Page 39 of Sins of Leo

“No. If I did, I’d already be dust in the stars.”

“And yet you’ve been self-destructive. Careless. Which leads to the point, if you fear loss so much, why would you jeopardize your friends?”

“I am always sober on the job.”

“Sober, but not mentally fit,” she countered. “Because you won’t allow yourself to forgive and forget.”

“How am I supposed to forget when I see Olivia every time I fucking close my eyes?” he shouted, jumping to his feet.

This seemed like more than PTSD, and it took a moment for her to realize something about his dream bothered. Given everything she’d experienced in the past few days, and considering all the magic being flung around, a theory burst from her, which she instantly regretted. “Are you sure they’re dead?”

“How dare you ask!” he barked.

“You said they never found the bodies.”

“Olivia’s and Kylie’s things were in that monster’s lair. They’ve never been seen or heard from since.”

Don’t say. Don’t say it.

She said it.

“Ever think your wife used this wendigo as an excuse to flee with Olivia?”

“Faked their deaths?” He sounded incredulous.

“She wouldn’t be the first to do so in order to achieve a clean slate. One without a father in the picture.”

He stared at her so long and hard she felt fear, but not for herself—Leo might be unbalanced, but he wouldn’t harm her, she hoped. But she did worry what he’d do if it turned out he’d been lied to.

Rather than go on a rampage, the tension flowed out of his body as he admitted, “Yes, I thought of it. A part of me never accepted their deaths. I went through our apartment looking for proof. After all, there should have been a missing suitcase and clothes. Everything was there. Kylie’s wallet. Our emergency cash stash. The baby formula and diapers. She might have hated me, but I doubt she’d have fled with only the clothes on their backs.”

He might be convinced, but Ruth had to wonder. He’d been frank about his wife’s disposition toward him, herseeming hatred. In the grips of postpartum, women could act inexplicably.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.”

Leo stalked off rather than return to bed. Then again, she wasn’t tired either. He slammed out of the apartment, and a perturbed Ruth wandered to the kitchen and began mixing up some biscuit batter and frying bacon. By the time he returned an hour later, she had the biscuits cooling and was cooking an egg. She added three more for him. He said nothing as he sat down at the table.

She placed a plate in front of him with three bacon-and-egg biscuit sandwiches along with a side of pan-fried potatoes.

“After the way I snapped on you, I don’t deserve this,” he muttered.

“You were being honest, and I’m also to blame. I pushed you, maybe harder than I should have.” She pursed her lips and added, “I’m sorry I questioned their deaths.”

“It was a valid thing to ask, and there’s days I still wonder, especially when I see Olivia in my dreams.” He sighed. “If she were alive, then I guess I’d have a whole different reason to hate myself.”

“Why would you hate yourself for Kylie kidnapping her?”

“Why would anyone do something so extreme unless they were afraid?”

“Vindictive people don’t need a reason.” Despite having only his side of the story, for some reason, she couldn’t see Leo ever giving his wife a reason to fear him. Ruth had been pushing his emotional buttons, and the worst he’d done was yell, and not once had he threatened to harm her. Having worked with abusive patients, she was no stranger to violence. She’d once had to have one charged for giving her a black eye.

Could Ruth be wrong about Leo? Very possible. After all, relationships added a complicated layer to emotions, but her gut told her this man would have hurt himself before his family.

She changed the subject. “When are we tackling my father’s journal?”

“Anytime you’re ready. Aquarius texted he scanned it all, so we can access the transcript anytime.” He visibly eased and began eating his breakfast.

---