Angels Fall

standing up for her. Now it was all a mess. Ruined floor, ruined ceiling and God only knew what else was ruined. She emptied the tank of the vacuum, started it again.
    She glanced up miserably when Joanie came through the door.
    '"All crying's going to do is make more water to suck up." Reece knuckled tears away. "How bad is it?"
    "Bad enough. Fixable."
    "I'll pay—"
    "I got insurance, don't I? Sons of bitches ought to shell out a claim after they skin me for premiums every blessed month."
    Reece stared at the floor as she worked. "I know how this looks, and you couldn't possibly be in the mood for excuses. But I didn't leave the water on in the tub. I didn't even—"
    "I know damn well you didn't."
    Reece jerked her head up. "You do?"
    "You never forget a goddamn thing. Didn't I just have to use my key to open that stupid door? You said somebody's been screwing with you. Now they're screwing with me. And I am  pissed  . But the point is now we fix what has to be fixed, then we figure out the rest." She planted her hands on her hips. "That floor's going to have to come up. You got a problem staying over at Brody's?"
    "No."
    "Then finish up in here, pack up your things. I'm going to get a cou-ple of boys working on this first thing in the morning."' She kicked the desk, then took her first good look at Reece's face. "Where'd you get that cheek?"
    "There was a sort of fight at Clancy's."
    "Oh, Christ on a crutch. If it's not one thing, it's two. Get a bag of frozen peas out of the freezer below before you leave."

    "IT'S JUST UNTIL I can move back in over the diner."
    It was after three when Reece stowed the last of her things in the back of Brody's car.
    "Uh-huh."
    "Just a few days." Burned out, sick at seeing the damage down at Joanie's, Reece climbed into the car.
    "I won't offer to do your laundry. I'm not having a lot of luck in that area anyway."
    "Okay."
    "She believed me. I didn't even have to try to explain."
    "Joanie's a smart woman. She sees through most bullshit."
    "Whoever this is, he didn't have to do this to her. He didn't have to bring her into it." She looked out the window as he drove, at the dark surface of the lake. Her life felt like that tonight. Too dark to see what lay under it.
    "If she blamed you for it, she'd have fired you, kicked you out. Odds were you'd leave town. Knocking your paycheck and living quarters out from under you. It's a smart move."
    "I'm glad I'm not being stalked by a dummy. Following that logic, which I agree with, you'd be the next on his list. I'm not exactly anyone's good luck charm, Brody."
    "I don't believe in luck." He pulled up at his cabin.
    From the back of the car he took the hefty box of her kitchen tools, slid the strap of her laptop case over his shoulder. He left the second box and the duffel for her.
    Inside, he set the box on the floor. "I'm not putting this stuff away." He took the other box from her, set it down. "Go on up and take a shower."
    "I think a bath." She managed a smile, sniffed the back of her own hand. "Pretty bad."
    "'Not if you like stale beer and smoke." He took the frozen peas out of" the lighter box, tossed them to her. "Use this."
    She went up, ran the tub hot. Sinking into it, she pressed the cold bag on her throbbing cheek. Then scooted straight up when Brody walked in.
    "Aspirin," he said. He set the bottle, a glass of water on the lip of the tub, then walked out. When she came out wearing a baggy gray T-shirt with red stains and a pair of loose flannel pants, he was standing by the window. He turned, cocked his head.
    "Nice outfit."
    "I don't have a lot left."

    "Well. You can put what you do have left in there." He jerked a thumb at his dresser. "I cleaned out a couple drawers.
    "Oh."
    "It's not a marriage proposal."
    "Check. I'll, all, do it tomorrow. I'm really tired. I'm sorry, Brody, but did you—"
    "Yes. The doors are locked."
    "Okay." She slipped into bed and sighed at the sheer relief it gave her. Moments later, the lights switched off, the mattress dipped. Then his body was warm against hers, and his arm draped around her waist.
    She took his hand. She fell asleep with her fingers linked with his, too exhausted to dream.

Chapter 23

    BRODY DROVE REECE to Joanie's at six sharp. The lights were on in the diner, a hard shine against the dark. A pickup truck sat at the curb along with a vile green dumpster, top up, already half loaded with drywall and debris.
    The sight of it had Reece's shoulders going tight as she walked