Brayden ran his hands over her hair, taking in her sweet perfume mixed with the smell of her shampoo. Her hair was still damp near her neck. "I missed you so much," he whispered.
Everyone came over and spoke at once, excited to see Brayden out of jail. He appreciated the support, but found it embarrassing that everyone knew. He'd had a spotless record—not even a traffic violation—until the day before.
His mom handed him a mug of coffee. He smiled at her choice of cups. It had been his favorite one growing up because of the scene from one of his childhood comic strips.
"Sit," she ordered. "I made a huge breakfast, and we're all here to celebrate."
As he ate and conversed with his family, and Lana at his side, Brayden felt his spirits lift even higher.
Someone's phone went off, and Logan pulled out his, reading something on the screen. "Good news. My demand to have this removed from your record has been approved."
Exclamations of happiness sounded all around him. Brayden was glad, but he wished there was a way to remove the memories from everyone involved. His family didn't seem to think any less of him, but what would it be like when he went into work?
"Looks like everyone enjoyed the breakfast," his mom said, smiling. Barely a crumb remained on the table. Everyone got up and cleaned the kitchen before sitting down with more coffee and juice.
Soon, Jake and Tiffany announced they had to get back to their house to approve something for the addition.
Zachary stood from his chair. "I need to get back to writing. I'm so happy for you, though." He gave Brayden a fist pump before heading back to his room.
"Ready to get your car back?" Logan asked. "Or do you have another ride?"
Brayden squeezed Lana's hand. "What are your plans for today?"
She snuggled against him. "To spend as much time with you as I can."
"That answers that," Logan said. "Anything else you need from me?"
"I'm not sure," Brayden said. "I'm not exactly used to being arrested."
"What about the evidence against the Williams family?" Lana asked.
"I gave everything I had to the police when you were incarcerated," Logan said, looking at Brayden. "It would have been a conflict of interest to present it to the Kittle Falls police given it involves one of their own."
"And…?" Brayden asked.
"They're looking into it. I can do some digging as well, if you'd like. I've already canceled all my appointments for the day. I wasn't sure if you'd be out yet or not."
"Speaking of that," Brayden said. "What do I owe you?"
"Nothing."
"You can't be serious."
"I am," Logan said. "I'm required so many hours of pro-bono work, and last year I got stuck representing a jerk who committed vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. You're helping me as much I'm helping you."
"I doubt that," Brayden said.
"Tell you what," Logan said. "You two crazy kids spend some time together and I'll head over to the courthouse to see if I can find anything else about the Kittle/Williams drama."
"That sounds great," Lana said. "Thanks for everything, Logan."
"My pleasure. I'll be in touch." He took off after saying goodbye to Brayden's parents.
Brayden wrapped his arms around Lana and squeezed. "I can't tell you how much I missed you."
"I was so worried, Brayden." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry I got you into this."
He put his finger to her lips. "No more apologizing. It is what it is. I have even more reason to be grateful for all that I have, having gone through that."
"And the first place you're taking me is back to the abandoned hardware store." She gave him a playful grin.
"You don't have to go," he teased. "I just want to make sure there aren't any remaining treasures before the demolition."
Lana touched his nose and gave him a quick kiss. "You know I'm always up for an adventure."
His parents came over, looking like they had something to say.
"What's going on?" Brayden asked.
"We have something to give you," his dad said. "Secretly, we've set up high-interest savings for each of you boys."
"For a rainy day," his mom said.
"And we want you to have yours now."
Brayden's eyes widened. "Why?"
"You need another partner before you can get the urgent care facility, right?" asked his dad.
"Yes."
"Now you don't. You can hire someone later, but you'll have an extra share in your business."
"I can make you guys part—"
"No," said his mom. "This is a gift. Each of you boys will have some when you need it."
"We don't want you mentioning it to the others. Some have already received theirs, others haven't—and we want it to be a surprise when they do."
"I don't know what to say." Brayden felt humbled, but not in the way he had the day before in cuffs.
Thirty
Brayden opened the car door for Lana, and she stepped out. He glanced over at the hardware store and his pulse picked up a little speed even though now he had every right to be there.
She took his hand and laced her soft fingers through his. "I'm so excited for you. Your dreams are coming to fruition."
He pulled her closer, kissing her. "Even some I didn't know I had."
"Those are the best kind." She kissed him back. "We'd better get going. The construction crews arrive tomorrow morning, don't they?"
"First thing." Brayden closed his eyes and just enjoyed holding her in his arms again. He had a renewed appreciation for everything after having been in jail.
She leaned her head against his, seeming to understand. Or maybe she was also just glad to be able to have him near.
After a few moments, he tore himself away. "We'd better get started."
"Did you say Cruz might come by and help?" Lana asked.
"I mentioned it to my brothers and Logan. I'm not sure if any of them will actually show up."
"Oh? Are they scared of a little adventure?" Her eyes shined.
Brayden loved how comfortable she was with his family. She and his brothers, especially Cruz, had already taken to teasing each other. Everyone had already accepted her as one of them.
