Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Annika

A nnika sat at her desk in the dimly lit office, the faint hum of the overhead lights the only sound breaking the heavy silence. The files in front of her were spread out in a chaotic mess, papers overlapping in a haphazard collage of evidence, reports, and notes she had taken over the past few days. The discovery of tampered autopsy results had shaken her to her core, and now, as she sifted through the documents, a growing sense of dread gnawed at her.

She was searching for something—anything—that could make sense of the tangled web they had uncovered. The connection between Carl Hansen’s murder and the series of unsolved cases along the West Coast had brought them closer to the truth, but it had also opened up new questions, ones that hinted at a deeper, more insidious conspiracy.

Annika’s fingers brushed against the edge of an old, leather-bound ledger that had been hidden away in the victim’s personal effects. It had been overlooked in the initial investigation, but something about it had caught her eye. Now, as she opened it, the faded ink and brittle pages told a story she hadn’t been prepared for.

The ledger was filled with transactions—names, dates, amounts—all meticulously recorded. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary business ledger, but as she delved deeper, she realized that it was a record of illegal activities, money laundering, and bribes. Her heart pounded as she recognized some of the names—local business owners, politicians, people she had grown up around in Kodiak.

But it wasn’t until she reached the final pages that her world was truly upended. There, written in the same neat, precise handwriting, was a name that made her blood run cold.

Carol Connelly.

Annika’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at her mother’s name, the letters blurring before her eyes. She blinked, hoping she was seeing things, that it was some terrible mistake. But no matter how many times she read it, the name remained, etched into the page like a scar.

Her mother had been involved in Carl Hansen’s illegal activities. The thought was almost too much to bear. Annika’s hands trembled as she flipped through the rest of the ledger, finding more entries that connected her mother to Hansen’s shady dealings. Payments… meetings… all documented in a way that left little doubt about her involvement.

The realization hit her like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from her lungs. Her mother, the woman she had loved and trusted her entire life, had been a part of something dark and dangerous. The same woman who had raised her, who had grieved with her after Daniel’s death, had been hiding this terrible secret.

Torn between her duty as a detective and her love for her mother, Annika felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her feet. How could she reconcile the woman she had known with the person this ledger suggested? And what did this mean for her investigation? For her brother’s death?

She had to know the truth.

With the ledger clutched tightly in her hand, Annika stood up, her mind racing as she made her way out of the office and toward the library where her mother worked. The drive there was a blur, her thoughts consumed by the weight of what she had found. She knew this confrontation was going to be difficult, possibly even devastating, but she couldn’t avoid it any longer. She needed answers, and only her mother could provide them.

When Annika arrived at the library, the building was quiet, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows through the windows. Her mother was behind the circulation desk, her gray hair neatly pinned back as she scanned a stack of returned books. She looked up as Annika approached, her smile faltering when she saw the expression on her daughter’s face.

“Annika, what’s wrong?” Carol asked, concern lacing her voice as she set the books aside.

Annika didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she placed the ledger on the desk between them, the leather cover creaking slightly as it settled. Carol’s eyes widened as she recognized the book, her face paling as she reached out to touch it.

“Where did you get this?” Carol’s voice trembled, her fingers hovering over the ledger as if it might burn her.

“It was among Carl Hansen’s personal effects,” Annika said, her voice tight with barely controlled emotion. “I found your name in it, Mom. What were you involved in?”

Carol’s hand recoiled from the ledger, and she looked up at Annika, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and sorrow. “Annika, I… I can explain.”

“Then explain,” Annika demanded, her voice cracking with the strain of holding back tears. “Tell me how you ended up in this ledger. Tell me what you were doing with Carl Hansen.”

Carol sighed, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of the world had finally settled on them. She gestured for Annika to follow her to a small, private office in the back of the library. Once they were inside, Carol closed the door behind them and took a seat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

“I never wanted you to find out,” Carol began, her voice trembling. “But I suppose there’s no use in hiding it now.”

Annika remained standing; her arms crossed over her chest as she waited for her mother to continue.

