How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

She turned around calmly.

Watts was standing just a few steps behind, his expression unreadable.

He watched her, thoughtful, as if weighing something only he understood.

"How am I supposed to sleep when there's still no word from Jarrod?" she replied, sidestepping his question with the safest answer she could muster.

Watts slipped one hand into his pocket, a faint, elusive smile tugging at the corners of his eyes. "I thought maybe you just didn't trust me. Maybe you were planning to run away."

His words sent a chill crawling up Elodie's spine for no reason she could name.

She met his gaze head-on. “It's the middle of the night. I'm in a foreign country. Where exactly would I go?"

Watts shrugged. "Fair point. Things are a little chaotic around here right now."

Quietly, Elodie slipped her phone back into her coat pocket, then started walking slowly toward the house. "How are my colleagues doing? Are they alright?"

"They're fine. I'm planning to arrange for them to head home tomorrow," Watts replied breezily, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

But Elodie's guard was up-more than ever before.

as a bright, easygoing young man, open and sincere. But after

the house with a calm, unhurried stride,

matched her pace,

really thought about it before, but now, just strolling quietly like

at the front door and finally looked at him. "How long do you

he raised an eyebrow and replied, "Depends on work, really. But, to be honest, things aren't looking stable around here. How about

realize my husband's still

way she said "my husband" made Watts' smile falter, just for

title before, but now, hearing it from her lips,

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look at Elodie at eye level. For once, his face was free of that usual sharpness or

you find him. Your safety comes first. Besides, everyone back home is worried about you. Wouldn't

eyes—something he himself didn't fully grasp. He reached out, as if

women held no appeal for

All these years, aside from Patricia Aldridge, no

get

took a step

avoided his touch, deliberately and

faint smile at the corner of Watts' mouth. In

see straight through her—her