Kate sat quietly beside Tyler on the drive toward ex-detective Thomas Cooper's house.
She glanced at Lydia in the car's wing mirror and noticed how Lydia's brows were furrowed while her eyes stared into the distance.
Kate knew how important this was for Lydia.
Throughout Lydia's life, she'd always suspected that something wasn't right with the story their grandparents had told them. She'd tried to push their grandparents for information, but she had only ended up agitating them and a cold war always ensued.
As the car got nearer to their destination, Kate couldn't help wondering if she'd made the right decision in helping Lydia pursue the case.
She was worried about how Lydia would react to the information or the lack of it.
Either way, by going over to Thomas Cooper's house, she was igniting a spark that she might regret. She was giving Lydia permission to chase after ghosts that their grandparents had worked hard to keep from them.
It was a chase that might never lead to anything; a chase that might never end.
Taking her eyes off Lydia, Kate turned to Tyler.
The conversation they'd had at her house resurfaced, and again she wondered if her parents would agree with their choice of going after something that had happened so long ago.
When Tyler's car pulled to a stop, everyone looked out at the small, pastel-blue house with white picket fence, but nobody said anything. All their eyes were on the house, but no one moved.
For a moment, Kate thought that perhaps even Lydia might hesitate. But she sighed as Lydia flung the door open and stepped out.
Jesus ... She didn't even know what to pray. Jesus, just let everything be good.
She reached out for the door's handle, but turned back to Tyler as she felt his hand on her arm.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked.
She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "No, I'm not. But I think Lydia needs to know, and it's too late to go back now."
"And you?"
"You've given me the answer I needed. Parents just want their children to be happy, right?"
Tyler smiled. "Let's go, then. Otherwise, I think your sister will head in without us."
By the time they got out of the car, Lydia was already standing right in front of Detective Cooper's door. She pressed the doorbell twice and tried peering into the house through the window by the door.
"Who is it?" a grumpy voice bellowed from within the house.
Once Tyler heard the voice, he widened his strides and placed himself in front of Kate.
"I'm ... We're ..."
They got up to the steps with Kate standing half a step behind Tyler.
Kate turned and stared at Lydia, confused. She thought Lydia would have an entire speech prepared.
"We're here to ask you some questions regarding a case you handled before your retirement," Tyler answered.
The door opened, and a pudgy old man eyed them suspiciously from his wheelchair. "Who are you?"
"Lydia Mitchell." Lydia stretched out her hand, but the old man merely glared at her and turned to stare at Kate. Lydia took a deep breath and dropped her hand. "That's my sister, Kate."
"I've seen you before, in a picture. Your grandmother came and pestered me for a locket from evidence."
Kate smiled apologetically as she fiddled with the locket. "I'm sorry if that caused you any problem."
The retired detective grunted.
"You have a fantastic memory, Mr. Cooper. Do you still remember our parents' case?" Lydia asked.
Even as Lydia spoke, Mr. Cooper turned to Tyler. "And you? I don't remember they had a son."
"He's my sister's boyfriend," Lydia answered impatiently before repeating her question. "Do you still remember our parents' case?"
"I remembered your grandmother; I remembered you and your sister. You think I've forgotten about the case? Whatever you're here for, I have nothing for you." Backing his wheelchair away from them, he reached for the door.
Lydia immediately took a step forward, pushing the door back against the wall. "No, I need to know. There's barely any forensic evidence or witness statements in the file. Why is the police file so thin? Did you take something with you or throw evidence out? Like how you returned my grandmother the locket even though it was evidence for an open case?"
Kate pushed her hair behind her ear and pursed her lips.
Common sense should tell Lydia not to accuse someone she needed help from. And Lydia was to be a lawyer. Shouldn't she be better with her words?
The old man clenched his jaws. "Insolent child. Get off my property now."
But Lydia hadn't come this far to be turned away. She stuck out her stubborn chin and continued. "No. Why isn't there anything in the file, then? There's barely any evidence or clues. You were obviously not doing your job."
