Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

Tex walked into the living room and checked his phone.

It was another text message.

From the same sender who claimed to know about what he did in Afghanistan.

He glanced at the words on the screen.

Be ready to leave soon.

His pulse beat stronger. How was this happening? Why was someone doing this?

He sent out a couple of other text messages, needing to clarify some things.

Tex was close to finding out the truth. He only hoped the truth didn’t come out too late.

He knew he couldn’t stay in the living room too long or people would get suspicious. Instead, he shoved his phone into his pocket and returned to the kitchen. Besides, he was anxious to set his eyes on Chelsea again.

She glanced up at him, questions in her gaze when he reappeared.

His heart pounded harder at the sight of her. She was so beautiful—lovely in every way.

It was hard to believe she was here in front of him now. All he wanted at times was to step back in time. To never have left her.

Then he glanced at her more closely. Was that . . . ?

He stared at the necklace around her neck. At the gold dogwood bloom on it.

That was the necklace he’d given her when she turned sixteen. She’d kept it.

His heart lodged into his throat.

He shifted his thoughts back to the present as he realized everyone was looking at him, waiting for him to say something.

“Just a little business I needed to take care of,” Tex said. “My apologies.”

“No problem,” Gilbert said. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s just fine,” Tex answered with ease.

“Well, you’re right on time.” Anna lifted up a red ceramic dish piled with steaming roast beef, carrots, and potatoes. “It’s time to eat.”

They set everything on the table, and Tex had to admit that the food smelled good. His stomach rumbled. It wasn’t often he got a home-cooked meal.

But just as they sat at the table to eat, he glanced outside. A shadow moved in the bushes.

Someone was out there.

“Tex?” Gilbert asked.

“Something’s going on outside,” he announced. “And I intend on finding out what.”

Chelsea’s nerves felt like they were on fire.

Who was outside?

Maybe Gilbert really was a victim in all this also. He had had that brick thrown through his window. Now someone might be lurking outside. Maybe that conversation she’d overheard at his place had really been someone threatening him.

She didn’t know. But everything left her feeling uneasy.

And what was taking Tex so long? What if he’d gotten hurt? She couldn’t bear the thought of it.

She needed to talk to him. Even if the two of them couldn’t be together, there were things that they needed to clear the air about. She had been avoiding those conversations, telling herself that they weren’t important. But they were. As soon as she had a moment alone with him, they needed to talk.

“I hope he’s okay,” Anna murmured, rubbing her arms nervously.

Gilbert stood. “Maybe I should go out there and help him.”

Anna grabbed his arm. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“Just give him a few more minutes,” Chelsea murmured. “Tex can handle himself.”

“That’s true,” Gilbert said. “If anybody can defend themselves, it’s Tex. All those Black Op missions he was on trained him to do that.”

Chelsea nodded.

Then she froze.

Had Tex told Gilbert about those missions? She had the impression he didn’t tell just anyone that information. It seemed unlikely that he would open up to Gilbert with those details.

But if that was the case, then how would Gilbert know?

Just like, how had someone known what he did in Afghanistan?

Suddenly, her unease turned into something much stronger.

It turned into fear.

Though she’d tried to give Gilbert the benefit of the doubt, she felt more and more certain he was behind this. The fact he’d invited Tex back here wasn’t a coincidence.

He wanted to use Tex for some reason, didn’t he?

Her throat tightened and she tried to figure out what she should do.

Before she could do anything, she heard a door slam at the back of the house.

Was that Tex coming back inside? Or was it someone nefarious?