“You haven’t, Justin. You never will.”
For that, he was damn glad.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Darkwood Monastery
Ninety Minutes Later
When he heard the door click, he was ready for it. All night, Julian barely slept. Maybe it was the fear of concussion, or the possibility that someone was going to come in and steal his life. So, it was a rough one all around.
When he heard the door creak, he sat up in bed, gun pointed at the intruder.
Only, it was his wife, and she looked just about as shocked as he did.
Then she saw his forehead.
“Holy bloody hell, Jules! What the heck happened to you?” Tori asked, placing the two cups of coffee down to rush toward him on the bed. She didn't hesitate to climb up next to him. Immediately, her fingers began running over the goose egg on his noggin.
“Babe!”
“I know. I know. I had a little trouble last night.”
She stared at him openmouthed.
“We need to talk.”
“You think?” she asked. “We don’t need to talk, you do. You better start spilling your guts!”
“Yeah, and I need your help.” Hopefully, he’d be able to calm her down before his wife flipped her lid.
“Julian Trenton Littlemoon, you could have died. That is a wicked bump.”
He was aware.
“What happened?”
Julian told her everything. He didn't leave anything out. The story started at the old chapel crypt, and it covered everything from Roman Remington, the sex the Nelms had, and included the air conditioner. When he told her that the reporter was the one who found him, she had that suspicious look on her face.
Yeah, he thought the same thing too.
“How do we know we can trust him?”
“We don’t, and that’s why I want to track the footprints from where I was knocked out to where I came to. If there are three sets, mine, Roman’s, and then the killer’s, we can hopefully see where they lead. The soil here is soft. I was dragged there. It’s going to leave marks.”
“Okay. Let’s get moving. No one is up yet, and I want to have a doctor check you out.”
“I’m fine, honey.”
“You won’t be when I beat the hell out of you and dance around your body.”
He swallowed.
“Between you and your brother, I swear you’re trying to outdo the craziness.”
Julian laughed. “How did ‘Operation Rescue’ go over? I hope I didn't get this for no reason,” he teased. “That would really suck.”
“I found him in a bar, and I brought him home.”
“That’s it?”
It was her turn to laugh. “No. He took two swings at me, and I knocked him on that ass of his. He’s fine today, so no worries.”
He stared at her as if she was crazy.
“Wait! What?”
“He wasn’t happy to see me, so he swung at me a few times. He didn't hit me. It’s easy to miss when you’re shit faced drunk.”
“Stop.”
She did.
Julian had that look on his face. He was about to have one hell of a freak out. It was funny how this went from him nearly dying to her.
When did she lose control?
“He really swung at you?”
“Yeah, and I kicked his ass in a room full of men. Trust me…he’ll never be able to go back there again.”
“And you’re mad at me? You got into a barroom brawl with my twin. For all we know, the media could have gotten wind of this and thought it was me.”
She never thought about that, but once she did, it was funny as hell. “I can see it now. ‘Julian Littlemoon tries to beat on his woman’. Wow, you’re a horrible man.”
He stared openmouthed and in horror.
Tori patted his cheek. “Relax. No one recorded it, and I had Kane with me. Justin never had a chance. You went out in the dark and got clocked with something in the head. One of us took chances, and the other was in total control. Do you want to guess which is which, Jules?” she asked, pointing first at his head, then hers.
“Yeah, yeah. You’re right. You win, honey.”
She smiled in triumph.
“I also talked to Bethany. She’s going to get the girls’ names. I’ll need to make a visit today to her.”
“You played ghost whisperer without me?” he asked. “Really, Victoria?”
“She had a message for your brother. I was just getting it delivered.”
Tori told him everything, and the worry lines actually abated. He was carrying stress over his brother and Vivian too.
“Why didn't you get the names then? It would have been less stressful on your body.”
“Bethany said it would have been worse had I tried then. Something about energy, yada, yada, yada, and her needing to be in close proximity to the dead.”
He got it.
“You realize that you and Nyx Nightingale do the same thing, only she hears the dead, and you see them.”
“Yeah, I’m aware. I’ll be opening an office right next to yours. On my breaks, I’ll be reading palms and tea leaves too.”
He laughed, and then stopped. “Wait! You are kidding, right?”
She punched him. When he scowled, Tori kissed it away. Her heart was still pounding. Leaving him yesterday could have cost him his life. Next time, she wouldn’t risk it.
Tori didn't need to play that game.
Julian was her life.
“Let’s go,” she stated, hopping down from the bed to retrieve her decaf.
When he took the paper cup from her, he saw the worry. “I’m okay, honey. I swear.”
Tori hugged him. “Please be careful, Julian. Veronica and I need you.”
He was touched. “I can’t wait to fill our home with lots of little ones.”
She said nothing.
Tori recalled what Bethany said about this being their only child, and there was no point in dumping this on her husband. Let him enjoy this pregnancy, and have hope.