"Forensic evidence wasn't like what you have now. We solved cases based on our manual footwork. And since no one saw or heard anything, I'd nothing to go on. As for your mother's locket, your grandmother came to me begging. She told me that your sister was having nightmares and the locket would help her. I told her no; I told her it was evidence. But she kept coming back; she kept pleading. The locket had been checked, and it didn't hold any clues. So I risked my job and returned it to her."
"Really? I did my own manual footwork, and I heard you had a reputation: A reputation for making things go away for the right amount."
"Leave my property, or—" Thomas Cooper coughed violently, his face turning red as he struggled to continue. "Or I'm calling the cops."
"We should go," Tyler said to Kate. He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and turned away from the door.
Kate followed, grabbing Lydia's wrist and pulling her along.
But Lydia wrenched her hand from Kate's grip and, again, stopped the door from slamming shut. "I know what you did. I'll prove it."
Kate ran back to Lydia and jerked her away from the door. "I'm sorry, Mr.—"
Before she could complete her sentence, Thomas Cooper rammed his wheelchair into Kate's shin. She screamed at the sudden impact and was thrown off balance.
She tumbled backward, but Tyler caught her before she hit the ground. She tried to stand up straight, but her right foot was twisted at a weird angle, caught underneath the footrest of the wheelchair.
Tyler must have realized it. He set her down on the porch and was about to move forward when Thomas Cooper reversed his wheelchair, grazing skin off Kate's foot.
Kate winced and turned into Tyler's chest, but she didn't give Thomas Cooper the satisfaction of hearing her scream again.
Tyler's arms held her tight. Rigidly, he scooped her into his arms and returned to the car without another word.
Behind them, the door to Thomas Cooper's house slammed shut.
Though Tyler hadn't said a word, she could feel the anger he was suppressing.
Lydia sprinted ahead and opened the passenger-side door for Tyler.
Tyler placed Kate down on the seat and knelt down in front of her, lifting her feet up to rest on his thigh.
The place where the metal footrest had scraped across was already bleeding. He pulled off her shoe as gently as he could and checked her ankle.
"I'm sure it'll be fine after a while," she said as she saw the muscles along his already tensed jaws twitch.
He glanced up at her and slowly rotated her foot. She had braced for some form of pain, but she gasped at the unexpected jolt shooting up her leg.
"I think you sprained your ankle, but we had better get an X-ray just to make sure."
"Gosh, Kate, I'm so, so sorry. I'm sure he was trying to knock me down."
Tyler carefully shifted her leg into the car. "Get in," he commanded without looking up at Lydia. "We're taking her to the hospital," he said in a carefully controlled tone.
Lydia obeyed immediately.
Once in the car, Lydia took out a packet of tissue for her. "I'm sorry, Kate. I thought I could get something out of him."
"You tried that on grandma and it never did you any good or gave you any new information. As a soon-to-be lawyer, I thought you'd know better than this. I can't believe you jumped into accusing him without first trying to coax it out of him."
Lydia chewed on her lower lip. "I'm sorry. I really am."
"Forget it. Don't come back here again. I don't think any of us will be welcomed." Kate adjusted her position in her seat and bent forward to look at her foot. It was already beginning to swell, and an ominous violet patch was starting to appear. She sighed and lay back against the seat.
"Does it hurt?" Tyler asked.
"Nothing I can't handle."
When they got to the hospital, Lydia decided to wait in the car.
Kate didn't blame her.
Tyler hadn't said much, but his eyes were cold and dark, and his silence was causing even Kate to worry.
Lydia wasn't exceptionally skilled at keeping her cool or at getting information out of people. But even to her, it was clear that staying away from Tyler was a wise choice.
They sat in a waiting room so crowded that Tyler had to stand while Kate filled in the form, but they didn't have to wait long for her turn. Tyler made a call to Joseph and got them bumped up ahead of the queue.
