On the drive from Springfield to DC, Claire couldn’t stop crying. Grayson reached across the console and took her hand, murmuring words of comfort, his low voice soothing.

She sobbed, her heart feeling like it would break as they sped down I-395, and tried to collect herself but didn’t ask questions when Grayson pulled into a parking garage near the Justice building. When he helped her out of the SUV and settled her into the front seat of a nondescript silver sedan a few rows over, it hardly registered. And when he started the car and drove through a tunnel before exiting a block away from where they’d first pulled in, she didn’t really care. Misery had made her numb.

When they arrived at his apartment in the wee hours of Friday morning, Grayson surprised Claire by introducing his friends who were staying there, Camden and Autumn. They looked equally stricken, having learned the news from Grayson by phone earlier, and had waited up for his arrival home.

After the introductions, Grayson walked Claire to his bedroom and got her settled in. Camden and Autumn were staying in the guest room, he said, and he would sleep on the couch.

* * *

After just a few hours’ sleep, Claire felt a little more human. She crawled out of bed, blinking against the bright morning light streaming through the bedroom window, and tugged on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt Grayson had left folded on the dresser for her with a note.

The clothes were obviously Grayson’s, much too big for her, but she’d make do.

She drew the pants’ drawstring as tight as she could, then studied herself in Grayson’s bathroom mirror. One cheekbone was a bit purple, swollen and tender from where she’d been hit the night before, and her eyes were puffy and red-rimmed. Basically, she looked as washed out and miserable as she felt, but at least she didn’t have a concussion or any other injuries.

She sighed as she turned away from the mirror. Despite the change in location, she couldn’t stop thinking about Jeremy.

By now, his mother and brothers had to know. How were they taking the news? Had his ex-girlfriend found out too? Thoughts of their grief made Claire want to crawl back into Grayson’s bed.

He’d shown a completely different side of himself in the last several hours. So much so that the accusations she’d previously made to him filled her with shame.

No longer wanting to be alone, Claire opened the door of the bedroom and wandered through the living room to the kitchen. Grayson’s modern apartment was bright with light, contemporary with a masculine feel. The kitchen was outfitted with subway tile and chrome fixtures, just like the master bath. It was all very attractive but cold, much like her first impression of Grayson.

“I should have been there.” Grayson stood in the middle of the kitchen’s slate-tiled floor, rubbing a hand over the stubble on his face as he spoke with Camden and Autumn.

“You sound just like Eli,” Camden said. “It wasn’t his fault, and it isn’t yours either.”

“I was doing a half-assed job on the case, going back and forth to my mother’s the way I was.”

Autumn turned her head and spotted Claire. “You’re up.”

Grayson spun around. His gaze met Claire’s and his expression softened. “Were you able to get some rest?”

Claire blinked several times, surprised again by his concern. She nodded as she walked over.

She’d barely said anything to Camden and Autumn the night before when Grayson had made introductions. Her throat closed up as she remembered why she was here, but she couldn’t think about that now. Maybe a little small talk would get her mind off her grief.

“Do you all live here?” she asked Camden, studying him with curiosity. He was a little shorter than Grayson but looked to be just as fit, with brown hair and dark eyes and an open, welcoming expression.

“No,” Camden said. “But Gray and I used to be roommates. Autumn was living up north when we met, and once we got together, I left the team and we decided to move.”

“Where do you live now?”

“Bonnersville, a small town in Virginia,” Camden said. “But Gray’s been nice enough to let us stay here for a while.”

The glance he exchanged with his wife made Claire wonder what the reason for their stay was . . . and why they’d make such a drastic move. Her curiosity was killing her, but she didn’t want to be rude and ask intrusive questions.

An awkward silence fell between them until Grayson said, “Didn’t you guys say you were thinking about getting a dog? Claire has a golden retriever.”

Despite her melancholy, Claire gave him a smile. She missed her fur-baby, and since she couldn’t be with him right now, talking about him was the next best thing.

What would Charlie do if he were here? He’d always been able to sense when she was upset, and right now, he’d probably try to crawl into her lap even though he was much too big for that now. He’d lick at her face, wanting to give her sloppy kisses, anything to help her get over the misery she was feeling.

Autumn encouraged Claire to sit down with her and Camden at the kitchen table. When she did, Autumn smiled. “Mind if we ask you a few questions?”

“Of course not.”

“How old is your dog?”

“Charlie’s a year old.”

“How much does he weigh?”

“About sixty pounds, but I expect he’ll put on a little more weight this year.”

“He’s friendly?” Camden asked.

Claire smiled again. “Incredibly.”

“We’ve heard teething is brutal.”

“It can be, depending on what they like to chew on. Shoes were a favorite of Charlie’s. So much so that I had to keep him in a kennel when I was out.”

“What about at nighttime?” Autumn asked. “Did he stay in the kennel then too?”

“He didn’t need to. From day one, he was big enough to jump down from the bed when he needed to use a pad.”

Grayson looked like he was trying to suppress a smile. “Your dog sleeps with you?”

When she met his eyes, her body’s reaction surprised her. What was going on with her? Every time she looked into Grayson’s eyes now, she felt a jolt of heat.

She nodded and quickly looked away. Her emotions were in a jumble and she wasn’t thinking straight, that was all. Grayson had given her a shoulder to lean on, but it was only due to circumstances. She shouldn’t read anything more into it.

“Who’s taking care of your dog now?”

Claire’s attention snapped back to Autumn. “My dog sitter.”

It had been almost a week since she’d seen Charlie. How much longer until she was home?

A knot of stress formed inside Claire’s stomach at the thought. After the last twenty-four hours, it was hard to imagine her life ever being normal again.