She’d carry this burden.
On her own.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Shopping for Fate
When they woke, they weren’t twined together. Beau was on one side of the bed, and Nyx the other. He wanted to pull her near, but he was thinking about all she told him the night before. This was going to be a tough relationship to navigate.
He didn't want to scare her.
When she opened her eyes, and they blinked rapidly to push the sleep from them, his heart skipped.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
He was pretty sure she blushed.
“Did we even sleep?” she asked, as they faced each other. “It feels like I partied pretty hard last night with some sexy soldier.”
He laughed. “Yeah, you were an animal.”
When she sat up, she realized something. “Wait. You’re not touching me, and he’s quiet. How?”
Beau dropped his hands behind his head and relaxed. “You’ve got me. I’ve never dealt with this kind of situation before.”
What he wasn’t telling her was the words he said to his brother.
She was his.
This was his woman, and it was time for Trey to respect that. If Nyx didn't remember that, well…that was something they’d review later.
“Maybe it was the sex,” she admitted.
“Well, I am technically still in you. I’ve left a little of me behind. Your sheets will never be the same again.”
She hit him with a pillow in the face as she laughed. “Really? I hope you don’t make comments like that to other women.”
He went serious like a switch was flipped.
“I told you, Nyxie, there weren’t a lot of women. I like to dedicate myself to one thing at a time. First, it was being a soldier, and then it was finding my sister.”
“And now?”
“It’s getting you to fall in love with me, so you never leave my
side.”
She swallowed.
He grinned.
“Wow. You move fast.”
“Only when I see something I want.” Beau knew the truth. He was already beyond smitten. He wanted her, and he was determined to keep her now that they’d found each other.
Fate was driving this bus.
Nyx didn't know what to say. In all her life, she’d never experienced anything quite like this. Beau Christensen consumed her. He stormed into her life, took control, and lit her up like a Christmas tree.
“I should probably work today. I do have bills to pay, and regular customers to appease.”
He hoped this wasn’t a brush off.
Now that she had silence, he hoped he wasn’t being escorted out the door. It would hurt to be used like that. Then he recalled that she might need to drive this part of her life. “I’ll stay out of your way. I’ll head out if you don’t need me anymore.”
She heard it in his voice.
How could he think that?
“Can you stay?” she asked. “I know it won’t be as fun as the case you’re working on, but I would love your company.”
Beau immediately relaxed. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day. At some point, I’m going to have to check in with Julian and Tori. I’ve been out of communication for a while.”
“I’m sorry. I know you’re busy. I shouldn’t be taking up all your time.”
He saw the worry in her eyes.
“Hey,” he said, pulling her back against him. “You can have all my time. I meant what I said. You’re my focus. I’ll call them, and maybe we can meet for something to eat.”
She looked nervous. “You want me to meet your sister and have dinner with her?”
He laughed. “You already met her, so this should be easy. Now we can relax and have a meal together. I promise that she’s not as hardcore as she comes across. Tori has a heart of gold. Getting her to let me into her life is proof of that.”
“Okay. We can do that. I’d love to get to know her. She has a pretty awesome brother.”
His mouth found hers, and while he didn't plan on rolling around, his lower body was up for the task at hand.
Suddenly, she pulled away. “You have to help me.”
“With?”
“I need to shower, and I wouldn’t want to have any issues. Care to hold my hand and wash my back?”
He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
With that, Beau chased her into the bathroom.
Maybe the saying was true.
Good things did come to those who waited.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Darkwood Monastery
It wasn’t easy, but they managed to avoid almost everyone. The only person who stood between them and the central heat and air unit was the owner.
As soon as Daniel saw them, he was concerned.
“What happened to your head?”
“I bumped it,” Julian said, not willing to give away any other details.
“I hope you’re okay,” he offered. “I talk to the sheriff, and he told me Richard Woodbury has an alibi. It’s airtight.”
“Yeah, that happens,” Julian stated. “Are you planning on firing him?”
“We haven’t decided yet. I want him gone, but Sheila has a valid point of needing him. If something breaks, who’s going to fix it?”
Julian said nothing. It really wasn’t any of their business. Personally, to him, family came first. He’d can his ass and stress the business later, but to each their own.
“I have a favor to ask,” the man began.
“Yes?” Tori replied. She already knew what was coming. She could see it a mile away.
“I’d like to hire you to find Pearlie. I filed the missing person report, and here’s a copy. I’ll pay whatever you ask because I’m desperate. The sheriff’s men checked her room, and her electronics, and they aren’t sure she didn't wander off with someone. They told me to hold tight.”
“Mr. Nelms.”
“Anything you ask. I’ll pay it.”
Julian took the report. “They listed Beau Christensen as someone who might have had something to do with Pearlie’s disappearance,” he stated.
Tori gasped. “You know he’s working for us.”
