Page 77 of The Woman By the Lake

Riggs’s mood had significantly deteriorated by the time he pulled into the lane to his house.

This was because the hospital was a good twenty minutes out of town, but since he was responsible for dessert that night, he’d had to swing by the grocery store to get it.

He should have grabbed something from the deli to eat, but he didn’t want to spoil his appetite for whatever Nadia had planned for dinner. He’d had her spaghetti, and her cake, so he knew whatever it would be, it was going to be good.

So he had a shit day to contend with, and now he was even hungrier, because it took him more time than he would have liked to get home.

His mood didn’t get better when his house came into view.

This was because there was a Fret County Sheriff’s cruiser there, and standing outside it, leaning against the fender, was Raul Hernandez.

Riggs didn’t know the kid well, he just knew he was one of the newer deputies, and young, so inexperienced.

Riggs could see that call from Harry, since he needed his more senior deputies to be dealing with investigating a break-in when a rash of burglaries were happening, but he still didn’t like it.

The other part was that his driveway was clogged with vehicles: Nadia’s Range Rover, his mother’s Lexus, and Dave and Brenda’s truck.

He parked off to the side, grabbed the grocery bag, got out, shot a chin lift to Hernandez, and saw his day looking up, minimally, when Dave and Brenda exited his house as he got close to it.

He liked them both, but for once, he was in no mood to play host.

Dave looked pissed and worried. Brenda just looked worried.

They came right to him.

And Dave, being how Dave was, didn’t fuck around.

“Gail says you’re gonna take care of the cabin.”

“Yeah,” Riggs confirmed.

“Send me the invoices,” Dave ordered.

“You got it.”

“We came to see if Nadia was okay and offered her the option of staying with us until you got things sorted,” Dave declared.

Riggs’s neck got tight.

“She said she already unpacked her toothbrush, whatever that means. I just know it means she’s staying here,” Dave muttered.

Riggs fought a smile.

“We’re gonna get out of your hair. She’s got dinner ready,” Dave stated, not a talker, but when he did, he was a straight shooter.

And…

Thank fuck.

Dinner was ready.

“You spilled my secret,” Brenda added on an accusation aimed at Riggs.

Riggs looked at her, and he saw she now also looked pissed.

“Sorry, Bren,” he murmured, not actually sorry because tacos always sounded fantastic, but right then, they sounded miraculous.

She blew out an annoyed breath.

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