Chapter 27

Ifound Dillon on the porch waiting for me. I killed the truck engine and stepped out of the cab. The night was gentle, and the forest was quiet. My boots crunched on the dirt and gravel driveway as I walked toward the stairs.

"Glad to see you," Dillon said, rising to his feet.

"Thanks for staying," I said.

He nodded. "Tough day."

"Yeah," I said. "You got a minute? Or do you need to get home?"

"Macy already put the kids to bed. I could stay for another fifteen."

"Thanks." I popped into the cabin to look for a beer. The living room was dark, and all the doors in the hallway were closed. I grabbed two bottles from the fridge before winding my way outside again. Dillon accepted one, and I kept the other, twisting the top off and taking a long, deep pull.

"Booked your ex?" Dillon asked when I said nothing.

I nodded. "She's in jail."

"Good thing," Dillon agreed.

"Lawyer made her sign the divorce papers," I said. "It's official now—I'm 99 percent divorced. Just need the judge to sign off on it first thing tomorrow."

"Lindsey's okay," Dillon said, answering the question I hadn't asked. "Macy left around three, Ava left after dinner. Lindsey went to bed about an hour ago."

"I can't thank you enough for your help," I said. "I won't ask you to give up another day."

"You won't have to." Dillon shrugged. "The crisis is in the past. She'll be feeling better tomorrow and won't need a bodyguard."

I nodded, unconvinced. I would hire a whole fleet of bodyguards if it made Lindsey feel safe. It was my fault she had been attacked, my ex-wife the one who had assaulted her. Lindsey was carrying our child and for some reason had been reluctant to tell me until her life was threatened. That would have to be ironed out. I hadn't reacted with the joy I was sure she had been hoping I would display. It had been a lot to process. Angie had been in our living room, waving a gun around, and the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with was in mortal danger. I had been in shock.

That day at work, I focused on processing Angie through the system and getting my divorce papers signed. It had been one thing right after another, leaving me with little time to process my own feelings.

"It's none of my business," Dillon began, "but Lindsey could use some TLC from you."

I nodded, knowing he was right. "I'll take the day off tomorrow," I promised.

Dillon finished off his beer and set it down on the porch. "I gotta get home."

"Thanks again, man." I stood up to see him off.

"I'd say call me anytime, but hopefully you won't have a reason to," Dillon joked.

"I'll drink to that," I agreed, draining the dregs of my beer before picking up the discarded empties. Dillon jogged down the porch steps and disappeared into the night. I went back inside and threw away the bottles, being careful not to make too much noise.

My bed was empty. I guessed Lindsey had chosen to sleep in her own room. Cursing my stupidity, I was determined to make it up to her the next day. I took a shower and climbed into my own bed. The television was on to some cartoon channel when I flicked it on to drown out the noises in my head. I picked a sports program, reliving the highlights of the games that day. I fell asleep early in the morning, with the screen still blaring results.

Idreamed of finding a baby and then losing it in the forest. I searched and searched but came up empty. I woke in a panic, a desperate need to find the tiny child that had become so important in the space of an afternoon. The sun was streaming in past the blinds, alerting me to the time. I had overslept.

I fought my way past the covers, righting myself groggily. Before coffee, before a shower and a shave, I wanted to talk to Lindsey. I stumbled through the hallway only to find her door ajar. There was no sign of the woman I loved either in her bedroom or in the shower. On the kitchen island was a note saying that she had gone to meet her friends for breakfast. Of course she had. I had pushed her out of the house, making it clear that her only refuge was with her friends. It was comforting to know she was safe but disappointing that I couldn't be the one to provide that safety. I would make it up to her that night.

Instead of taking the day off, as I had planned, I went back to work. Ryan and Cheryl greeted me as I walked through the door.

"How did it go?" Ryan asked.

"She was asleep when I got home," I said. "And now she's out with Macy and Ava."

"Give her some time."

"How's the salon case coming?" I asked. We had been in communication with the prosecutors as they asked for all our evidence.

