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“Go brush,” I instructed, and he stomped away.

I chuckled to myself and pulled out my phone to text Fai that we were running late. He’d stepped in to manage Goldie’s duties at the journal until she felt ready to return. While we’d restarted operations when she was found last month, nobody wanted to rush her back to work—if she even wanted to return at all.

I hadn’t seen her since the day she was found. I couldn’t bring myself to face her; the history between us was far too complicated to dive into when she didn’t remember it. While I hadn’t seen her, we had a group chat keeping us all updated on her progress. Physically, she was doing much better. But mentally… well, it wasn’t good.

Fai didn’t offer details, but reading between the lines, the fact that her memories still hadn't returned was tearing her apart. She was desperate to remember anything, but it all had been lost somewhere in those two months she was gone. She refused to talk about what happened during those months, maintaining a fortress of absolute silence. For Detective Ransom, her silence was a slow-burning torture. He was duty-bound and personally invested in finding the sadistic bastard who had hurt her, but she wouldn't give him a single brick to build a case with. He was trapped in a maddening loop: desperate for answers to protect her, but utterly helpless because the only witness was holding all the keys and refusing to open the door.

As I was writing out my text to Fai, a ping came into the group chat.

Jackie: Has anyone gone to see Goldie this week?

Oliver: I stopped by, but she didn’t let me in.

Jackie: That’s what happened here, too. Silas managed to get in last week, but even he wasn’t allowed in yesterday.

Oliver: Shit.

Fai: I checked in with her therapist, and she’s still attending meetings. That’s all I know. I saw her a few days ago, but she asked for some space. Someone needs to go check on her.

Jackie: I can try, but I don’t think she’ll let me in.

Oliver: Same here.

Fai: What about you, Lex? Can you give it a try?

I groaned, rubbing a hand across my jaw as I stared at my phone. I couldn’t say no. I didn’t have any excuse for avoiding her; I just was. How could I explain that when I looked into her eyes and she didn’t recognize me, it felt like I was being stabbed?

I couldn’t say that, because they would ask why, and I didn’t have the answers myself.

Me: I have River, but I can stop by and see if she’ll at least talk to me. I’ll keep you posted.

A series of thanks came in as I locked my phone and slid it into my back pocket. At least I had a valid excuse for being late. River came running in just in time, making a beeline for the front door. I followed him out, locking the door behind us, and helped him into the car and his booster seat.

“We’re making a pit stop before we go to Auntie Theo’s,” I explained as I buckled him in.

He didn’t care, kicking his feet back and forth. “Where?”

“Do you remember Goldie?” I asked.

He shook his head, which was fine. She wouldn’t know who he was, either.

“She’s my friend, and we just need to check in on her.”

He gave me a thumbs-up, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I climbed into the car, backed out of my driveway, and navigated the few miles to Goldie’s home. I drove the lingering memories of the last time I was there out of my mind. It was a gloomy day, as it usually was, but the rain had ceased, leaving wet asphalt and the distinct scent of rain in the air.

In less than a blink, we pulled up in front of her home. Putting the car in park, I saw her assigned officers parked in their own car next to mine. While the investigation was underway, they were assigned to follow Goldie. Silas had his own pair as well. I had hoped it would be temporary, but there had been no headway in the investigation, and Goldie's and Silas’s re-appearances had brought more questions than answers.

I gave the officers a nod and climbed out of the car. They didn’t stop me as I helped River out of his seat and onto the sidewalk, keeping my hand in his. He skipped by my side, his Gator dragging along the sidewalk, and I made a mental note to throw it in the wash when we got home.

“Can I knock?” River asked, craning his neck to look up at me.

I nodded and let go of his hand as he ran ahead. River bounded up the front steps as quickly as he could and charged toward the door, landing a solid knock on it… and then he karate-kicked it. Which was a choice, and we would definitely be having a talk about how to knock on doors later on.

He readied to kick again just as I reached him. I took his shoulders and pulled him back against me. “Okay… that’s good. I think she got the point after the first one, buddy.”

I hadn’t expected Goldie to answer us after turning everyone else away, and my breath was taken away when she pulled the door open. Her short hair was a mess of strands around her face. She wore an oversized hoodie that hung down to her mid-thighs. I held back a laugh at her socks, which were covered in cats.

She squinted at River and me and rubbed one of her eyes with her hand. “Lexington?” she asked tentatively.