They were out of the hospital in less than an hour.
Kate sat in a wheelchair and held a brown envelope while Tyler pushed her back to his car. He stopped the wheelchair beside the car and pulled the door open.
Kate pushed herself off the wheelchair, but before she could take a step, Tyler lifted her into his arms and set her down on the passenger-side seat.
"What's that?" Lydia asked as Tyler went to return the wheelchair.
"The X-ray film. He wants Joseph to take a look at it."
With the pain medication in her system, Kate fell asleep before Tyler returned. She only woke when she heard Lydia closing the car's door.
She stretched her back and turned to Tyler. "You look as if you want to murder someone."
"Feeling better?" he asked without a hint of a smile.
"Are you going to turn back and kill Mr. Cooper if I say no?"
He sighed softly. "I'm sorry. I should've paid more attention."
Her lips curled at his reply. "You're not God. You didn't know what was going to happen. How is it your fault for not being able to predict the future? Please don't blame yourself. I'm fine, really."
"Your angels are asleep today."
She shook her head with a smile. "It's so easy for us to blame God, isn't it?"
"Weren't your angels supposed to keep your feet from dashing against rocks?"
"I hate stepping out on the streets after it has rained. I hate the puddles of water on the ground, and I especially hate it when the water splashes onto my leg."
Tyler's brows drew closer, probably trying to judge if she'd somehow injured her head without him knowing.
"Three years ago, I parked my car across the street from my client's house. I'm usually very careful about where I step, making sure I avoid all puddles of water. But that day, I went around the car and my feet landed heavily in a dirty puddle of water," she said. "I froze on the spot, then groaned and complained to God, asking Him why didn't He open my eyes to that. I pulled out a piece of tissue and bent over to wipe off the water. And this whole thing lasted only for a few seconds."
She looked right at him, and her smile broadened. "As I bent over, a car veered right past me, missing me by an inch, and crashed into the tree behind me. The driver had fallen asleep while driving. If I hadn't stepped in the puddle of water, I would've been right in the path of the car; I would've gotten pinned between the car and tree.
"So, I don't claim to know how everything works, but I know God causes all things to work for the good of His children. I still hate the puddles of water after the rain, but I no longer complain when I step into one."
Tyler didn't say a word. He got out of the car and sprinted over as she pushed herself out of the seat, wobbling dangerously as she tried to balance on one leg. He lifted her into his arms and strode toward the opened door.
"I can walk."
"Oh, dear Lord, what happened?" Marianne said.
"It's only a sprained ankle. The doctor said I just need to rest and keep it elevated. And Ty, I'm serious. Put me down. This is embarrassing."
"The doctor said to rest."
"I'll lean on my other leg."
"Actually, you shouldn't do that. It'll be better if you keep your injured leg elevated and don't use it at all," Joseph interjected as he strode out of the kitchen. "I believe you have the X-ray for me?"
Tyler placed her on the couch and took the envelope from her. He handed it over to Joseph and waited while Joseph lifted the X-ray to the light, getting a better look.
"She's fine. It's a very mild tear. Rest your feet, ice your wound, and keep it elevated."
She nodded dutifully. "I'll rest as much as I can. Where's Lydia?"
"Hiding in the kitchen. She's afraid Ty will kill her when he gets the chance," Joseph said.
Marianne laughed. "With that look, I can understand why. Wipe that frown off. Kate's fine, and I'm sure she won't be too happy if you frighten her sister."
Kate stood from the couch, getting better at balancing on one leg. She hopped back when Tyler moved toward her. "I can walk."
Tyler looked over at Joseph.
"You're not walking; you're hopping. And seeing how you're wobbling, there's an extremely high chance of you falling and hurting your other leg or aggravating your injury."
Rolling her eyes, Kate knew she was fighting a losing battle, so she cut Joseph off. "Fine. But can you give us a minute alone?"
