Light Me Up

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for any of the girls to go to Sara’s house alone,” he said.

“What?” Ellie huffed, about to start an argument, but I held up my hands and put a stop to it.

“Sam’s right, at least for now. We have no idea who would have sent this and since we have the opportunity to keep everyone safe, we might as well use it.”

“What about my business? I can’t just close up shop.”

“I’ll put a patrol on The Witch’s Brew. We can keep an eye on things, make sure you're safe. Hell, the guys’ll fight for the assignment.”

She huffed out a laugh and the knot loosened a little more.

“Well, my coffee is infinitely better than whatever it is y’all make here.” She nodded to the cup of coffee I’d given her that sat, mostly still full, on the desk in front of her. My lips twitched, but my chest eased in earnest now. Sara being bratty was always better than the wide-eyed, fear-filled Sara I saw earlier.

“All right then. Sam, why don’t you take the girls over to feed the cat and pack a bag. Sara can stay with you for at least a night or two, until we learn more.”

He pushed off against the wall. “Sounds good.”

Alex grabbed Sara’s hand and helped her up, keeping her close. And while a tiny pit of jealousy formed in my gut that I wasn’t the one protecting her, it made me happy to know she was in good, loving hands.

As they passed by me, Sara stopped. She looked me in the eyes for a moment. A moment that I’d replay a thousand times later that night. But it was over too soon, and she spoke the next words as she looked at the buttons on my shirt.

“Um, thank you, Theo.”

“You don’t have to thank me for a single thing. We’re gonna get to the bottom of it.”

She nodded, but as she turned to leave, I reached for her arm.

“Wait.”

She turned her head back, eyebrows raised a bit in question.

“Are you sure you don’t have any idea who could have sent this? No um, ex boyfriends or random stalker dates?”

She shook her head.

“No. No idea. There’s no one.”

I nodded and let her arm go, then watched the group file out of my office and turn down the hall. The sheriff side of me was frustrated we didn’t have a lead to go on. The other side was happy as fuck she didn’t have any exes lurking around.

Someone was out there though. And I needed to figure out who and why before it was too late.