Chapter 5

My phone clattered against the kitchen counter as I swung into motion, thoughts already racing to logistics and contingencies. I hurried up the stairs and rummaged through drawers for my travel checklist, the paper worn at the edges from use.

"Olivia, hey, it's Mom," I spoke into the phone, securing it between my shoulder and ear as I folded clothes into my duffel bag—shirts, slacks, and other essentials.

"I need a favor. I have to go away on an assignment for the next few days. Can you watch over the others while I'm… away? Matt will be here, but he will also need to work. So maybe you can help him out a little around the house?"

"Sure, Mom." Olivia's voice crackled with static, but her assurance was clear. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. Just another case," I replied curtly, not wanting to worry her with details. "I'll explain later."

"Okay, Mom. Have a good time, and be careful, okay?"

"I promise," I said and hung up.

"Matt, can you help Alex with his soccer practice this week?" I called out, crossing the room to where he worked at his desk, his fingers deftly maneuvering across his keyboard.

"Already on my schedule," Matt said without looking up, a soft smile in his voice. He knew the drill—our life was a constant shuffle of responsibilities.

I grabbed my phone again.

"Chief Annie," I began as the call connected, my voice steady despite the storm brewing within. "I've got a situation that requires me to head to St. Augustine. Is that okay?"

"Go," she replied crisply. "We've got your back here."

"Thank you," I murmured, grateful for one less hurdle. With a final zip of my duffel, my gaze swept the room, a mental inventory ticking off each item.

Matt got up and walked to me. His hand found my shoulder, grounding me.

"You've got this, Eva Rae," he reassured me. His eyes, steadfast and sure, met mine, bolstering my resolve.

"Thanks, Matt," I said. "It means more to me than you think."

"Go get ‘em."

The weight of the duffel bag on my shoulder mirrored the heaviness in my chest. Potential risks flickered through my mind like a slideshow of nightmares—dead ends, danger, the unknown. I could feel the pull of uncertainty, the whisper of fear that clawed at the edges of my determination.

"Be safe," Matt said, his words a lifeline as he opened the door for me.

I nodded, my response locked behind a tight throat. The warm Florida sun greeted me. My hand hesitated on the car door, doubts circling like vultures over a carcass.

"You're not doing this for yourself but to help people in need," I whispered to myself, a mantra to quell the disquiet. "You're doing it for Diane and for Will, heck even for Angela, who wouldn't want her husband to be wrongly accused of her murder."

I slid behind the wheel, the engine coming to life with a reassuring purr. The rearview mirror captured Matt's figure retreating into the house—a snapshot of what I was leaving behind and a reminder of what I was fighting for.

With a deep breath, I shifted into drive and pulled away, the road stretching ahead, both an invitation and a challenge. Right thing or not, I had made my choice. And there was no turning back now.