s his first large charity undertaking, and I thought you would jump at the chance to spend some time with him since you haven’t seen too much of each other lately. It’s a lovely venue and would be perfect for a date night.”
As Helen went back to her meal. Ellie glared at Nick.
He shrugged and shook his head, mouthing, “I didn’t tell her that.”
Ellie took a bite of chicken, scowling at the delicate gold inlay encircling the expensive dinnerware. Once Helen got something in her head, it was impossible to talk her out of it. Not that Ellie intended to let her mother push her into going but bringing up her lack of time spent with Nick had been a low blow. Nick understood she was busy with her new role on the force, and if he didn’t, he had enough sense not to bring it up in front of her entire family—unlike her mother.
Ellie was upset at her mother’s intrusion, but Helen Kline wasn’t done yet.
She took a long sip of her wine and set the crystal glass carefully on the pristine tablecloth. Leveling her gaze on Ellie, she gave her a soft, calculated smile.
Ellie’s stomach clenched. Whatever Helen Kline was about to say, her mother knew she was going to get her way.
“Since you didn’t think to ask, it behooves me to fill in the details. The dinner benefits the Charleston Mental Health Advocacy Alliance. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Some of its more prestigious members will be there, including the man who pioneered an entirely new method of Cognitive Behavior Therapy.” Helen paused, her smile widening ever so slightly. “Dr. Powell from Charleston PD will also be there. Isn’t he the gentleman you saw when you were shot?”
“He is,” Ellie said slowly, waiting for the trap to spring.
“Well, don’t you think he’ll find it odd that your parents and your boyfriend are there, but you’re noticeably absent? I don’t know how I would explain that except to tell him the truth.”
“And that is?” Ellie could feel the heat in her cheeks rising.
“That you haven’t managed to find a healthy work-life balance, and I’m concerned that you’re spending far too much time chasing criminals.” Her mother daintily bit her lower lip between perfect teeth. “I guess I’d hoped that would be addressed, as he was helping you work through what happened to you last year, but here you are, working more than you ever have before. It’s not healthy, Eleanor. I worry about you.”
“I hope you’re not thinking about pressing Dr. Powell for information.” Ellie narrowed her eyes, frowning. “I doubt he would break my trust, but even so, he’s still bound by confidentiality like any other professional in his field.”
“I would never.” Helen demurely gave a one-shouldered shrug. “But I can’t help it if people like to share things with me, especially if he’s equally concerned by your absence at family functions and you overworking yourself.”
Ellie pursed her lips, stabbing at a wedge of potato so hard the sound of her fork scraping across the fine china made her teeth hurt. Nick and Wes kept their eyes on their own plates while Ellie wrestled with her emotions.
After trying to calm down for several minutes, Ellie set her linen napkin on the plate and stood. “I need some air.” Without waiting for a response from anyone, she walked out of the formal dining room and through the front door.
The cold air stung the bare skin on her arms as she strode to the car, toying with the idea of leaving and going back home. But she knew that would only cause more problems, and she’d be putting off the inevitable.
No, it was better to take a walk until she cooled off, then she could talk the issue through with her parents. Hopefully, her father would step in and remind her mother that she wasn’t a child anymore. But even as she dug through her car for a jacket to put on, she knew she would end up going to the event no matter how much she didn’t want to. Helen Kline knew it too.
Ellie stiffened when she heard footsteps behind her, but she knew before he spoke that it was Nick. He was the only one who dared chase her when she was angry, and no matter how livid she was, he always had a way of calming her.
She grabbed her jacket out of the back seat and turned to face him.
But when their eyes met, he wasn’t smiling.
Nick came out of the house, ready to chase after Ellie, but she hadn’t made it far. She was leaning into her open car door, fishing around.
He cleared his throat, and she froze before pulling her jacket out and slipping her arms inside. He prepared himself for her to let loose, but a tan jacket on the front seat caught his attention, and for a moment, he forgot what he’d come outside to say.
“Whose jacket is that?” He gestured at the tan heap of canvas with a faux sheep’s wool collar.
“It belongs to a man I questioned.” She gave a little wave of her hand.
The shot of jealousy that streaked through him wouldn’t allow him to leave it at that. “You say that as if it explains why you have it. If you questioned him, how did his jacket end up in your car?”
She shook her head, clearly annoyed, but he stared at her, waiting for an answer. She sighed and ran her tongue over her teeth before she finally said, “I was on a crime scene in the woods, and I got cold. He offered me his jacket.”
“Didn’t you have your own?”
“Of course I did,” she snapped. “But it was a lot colder than I was expecting it to be, and this was all I had with me.” She indicated the thin polar fleece she was wearing. “I was focused on the investigation, and I was at the precinct before I realized I was still wearing it. I called him and left a message, but cell service up there is spotty, and I haven’t heard from him. I’m not cheating, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Nick scratched the back of his neck, clenching his jaw. “No, I didn’t think you would, but at least that explains why you haven’t returned my calls in a few weeks.”
