Cross Cut (37 page)

With that, I have little else to say. I only hope, with time, you appreciate what I did. If not, at least appreciate the truth I offered to you.

P.S

I’m sorry for using your friend, Melissa, in such a way.

Ryder tucked the letter and envelope away in her drawer.

I said, “Guess he didn’t figure on the actor getting killed.” I snorted. “He was a nut, clearly. How on earth could he have expected you to guess it wasn’t him at your office, all thanks to suit pocket flaps and a business card?”

Ryder coupled her hands. “I think it’s likely that Ulrich, the actor, had been given different instructions altogether. Yet, when he found himself being hassled by Andonian, he was unsettled when he saw me that morning. When he said he was being followed, he meant it, but those were not his instructions. He got muddled between the job he’d been hired to do, and his own safety. But, you are right. Who knows where we would have been if Guy Lynch’s idiotic scheme had failed.”

She slammed her drawer shut, then looked out the window.

Regarding Kacie; she has recovered and moved back into her own home as of yesterday. I talked to her briefly on the phone the other day and she wanted me to thank Ryder. I told her to do it in person, though. If you think someone saved your life, you should be able to tell them to their face, even if you have taken away something they love. Which isn’t technically true, I don’t think. Melissa is still with us. I’ll be totally honest, I have no idea what’s going on there. Given my scorecard with such a subject, I wouldn’t expect you to take my word as gospel. If Ryder did have affection for anyone, it would be Melissa, but I have to wonder if she’s even remotely capable of such a thing. She saved Melissa from prison some years ago, so I would assume Melissa has affection for her too. Perhaps the feeling Melissa has for Kacie is different, and is something Ryder would never be able to give her. I don’t know. I’m still shocked Ryder is the type to gawk at nubile young women as opposed to hulky hunks. That’s about as sensitive as my thoughts will penetrate. Not that I’m disappointed or anything. Ryder and I already argue, live together and go for weeks without talking. It would seem somewhat of a null step for us to ever get involved.

I suppose it’s also quite amusing that Ryder has now saved both Melissa’s life and Kacie’s. Not entirely sure what that means. Seems like a nice trump card to have in a love triangle.

As for me, well, it’s the same old shower of menial duties. A week will go by, and in that period I will have achieved the square root of nothing, watching Ryder sit at her desk, reading a book and admiring the seahorses.

Yet, I still wouldn’t change it for anything. Not while she still cooks as brilliantly as she does.

It’s 11PM, and Ryder is going for her nightly visit to the pier. I have, for whatever reason, been invited. We leave by the front door, and bid goodnight to Melissa.

“You haven’t got your rod,” I said.

“I don’t plan to use one,” she said, nodding behind me. “Ader—”

I locked the door.