Page 151 of It Runs in the Family

I placed a hand on his arm, keeping the pressure light, and asked, Is Dario Voss going to murder me?

All I got was a gray haze.

No answer to a direct question.

I wasn’t going to be murdered, but it felt like a man with a tiny hammer was pounding a spike into the front of my head.

I opened my eyes and gave Boone a sad smile. “Thank you.”

“Did you see yourself die?”

For the first time, I allowed my bitterness to seep out. “What difference does it make? You don’t believe me anyway.” I opened my car door. “Thanks for today. I hope you save your brother.” Then I got in and started my car.

He stood outside my door for several seconds, like he was having second thoughts. But then he turned and walked to his truck.

I pulled out of my spot and waited for him to follow, then drove to Garrett’s, Boone following me the entire way. When I parked in front of Garrett’s house, Boone stopped behind me and waited until I went inside.

Then he drove away, and I knew I’d never see him again.

Why did it hurt so damn bad?

Chapter Thirty-Five

Garrett wasn’t home yet, so I sent him a text that I was back at his place, and I would look through his pantry for something to make us for dinner.

He texted back almost immediately that he’d be home in half an hour, saying we could have leftovers from the cookout.

That was good news. I didn’t feel like cooking. I didn’t feel like doing much of anything.

I dumped the clothes I’d brought into a corner of Garrett’s office, then took a shower, letting the water stream over my head until it started to cool. By the time I got out, I felt cleaner but not better. My body was tired, my ankle had a dull ache, and my brain felt like it had been squeezed through a wringer. I’d forced five visions today. I was lucky I wasn’t throwing up and hiding in a dark room.

I refused to acknowledge that Boone’s quick dismissal had hurt me deeply. And I especially refused to examine why.

After I dressed in a pair of yoga pants and T-shirt—clothes I’d purposely picked out since I’d been wearing jeans in my visions, I piled my damp hair on top of my head, then headed into the living room. I wasn’t surprised to see Garrett in his recliner, drinking a beer and obviously waiting for me. Still, something in my stomach tightened at the sight of him. He was too calm. Too still. Which in Garrett usually meant the opposite.

“Have a good day?” he asked, his tone neutral.

“It was okay,” I said, wondering if he was angry with me or just tired. “How about you?”

“Never great when you’re dealing with the murder of a woman,” he said. He lifted his beer bottle in salute. “But thankfully, it wasn’t you.”

I almost rolled my eyes, but he loved me, and he was right to be worried. “Yeah, I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

“I heard you had an interestin’ afternoon at the Dollar General.”

That made me pause.

“Are you talking about Deanna?” I asked innocently. “Bless her heart. Her boss is unhinged.”

“I heard you were askin’ about a bracelet.”

“I love Rachel’s bracelet, and she told me she got it at Marvin’s Mercantile. I went by to see if they had more. They didn’t, but Marvin said he sold one to Deanna. So, I dropped by the Dollar General to see if she would sell me hers.”

He lifted a brow. “You dropped by Dollar General to see if you could buy a used bracelet?”

I shrugged. “I really liked Rachel’s, and I’m not very crafty.”

“It just so happens to be the same bracelet a dead woman was wearing.” It wasn’t a question. “How did you know about the bracelet?”