He shrugged. “I didn't bring up his name. My wife must have said something. I wouldn’t have pointed the cops at him. I swear.”
Tori wasn’t happy.
As she opened her mouth to lambast the man, Julian stepped in.
“Sir, we’ll keep our eyes open. That’s the best we can do. We’re working on the other assignment, and if we come across anything, we’ll forward it to the police.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
When he walked away, Tori wanted to go after him. “Beau didn't do anything, and I don’t like that Sheila told the cops that some drifter, ex-soldier may have abducted her step-daughter.”
“I know, honey. We’ll handle this, okay? As long as the report doesn’t get out, he’s fine.”
Tori nodded. “We need to call Beau and give him the heads up.”
“Good idea. I’ll track, and when we’re done, you can make the call,” he offered. When they got outside, Tori knelt down to check out the machine. “It looks like something was forcibly shoved in here,” she said.
“Yeah, this,” Julian stated, pulling the bag from his back pocket.
Tori took it and studied it while Julian looked around. “I've seen this before.”
“Have you?” he asked.
“Yeah, this is from the tasting room. They have color coordinating towels. This is one that Reid Ramsey had tucked into his apron the first night.”
“Well, then we need to question him.”
Tori thought about the schedule. “We have a tasting tonight in the main part of the winery. They’re opening that very old red wine, and it’s supposed to be a big deal.”
“Well, we’re going to have to talk to Mr. Ramsey. He’s right up there at the top of our list.”
“Great.”
Julian looked up from the dirt. “I found the tracks. I’ll follow them. Can you watch my back? You know I get distracted.”
“I can multitask. Start tracking, I’ll make the call.”
As soon as Julian began moving through the vineyard, Tori pulled out her cell and dialed her brother. When he answered, there was laughter in the background. She knew exactly what he was up to, and she tried not to worry.
“Hey, Casanova, we have to meet up. When are you available?” she asked.
“We just said the same thing. I’m hanging out at Nyx’s shop all day. Do you think we can meet for something to eat?”
It got quiet, so Beau must have moved somewhere private.
“Yeah, we can do that. We’re going to be taking a fieldtrip to the competition’s winery later this morning. Do you want to meet us for lunch? We have a tasting tonight.”
“I was thinking dinner, but lunch is good too.”
Then she told him what happened to Julian.
“Shit! Is he okay? Do you want me to go back undercover? I don’t like the idea that you're in the middle of this, Victoria.” Beau kept thinking back to the ominous warning from his dead brother.
Tori thought about it. “No.”
She told him about the report.
He whistled. “They think I abducted Pearlie? Well, I didn't. I have an alibi for the last two days, Tori. I was with Nyx non-stop. Don’t stress it.”
She was trying not to.
“Are you sure you want to get tangled up with her, Beau? She’s got issues.”
Her tone said it all. “You ran her, didn't you?”
She sighed. “Of course we did. It’s our job. Don’t take it personally. We have to cover our bases.”
He wasn’t mad. In fact, he was touched that his sister would be thinking about him. “I trust her. She’s the one.”
“WHAT?”
He started laughing. “You heard me. We’ll see you for lunch. Th
ere’s a place not far from Nyx’s shop. We’ll see you there.”
“Beau! Wait! What the hell do you mean ‘the one’!”
But it was too late.
He’d hung up.
“Victoria, I told you stay out of it,” Julian muttered as he tracked the telltale signs in the grass. “He’s an adult.”
“But ‘the one’? Already?”
Julian came to a stop and glanced up. “The first time we had sex and pizza together, I knew. So, it’s not that odd. You’re the one who dragged your heels. I would have rode off into the sunset with you that first night.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s sane, babe. Listen to yourself. Besides, this is different. You were normal. She’s channeling our dead brother. That’s putting this in a whole different league.”
Julian laughed. “Hey pot. The kettle isn’t so black. You’re channeling a dead girl who likes to peep at us. So…”
“Point taken.”
Julian let it go. “I found the proof we needed.”
That had Tori’s attention. “What do you have?”
“Here are the drag marks. Look at the shoe prints right here. I was pulled here, and my drag marks cover the prints, except for where he dumped me. Then they go off that way into the grapes.”
“Okay, and the reporter?”
“Look at the treads coming this way. They don’t match. We have the three sets of prints.”
“So, we can trust him.”
Julian believed so. “Let’s see where my attacker’s prints go, and then head out of here. We have a few stops to make.”
Tori agreed. “Today’s going to be a long ass day.”
Didn't he know it?
“Well, at least we can relax at a wine tasting later. Oh, and I’m done drinking. I can’t handle the stuff. It’s official. I hate wine. I can’t wait to get home and drink beer like a normal man. If I never taste the stuff again, it’ll be too soon.”
“How do you really feel?” she teased, grabbing a bunch off the vine for a snack.
“I think you know. I’m a one-brew man, and I like my beer. That’s never going to change.
Truth Is Found Page 25
