Jamie gave her a sober nod. ‘Fair enough. Phil and I are going to go back to Chevy Chase and find out who’s been digging into Thorne’s past. It’s possible that someone simply obtained the court transcripts, but we can find that out too.’
‘I’m going with you,’ Thorne stated, his tone brooking no argument.
‘We figured you’d want to,’ Phil said. ‘I’ve kept tabs on a lot of the old academy staff, so I can ask questions without getting too much undue attention. You, son, are going to draw plenty of undue attention. So we need to use your presence sparingly.’
‘That means you’ll stay in the car a lot,’ Jamie said, shaking his head when Thorne opened his mouth to protest. ‘We are protecting you, Thorne. As best we can. We need to make sure someone is with you at all times. Your alibi from here on out needs to be unimpeachable.’ He looked over at Gwyn. ‘Ready to stay in the car with him?’
‘Yes,’ Gwyn said without hesitation. ‘Try to stop me.’
‘All right.’ Frederick clapped his hands. ‘We have our marching orders. Let’s go.’
‘Wait.’ Thorne pushed to his feet and looked around the room. ‘Thank you. I . . . I never expected any of this. I don’t know how to repay you.’
‘We’re repaying you,’ Stevie said. ‘You’ve helped all of us at one time or another, Thorne. Not that anyone’s keeping track. You’re . . . family.’
Thorne swallowed hard. ‘Thank you. Be careful. And don’t take any unnecessary risks. I don’t want anyone getting hurt, not physically, and not your careers or reputations. Not because of me. It’s not too late to back out.’
There was a moment of silence, then everyone began to move, taking down the chart pads, clearing up remnants of pizza and beer, and returning Gwyn’s living room to how it had been.
Lucy excused herself to Gwyn’s room to pump, and for a moment Gwyn stayed where she was, studying Thorne. He looked a little lost as he watched everyone busy around him. Mystified. Like he was still unsure of why all these people had mobilized themselves on his behalf.
He’d never been good at accepting the goodwill of others. Not even herself or Lucy, although he did allow them to fuss over him from time to time. She understood his reluctance – she’d never been able to accept kindness either, but Gwyn knew where her own insecurities came from. It troubled her that she hadn’t known the source of Thorne’s until today.
It troubled her that she’d never thought to ask.
I’m kind of an asshole. Dammit.
Her chest grew tight and she didn’t lie to herself about why. Tenderness wasn’t something she often felt. But when she did, it was usually directed towards the man sitting on her sofa, and usually at moments like this when he was clearly blind to his own worth.
Carefully, she moved to perch on the arm of the sofa once again. Just as carefully, he kept his gaze everywhere except her face. I hurt him. I didn’t mean to. But she’d hurt him more if she accepted his declaration before she was ready and had to change her mind later. Instead, she offered what comfort she could.
‘No one is going to back out,’ she murmured.
‘I know. I don’t actually understand it, but I’m thankful for it.’
They fell silent, and for the very first time in all the years she’d known him, it was awkward. Finally he cleared his throat. ‘I’m going home with Jamie and Phil. I’ll stay in their spare room while we sort this mess out.’
A stab of disappointment speared her and she frantically searched her mind for words that would make him stay. Because she was afraid that if he left, it would be over. What ‘it’ was, she didn’t yet know. But her gut told her to keep him close.
If only so that she could take care of him. As his best friend, that was her right. Right? But as his best friend, she’d die before she hurt him any more than she already had. ‘If that’s what you want to do.’
His laugh was quietly brittle. ‘What I want and what I’m likely to get are often two different things.’
‘You don’t know that. I don’t know that. What I do know is that I’d like you to stay. I have a spare room too. This condo has better security than Jamie and Phil’s house. I know, because Clay installed it for me.’
Because after Evan, she hadn’t been able to sleep, worried that someone would invade her space. Even though she’d let Evan in. Voluntarily. And . . .
Stop. You’re not thinking about him right now. Evan was gone. I am still here. And Thorne was not Evan. The very notion that the two shared anything in common was beyond ludicrous. Thorne would never hurt her.
‘And,’ she added when inspiration – and reality – struck, bringing with it a brand-new fear, ‘I’ll be safer wherever you are. You’ll have police protection, even if Hyatt is calling it surveillance.’
Because she might be targeted. Again. Because of who her friends were. Evan had targeted her because she’d been his gateway to Lucy, but Gwyn wouldn’t have abandoned Lucy even if she’d known Evan’s intent. She wasn’t abandoning Thorne now. Still . . . the sudden realization scared the piss out of her.
He looked up at her sharply. ‘You’re not involved in this.’
She shrugged, trying to be calmly logical. ‘If someone has researched your past enough to stage a murder just like the one you were accused of nineteen years ago, they know that your girlfriend was also murdered because she was a witness.’
His mouth twisted, then firmed. ‘But you’re not my girlfriend.’
That stung. ‘No, but we’re publicly very good friends. And what better way to hurt you than to hurt those you care about? Everyone in your sphere needs to be on their guard.’
Thorne shuddered out a horrified breath. ‘Oh my God. I didn’t think of that. Why didn’t I think of that?’
‘You’ve been a little busy,’ she said, fighting the urge to pat his shoulder the way she might have before he dropped that whole seven years bomb. Because now it was awkward between them when it never had been before. She wanted to snarl at him about that.
But . . . what if he was right? What if they could have more than mere friendship? What if they could have a life together?
Goddammit. Focus. Everyone in Thorne’s sphere could be in danger. Everyone, including the men who were basically his parents. ‘You should go to Jamie and Phil’s, and I should go with you. Jamie can’t stay here because my place isn’t wheelchair-adapted. If I go there, we can all be monitored by Hyatt’s surveillance. Plus, the four of us can get an early start down memory lane in your old hometown. Okay?’
Thorne’s jaw worked as he ground his teeth. ‘Jamie and Phil only have one extra bedroom.’
‘Not a problem. I’ll sleep on the sofa. I’m small. I fit nearly anywhere.’
Jamie rolled his chair up next to them. ‘We overheard, and we all agree.’
Gwyn lifted her brows. ‘That I’m small?’
Jamie’s grin was quick. ‘That too. But mostly that you should both come with us, for all the reasons you said, Gwyn. Everyone else here either lives with a cop or was a cop, so they can protect themselves. But we should band together. And we do have a state-of-the-art security system, by the way. Maybe not as good as one Clay might install, but still top-notch. You’ll both be safe with us.’
‘We’ll all be safer if I stay alone,’ Thorne growled. ‘I’m not putting anyone else in danger. I’m not going anywhere with any of you.’
Jamie frowned at him. ‘Thomas,’ he said quietly. Disapprovingly, even.
Thorne instantly went quiet. That was a really good trick, Gwyn thought. ‘I don’t want anyone to get hurt,’ he murmured. ‘Not because of me.’
‘Well,’ Jamie said pragmatically, ‘now that you know to watch your own back and you’re bouncing back from the GHB, don’t you think we’re safer with you? I mean . . .’ he indicated Thorne’s size with a wave of his hand, ‘if I didn’t know you, you’d scare the shit out of me.’
Thorne stared at his hands. ‘Gee, thanks.’
‘You’re welcome,’ Jamie said, a little curtly. ‘Do we have to have this conversation again?’
Gwyn looked from one man to the other. ‘What conversation?’