24. P O W E R : Broken Heart

CHAPTER VIII

Delvis entered into the apartment to the sound of music-box-style Christmas music and the smell of gingerbread filling the air. He hesitated before walking into the kitchen, where he found all his mail from the last four months sorted into several large, neat piles on the table.

Delvis rested a hand on the table, staring at the mail for a few silent moments. Then he let out a quiet sigh and turned around, heading into the living room. His "conspiracy board" had been moved to the side and a small Christmas tree left in its place with two boxes beneath its boughs.

Delvis walked up to the tree and knelt down, pulling out one of the boxes and unwrapping it. Inside was—as promised—a six-pair package of socks.

The detective chuckled, setting the socks down on the couch. Then, opening the next box, he found three new shirts, neatly folded and freshly pressed.

"Aw, man..." Delvis murmured, putting down two of the shirts and holding one up in the air.

The creaking of a door made him lower it and turn. He watched as Whynnie stepped out of his bedroom, dressed in the most atrocious Christmas sweater he'd ever seen. It was a mix of green, red, white, yellow, orange, and purple, and had a reindeer on the front with the words "Merry Christmas, Deer" on underneath.

Whynnie gave Delvis a somewhat hesitant smile. "Merry Christmas, Del," she said shyly. "I—I got those shirts, like you asked for."

"Yeah. Thanks." Delvis gently refolded the shirt and placed it on top of the others before turning to Whynnie and exhaling. "Whynnie... I'm gonna need you to leave," he said quietly.

It took a few seconds for what Delvis had said to register—and when it did, Whynnie reared back slightly as if she'd been slapped. "What?" she whispered.

"You heard me, Whyn." Delvis made a helpless gesture. "I need you to leave."

"Leave?" Whynnie repeated in disbelief, her voice cracking. "But why?"

"Sit down and I'll explain—"

"No! I'm not sitting down!" Whynnie cried, hurt and angry. "I took care of this place, made it all Christmas-y, got you presents—I even made you cookies! And you're telling me to leave?!"

"Will you let me explain?" Delvis asked, raising his voice slightly to match the volume of Whynnie's.

Whynnie took in a shaky breath and let it out slowly as she crossed her arms. "Okay," she said, struggling to hold back tears. "But—but it better be good."

Delvis took off his hat and sighed. "Do you remember the night I was arrested?" he asked.

"Yeah..."

"Before I went after Veronika, you... kissed me," Delvis went on. "And that made me realize something. My fiancée had barely been dead for two months, and I was already developing feelings for someone else. I felt like—like I'd betrayed her. Like I didn't mourn enough, or... or wait long enough." He paused and clutched his hat in both hands. "So while I appreciate everything you've done, Whynnie... I can't have you here. Not yet. Not now. Not until I've done what I need to do."

"So you're just kicking me out?" Whynnie snapped, the tears starting to flow. "Just like that? You know I never meant to replace Alice! I—I just wanted to help!"

"And you've helped plenty," Delvis told her. "But for now, your help, while it may be needed, is no longer wanted."

Whynnie let out a half-gasp, half-sob, and covered her mouth with her hands.