Page 32 of Whispers of Sweetwater

‘Hey, Bri, I hope I’m not late,’ he said.

‘No, not at all. You’re right on time,’ she replied, stepping aside. ‘Come on in.’

Back inside, the scent of simmering tomatoes, fresh garlic and warm bread wrapped around them. Bustling over, Sherlock greeted him like an old friend, tail wagging, nose pressed against his thigh.

‘I reckon someone smells dinner,’ Hayden said, scratching behind Sherlock’s ears.

‘Either that or he’s just happy to see you,’ Brianna replied with a faint smile. ‘Careful though, because once you’ve been approved by Sherlock, you’re in for life.’

‘Good to know,’ Hayden chuckled, straightening. ‘Means I’ll get an invite back, then?’

‘That depends,’ she said, arching a brow as she moved towards the kitchen bench, ‘on how you behave tonight.’

He grinned. ‘Guess I’d better be on my best behaviour, then.’ After a brief pause, his tone softened. ‘How’s Molly?’

Brianna glanced towards the hallway. ‘Tired. Quiet. But she’s hanging in there.’

He gave a short nod, something unreadable flickering in his eyes just as footsteps sounded behind them.

Molly emerged from the hallway a moment later, moving slower than usual but composed. She wore a light knit jumper and jeans, and her hair was brushed and pinned half up.

‘Hello, Hayden,’ she greeted him warmly.

‘Evening, Molly,’ he said, the friendliness in his voice unmistakable. ‘Are you holding up okay?’

She nodded. ‘Better than I was. Thanks to the both of you, and Sherlock.’

Hayden smiled faintly. ‘I reckon Sherlock’s the real hero here.’

Molly reached down to scratch behind the dog’s ears. ‘He hasn’t left my side all day. I think he takes his security detail very seriously.’

‘Smart bloke,’ Hayden said, giving Sherlock an approving nod. ‘He knows when someone’s worth looking out for.’

Brianna caught Molly’s eye and offered a small, encouraging smile. ‘And so do the rest of us.’

The faintest colour touched Molly’s cheeks, but she didn’t look away. ‘I really do appreciate it. Both of you. I’m not sure I could do this on my own right now.’

‘You don’t have to,’ Hayden said simply, the sincerity in his tone filling the space between them, solid and dependable.

Dinner was casual but comforting, a reassuring get-together where the clink of cutlery on plates was offset by genuine conversation. They spoke of everything but the incident at first. The pleasant weather, Brianna’s patients that day, Sherlock’s overreaction to a butterfly, and laughter crept in, easing the tension they all carried. And the lightness continued as the three of them worked in quiet synchronicity for the next half hour, packing away leftovers, tidying the kitchen, and setting things right with the same determination that had carried them through the worst of the clean-up the day before. It was domestic and comforting, a balm over wounds that were still raw and tender.

Once they were settled in the living room, the wine breathing in their glasses, Brianna broke the pause. ‘We should probably talk about …’ Her voice trailed off.

Molly’s fingers tightened slightly around the stem of her glass. ‘The break-in,’ she said, then let out a slow breath. ‘And the blackmail.’

Hayden leant back in his chair, one ankle resting on his knee. ‘I’ve been over the scene in my head hundreds of times today, driving myself mad trying to figure out who could be involved.’

Molly nodded. ‘Me too.’

Brianna set her glass down, leaning forwards slightly. ‘Whoever it is, they’re confident. Cutting the alarm, knowing where your laptop was, those aren’t guesses. They’ve either been in there before, or they’ve watched you long enough to know your routine.’

Molly’s mouth pulled tight. ‘That’s what scares me. The idea that I might’ve smiled at them, served them tea, chatted about the weather, all while they were planning this.’

Hayden’s gaze flicked between them, steady and assessing. ‘It’s someone local. Outsiders don’t get that kind of access without being noticed. Sweetwater sees every new face within a day.’

‘Which narrows it down,’ Brianna said, ‘but not nearly enough.’

Molly gave a small, humourless laugh. ‘Yes, true.’