Chapter 143

“Just keep in mind what I said, okay?” Michelle waddled on her knees off the bed and clamped her hand on Candace’s wrist. “They'll call me if they need to. You get dressed and go to the museum. I’ll call you if I hear anything. No, don’t object, let me take some of the duty for a change. It will be good for me. Heck, maybe I’ll even freak you out completely and clean up my room since you’ve done the rest of the house.”

“Not the attic yet.” Or the windows. She hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

“God, Candace, you need serious help. Go. Git. Don’t come back until Nolan is done with you.” She swatted Candace on the hip, then gathered her into a warm, impulsive hug. “And promise me. Promise me you’ll think about how many people it’s really your job to keep happy besides yourself.”

***

Candace pulled into the public museum parking lot, nervous and jumpy. She assumed she and Nolan were going to spend a sedate hour or two inside— what was so threatening about tha