"The assistant manager gave a full confession," Ryan told me. "We've got the case locked up tight."

"What did she say?" I asked.

"I've got the deposition here." Ryan tapped his computer screen. "I can send it to you."

"Thanks. You have a summary?"

"Yeah." Ryan stepped over to the coffeepot to pour himself a cup. "We were right about the money laundering. They were hooked up with an outfit from Nashville."

I nodded.

"The Mafia would deliver its stacks of cash, and then the hair salon would wash the money through their purchases of product. They actually had more people on the books than just the two part-time girls."

"How many?" I got myself a cup, having skipped breakfast at the cabin.

"Nine. Made-up names."

I nodded again.

"The weekly transactions that Lindsey witnessed were transfers of clean money."

"And the drugs?" I asked.

"Side hustle," Ryan explained. "Offloading product that couldn't be sold in Nashville."

"Because it was too dangerous?" I guessed.

"You got it," Ryan confirmed. "This assistant said that they all knew we were close and that she was afraid Katrina and Lena thought of her as the weak link. She ran away at the raid because she was terrified of them, not us."

"And the owner?" I asked, "The one I chased into the dog pen?"

Ryan laughed. "She'll be going away for a long time."

"She's not claiming any police brutality?" I wondered.

"I don't think so. She doesn't have a case. That family you saw witnessed everything. I think your bases are covered."

"Good," I sighed.

"You want to go grab some breakfast?" Ryan suggested. "You look like you could use it."

I nodded. We took a patrol car, just in case, and drove to the diner. Inside, the welcome was warm. Everyone seemed to know what had happened yesterday and took pains to make me feel comfortable. The waitress left an entire carafe of coffee at our table.

"Just ask if you need anything," she said.

"Can I have two eggs and a side of bacon?" I asked.

"Of course." She wrote down my order, took Ryan's, and disappeared into the kitchen.

"So," Ryan said when we were alone again. "Lindsey's pregnant."

"And the whole town seems to know," I said.

"Small town."

"Takes some getting used to." I sighed.

"What are your thoughts?"

"I'm gonna marry her," I decided. "If she'll have me."

"Take her on a vacation," Ryan suggested. "Get her out of town for a while."

"I just got here," I complained.

"You delivered two significant busts," Ryan told me. "The hair salon, and now your ex. I'm sure the chief'll give you some time off."

"Lindsey said she wanted to visit Florida," I mused.

"That's a perfect solution," Ryan agreed. "It'll give you time to reconnect and get away from the gossip."

We finished up our breakfast, talking about vacation spots, and I considered myself lucky to have found two such great friends in Dillon and Ryan. Starting a family in Singer's Ridge would be perfect. I was just beginning to imagine a life with Lindsey and our young one in the cabin we shared in the mountains. All I needed to do was find Lindsey and apologize for my initial reaction. I was sure I could calm whatever storm was between us if I was just given the chance.

On the way home that night, I stopped at the grocery store for some flowers. I thought about buying chocolates as well, but I wasn't sure if her stomach would be up for those. There would be plenty of time for romance later on, so I grabbed a bouquet of roses and headed back home.

Lindsey's car wasn't in the driveway. I wasn't in full-blown panic mode, but alarm bells sounded in my mind. It was late, past dinner, and I had been expecting to find her waiting for me. That was foolish, I knew. She had her own life, and we weren't married yet. I fought off the urge to text her as I climbed the porch stairs, flowers in hand. Maybe she was on her way. Maybe I could cook some soup or something to give us an intimate dinner while I explained my poor reaction.

Inside, I found another note saying that Lindsey was staying with Ava for the night. I cursed my own stupidity. She didn't feel comfortable with me anymore. She was running away because she thought that I didn't want her in my life. I had botched the opportunity to celebrate our child, and now my future hung in jeopardy. More than anything else, I wanted Lindsey in my arms, in my bed. Whatever our problems were, we could work them out, I was sure of it. All I had to do was correct my mistake, make her see that I loved her. The thought of spending another night alone was more than I could stomach.