Oh. He was asking her if she would be staying. Why did he want to know? Her breath hitched at the possible reasons. A few heartbeats passed before she could speak.
“I took family medical leave. It’s indefinite at this point.” She hung her head, and her heart spoke ... “I gave up a possible promotion.” If only she could pull those words back. She hadn’t meant to speak them.
“Oh, Erin. I’m so sorry.”
“We do anything for family, right?” She swiped at the tears spilling onto her cheeks.
I guess this is where God wants me right now.
And she would turn the conversation back where it needed to be. Dwayne’s articles had nearly cost Newt Campbell his life, and she wanted to know why too.
“So you’re going to Boston. Are you sure you can leave your dad? What if he wakes up? What if he has something more to say?” She grabbed his hand, ignoring the sudden current that surged up her arm all the way to her heart. “Have you ... have you made sure that his room is secured? A Bozeman cop or someone to watch out for him.”
He nodded. “You sound like a cop.”
She lifted her hand, releasing his. “Criminal psychologist, hello.”
“Henry saw to the extra security. Mom told me earlier today when I called to let her know that I was okay. She hadn’t heard about the dam or that I was in trouble.” Nathan started walking toward the side of the house. Erin strolled next to him.
“While I’m sorry no one thought to keep her informed, I’m glad she didn’t have the added burden of worrying about you,” Erin said. “Especially since you came out on the other side with only twenty-four stitches.” She smiled to inject some levity.
They hiked into the front yard until they stood next to Nathan’s vehicle. “Oh, I forgot to mention that Henry shared that a hiker might have witnessed something, so Detective West will be interviewing him,” Nathan said.
“And while he’s interviewing the hiker, you’re going to Boston to dig deeper.” She sucked in a bolstering breath, then said, “You asked me to help, so I’m going with you.” There. She wouldn’t let him go through this alone.
Nathan opened his mouth. “You shouldn’t—”
“Don’t worry. Mom has so many friends, it’s ridiculous. I’ll find someone to stay with her for a night or two.” She didn’t imagine they would need longer than that.
If Erin didn’t go, she might never learn what articles, what cold case, her stepfather, Dwayne, had been asking about. She needed to see for herself what had brought Nathan’s father back here.
She wasn’t sure if it was the unknown or the possible implications that left her unsettled. Either way, she’d learned well enough that the past, especially a cold-case past, could come back around to bite in unexpected ways.