He shut the door behind him and checked down the hall, making sure we were alone.

“Before you go,” he said. “I wanted to assure you that Todd’s appeal is my top priority.”

“I know. Thank you.”

He glanced toward the outer door, then adjusted his tie. “So everything is . . . all right?” The last word rose, question rather than statement.

“Everything’s fine.”

“And you and I? We’re . . . fine?”

I smiled for him. “We are. I know this isn’t the best time for a vacation, but—” It wasn’t as if I was leaving for good. This was my job now, and we had plenty to do still, between setting my father free and figuring out how to handle the Matilda legend. Two weeks, and we’d be back at it. Together. That hadn’t changed.

“No, no. You could use a break. I just . . .” He trailed off. Another phone chirp. Ricky telling me he was parked in the lane, not rushing me, but Gabriel said, “You should go.”

“I’ll see you in two weeks.”

I got as far as the front door, my hand on it, when he said, “Olivia?”

I turned. He stood there, hands in his pockets.

“I . . .” he began. His gaze dropped to my ankle. Then he cleared his throat and straightened, pulling out his hands. He reached over and squeezed my upper arm, awkwardly but lingering as he said, “Take care of yourself and have a good vacation. You deserve it.” He released my arm, gave a quarter smile, and headed back for his office.

I opened the front door. As I stepped out, I thought I felt Gabriel watching. I looked back, but he was already disappearing into the office. I paused, feeling the impulse to run after him, to ask if he’d wanted to say something more, to say anything, to hope that—

No, I’d made my decision. I couldn’t keep questioning it. I just couldn’t.

I took a deep breath and continued out to where Ricky waited.