After four more unbelievably long days, Kalinda, wearing her serious face, strode into Alicia's office at just past five and firmly shut the door behind her.
"Kalinda?" Alicia couldn't keep the anxiety and, she ruefully admitted, hope from showing in her eyes as she faced the investigator.
"Are you ready, Alicia?" Something in Kalinda's voice wasn't quite right, but Alicia was too jittery to decipher it.
"I guess."
A grin spread across Kalinda's face. "Will wasn't involved in the conspiracy. Childs tried to draw him in with various bribes, but Will never took them. The only thing he's guilty of is not telling Peter what was going on. And according to my sources, Will didn't know Childs was scheming to set Peter up – he thought it was all legitimate – but Will still refused to get involved."
Alicia slumped back in her chair and started to breathe again. Will really was who she thought. Now she felt like dirt for questioning his intentions. Wrapped up in her own thoughts, Alicia didn't notice that Kalinda was on the phone.
"…apology. I'm in Alicia's office."
Hearing her name, Alicia shook of her thoughts and looked up at Kalinda. The slightly devilish grin on her friend's face made it perfectly clear what she'd done. Before Alicia could stop her, Kalinda slipped out the door and disappeared down the hall.
Will appeared moments later and Alicia's heart started racing like she'd run a marathon. She waved him in.
"Where's Kalinda?" Will nervously fingered his tie and didn't look Alicia in the eye. "She said she needed to speak to me."
"I think that was code for 'Come see Alicia,'" replied Alicia. "Will, she told me everything…"
"Please understand why I didn't come to you then. Childs tried to use the possibility of your marriage breaking up as a way to get me to support his bid to overthrow Peter. I didn't want to drop a bomb on you about Peter's illicit activities, and honestly, if I'd seen him, I might have punched him for what he'd done to you. I also didn't want you or Peter to think I was making a play for a happily married woman, because if you hadn't believed me, that's how it would have appeared. And above all, I didn't want to be responsible for hurting you…"
Alicia smiled and stood up as Will continued to babble uncharacteristically. She crossed the room, stood squarely in front of him, and put her finger to his lips, disregarding anyone who might be able to see them.
"Will, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you."
"So we're okay?"
Alicia turned his own words on him as she said, "We're good. We're gonna be good." Then she was in his arms, and Will's world finally felt right again.