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.

a bright, easygoing young man, open and sincere. But after everything that had happened, she realized how dangerous

a calm, unhurried stride,

her pace,

now, just strolling quietly

looked at him. "How long do you plan

But, to be honest, things aren't looking stable around here. How about I take

Aldridge, you do realize my husband's still missing?

"my husband" made

but now, hearing it from

12

he could look at Elodie at eye level. For once, his face was free of that usual sharpness or bravado; he looked

I'd help you find him. Your safety comes first. Besides, everyone back home is worried about

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

Other women held

All these years, aside from Patricia Aldridge, no one had ever caught his

to get closer, to cross

a step

touch, deliberately

smile at the corner of Watts' mouth.

see straight

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