Part 8 (1/2)

In a flare of defensive irritation, she snapped, ”What does it matter, since I'm already crazy?”

There was another silence, which was finally broken by Chris's sigh. ”No, you're not.”

She rubbed her forehead with a hand that shook. ”What do you call not being able to leave the house? I'm not exactly rational.” Although she didn't mention it, it didn't seem exactly stable to mentally turn a pile of junk into a dead body, either. Maybe she was getting worse.

Instead of countering her argument, Chris suggested, ”Why don't you think about starting therapy again?”

”That didn't work out so well.”

”Tell Gabe he can't sleep with the new one. In fact, you can just remove all hot shrink temptation altogether and do sessions via video on your laptop.”

The thought of talking about the worst day of her life with a stranger, of admitting all her illogical yet overwhelming fears, made her wince. ”I'll think about it,” she lied, just so he'd drop it.

”Really think about it.” Okay, so he wasn't going to drop it. ”Rob said he was concerned about you, about what would happen if you were ever in a situation where you had to leave the house, and I agree with him. Daisy, you pa.s.sed out when you just looked at the open door. Going on as you've been living isn't making you better.”

It wasn't anything she didn't know, but it still tore up her insides to hear him talk about it. She opened her mouth to say something-she wasn't sure what-but then closed it again. If she spoke, he'd be able to tell that she was crying.

”Daisy? Dais?” She'd been quiet too long, apparently. ”I don't want to hurt you, but I think you're cheating yourself by not getting help. You're-”

She couldn't listen to him any longer. Moving the phone away from her ear, Daisy ended the call. She just held the phone in front of her for a while, watching as the screen went blank. When it rang in her fingers, she jumped and then turned off the cell and left it on the kitchen counter.

Swiping at her wet cheeks, she blew out a breath. After a few more inhales, the shakiness disappeared, and she was able to stop crying. She left the phone where it was and went to go beat up Max.

It was amazing how violence could make her feel so much better. After abusing Max, she spent some time practicing with the heavy bag and the speed bag, then hopped on the treadmill for forty minutes. Afterward, she felt sweaty, disgusting, and much calmer-even a little sheepish about the way she'd hung up on Chris.

Daisy showered and then retrieved her phone, her finger hesitating over the ”on” b.u.t.ton. With a sigh, she figured she should just get it over with, so she turned on the cell. Once it came back to life, she saw that she had a dozen messages. The single one from Lou stood out amongst the eleven left by Chris. Like the chicken she was, Daisy listened to Lou's first.

”Hey, Daisy! It's Lou. I'm just checking to see if we're still on for tomorrow. I hope so, since I am so excited about learning to kick some...hang on. I'll be with you in a moment! Gotta go-customers.” The way Lou growled the word made Daisy smile. ”Let me know if anything changes. Otherwise I'll see you tomor- Just a minute! I'll be right there to take your order!” Her voice dropped to a mutter. ”Seriously? They can't wait two seconds for their lattes? I tell you what, Daisy-I'm going to have some major aggression to work out tomorrow, so you'd better hope we don't get paired up. Otherwise, it's pow! And wham! And-Coming! Jeez Louise, Callum isn't the only one who needs to learn patience. See you tomorrow!”

Daisy was laughing by the time Lou's message ended, making it easier to listen to Chris's. All of his were short, consisting of some variation of ”Dais. Call me.” With a grimace, she tapped his name on her screen. He answered after a single ring.

”Daisy. Finally.”

”Hey, Chris. Sorry I hung up on you earlier, but I really don't want to talk about that anymore.”

”Fine.” His heavy exhale was audible. ”Just don't turn off your phone like that. What if you needed to call for help?”

”Then I'd turn it back on?”

She was pretty sure that was a growl she heard. ”What if I needed to reach you urgently?”

”Okay, Chris. I promise I won't turn it off because I'm in a snit.”

”Thank you.” He paused for a few seconds. ”You okay?”

Daisy felt a small surge of irritation. It felt like he was always asking her that. ”Yes. I a.s.saulted Max and took a shower, so I feel much better.”

”Good.” There was another un-Chris-like hesitation. ”Can I do anything for the training tomorrow? Maybe pick up some things on my way to your house?”

”Since you're the one doing the training, I think your contribution is big enough without supplying snacks.”

”Okay.” This time, the silence stretched until she checked to make sure the call hadn't been dropped. ”Do you need anything?”

”Some strong sedatives, if you don't stop treating me like your invalid aunt.” She immediately felt bad about her sharpness. ”No, Chris. I'm stocked like a good prepper. Dad could stay away for another six months, and I'd still have enough to eat.” She'd be out of chocolate long before then, though, and that could lead to severe crankiness.

”I'll see you tomorrow, then.”

”Bye.” The word was more of a sigh. This Chris was nowhere near as fun to talk to as her friend used to be before some alien performed a personality transplant on him.

”Gabe,” Rob called over the construction noise. ”Got a minute?”

Gabe Little scowled. ”No. Not after your deputy wasted my entire morning.”

Raising his eyebrows, Rob waited.

”Chris Jennings called me and told me Daisy needed me at home.” His frown deepened with each word. ”Thought she was in trouble or something. When I drove all the way home, she was fine. Said she had no idea why Jennings dragged me to Simpson. I ended up turning around and driving right back to Connor Springs. What a waste of time.”

”Hmm...” Rob was beginning to realize just how attached Chris was. He should've known something was up when Jennings bought a new grappling dummy for the department, when their ”old” one had barely been used a year. ”Sorry you were inconvenienced, but I have to admit that I'm concerned about Daisy, as well.”

”What?” His surly expression faded, and concern seeped into his tone. ”Why? What's wrong?”

”Has she shown any signs of improvement since her mother...pa.s.sed? Any attempts at leaving the house?”

The final traces of annoyance disappeared as Gabe deflated, sitting heavily on a concrete block. ”Not really. She had a therapist for a while, but that didn't...well, it didn't pan out.”

”Why not?”

Guilt flashed over Gabe's expression, and the defensive scowl returned. ”What's this all about, Sheriff?”

”Like I told you,” Rob said evenly, allowing sympathy to color his voice, ”I'm concerned. What would happen if there was a structure fire? Or if she was injured or ill, and no one could get to her?”

Holding his hands palms-up in a gesture of helpless anger, Gabe demanded, ”You think I don't ask myself those questions every day? You think I don't worry about her in that house?”

”I know you do,” Rob said soothingly. ”I'm a father, too. I understand about worrying all the time. I'm not here to add to your problems. I'm here to offer to help-as much as I'm able, at least.”

Gabe slumped, and Rob knew he had him. ”Thanks, Sheriff. Sorry. It's just...hard.”

”I know.” Reaching out, Rob clasped the other man's curled shoulder. ”If something were to happen, is there any way I could reach her? Is there a key?”

”No.” Gabe didn't raise his gaze. ”There are too many locks on that inside door. My key chain would look like a janitor's.”

Holding back a frustrated scowl, Rob asked, ”Is there any other way into the house, any way to get to Daisy if she needed help?”

Gabe started to shake his head but then stopped, his expression brightening. ”Yeah, there is. I'd almost forgotten about that.”

Rob listened intently, not allowing his satisfaction to show.

Her shaky hands had returned for the stupidest reason.