Run, Girl (If You Can)

Gray gave no indication to Alice that he had found out she was still married throughout the rest of the dinner. Keeley wasn't sure whether he didn't care about cheating or if he simply didn't want to make things awkward.

Either way, his acting ability was more than a little unnerving. No wonder he had managed to get away with murder. 

Gray really was an awfully dangerous person. The current peace between him and the Hales was achieved solely by Aaron and Keeley walking on eggshells to keep him happy. Who knew how long that would last? 

He undeniably cared about Aaron but what if he ever offended Gray? Would he turn on them and become their enemy once more? In their last lives that had been deadly. Things could very easily go the same way again if they made him mad. 

She wished there was something more substantial they could do about him than trying to keep him at arm's length when he clearly wanted to be a part of their lives. It was obvious that Aaron felt the same but their hands were tied.

The best thing to do would be pinning Lacy Knighton's murder on him but they had no proof at all. If the police couldn't nail him there was no way they could do it. Unless Aiden…?

Didn't Aaron say that he was the one who managed to find the evidence that locked Lacy away for Max's murder in their last life? Neither of them had given Gray any indication they were onto him. Lacy's murder hadn't been brought up in his presence at all.

They might have Alice to thank for that. He was trying to impress her; he wouldn't bring up such a gruesome topic.

If Aiden managed to find the evidence that could nail Gray…Brann Knighton would make absolutely sure he got locked up for life. Lacy's case was high profile because of her status as a socialite. Public opinion would also be against him.

In jail he wouldn't pose a threat anymore, latent or otherwise. Keeley knew Aaron had been stressing out about this. It might be a solution. Whether he was currently a threat to the Hales or not, he was still a criminal and the world would be a safer place if he was behind bars.

Would she feel a little guilty for helping arrest someone who had helped them in the past? Yes. But Gray had made his own choices. Aaron never asked him to murder anyone. He should have been prepared for the consequences of his own actions.

As all of this was going through her head, Keeley managed to keep her usual smile on her face and participate in the conversation at the table as if nothing was wrong. She just had to keep it up until Alice moved out. Then she could tell Aaron what was on her mind.

===

Alice wasn't thrilled about it but Keeley had gone over her finances with her and right now the best bet was living in Jersey City, New Jersey just across the river. It was closer to her tour guide job than certain parts of New York City and was much cheaper.

But Alice had been born and bred in New York; she didn't want to leave. Even when she went to college it was at Columbia. She had never left aside from going on a few vacations.

Keeley managed to sway her once she said it was probably temporary. Brock was trying to delay the divorce proceedings currently but after they were done Alice would most likely receive enough alimony to afford to live in Manhattan again. Even if it wasn't in the nice area she was used to.

So off to Jersey City they went with the twins in tow. After spending a few hours searching for rentals online, Keeley had narrowed their options down to four places.

"I don't know how I feel about this," Alice admitted at the first apartment.

It was on the first floor and had bars on the window plus a security door over top of the regular front door. The landlord admitted that there were some package theft problems but no one had ever broken in. That didn't make her feel any better.

"Have you ever lived in a place like this?" she whispered to Keeley behind the landlord's back.

"No but my friend Lydia has in California. She never had anything stolen but she did admit that she heard a lot of car alarms going off nearby."

She probably shouldn't have said that because Alice's face went white but what was she supposed to do? Lie? She didn't want her friend feeling unsafe in her own home. The next apartment should be better; it was three floors up.

The problem with that one was that the upstairs neighbor had subwoofer speakers that were cranked up so loud that the ceiling fan shook. Even Keeley had to admit she couldn't live in those conditions.

The babies began to wail from the noise and it took twenty minutes of holding them both to calm them down. That one was definitely out.

The third apartment had a cockroach problem that the landlord promised would be fixed before moving in but Alice ran out of the apartment screaming the moment she saw one crawling across the kitchen counter. Keeley had to apologize on her behalf as she hurried after her with the stroller.

"I can't do this," Alice said miserably.

She was panting slightly from running and she was hunched over with her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Keeley had never seen this elegant woman look more disheveled.

"…I promise not all cheap apartments are like this. Maybe we'll hit the jackpot with the next one."

Keeley tried to remain optimistic. Transitioning to a different lifestyle was hard but she had only ever gone from rags to riches, not the other way around. Alice's struggle was different than hers had been. She needed to be sympathetic to her plight.

Her optimism didn't fail her for once. The last apartment even had the added bonus of all the utilities being included in the rent. It was small but definitely sufficient for a single person. There was even a big window in the living room overlooking a park.

"What was it you were saying about hitting the jackpot?" Alice asked with a small smile.

She shrugged. "Sometimes I get lucky. What do you think?"

"I think it will suit my needs quite nicely. It's close to a subway station too." She turned and addressed the woman who was giving them the tour. "I'll take it."

The rental agent seemed quite pleased. "Excellent. You'll need to fill out our online application, show proof of employment, and provide a deposit and the first month's rent. We can have you moved in as early as next week."

"Wonderful! Thank you!" Alice exclaimed as she clapped her hands together happily.

Keeley understood her feelings. Being self-sufficient and free from a creep feels amazing.

She had to laugh at herself though. She had ended right back with the man she thought was a creep and was now happily married to him. Funny how your perspective could change over time.