“Years ago,” Carol said, her voice barely above a whisper, “I was in a difficult place. Your father and I were having problems, and money was tight. I was approached by Carl Hansen—he knew about our financial troubles, and he offered to help. At first, it seemed innocent enough—just some bookkeeping work for his businesses. But then it became clear that what he was doing wasn’t legal.”

Annika’s stomach churned as she listened, the image of her mother slowly crumbling in front of her.

“I tried to back out, but by then, I was in too deep. Carl started using my position to funnel money through our accounts, laundering it for his other ventures. I knew it was wrong, but… I didn’t know how to get out. And then… then he started threatening us.”

“Threatening you?” Annika asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her heart aching at the fear in her mother’s voice.

“Yes,” Carol said, her eyes filling with tears. “He said he’d ruin us if I didn’t keep helping him. And when Daniel found out… he tried to confront Carl, tried to stop him.”

Annika’s breath caught in her throat as the pieces began to fall into place. “What happened to Daniel, Mom?”

Carol’s sobs broke the silence in the room, her hands trembling as she covered her face. “Daniel went to Carl, demanding that he leave us alone, that he stop using me. Carl didn’t take it well. There was a fight… and Daniel… he didn’t make it out.”

Annika’s world tilted on its axis as the truth of her brother’s death finally came to light. He hadn’t died in an accident—he had been killed because he had tried to protect their family because he had tried to stop the man who had been blackmailing their mother

Tears filled Annika’s eyes as she knelt beside her mother, pulling her into her arms. Carol clung to her, sobbing uncontrollably as years of guilt and fear finally broke free.

“I’m so sorry, Annika,” Carol whispered through her tears. “I never meant for any of this to happen. I just wanted to protect you.”

Annika held her mother tightly, her own tears falling freely as she tried to process the enormity of what she had learned. Her brother’s death, her mother’s involvement with Carl Hansen, the web of lies and deceit that had ensnared them all—it was almost too much to bear.

But even in the midst of her grief, Annika knew she couldn’t walk away from this. The truth had to come out, no matter how painful it was. And she needed to talk to Trace.

She helped her mother to her feet, guiding her out of the office and back to the circulation desk. “I need to go,” Annika said softly, brushing a tear from her cheek. “But I’ll be back. We’ll get through this together, okay?”

Carol nodded, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy, but there was a flicker of hope in her gaze. “Okay. Be careful, Annika. Please.”

“I will,” Annika promised, giving her mother one last hug before leaving the library.

The drive to Trace’s house was filled with a tumult of emotions. She had never felt so lost, so torn between her duty as a detective and her love for her family. The revelations about her brother’s death had shaken her to her core, and she needed Trace’s steady presence now more than ever.

When she arrived at his house, Annika hesitated. She thought about knocking, but that seemed wrong as she was moving in with Trace. She took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped in, her mind racing with thoughts of what she would say, how she would explain everything she had just learned.

Trace looked up, his expression a mix of concern and surprise. “Annika? What’s wrong?”

“We need to talk,” Annika said, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions.

Trace’s eyes softened as he crossed to her, folding her into his arms. “Of course, Annika. You know you can always trust me.”

She hugged him and then stepped back, her hands shaking as she tried to gather her thoughts. “I found something in the files, Trace. Something that changes everything.”

“What is it?” Trace asked, his voice gentle but firm.

“It’s my mother,” Annika said, tears welling up in her eyes again. “She was involved with Carl Hansen. She… she was part of his illegal activities. And Daniel… Daniel found out. That’s why he died, Trace. He was trying to protect her.”

The weight of her confession hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Trace was silent, his expression unreadable. Annika’s heart ached as she waited for his response, fearing that he might pull away, that he might see her differently now that he knew the truth.

But when Trace finally spoke, his voice was steady. “Annika, this doesn’t change how I feel about you. I’m here for you, no matter what. We’ll figure this out together.”

Annika felt a surge of relief at his words, but it was quickly overshadowed by the fear that had been gnawing at her since she had learned the truth. “But what if we’re moving too fast? What if… what if this is too much?”