“It’s been a week,” she corrected. “Maybe two.”
Or was it three?
“No, Ellie. I haven’t heard from you since New Year’s Day, when you canceled our plans for the weekend. It’s February, Ellie.”
“You’ve been at every Sunday dinner, just like always.”
Nick thrust his fingers into his hair, trying to keep his head. “And what? I’m just supposed to be grateful that I got to sit next to you at dinner once a week?”
She balked and shook her head. “What the hell, Nick? I’m busy, okay? That’s never bothered you before.”
“No, Ellie, it’s never bothered you before. I always want to spend time with you. When you can’t, I do my best to be supportive of you because I know you’re out there working your ass off and taking crap every step of the way, and I don’t want to add to it. But I’ve been trying to invite you to this event for weeks, and I had to wait until your mother brought it up.”
He felt his face flush with embarrassment, and worse, practically heard the proverbial crack that had formed in their relationship split wider.
“I’m sorry.” Ellie blinked rapidly. “I didn’t realize it had been that long since the last time we were together. I’ve been buried in work, and Fortis is always on my ass.”
“On the weekends too?” Nick struggled to keep his voice even, but her excuses were falling flat. He wanted the truth.
His last question caught her off guard. “N-no, but that’s not the point. I need to rec
harge over the weekend.”
“And you can’t do that with me?” He looked away as the anger drained from him. “Ellie, what are we even doing if you don’t want to spend time with me when you’re relaxing?”
“Sometimes, I just want to sleep.”
“And I can’t sleep next to you?”
Ellie’s green eyes widened, not a bit of guile in them. “I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“Well, you’re doing a damn fine job of it without a bit of effort.”
She sucked in a quick breath. “What do you want from me?”
“To see you would be a good start.” He stepped closer, laying his hands on her shoulders. Her green eyes were bright, shimmering with unshed tears. He hated that he’d caused them, but she’d been avoiding him for weeks, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. “What’s really going on?”
“Nothing. Time just slipped away from me. I’ve been so wrapped up in cold cases that I didn’t realize how much time had passed. I’m sorry.”
“I believe you.” When she stepped into his embrace, he held her tight against his chest and breathed in the vanilla scent of her freshly washed hair, mixed with her jasmine perfume. She shivered against him and sighed when he held her tighter. “I want to see you, Ellie. Outside of Sunday dinners. Even if it’s only for a few minutes.”
“I’m trying.”
He shook his head. “I think you know you’re not being honest with yourself.” She stiffened, and he closed his eyes, wishing he’d kept his thoughts to himself. But it was too late, and they’d let things go on unchecked for long enough, so he pressed on. “What if we had a date night like normal couples do?”
“We tried that.” Her voice was slightly muffled with her face still against his chest.
“Talking about it is not giving it a chance. Let’s make a commitment to see each other at least once a week, even if I have to come to your house and sleep over.”
She pulled away from him and crossed her arms. “Like we’re going to sleep.”
“If that’s what it takes to see you, I’ll do it…sleep,” he insisted as he ran his hands down the back of her arms to her elbows. “Or what about Sundays before dinner? Then we could kill two birds with one stone.”
“What do you mean?”
“Can you imagine how happy your mom will be if we start showing up to Sunday dinners together? We could hang out at lunch then head over here for dinner. That way, you can sleep in Sunday morning.”
Ellie glanced back at the house, frowning. “My mother won’t be happy until we’re married.”
“We’d probably need to get engaged first. I know a lot of people assume—” He stopped when she went rigid, and he knew he’d pushed too far, so he changed the subject. “What can I do to convince you to come to the charity dinner? I don’t care about appearances and all that your mother was going on about. I just want you to be there. It’s really important to me.”
“I’ll have to go now.” Her voice sounded bitter. “I can’t trust that my mother won’t push Dr. Powell for information, and that’s the last thing I need.”
Nick recoiled before he could catch himself.
Ellie pulled away too, eyes narrowed and jaw tight. “What?”
“Is that the only reason you’re going?” He couldn’t keep the hurt and anger out of his voice any longer.
“Does it matter as long as I go?” she shot back.
“Yes, it matters.” He felt like their whole relationship hinged on that one detail.
She visibly softened. “If you want, I’ll go for you.”
Not good enough, again. “You say that like it’s asking too much. Would it be so bad for you to go to support me? It’s not like I haven’t attended events for you.”
She rolled her eyes, looking like the teenaged girl Nick had been too preoccupied to pay attention to the one night he should have. “Events I didn’t want to be at.”
“Are you listening to yourself?”
Her expression was pained, her lower lip quivering before she caught it between her teeth and glared at him defiantly. “We can’t all be the golden boy, Nick. I’m sorry that I don’t measure up to your expectations, but I’m the same person I’ve always been. If you want me to change—”
“Don’t say it.” He knew he’d pushed her too far and didn’t want to hear the words he knew were about to come out of her mouth. “Look, we’re both angry, and your mother got under your skin. Let’s not say anything we’ll regret.”
