Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

It has to have something to do with the girls.

“He said I was in danger. He ran because of me.” Was I next? Brynn picked up the first stack of photos. Was this what he thought would happen to me?

“Is she dead? Hurt? Asleep?”

Colby laid his hand over hers. “Brynn, I think something is very wrong.”

She looked back down at the girl. So young. Maybe thirteen, fourteen? Eyes closed. Nothing seemed to be disturbed. No blood. But something wasn’t right.

“I think so too.”

She looked up into Colby’s concerned eyes. “Of all the things I thought about—government corruption, stealing, maybe even something to do with the land—I never thought they might be hurting someone.”

He picked up one of the other stacks of photos. “Or maybe several someone’s.”

“But what would be the point? I mean, these are young women. They wouldn’t have any power over them?—”

“Exactly. They wouldn’t have any power.” Colby frowned. “They’d have no say. If they came from the unwed mother’s home, they would essentially be captive. No one would believe anything they said. They could sexually assault them or even?—”

Brynn swallowed hard. “Would anyone even know if they went missing?”

“I don’t know. If I remember correctly, those girls came from all over the county. Maybe even farther. Who would know if they never returned home?”

Brynn shook her head. “So we think maybe my father caught them doing something to these girls. Maybe he saw a pattern or something, then followed them?”

“If they were tied to the golden ghost rumors, too. How is all of that tied together?”

“We have to tell someone.” Brynn stood up, the agitation flowing through her forcing her to pace. “What if these girls never went home? What if their families don’t know what happened to them? There has to be some record. Maybe the police?—”

“No.”

Colby’s voice rang through the room, shocking Brynn to stillness. She stared at him for a moment as he ruffled through the images. Finally, he carried a group of photos over to her.

“See this guy?” He pointed to one of the men in the picnic pictures. “He was the father of the current chief of police.” He flipped a few more. “This one still sits on the county board. And this one—” He held up the image of her at the picnic. “He was the mayor. And the father of our current mayor.”

He dropped the stack onto the coffee table, then ran a hand through his ginger hair, causing it to kink. “We can’t go to the authorities here. It’s not safe.”

Brynn plopped down on the couch. “Then who?”

“I don’t know.”

If he didn’t—and she sure didn’t—then they’d hit a brick wall.

Brynn had thought her father’s evidence would spell out the story for her, but enough damage had been done to the pictures that she really didn’t have the answers she’d been looking for—only more questions.

Without those answers, she couldn’t accuse anyone of anything. And if Colby didn’t know who could help them, even though he’d been plugged back into the community for the last couple of years, then they were at an impasse.

“Maybe I can get some supplies, clean up the other photos and see if they tell us more.”

Colby shook his head. “I have a feeling they will, if the right ones aren’t too damaged, but that could take weeks.” He trained his gaze on her in a way that made her feel seen, worried about in a way she hadn’t been for a long time. “If word gets out about who you really are, this could be dangerous. You shouldn’t be here alone.”

Would he stay here with her? She was afraid to ask, despite the implications of his words. “What choice do I have?”

“I don’t know. I just—” He closed his eyes for a moment, leaving her bereft. “I need to think. Let’s come back to this later.”

“Probably a good idea.” She gave a half grin. “My brain is tired.”

He smiled back. “I bet. How about something to eat?”

Always with the food.

Colby trekked outside for the cold portions of their sandwich stash and more wood, while she secured the island back into its original place. Brynn did feel a little more settled after getting food on her stomach. Colby distracted her with the cute Christmas playing cards they’d found in with the holiday decorations. After a couple of hours, she found herself leaning over on the couch, fighting to keep her eyes open.

It was weird to have no real indicator of time. The wind howled outside night and day, but the frosted over-glass only lightened with the ultimate height of the sun. No real light or warmth came in because of the ice and shadows from what she imagined was pretty thickly covered trees in the yard. Yet her body seemed to remember instinctively what time it was.

Colby banked the fire, then joined her on the couch. Luckily the old furniture was wide and still comfortable, allowing him to lay behind her and cover them both with a blanket. She snuggled down against the warmth of his body, feeling safe in a way she hadn’t in a long time.