Trace shook his head, his eyes intense as he stepped closer to her. “Annika, nothing could be further from the truth. I’m not going anywhere. I won’t let you go through this alone.”

Tears spilled over her cheeks as she looked up at him, her heart swelling with love and gratitude. But even as she stood there, wrapped in his comforting presence, a part of her couldn’t help but wonder if they were rushing into something neither of them was ready for.

She shook her head, a sad smile tugging at her lips as she took a step back. “Maybe… maybe we’re moving too fast, Trace. Maybe we need to slow down.”

Trace’s expression shifted to one of hurt and frustration, but he quickly masked it with determination. “Annika, I’m not going to let you get away again.”

She let out a small laugh, the sound tinged with sorrow. “Dramatic exits would be so much more interesting if I could shift and fly off into the night sky.”

Trace blinked in surprise, and then he smiled, a genuine, warm smile that reached his eyes. “Yeah, I guess they would.”

Annika stared at him for a moment longer, her heart warring with her mind. But in the end, she couldn’t resist the pull of the man standing before her. With a soft laugh, she threw herself into his arms, the warmth of his embrace chasing away the doubts that had plagued her.

Trace held her close, his arms strong and steady around her. “You’re not going anywhere, Annika. Not this time.”

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with love and determination. “No, I’m not.”

The corners of his mouth lifted in a half-smile filled with promise before his lips crushed against hers. The kiss was a maelstrom of need and want, of promises future and past, devouring any remnants of restraint or doubt. There was only the two of them, the heat of their bodies and the thundering pulse of desire that demanded fulfillment.

He carried her to the bedroom, stretching them out on the mattress in one smooth move. She would never be sure how he rendered them both naked as quickly and smoothly as he did, but she found she liked the fact that the boy who had always asked, always checked in, had been replaced by the man who knew what they both wanted and ensured they got it.

Trace pressed his length to her entrance. With a gentle but firm push, he entered her, making a soft gasp escape from her throat. The fullness, the intimate connection—it sent ripples of pleasure coursing through her entire body.

“Trace…” The word was a sigh, a prayer, as he settled between her legs and drew them up to wrap around his hips, drawing him deeper. He moved within her, each thrust punctuated by a shared breath, a shared heartbeat. They moved in sync, a dance as old as time yet as fresh as the renewed desire blooming between them.

The world outside his bedroom ceased to exist. Nothing could touch her here, not the shadows of past doubts nor the whispers of former pain. In Trace’s arms, entwined with his soul, Annika felt invincible.

Their rhythm quickened, a crescendo of motion and emotion that spiraled tighter with every thrust. The heat of his body seared against hers, an inferno that promised to consume them both. She clung to Trace, her fingers digging into the cords of muscle along his back, each movement driving her closer to the edge.

“Trace,” she gasped, her voice hitching as the building pleasure coiled within her. With every stroke, he hit a depth that sent stars bursting behind her closed eyelids.

“Come for me, Annika,” he commanded, his breath hot against her ear, his voice a rough whisper that wove through the haze of her senses. “I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you.”

And then, as if his words were the key to unlocking her orgasm, the tension snapped. The explosion of bliss was blinding, all-consuming. Annika’s body shook with the force of it, waves of ecstasy rolling through her in a relentless tide. She cried out, a sound that echoed off the walls, raw and full of wonder.

“God, yes…Annika,” Trace groaned, his own release following close on the heels of hers. She felt him shudder, his body tensing above her in powerful spasms, and then he collapsed, his weight a comforting pressure that anchored her to the here and now and seemed to lay a foundation for the future.

Lying beneath him, Annika held him close, feeling the aftershocks tremble through them both. A profound stillness enveloped the room, their mingled breaths the only sound. His heartbeat pounded against her chest, a drumbeat that matched her own.

And in that moment, as they lay together in the quiet of the night, Annika knew that they were stronger than the shadows that had haunted them for so long. They had found their way back to each other, and no matter what the future held, they would face it side by side.