She glowered at him. “I came out here to try and cool off before I went back inside to talk to them, but I’m more angry than I was before.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I can’t be the woman everyone thinks you deserve.”
He blew out a long breath, wanting to reach out and pull her into his arms, but not wanting to risk her rejection. “That’s not what I was trying to say.”
“I know that, Nick.” The very definition of unhappy, she turned her eyes to the front door of the mansion her family had called home for as long as Nick had known her. “I just don’t belong in their world, and I’m sick of pretending to be someone I’m not.”
“I’m not asking you to do that.”
“You’re not, but they are.” Her face took on that expression of deep-set dissatisfaction he’d so often witnessed back in their high school days.
“Your mother loves you,” he said softly.
“I know that. I just wish she understood me.” Her green eyes were heavy with the weight of her emotions. “I thought you understood me the way no one else ever had.”
“I do. But I also want to spend time with you.” He was using up the last of his patience to make his meaning clear, despite the sting of her words. “I’m not going to force you, so if you don’t want to spend time with me, just tell me.”
“I do want to,” she said emphatically, her shoulders rigid, jaw tight. “I’m just so busy right now.”
“Let me know when you have time to get together.” He kissed her temple tenderly and cupped her cheek in his hand. She leaned into his touch. “And if you don’t have time, I guess I’ll see you at the event, and we’ll figure out where to go from there.”
She nodded before pulling away, eyes on his, holding his hand until their arms were stretched as far as they could before she let his hand slip out of her grasp.
He fought the urge to go after her, apologize for pushing her. But he’d been holding back for a long time, and she needed to know how he felt.
Ellie didn’t even glance back, walking straight to the driver’s side of her SUV without pause. Glancing over her shoulder as she started the engine, she drove off with a wave.
He’d said his peace and the ball was in her court. Where they went from here was entirely up to her. He couldn’t make the decision for her as much as he wished he could.
He wondered when he’d see her again, and had a sinking feeling it wouldn’t be until the gala.
10
Ellie was more than an hour early to work Monday morning, after tossing and turning most of the night. She walked through the door on legs that felt like lead, eyes still heavy from lack of sleep.
“I was about to ask you how your weekend was.” Sitting at her desk, Jillian took the cup of coffee Ellie offered. “But I can see by your choice of behemoth-sized coffee cup that your weekend wasn’t much better than mine. Wanna go first?”
Ellie shook her head. “Nope. Don’t want to think about it, don’t want to talk about it.” Taking a sip of her coffee and hissing when the brew scalded her tongue, she gestured at Jillian’s desk. “I’m guessing by the black tail I see poking out from under your desk that our office mascot is here today, and your horrible weekend had something to do with your landlord?”
Jillian nodded. “I think I’m going to follow your lead and not talk about it. Every time I do, I get pissed all over again.”
“Anything I can do to help? I know I already offered, but I’m serious abou
t helping any way I can.”
“Probably not.” Jillian gave a little shrug, but Ellie could see the defeat in her friend’s eyes.
Changing the subject so Jillian didn’t feel obligated to talk about it when she clearly wasn’t ready, Ellie retrieved her notes on John Doe and gestured to Jillian’s computer. “Any luck identifying him yet?”
Jillian shook her head. “There were too many hits, and I only finished about half of them before I left Friday. With part of his face missing, our already generic brown-haired, brown-eyed John Doe looks like half the men on the internet.”
“I feel like every time we make any progress on this case, we find another roadblock. I just checked on a possible suspect, a neighbor of Penland’s, and he was in jail during the time of the shooting. I’m getting nowhere. It’s really frustrating.”
“Tell me about it.” Jillian opened her email, scrolling through the junk. About halfway down the first page, her eyes lit up, and a big smile spread across her face. “But this might help.”
Ellie took a step closer, studying the drawing on the computer screen. “What’s that?”
“I took the picture you got from Dr. Faizal and asked the sketch artist to take a crack at it.” She leaned out of the way so Ellie could see the full picture.
“Wow. That’s pretty good.” The picture of the man was lifelike and so realistic that it doubled Ellie’s determination to find out who he was so he could be at peace, at the very least.
“It’s amazing, right?”
“It really is. And comparing it to the picture Dr. Faizal gave me, the artist nailed it.”
“Now, we can run them both and get more accurate results.” Jillian pursed her lips as she linked the two photos and started a new search. “Not that I think our John Doe had a huge online presence.”
“Do you think it’s that, or is it because we didn’t have much to go on in the first place?”
“A little of both, I’m sure, but I’m willing to bet he wasn’t active online. If he were posting pictures of himself on any of the major social media platforms, we would’ve seen more of the same man, and not fifty similar men that probably aren’t him.”
