CHAPTER 19: Luke's Warning
(Betty's POV)
The question sits in my chest. Heavy. Impossible.
But it will not go away.
I lie on my bed. Staring at the ceiling. The morning light is brighter now. I should sleep. I cannot.
I hear a car outside.
I sit up. I walk to the door. I open it just enough to see.
Adrain is already at the window. Watching.
The car stops. Luke gets out. He looks around. Then he walks to the door.
Adrain opens it before Luke can knock.
They do not speak. Luke just walks in.
I close my door. But I do not close it all the way. I leave a crack. Just enough to hear.
"You need to be more careful," Luke says.
His voice is low. Serious.
"I am careful," Adrain says.
"Not careful enough. They are getting closer."
Adrain is quiet.
"I have people asking questions," Luke continues. "About the safe house. About Betty. About you."
"Who?"
"I do not know yet. But someone is talking."
"Then find out who."
"I am trying. In the meantime, do not let your guard down."
Adrain does not answer.
Luke sighs.
"I am not trying to scare you," Luke says. "I am trying to keep you alive."
"I know."
"Do you? Because you have never had anything to lose before. Now you do."
Silence.
Then Adrain's voice. Low. Quiet.
"I know what I have."
Luke is quiet for a moment.
"Good," Luke says. "Then act like it."
I hear footsteps. Luke is walking to the door.
"One more thing," Luke says.
"What?"
"The Reeds. They are asking questions too."
Adrain goes still. I can feel it through the wall.
"What kind of questions?"
"About their lost son. They have been looking for him for years. Someone told them he might be in Manhattan."
Adrain says nothing.
"I will keep digging," Luke says. "Stay hidden."
The door opens. Closes.
Luke is gone.
Silence.
I stand behind my door. My hand is on the knob. My heart is pounding.
The Reeds are looking for their lost son.
The same Reeds. Linda Reed. My patient.
The name she kept calling in her sleep.
Adrian.
Same name.
Same eyes.
I push the thought away. It is impossible.
I hear Adrain walk to the kitchen. The coffee pot clicks. He is making more coffee.
I open my door.
I walk out.
He looks at me. His dark eyes. Unreadable.
"You heard," he says.
I shake my head.
"Heard what?"
He watches me.
"Luke. He was just here."
"I know. I was in my room."
"Did you hear what he said?"
I look at him. I keep my face calm. Even though my heart is racing.
"No," I say. "I was sleeping."
He stares at me for a long moment.
Then he nods.
He pours coffee into two mugs. He hands me one.
I take it.
"Luke is just worried," Adrain says. "Nothing for you to worry about."
I nod.
I drink my coffee.
He drinks his.
The silence is back.
But I am not thinking about the silence.
I am thinking about the Reeds.
About their lost son.
About Linda calling that name.
About Adrain's eyes.
I pretend I heard nothing.
But I heard everything.