His heart warmed, but he was aware of time passing. "We should get started. Once the daylight is gone, we'll have to quit."
Lana looked up to the sky, where the sun rested nearly right above them. "I think it's a safe bet that we have a while. But since it's our last chance, we should get going."
Brayden gave her another quick kiss before they went across the street. The hardware store looked the same as it had before, but somehow it felt different this time. Maybe it was because he'd been arrested in front of his colleagues for going there the last time. Or perhaps it was because he would never go back in again.
Lana squeezed his hand. "I'm excited. Maybe we'll find something even better than what we did last time."
Or maybe that was what Brayden felt. He smiled at her. "I have a feeling we'll find something memorable."
He yanked the door open and held it so she could enter, and he followed her inside. Everything looked the same way it had last time. It wasn't until that moment that he realized he'd been expecting everything to have been looted. Officer Williams would have had every reason to go in after Brayden's arrest.
Soon enough, Williams himself would be arrested thanks to Logan's hard work, and Brayden and Lana wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.
"Where should we start?" she asked.
"I want to lift more boards by the cash register."
"Do you want help, or should I look around somewhere else?"
Brayden flexed. "I can handle the boards."
Lana squeezed his muscles. "You sure can. I'll start over there." She gestured toward the other side of the store.
"Just be careful. I don't want anything to fall on you."
"Oh, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." S
he flexed her own muscles.
He jumped back in mock fear. "Don't aim those guns at me."
Lana gave him a playful shove and then walked away. Brayden couldn't stop watching her until she rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. Then he turned around and went back to the register.
Would he find anything else? Or had they just been lucky to find that box under the floorboards? He went over a knelt, staring at all the boards. None looked loose, but then again, neither had the first one.
He wrapped his fingers around a board next to the exposed one and pulled. It didn't give. He pulled some more, and then tried a different angle. Finally, it popped out. Nothing was underneath.
Brayden moved onto another one and yanked. Nothing. After about a half an hour, he had the entire floor behind the register torn out. There were no more boxes of letters to incriminate Williams. The only thing he found were some bugs.
He couldn't help feeling disappointed. After everything they'd been through, he wanted to find more evidence to take that family down. Officer Williams hadn't been working alone. Not as scrawny as he was.
Brayden looked around, considering whether or not he should rip apart anymore boards. Any proof the hardware store might contain wouldn't have been left in the open. It would have been too risky to leave evidence where a customer could find it. Anything still here would have to be hidden somewhere. Somewhere safer than a loose floorboard a customer might stumble over and find.
"How are you doing over there?" Lana called to him from somewhere near the back of the shop.
"I haven't found anything."
He heard some scuffling, and then Lana appeared, holding a box. "I found this tool set, and it looks like it's in pristine condition. Think it's worth anything?"
Brayden looked it over. "It could be. We should take it. Good find."
Lana beamed.
"I think I'm going to look around the employee's area," he said. "That seems to be the best—"
The front door creaked. Brayden looked over, expecting to see Cruz.
It was Officer Williams. He looked about the same as he had that night near the caves.
He stared at Brayden. "I knew I'd find you here. You're too predictable." He had a wild look in his eyes.
Brayden looked back at Lana. "Go to the back room."
She shook her head, set the tool set down, and then walked over to Brayden, holding onto his arm. He tried to push her behind him, to shield her, but she resisted.
He looked back over at Williams. "What are you doing here? You're trespassing."
Williams laughed. "I'm an officer of the law."
Brayden stepped forward. "Not when you're out of uniform."
"Oh, really?" Williams dug into a pocket and pulled out a wallet. He flipped it open, showing off his badge. "This begs to differ."
"What do you want? If it's not official business, then you need to leave."
"You're the one who needs to get out—of town."
Brayden stepped forward, again trying to push Lana behind him. He was close enough to reach out and touch Williams, or punch him. But he needed a better reason to hit a policeman than a menacing discussion and an uncomfortable feeling.
Lana inched closer and tightened her grip on Brayden's arm. He turned his head toward her, all the while keeping his gaze focused on Williams. "Go to the back. I don't want you getting hurt."
"I'm not leaving you with him."
Williams laughed, the wild look in his eyes growing stronger. "You should teach your woman to follow your orders. I wouldn't put up with such insubordination."
"That's not the only way we're different. I'm glad she has a mind of her own."
"You'll live to regret that feeling. Or not." Williams reached into another pocket and pulled out a gun.
Lana gasped. This time, when Brayden stepped in front of her, she stayed behind him. He glanced around for something that would work as a weapon. Or a shield. His heart raced—he had to make sure nothing happened to Lana.
Soft beeping sounded behind him. Dialing? Lana had to be calling the cops—if that would do any good.
Brayden took a deep breath. Lana was whispering behind him, so he had to distract Williams from her call. "Tell me what you want."
"To go back in time so you two were never born. But since I can't do that, I'll have to do the next best thing." He aimed the gun at Brayden's chest.
