While he prayed for one of the Moore’s brothers to be gay, I dialed Zeke, hoping he would come here because I doubted I could move right now.
The phone rang in tandem with my heart.
Thumping, ringing, thumping, ringing.
I wanted to call Easton more than anything right now and hear the calmness of his voice. He’d make me feel so much better.
“You have the wrong Moore brother, Luna,” Zeke answered on a cheerful chirp.
“Hey, Zeke,” I sniffled, and I heard a commotion in the background and then silence. Shit, he was with Ethan today, along with Evan, Ezra, and Easton. Ethan was supposed to wake up today.
“What’s wrong? I’m not near Easton if you’re worried about that.”
I shook my head, and Oliver dabbed a tear away from my cheek with a napkin. “No, it’s not that. I’m calling on police business, I guess. I didn’t want to talk to anyone else but you.”
“Are you okay?”
“I saw him, Zeke. The guy that escaped from prison. I talked to him.” I started to cry again when I thought about Kathy and Rocky. “I figured I needed to tell you and give you a statement on what happened?”
“I’m on my way. Where are you?”
“I’m at Café Ocean,” I said. “And…”
“I’ll bring Easton. Stay right where you are. Don’t move.”
“I’ll be here,” I said, already calmed knowing Easton was on his way. I hung up the phone and pressed my hands to my forehead. “I can’t believe I didn’t report that guy. I know he didn’t do anything wrong, but still, what were the chances of a guy with a burn on the side of his face and a creepy demeanor, not be questionable? This is all my fault. If I would have listened to my gut and steered him in the wrong direction—”
“— he still would have found a way to do what he wanted,” Oliver said. “A guy like that never stops unless he is stopped.”
“I know, it’s just… maybe they would have had a little more time. Maybe the buildings would just be burned and Kathy and Rocky would still be alive.” It was all I could think about. What I should have done, what I wished I would have said, but I ignored my instincts, and now two people that the town loved are dead. I might not be the reason why they are, but I felt dirty like an accomplice or something.
“Don’t think like that. You can’t think about what ifs or what could have been. You’d dig yourself into a depression that you can’t get out of,” London said, gripping my other hand. “You didn’t know that man. Kathy and Rocky would not have blamed you. You can’t stop a madman casting madness, Luna.”
What she said made sense.
Madness wouldn’t ever stop spreading madness, no matter how it was contained, but once it was free? It harmed people.
“Moon! Luna?” Easton’s voice shouted as he ran through the door, his eyes wide with panic. I got out of my chair and immediately his eyes found me. “God, baby, Zeke scared the hell out of me when he said he had to see you to take a statement. Are you okay?” He cupped my face and peered into my eyes. A flash of us underneath the oak tree when we were kids filtered through my mind. The eyes shining down on me were the same eyes from back then. I could hardly believe it. I could almost smell the flowers in the air from that day.
“I’m fine; I just wish I would have spoken up sooner, that’s all. Hey, Zeke,” I greeted him. He wasn’t in uniform, but he had his badge on his hip. He was probably on call. He wore simple blue jeans and a black shirt. He took out his notepad and pen from his breast pocket.
He patted the notebook in his other hand and gave me a tight, unhappy smile. “Sorry we have to see each other like this again, Luna. I’d rather say good morning while you’re curled up with my brother.”
“Oh, do tell more,” Oliver purred, and I reached back and slapped him right across the chest. “Okay, okay, I get the picture.”
Zeke grabbed a seat, his hand going between his legs to grab the edge and yank it toward the table. He sat down, crossed his ankle on his knee, and flipped the notepad open. “Talk about Willard Hopkins, Ms. Nightingale.”
“Nightingale?” Easton quirked a brow at his brother as he sat down. I pulled up a chair next to him, but Easton put me on his lap instead, curling his good arm around me.
“Sorry, work mode,” Zeke defended himself. “Luna, are you sure you saw Willard Hopkins?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it was the day I went to go pick up Easton from the hospital. Willard stopped me, but I didn’t know it was him, I swear,” I blurted. I wanted everyone to know I wouldn’t ever just throw Kathy’s under fire like that. “I hadn’t seen his picture. I promise.” My chin wobbled when another wave of tears threatened. “I promise. I’m so sorry, Zeke. Do you need to arrest me?” I shoved my wrists out for him, and his eyes fell to Easton, a glimmer of humor on his face. “Well? What are you waiting for? Arrest me? I’m an accomplice. I helped Willard!” This time I couldn’t stop the tears, and I buried my face into Easton’s shoulder as I cried.
“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay,” he shushed me and rubbed his hand up and down my back. I could hear the smile in his voice though.
“It isn’t funny,” I said, wiping my nose on his shirt.
“Did you just wipe your nose on my shirt?” he asked with mirth, leaning back to stare at my face.