Page 15 of In the Dark of the Past

“Seems a logical guess. Maybe she challenged the wrong person.” Sean’s voice was low now, careful. “I can poke around a little, but if those on my periphery are involved in any way, I need to be careful. And we have to be smart.”

I nodded slowly, the knot in my gut tightening. “And you?”

He blinked. “What about me?”

“You keeping your nose clean lately?”

His smile dropped. “I always have. Even when it wasn’t easy.”

A memory surged. River’s voice in my ear during one of our long drives out past the ridge, the wind flattening her curls against her cheeks. “You and Sean are like fire and ice. You burn from the inside. He sort of melts people on contact.”

I hadn’t thought about that night in years. The feel of her hand on my thigh. The way she said my name when she was half asleep and safe beside me. All of it hit me in the chest like a slow-moving wreck.

I drained my glass and signaled for another. “Good.”

The silence between us stretched out, thick with what we weren’t saying. Sean had to know River was back in town, but he didn’t ask about her. And I didn’t offer.

“You can’t protect everyone, Finn,” he said finally, his voice quiet. “Sometimes, you have to let people carry their own pain.”

I nodded once, but the words—both his and the ones I almost said—didn’t sit right. Because I’d left River to carry more than her share. And I wasn’t sure I had the right to ask if she’d dropped it yet.

Sean left not long after, and I nursed my second drink in silence until Cade dropped into the seat my brother had vacated.

“You’re not working?” I asked, grateful for the distraction. I’d told him earlier that I might be coming here after my shift to meet Sean, and said he was welcome to join if he could.

“Travis is holding down the fort. The Oak’s quiet.” He flagged Stephanie for a drink. “Figured I’d check on you. Your brother sorta looked like a man wrestling ghosts.”

I smirked. “Doesn’t he always? Politics’ll do that.”

Cade tilted his head. “So will seeing your lost love again.”

I tensed but didn’t rise to the bait.

He cracked a peanut. “We all see it. You’ve been off your game. Morrigan said you forgot your badge today.”

I groaned. “I didn’t—” But I had. “Whatever. Your sister needs a new hobby.”

“Watching all you dumbasses at the station is her hobby.” He popped the peanut into his mouth and chewed. “Look, man. You think River doesn’t still feel something?”

“I know exactly what she feels. Loathing and regret.”

“Maybe,” he said, unbothered. “But hate’s just love with sharp corners.”

I stared at the condensation sliding down my glass. “You reading poetry again?”

He grinned. “Screw you. Maybe I just remember what it looked like. Before it all went to hell.”

Before I could argue, my phone buzzed on the bar.

LINTON: Sorry, boss. We need you back at the station. Got something weird. Might be nothing, but you’ll prob want eyes on it. Vale and I have been going over something.

I sighed and stood, my stool scraping against the worn hardwood. “Duty calls.”

Cade tossed a few bills onto the bar. “Let me know if it’s something you need help with. I’ve got your six.”

“You leaving the bar and coming to work for me, old man?” The corner of my lip quirked.

He laughed. “You wish you had deputies as good as me.”