Page 17 of Heartsong
“Into your apartment?”
“Yes.”
“Without your keys.”
“A neighbor let me in and I’d forgotten to lock my front door,” she said, careful not to make it too quick or too late. “I must have passed out once I got home. I finally woke up to answer Carrie’s texts.”
“Miss Parkhurst was able to get outside and call for help. But you went home.”
There wasn’t a question in there, but Anna answered, “I think I inhaled more than her. Because I fell. I can show you the bruises on my knees.”
The detective made a few more notes in a little book, giving nothing away. With a swish, he closed the leather flap, looking her, Carrie, and Gavin over before saying, “We’ll need to talk with Miss Parkhurst.”
“She’ll be here in a few minutes,” Carrie said.
Anna’s stomach clenched.How much did she see?
She worked to keep the anxiety from her face as the detective made a few more comments. Finally, he asked to see the gallery once again.
“I’ll take you,” agreed Gavin, extending his arm to indicate the men should proceed. Over their heads, he and his wife exchanged serious looks.
Anna didn’t know what passed between them, but it was something to witness seeing a couple on the same wavelength communicate so much with just a few facial expressions. It was almost unnerving how keyed into each other the Gwyneths were.
Soon enough, it was just Anna and Carrie left at the desk—and one of the uniformed officers to keep an eye on the front door. And them.
Carrie waved her around the desk, and from the footwell pulled a beautifully woven basket. All of Anna’s things—purse, keys, lanyard, clipboard—were collected neatly inside.
“I’m glad at least your things were easy to find, and nothing seemed broken.” Carrie slid the basket to her, and Anna allowed a smidge of relief just to see and hold her things again. She’d felt vulnerable making even the well-known walk from home to work with just her phone.
“Thank you.”
“How are you feeling?” Carrie asked. “Did the gas have any lingering side effects? Should we take you to hospital?”
“No no,” Anna insisted, waving away Carrie’s concern. “I’m fine. Slept it off.”
“No headaches?”
Anna winced. She wasn’t usually one to share details with her boss, but she’d had to take two sick days already in her short stint at the museum due to her migraines. That and Carrie had a kind way about her that just had truths spilling out of Anna.
Carrie made an unhappy noise in her throat. “Sit, please.”
Plopping down in her chair, Anna watched in surprise as Carrie leaned over her to check her pupils. After a murmured, “May I?” and nod from Anna, she then gently probed her hairline and temples. With a considering hum, Carrie leaned back with a final touch to the center of Anna’s forehead.
It was strange, but just the little contact had the lingering ache of last night’s migraine seeping away.
Probably just a placebo from being touched gently by a maternal figure.
Not that she was desperate for such a thing.
Not at all.
Carrie didn’t miss Anna’s uncontrollable sigh of relief. One golden brow arched and she asked, “You’ve made appointments with a specialist?”
“Yes, I’m seeing the neurologist in a few weeks.”
“Excellent. I’m glad to hear it.” Carrie cleared her throat and a sheepish grin spread across her face, tipping the scales again toward her being closer to thirty. “I’m sorry to be so nosy. I just want to make sure you get the care you need. I was a doctor in the war. I take these things to heart.”
Anna stopped her jaw from falling to the floor but only just.
