Josiah paused. “Do you have any other proof of your innocence?”
Hugh wasn’t guilty. Of course he wasn’t. But someone had certainly gone to a lot of trouble to make it look like hewas. And maybe his past history of rectitude would save him, or maybe he could somehow provide an alibi that didn’t compromise Thora’s identity. But if not…he could lose his reputation and his job. Maybe even his freedom.
Because of her.
Her stomach roiled violently, and she clamped a hand on the passenger door, poised to fling it open. He glanced her way then. Mouthed,Are you well?
A very polite query. But he didn’t reach out to touch her, and his eyes were distant.
She nodded, bereft.
“I have no exonerating evidence to offer right now.” Hugh was still watching her, brow creased. “To be clear, though, Josiah, I do want at least one child. And I would never seriously date anyone I wouldn’t want as my child’s mother.”
Too bad he wasn’t actually dating Gwen. What they’d done the previous night didn’t count. That was sex, not courting. And even if itdidcount, he wanted a mother for hisownchild. Not the offspring of Gwen and some Zone rando with unfortunate condom technique.
The car’s windows had all fogged over. With a hunched shoulder, she blocked Hugh’s view of the tiny heart she traced with her fingertip on the window closest to her. A droplet of water trailed like blood from the small shape, which seemed a poor omen.
She drew a line through the heart. Another. Until it was obliterated from sight.
“But that’s not the crucial point here.” Hugh was still speaking, his voice measured and precise. “Do you believe the speculation about my possible guilt, Josiah? Do the others? Or is this simply grist for the SERC mill and predictable schadenfreude at seeing a killjoy colleague taken down a notch?”
“I don’t believe any of it, son,” the older demon declared stoutly. “The others aren’tconvincedof your guilt, but…there are doubts. I suspect you’ll be called into headquarters for a very unpleasant interview in the near future.”
How could Hugh’s colleagues ever suspect him of something so heinous? And was there any way for her to help him? Should she remove herself from his orbit?
Before she could decide what was best, the two males exchanged brief goodbyes, and the call ended. After a deep, fortifying breath, she turned to face forward again. Hugh had directed his own attention back to the roadside, mouth pressed into a tight, grim line.
After a long, fraught pause, he spoke to the windshield, watching her response in the reflection. “The werewolf at the hospital said you were in good health. I assume that assessment took your pregnancy into account?” When she nodded, her throat too tight for words, he asked more questions. “Was he concerned about the health of your baby?”
She shook her head.
“A standard anti-nausea amulet and minor healing spell should still mitigate the physical effects of your visions without harming you or your child?”
Another nod.
“Hmmm.” When he spoke again, his tone remained scrupulously neutral. “I was meeting with Thora for an update when I received news of the fire.”
Exactly as Gwen had suspected.
“At your request, she can confirm my whereabouts to you, but I hope…” He hesitated, fists clenched on his lean, strong thighs. “I hope you don’t think I caused the fire.”
“What?” Her head whipped in his direction so fast her neck hurt. “No! Of course not! Not even for a single moment!”
He inclined his own head, and the latest blast of sere desert wind inside the car faded to a fitful, hot breeze. And then…he fell silent again, brows still beetled in thought.
He wasn’t going to ask her anything else about her pregnancy? In the face of other, more existential issues, she supposed her uterus and its current inhabitant possessed only limited importance, but…his disinterest didn’t bode well for their budding connection.
Fine. She’d known from the start that he wouldn’t understand about the pregnancy. If he didn’t want to talk about it more than he already had, she wouldn’t belabor the topic either.
“Do you think the fire was a genuine attempt to kill me? Either because I’m supposedly your girlfriend, because I helped thwart the conspirators’ plans, or because I’m a newly powerful oracle?” She plucked restlessly at the edge of her sweater. “Although that last bit’s not something any outsider should know.”
Since someone had accessed her medical records and learned about her pregnancy, however, she supposed the informationshe’d given the doctor earlier today might have been compromised too.
When Hugh didn’t bother responding, she swallowed her hurt and kept talking. “Or do you think the entire point of the fire was to frame you, impugn your credibility, and make you less able to interfere in the conspirators’ future operations?”
More silence.
“I really am very sorry about the apartment,” she ventured, but he simply waved that off.