Joseph and Marianne went back into the kitchen without another word. Marianne glanced over once, her brows furrowed, probably wondering what she was up to.
Kate waited until she was sure that they couldn't hear her before continuing. "You cheated. You used Joseph to force me into agreeing with you."
Tyler frowned and narrowed his eyes, observing her. "What do you want?"
She broke into a grin. "I'll let you carry me around if you stop blaming yourself and forget this whole thing," she said. "And forgive Lydia."
He drew a deep breath and shook his head.
Rearranging his features, he gave her an incredibly forced smile before stepping forward and lifting her into his arms. "You're injured, and you're still trying to make sure that everyone around you is fine."
"Mr. Sawyer!" Kate exclaimed when she saw him sitting in the kitchen beside her sister.
"Are you all right, Miss Mitchell? I can help you press charges if you want. The late Mr. Hayes made me promise to watch over you. He said you'll get bullied if no one does."
She wasn't sure if she should be grateful that the late Mr. Hayes was so concerned about her or be insulted that he thought she couldn't take care of herself. "No, it's all right. We were at fault, too."
Tyler sighed softly.
"Actually," Lydia said and swallowed, "it was all my fault. Sorry, Kate. I'm so sorry. I never thought you'd get hurt. Sorry, Tyler."
Kate arched her brow at Tyler.
He pressed his lips into a thin line and forced a smile. "Forget it."
"As you wish," Mr. Sawyer said. "As for trying to force more information out of him using legal means and your sister's locket as evidence, it may not have much effect. He is right. Forensic evidence wasn't considered a priority, and the judge will probably slap him with a small punishment for returning the locket. Besides, your sister would have to return the locket to evidence and might never get it back."
Kate reached for her locket. There was no way she was giving it back.
"No," Tyler stated with deadly seriousness. "She's not going to return the locket." He looked Lydia right in the eyes. "Drop the idea."
"Idea dropped," Lydia said without hesitation.
Wow. She needed to learn to speak in that authoritative tone of his, Kate thought. She'd never managed to talk Lydia out of anything, and Tyler simply commanded Lydia out of it.
"You said you know what he did. What did he do?" Tyler asked, his voice low and tone controlled.
He was clearly still piqued with Lydia, but at least he was making an effort to conceal it.
Kate's eyes slitted as she thought back on what Lydia had said outside Thomas Cooper's house. "Yeah, what did he do?"
Lydia gave a nervous laugh. "I was only scaring him. I have nothing. I managed to dig up his reputation, but everything else was a dead end. I just can't believe that nobody saw anything; it was broad daylight."
"If he were a corrupt cop, he could've intimidated witnesses into keeping their mouths shut. I've seen cases like that: policemen being too forceful, witnesses recanting their statements, or people confessing to crimes they never committed," Mr. Sawyer said.
Lydia nodded along as Mr. Sawyer spoke.
"Drop it, Lydia. How long will you keep chasing after the case? I don't mind helping you when there's a clue, but I don't want you to keep pursuing it when there's nothing left to go after," Kate said, knowing that Lydia was probably thinking of some form of alternate plan.
Lydia's right shoulder inched up, giving her a half shrug.
This was exactly why she needed to learn Tyler's style of speaking.
Despite the excitement that morning brought, routine resumed after lunch. Joseph went back to work, and Lydia left along with him while Kate and Tyler continued to pack up the things in the attic.
There was nothing more she could do about her parents' case now. She had done her part and was ready to put the whole thing behind her.
She turned her attention to the box of paints sitting in one of the boxes. She took a peek over her shoulder to make sure that Tyler wasn't looking before she quickly memorized the brands and colors.
She had been racking her brain to come up with a present for Tyler's birthday, and she'd finally come up with the perfect gift for him.
"Feeling sad for the brushes again?" Tyler suddenly asked. "I think I'd better get rid of them soon. It isn't helping if you're crying up here all the time."
She scowled at him. "I was just looking."
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