Blood drained from his face. He had to think quickly.
"Surely we can work out a deal," Brayden said. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a broken shelf that would be perfect as a weapon. But if he moved, Lana would be exposed.
"What?" asked Williams. "What can you do for me? Men are combing through my things. You've already destroyed my life."
"I didn't do anything to your life. This is all on you. Your family had decades to turn in the gold. Even if they didn't, you could have. You're a law man. It was your duty. You should have turned it in."
"It belongs to our family!" He stepped forward. "We're the ones who told the Kittles where it was. Billy cut us out. His relatives deserve none of it. We've held onto it for over a hundred and fifty years without anyone bothering us. Do you know what some of my forefathers have gone through to protect it? Of course you don't, or you wouldn't have interfered. You've screwed everything up, you know that? Everything! Now you must pay." He moved the gun and pointed it between Brayden's eyes.
Brayden reached behind him, grabbing hold of Lana. He ducked down, bringing her with him. They hit the floor with a thud just as Williams squeezed the trigger.
The gun fired, the sound explosive in the old, quiet shop. Lana screamed behind him. The bullet went right through the flimsy wall.
Williams looked down at them. He aimed the gun at Brayden again.
"Should I kill you first, or her?"
"Lana, go," Brayden whispered, hoping this time she'd listen.
She didn't.
"I think her," Williams said. "That way you can watch. I think that'd be justice at its finest." He moved the gun and narrowed his eyes.
Everything shrunk out of Brayden's vision except for Williams and the pistol. Fury burned in his chest. He'd never felt such a hatred before. Without thinking, he jumped up and reached for the gun.
He slammed into Williams. They stumbled back. Brayden heard another shot. He didn't have time to look back and check on Lana. Brayden threw all of his weight against the smaller man. They both fell toward the ground. The weapon flew out of Williams' hand, landing a few feet away.
Brayden thought about picking it up. But he wouldn't give anyone reason to arrest him again.
Williams rolled on his side. He groaned. Brayden jumped on top of him, pinning his arms behind him. He saw red and blue flashing on the ceiling.
"Lana!" he called.
He looked out the window and saw a police cruiser pulling up. They must have had the sirens off because Brayden couldn't hear a thing.
Brayden tightened his grip on Williams, and then looked over to see Lana. She lay on the ground, unmoving. Fear tore through him. Had she been hit by the last bullet?
"Lana," he called, panicked.
She lifted her head, making eye contact. Lana nodded and then put her head back down.
The doors burst open and three officers ran in. Brayden made eye contact with one. "Williams came in and shot at us." He got up, and they surrounded Williams.
Brayden ran over to Lana. "Are you okay?"
She sat up, her face pale. Her hands moved to her chest.
"Lana?"
He felt her neck, noticing that her pulse was at least twice the normal speed. "You're having an SVT episode."
She nodded, and leaned against him.
"Take deep breaths. Everything is going to be okay."
Lana moaned, gasping for air.
Brayden stood, helping her up. "Put your head between your legs." He gently guided her down while helping her balance.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched the cops stru
ggling with Williams.
After a minute, Lana straightened up. "I feel better."
"Are you sure?" Brayden felt her pulse again. "It's still a little high, but closer to normal. I want to keep an eye on you for a while."
An officer walked over. "Are you two all right?"
"We weren't shot," Lana said.
"Then we have some questions we need to ask you two."
Brayden glanced over at Williams, who was being cuffed and read his rights.
"Gladly."
Thirty One
Lana squeezed Brayden's hand. He looked at her and smiled. He said something, but she couldn't hear him over the noise of the construction. They watched the new urgent care facility being put together for a little while longer, and then Brayden led her away to where it was a little quieter.
"It's really happening," Lana said, excitement building. "Your dream come true."
"You mean dreams." He brushed his lips against hers and then held up her hand, looking at the ring. "It looks even more beautiful on the correct finger." He kissed her knuckles.
Lana's heart fluttered. "I'm more excited about the wedding band that's going to be attached to it."
"Me, too." He pulled her closer, kissing her again, deeper this time. She put her palms on his soft cheeks, falling into the kiss.
"Excuse me," came a voice from behind.
They backed up and pulled apart.
"Sorry," said a skinny teenage kid holding a stack of newspapers. "I have to put these in there." He indicated to a newspaper stand.
"Can I see one?" Brayden asked.
"Sure." He collected the money from the machine and put it in a box.
Then the kid handed him the top one, and Lana looked at the top headline: One Hundred-Sixty Year Old Murder Solved.
On the lower half of the page, there was a picture of Officer Williams in handcuffs.
Lana and Brayden exchanged a look.
Kittle Fall's oldest, most whispered about mystery has finally been solved. The answers have been carefully guarded by the Williams' family for many generations.
Evidence has been found both in the Kittle Falls Museum and several of the Williams' properties around town in the form of old letters, official documents, and diaries.
Seaside Heartbeats_A Sweet Romance Page 18
