"Seriously?"
Hale's voice came out low, almost tired. His hands were clasped together in front of him like he was trying to keep them from doing something else—like pacing, or worse.
Aubrey nodded anyway.
"Yeah. Canada."
Hale didn't answer right away. He just stared at her for a second, then dragged a hand down his face and into his hair, pushing it back like it might clear his head.
"…fucking Canada," he muttered.
Aubrey let out a small breath through her nose.
"That's exactly what I said."
For a second, there was almost something normal about it. Almost.
Hale looked back at her.
"So that's why he didn't come back?" he asked. "That's what we're going with?"
Aubrey shrugged, but it wasn't casual. Her shoulders stayed a little too stiff.
"What else makes sense?"
Hale's jaw shifted.
"What makes sense is he made a stupid call," he said. "Running off like that? With her?"
He shook his head once, short and sharp.
"That's gonna get him killed."