As she drifted off, she felt him press a kiss against her temple. Thinking back to her astonishment when he’d burst through her door, she smiled sleepily at the contrast with this moment in time. Funny how things could so easily change. One unexpected bump in the road could make for an entirely different timeline.

Fancy that.

For the first time in almost a year, Brynn slept seamlessly and dreamlessly, as she did for several nights. For days she and Colby didn’t speak of the photos, but spent their time keeping warm, playing cards, and delighting in each other. But the thoughts were there in his vacant stare that told her his brain was turning the problem over and over in his mind. It was there in her distraction during their card games and inability to stop glancing toward the kitchen, no matter where they were in the house.

On Christmas Day, they ate the last of the bread and sandwich makings with a couple of cans of potato soup heated over the fire. It was the best meal she’d ever had—though she did regret the lack of cookies. She gifted him with a small luxury chocolate bar she’d been saving in her luggage. He shared it with her, along with an IOU to actually take her somewhere for a meal, since he only knew how to make eggs and things from a can.

But the next morning she opened her eyes to the purplish glow of light through the windows and Colby at the fireplace. This morning, he was dressed in all the gear he’d arrived in.

Not exactly what she’d been hoping to wake up to. “Whatchya doing?” she asked, lifting up on her elbows.

He twisted to face her, still crouching before the fireplace. “It’s time to go.”

Slowly she sat up on the couch, pushing her hair back from her face. “What’s that mean?”

His expression was closed, hiding his emotions from her. “I heard the graters out front. They’re clearing the road.”

“Okay. I’ll get ready and go with you.”

“No.”

This sudden distance was killing her, having gotten all too used to the funny, caring version of Colby. “Why?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He swallowed hard, then crossed over to sit on the edge of the coffee table in front of her. “Listen. I don’t know who is running the trucks today. Who they know. I want to keep your presence here a secret—for now.”

“But—”

“Brynn, if someone finds out you are your father’s daughter, we don’t know what they will do, who they might tell. After all, we have no idea what secret they are hiding or how far those who currently know about it will go to keep it under cover. I think your original plan is the best one.”

She nodded, reminding herself she’d made that plan with the best of intentions. So why did it feel like her only solace was about to walk out that door and never come back?

Man, she hadn’t expected to become this head over heels this soon. At all. It just wasn’t like her. Yet here she was. Could she trust him to leave her behind and actually come back? He had no reason to, but she had to admit—if only to herself—that was what she wanted.

As if he could feel the conflict inside her, Colby cupped her cheeks with his hand. “Now here’s my plan. I’m gonna trek back to my truck, dig it out, and go back to my apartment. Act like nothing happened. And if anyone asks me, I saw no one. I figure it will take a couple more days before anyone out this way actually notices there’s smoke coming from the chimney.”

He kissed her forehead before pulling back. “I’ve got an emergency charger for my phone. As soon as they are working again, I’m gonna call a buddy of mine.”

She pulled back a fraction, fear streaking through her. “Who?”

After all, they’d already eliminated anyone in a position of authority to help her.

“I have a friend who is ex-military. He was born here, raised here, then like me, left for quite a few years. He recently returned to take over security for a boy’s preparatory school just a little outside of the city.”

He clenched his fists and released them, repeating the cycle a few times. “Remington Gray is his name. He’s never been in the elite class. His parents had even less than mine. And from the rumor’s going around right now, I gather he and the other school leaders aren’t high on the favored list at the moment.”

“How come?”

“Sounds like the county didn’t want the school to actually happen. They got around some of the restrictions by using a Nashville lawyer who kept the plans on the down low. But his friends are in a position to take on the resistance. I’m hoping between that and his military background, he has some ideas on how we should move forward. He’s always been a solid guy. Even lost part of his leg in Iraq trying to save a group of women and children.”

He stared deep into her eyes, making her feel both connected and somehow scared. “I promise you I’ll come back.”

His idea made sense. It did. So, it all came down to Brynn.

Did she trust him? Or no?