The Hero's Redemption

“What did Lottie say?” was all she could think to ask.

His expression softened. Soft wasn’t really a word that applied to this man’s features, though.

“She told him she was no fool, said I’d saved Mr. Zatloka’s life and helped all the seniors in the neighborhood. Good God, I haven’t even met most of them!” He shook his head. “Then she got snide and asked why cops didn’t take the time to check up on the old folks.”

Erin smiled. “That’s Lottie.”

“Yeah.” He leaned a shoulder against the doorframe. “But you know damn well that she started making calls the second she got inside. Everyone will have heard by now.”

“Do you really believe they’ll change their opinion about you?”

He gave her a scathing look. “Of course they will. The Zatlokas…hard to say. I got to know them. But Del? He’s pretty conservative. I don’t think he’d answer the door if I stopped by.”

Erin didn’t know Del Wagner well enough to argue with Cole’s opinion.

Hugging herself, she said, “The cop went away. Will he be back?”

Cole sighed and lifted a hand to knead the back of his neck. “Probably not. They have footage from a security camera. The guy wore a ski mask, but I had the impression he isn’t as big as I am. I don’t have a car, either. Sounds like it was a sedan, not an SUV like yours, or they’d be trying to convince you I took it out last night.”

“You couldn’t have. And I’d be happy to tell them that.” After dinner yesterday evening, he had read while she watched a TV program that didn’t interest him. Then…they went up to bed and stayed tangled together all night long. He hadn’t once gone back to the apartment; he rarely did anymore. His clothes had gradually migrated to her bedroom, and their loads in the washing machine were mixed.

“No, but sooner or later something like this will happen when I can’t prove where I was. I’m on their radar, and they’re waiting for me to screw up.” Bitter, he said, “The cops will never believe I’m not the scum they think I am.”

“They can’t all be that narrow-minded.”

He didn’t say anything, didn’t have to. It didn’t matter if not all cops were quick to assume the worst about him. There were enough who would.

“Will you tell me what you were convicted of?”

Cole only looked at her for a minute. Then he asked, “Are you sure you want to know?”

He must have seen that panic had already struck. Finally, she shook her head. Knowing what crime he’d committed might change how she saw him. However cowardly it was to live in a delusion, she’d been happy. Was it so awful to cling to that happiness, just a little longer?

The oven timer dinged and she jumped. She hadn’t put on any vegetables yet—but did he even intend to stay? Nonetheless, she got up and took the casserole dish from the oven, bringing it straight to the table where she’d set out a hot pad.

“I haven’t made a vegetable or salad or anything, but if you don’t mind…”

He gave what seemed to be a resigned nod and came to the table.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, Erin making an effort, although her appetite had deserted her. Cole managed to eat more than she did, but he chewed and swallowed mechanically, his usual pleasure in her cooking gone. He was refueling, that was all.

Plate still half full, Erin laid down her fork. “What are you thinking?” She couldn’t make herself come out and say, You’re going to leave, aren’t you?

More slowly, he did the same, aligning his knife and fork on the plate. “This—you and me—isn’t going to work. I’ve been kidding myself.” Resignation rang in his voice, but also some anger. Pain, too? She couldn’t tell.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered, even though that wasn’t really true. “Why would you be better off on your own? Unless…you plan to go home? Or to your sister’s?”

“Neither. And it’s not that I’ll be better off. You will be.” When she started to object, he cut her off. “I won’t put you in the position of having to provide alibis for me. They’ll figure you’re lying for me, that you’re so desperate you’d take scum like me into your bed.”