Page 48 of The Unbecoming

“No,” Luke says. “They’re dead because they got too close and didn’t have a way out.”

“What?” I ask.

“My wife and kid,” Owen says. “I took her last name… She was Chelsea Carter.”

“Chelsea… No,” I say. “She was Gabriel’s last victim.”

“Yeah,” he says. “When he took her, Parker was asleep in the back of the car. He died of heat exhaustion.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say. “So Alex knew…”

“Alex and Liam both knew Gabriel was guilty. You got assigned to interview him, and everything went to shit fast,” Luke says. “Liam called and said if he died, to keep you safe. He died, and then Liam shortly after… Ricky knew you’d open up eventually and that moment could be used to get you the help you needed, but also keep you safe.”

“Safe?” I ask. “Gabriel is dead.”

“Yes, but whoever killed Alex isn’t,” Owen says.

“Fuck,” I say. “That means… Oh fuck…”

“We promised them we’d take care of you,” Owen says. “So we are.”

“Are you even a doctor?” I ask, and Luke laughs.

“Yes,” Owen says with a smirk. “Alex told me you were a smartass, but I didn’t expect that to be why he loved you so much.”

“This is fucked up,” I say. “Like I am fucked up on so many levels… Ricky and Sadie know?”

“Yeah. They’ve spent the last year threatening to kill us if we didn’t take care of you,” Luke says.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t go to the funeral,” I say. “And… Shit. Owen knows, but…”

“What?” Luke asks.

“Three weeks after they died, I found out I was pregnant,” I say. “I slept with them twelve hours apart and… I had an abortion.”

“I’m sorry you had to face that without them,” Luke says. “I hope you know they would have supported you in that.”

“I know,” I say. “Truthfully, I would have tried to find some way to keep both of them if they hadn’t died.”

“Here’s the part you won’t like,” Luke says, and I sigh. “You are moving in with me. Owen will be there, too.”

“Why?” I ask, trying not to be mad.

“Because I’m not letting you fight this hard to save yourself to be killed by some fucking coward that's still hiding out there. When Ricky starts getting closer, things are going to start getting dangerous again.”

“Does he have any leads?” I ask.

“Not really,” he sighs.

“Why didn’t you just tell me this yesterday?” I ask.

“Because you needed to get used to being out first,” Owen says. “I knew you’d sink a bit before you could get your bearings.”

“Now I feel like a giant whore for coming onto you,” I mutter.

“Don’t,” he says. “Don’t say that about yourself.”

“Why?” I ask. “It’s true. I’ve lost my goddamn mind again if I think for one fucking second that you’d want someone like…”