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He gave Devon’s shoulder a tiny squeeze as he turned to leave. The touch lasted only a second, but Janie’s eyes widened the moment he disappeared.
“Uh . . . what was that?”
“Nothing.”
“That was not nothing.”
Devon unwrapped her turkey club sandwich. “You’re an investigative reporter. Aren’t you supposed to gather actual facts before jumping to conclusions?”
“There was a shoulder squeeze,” Janie countered. “There’s a fact for you.”
Devon shook her head, unable to conceal her smile. “We’re figuring things out.”
“With the case or with each other?”
A beat of silence filled the room.
“The case,” she answered confidently. “And . . . maybe the other, too.”
Janie’s squeal was borderline dog-whistle level, sending Devon’s gaze shooting toward the open door.
“Shhh!” she warned her friend, racing across the room to shut it before someone overheard. “I said maybe.” Devon shut the door and sent her friend a narrowed look.
“Your mouth says maybe, but your eyes say a whole lot more.” Janie grinned. “I see the way you two look at each other. And for the record, I think it’s great.”
“It’s new,” Devon admitted. “We haven’t even kissed.”
The news seemed shocking to her closest friend.
“Seriously?”
“We came close. Twice, actually.” Her smile faltered. “But everything else is a total mess.”
“Both things can happen at one time, you know.” Janie crossed her arms and leaned her backside against the computer table’s edge. “You can care about him and be scared about what’s been happening.”
Devon slowly made her way back to her unwrapped sandwich, suddenly less interested in eating. “Carol was a good person, Janie. She didn’t deserve what happened.”
“I know.” Her friend reached over and covered Devon’s hand with hers. “Neither do you. Especially after everything you’ve already been through.”
She nodded. “I just keep thinking about her grandkids.” Devon swallowed. “She talked about them all the time. And I know it’s not my fault that she’s dead, but I can’t help wondering whether she’d still be alive if she’d never called me.”
“You can’t know that. Neither of you had any idea that the issues you found in her records would lead to this.”
“I know. I just hate not knowing more.”
“You will.” Janie grinned. “If anyone can figure this out, it’s you and Blake. And for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here. I hate the reason, but I also hated that you were all alone in St. Louis.”
“I wasn’t completely alone,” she teased.
“You had Queen Willow.” Janie’s eyes rolled. “Oh, yes. I know.”
Devon laughed. “She’s definitely the ruler of the roost. Or at least, she thinks she is.”
She eventually started to eat her sandwich while she and Janie discussed more ordinary things. Her friend shared Emmett’s disastrous attempt to assemble furniture for their new home. They discussed Claire’s first few days and how much they both already liked her.
Janie even confessed to having gone ahead in the show they’d both been streaming. To which Devon admonished her, and rightfully so. And then, both women laughed.
It was the exact conversation Devon hadn’t realized she’d needed. Nothing life-threatening and nothing remotely involving computers.
