“I’m not that hungry,” she told him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I really hoped that I’d have the chance to talk to Burns tonight.”
“I know it’s hard to wait, but my intuition is telling me you’re close, Malin.”
“Every time I feel like I am, something derails me.”
Dutch nodded, stroking her hair. “I heard a rumor that this cottage has the most spectacular bathroom setup in all of California.”
“All of California? I find that hard to believe.”
Dutch stood and pulled her with him. “Let’s go see.”
“Did Doc say when he and McTiernan were meeting?”
“I don’t think he knew when we left.”
Malin stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Can we check?”
Dutch put his arm around her waist. “You don’t have to ask my permission nor do you have to ask me to do it for you.”
“I know. I just…” Malin rested her forehead on his chest. “God, who am I?”
“You’re dead tired, that’s all. Let’s check in with Doc and then get some rest.”
“There is one other thing preventing me from contacting Doc myself.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t have a phone, Dutch.”
She waited while Dutch sent a text. As he’d said, she was dead tired, not just from today or the last week, but more from the last several months. There were many times over the course of a mission, when things had turned into more of an investigation, that she questioned why she didn’t just let it go.
She thought a lot about what her father would advise her to do if he were still alive. There had even been times when she’d wondered what Dutch would say.
When Dutch’s phone vibrated, he held it out for her to see.
McTiernan to arrive in the morning. Will brief you after our meeting.
14
Dutch walked into the bathroom and tried to figure out how to use the control panel that was on a wall between a large open shower and a tub big enough for the two of them to sit side by side.
After he filled it with swirling water, he helped Malin ease into its warmth and walked over to what looked like a mini-fridge.
“Look what I found,” he said, holding up a bottle of sparkling wine and two glasses.
“Join me?” she asked, holding her hand out to him.
“I would love to.”
Dutch poured two glasses and set them on the edge of the tub. Malin scooted over so he could sit next to her. Once he sat, he put one arm around her and handed her a glass with the other before clinking their glasses.
Malin took a drink of her wine. “Mmm,” she moaned.
“Good?”
“The wine? Yes, it’s good, but everything else is great. I really needed this, Dutch.”
He ran his finger from her ear, down her neck to her shoulder, wishing he could take her anxiety away with his hands, like he’d wished a few days ago that he could take away her pain.