Page 7 of Masked

“How are you? Have you seen a therapist?”

Elise was murdered in Darci’s apartment, and she’d walked in on the gruesome scene.

“Yeah. I’m seeing my regular therapist weekly for a little while.”

“Good girl.” He kissed the top of her head before she walked away to join her boyfriend, Bradley.

Noah turned to find Parker and Reva standing behind him.

Parker offered his hand for a handshake, but Reva came at him with a hug.

He was struck again by her beauty, and he hoped his son was treating her right.

“Noah, I’m so sorry for your loss,” Reva said as she stepped away from Parker. “I didn’t know Elise, but I know she meant a lot to you, and the crowd here today is a testament to how wonderful she must have been.”

Noah smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you, Reva. And thank you again for being there the night she died. It meant a lot to have you and Parker there.”

Parker moved closer and laced his fingers with Reva’s. “Mandy and Jacob are already inside. The funeral director put us on the front row with you. I hope that’s OK.”

Noah smiled. “I’d like nothing more.”

The service was as gut wrenching as Noah expected it to be, but he kept it together enough to say a few words.

At the cemetery, it was harder to keep himself together. Her friends, Darci, Carrie, and Olivia were in tears the entire time, and Noah noticed Reva stayed misty-eyed as well. But she was observant, and at one point during the service, she put a hand on his arm and leaned close.

“It’s OK not to cry until later.”

Noah grimaced and patted her hand. “Thanks.” Her words gave him the strength to get through the rest of the burial.

After the graveside service, those closest to Elise came back to Noah’s house for a small reception. Playing host was the last thing he wanted to do, so he’d hired staff for the day and locked himself in his study after greeting everyone. Her parents were too grief stricken to attend and had gone back to their house, but he promised to check on them often.

Two scotches in, the grief hit him like a ton of bricks in the form of anger, and he hurled his drink at the wall. “God damn it,” he bellowed, unable to keep it inside any longer.

“Dad?” a voice from the hallway said.

Only Mandy called him Dad. Guilt flooded him when he realized she’d heard his outburst.

“I’m fine, sweetheart. Just leave me be.”

“Jacob and I have to leave. We just wanted to say goodbye.”

He swiped at the tears he didn’t realize had fallen and stood to unlock the door.

“Thanks for coming,” he said, pulling her into a hug.

“Of course. I’m so sorry she’s gone.”

In the entryway, he hugged Jacob and Mandy goodbye and told them to drive safe. Unable to face the mess in his office, he headed for the kitchen, intent on getting a cup of coffee.

He found Reva sitting at the island crying.

“Reva?”

She jumped and whipped her head around as she grabbed a napkin and dabbed at her eyes. “Oh god. I’m sorry. Look at me being a mess over someone I never met.”

Noah smiled and slipped onto the barstool next to her. “She was pretty amazing, but I get the impression the tears are for someone else.”

Reva cocked her head. “What makes you say that?”

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