𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐓 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐒
Newly engaged couple Sierra and Nick were eager to graduate college and move in together-finally starting their happily ever after.
But life isn't...
A/N Some of my readers have already read the series about the Graham's. If you're interested, you can add them to your library and read a bit of a rollercoaster mystery romance.
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After Sierra leaves the room, Brian stands in front of the stuffed dog. "Hey. Nick's too smart to threaten you on camera but Sierra calls me a dumb moose sometimes. Can't wait to see you again either. I've got a big hug for you, Dougie."
He looks at me. "What do you want to do with this thing? Shred it, rip its head off, have a bonfire..."
I shake my head. "Evidence, if necessary."
"Right." Head held high, Sierra points at me while reentering the room with Beesly one step behind her. SiSi picks the stuffed dog up by the head with two fingers like it's disgusting to even touch, then carries it away.
We jog after her to watch her next move, and she's already planted it in the corner of my office facing the television. "I hate this show," she murmurs to us, nodding at River Monsters before leaving the room.
I pull the door softly shut behind us, and we reconvene in the living room where I grab a garbage bag, turn it inside out, and gather the other items without leaving my fingerprints. After I store them in the hallway closet, I turn back to find SiSi at the window with her back to us, absentmindedly petting the cat perched on the armchair next to her.
"How can you guys be so chill?" Brian asks, his tone a mixture of annoyance and incredulity.
"Sierra?" I ask softly. "I don't want to speak for you if you want to answer."
The curtains she clutches drop, and she faces us. "We decided with Nick's parents that we would always try de-escalating if he did anything, and document everything he does."
As she vacates her spot at the window, she smiles wanly at me while I reach for her. The dog trots over to Brian for petting as he patiently listens, eyebrows drawn together while stroking her fur.
"If we see him," I say, "I won't chase him, just tell him repeatedly she doesn't want to see him. Though I might abandon that if he actually had the nerve to try that."
Sierra leans her back against my front, and I wrap my arms around her waist as she chimes in. "Nick and I listen to a ton of true-crime podcasts, and there's this one in particular we already subscribe to about stalking."
She shrugs and I sigh as she continues. "Police just don't take this seriously. They'll either tell you how sweet it is you have an admirer or that he hasn't done anything they can prosecute."
"That's insane!" Brian says, eyes widening. The dog leans her head back as he stops petting her, and noses his hands.
"He hasn't threatened to hurt us," Sierra says. "Not like, 'I'm going to kill you next Thursday at 4:00.' Basically, we can all say whatever we want if there are no actions behind it. So, that's why we're chill. Plus, we've talked about all of this to death—if I get upset when l see him, he might think he has to, like, rescue me? I don't know. It's all so fucking weird."
