“I have, and it isn’t over yet. There’s still the hearing.”
“Have you heard from Hammer about it?”
“Not yet.”
“I can follow up with him.”
I looked off in the distance. “I can too, Edge.”
“Right. Yes. You can.”
“I need to figure out my life, and in order to do that, I need to be alone.”
“I see.”
“And I meant what I said. I will pay you back.”
“There’s nothing to pay back.”
“You let me stay in your house.”
“You were a guest. I don’t charge my guests overnight accommodation fees.”
“Okay, then, what about the clothes and other things you bought for me?”
“I believe I got more pleasure from your clothes than you did. The knickers in particular.”
“You fixed my car.”
“I’ll concede that one. You may reimburse me for one battery.”
“I don’t want to think about what it cost for you to find Possum’s killer…and all the other stuff I know nothing about.”
“It was an investigation into a murder as well as into a domestic terrorist group. We’ll be duly compensated.”
“I have a hard time believing that Hays County is going to pay a group of private security people to solve their crimes.”
Edge didn’t respond, and I knew no matter how hard I pushed on this subject, he wouldn’t.
“I’m staying with Tee-Tee.”
“I know.”
“It’s only been two nights, but I think staying with her will have a positive impact on my life.”
“I’m very glad to hear it.”
“She apologized for what happened all those years ago. It ended up being a trick to get me to agree to live with her.” I shook my head. “No, that isn’t right. The apology part wasn’t a trick.”
“Rebel—”
“I think I know what you’re about to say, Edge, but even if I’m wrong, I need you to understand that I’m unwilling to budge on this. There’s never been a time in my life when I had the means to think about a future. I have that now. Thanks to you and Tee-Tee.”
“Can I still see you?”
I smiled. “Define seeing me.”
“Spend time with you like this. Go for rides. Talk.”