Page 122 of Criminally Yours

“Does she know your real names?”

Millie chuckled. “Yeah, I’m no good at this covert stuff. But she promised to keep it a secret. Everyone in this town is lovely. I’ll be sad to leave.”

“You should move there. You can do your job anywhere, and you’re an hour away from us. I tend to be home a lot. The bodyguards are out more than I am.”

Millie stood on the deck outside the back door, breathing in the salt water and stretching her neck from side to side. “Do you get lonely?”

She squeezed sea water out of her ponytail before putting her glasses back on.

“Sometimes. Strike’s parents visit, and I’ve got the dogs. A friend from London stays, too. I see fewer people than I did when I worked in the pub, but I have a family now. All these people care about the real me.”

Millie stared out at the beach. Merryn and Elsie chatted as they walked across the sand.

“We’ll be over in five minutes,” Merryn shouted to Millie, who waved back.

“I know what you mean,” Millie replied to Liss. “I spent so long hiding away, and now that I’m actually in hiding, I’m more sociable than ever.”

“How do you feel about the future? Will you return to your apartment? Or maybe closer to Strike? Or he can move in with you?”

“Are you scheming again?” Millie teased.

Liss laughed. “I can’t help myself. I’ll stop.”

“I like it. It’s nice to have someone not filtering themselves or desperate to protect me.” Millie sat on the outdoor sofa, which felt less comforting without Strike holding her.

“Have you spoken to your family?”

“Not yet. I’ve ignored Mum’s and Dexter’s calls. I don’t know how to come to terms with all the lies and the things they did. They’ll fight me about Strike, especially once I tell them I want to move, but I don’t want their judgement in my head anymore.”

“I know you know this, but one day, you’ll have to choose to ignore the negative disbelieving voices, whether they’re coming from friends, family, or even yourself,” Liss replied.

Millie wrung her hands. She didn’t need the fidget tool as much anymore, but right now, she needed something. “That takes courage I don’t have.”

“You’ve stood up to a politician’s son even though it’s risked your life. You’ve confronted your family, and every day, you help people who are going through shit. Holding peoplethrough their issues like you do would terrify some, but you do that.”

“Okay, I’ll speak to them and remember I’m in charge of my life, or will be when this is over. I should call them before we go to the Dankworth’s, in case something happens.”

“Which it won’t.”

“Which it won’t,” Millie agreed, although her skin itched with nerves.

A snuffling dog sound neared the phone. “How is Strike? Bear said the team are joining you two at the Dankworth’s tomorrow.”

“He’s singing to the radio. Listen.” Millie crept closer to the kitchen.

“Bear, come here,” Liss whispered. “Listen to Strike singing Taylor Swift.”

“Murdering more like,” Bear grumbled.

Strike glanced over his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow, and Millie’s heart thudded as she whispered to Liss, “I’m in trouble.”

Strike nodded.I’ll spank you so fucking hard,he mouthed.I might use my belt.

Her cheeks heated with anticipation as Liss replied, “Strike is the one in trouble. He’s fallen so hard for you. This is the best thing ever.”

Bear grumbled in the background that Strike’s singing didn’t compare to his.

“Of course it doesn’t,” Liss whispered to Bear. “I bet he can’t sing Whitney Houston like you can.”