“And so do I. If I go to jail, she’ll have no one.”
“She’s twenty years old! Meg’s nine!” Jillian couldn’t believe she was arguing about this. But as long as the woman kept talking, she wasn’t shooting.
“I’m not going to jail,” Elizabeth fairly growled. “Come out from behind that desk.”
Jillian looked for a weapon. Any weapon.
Elizabeth huffed as though tired of the game. “Ian, get her out from behind there. This is crazy. Carmen’s going to be home shortly and I need to have this mess taken care of.”
“I’m a ‘mess’ to take care of?” Jillian demanded. “Really? I’m a human being, Elizabeth! How can you just kill me so easily?”
A dark-shod male foot stepped to the edge of the desk and Jillian rose to come face-to-face with Ian. The menace in his eyes didn’t bode well for her. He reached for her and a number of self-defense moves flipped through her mind. But Elizabeth still had the gun. She held up a hand. “What do you want me to do?”
“Follow me,” Elizabeth barked.
Ian shoved her hand aside, wrapped rough fingers around her upper arm, and pulled her from behind the desk. Jillian didn’t bother to struggle. Yet. She had to get out of the confines of the office.
Elizabeth led the way, looking back over her shoulder every once in a while. And still Jillian couldn’t act in the narrow hallway, even if the gun wasn’t pointed at her right this moment. And then they were through the sunroom and out onto the porch where Elizabeth had murdered the governor.
Ian kept going. Onto the gravel walkway toward the wooded area beyond. Where were they taking her? Then she remembered the large man-made pond just ahead and fear gripped her by the throat.
Colton swung into the drive and stared at Jillian’s car. “What’s she doing here?”
He and Dominic bolted from the vehicle and raced to the front door. Colton checked it to find it unlocked. He pushed it open and stepped inside with Dominic on his heels. “Jillian? Aunt Elizabeth? Carmen?”
The foyer echoed back at him.
He walked toward the kitchen. “Empty.”
Dominic cleared the den.
They met back in front of the sunporch.
“Look,” Dominic said. “The door’s open.”
The door leading from the sunroom to the porch stood wide. “Come on.”
Jillian stumbled on the gravel, her ankle twisting slightly. Elizabeth had moved behind her and now jabbed her with the weapon.
The pond loomed, the edge of the dock only two feet away. She stopped and whirled. “What are you planning? To shoot me and dump me in the water?”
“Works for me. Now move.”
Ian gave her a shove. Jillian stepped onto the dock, her brain whirring. No way was she just going to go quietly to her death.
“Mom?”
Elizabeth froze and turned as though in slow motion toward the gazebo. Carmen lay stretched out on the bench. She sat up, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”
“She’s planning to kill me,” Jillian blurted.
“Shut up!” The woman looked horrified, petrified that Carmen had seen her. To Carmen, she stammered, “It’s nothing, darling, just, um . . . some business—” She broke off at Carmen’s look of disbelief, her pointed stare at the weapon her mother had on Jillian.
Carmen walked toward them, her eyes bouncing between her mother, the gun, Ian.
“Carmen, go on up to the house and forget you ever saw this,” Ian said.
“How?” Tears shimmered in the girl’s eyes. “Like I had to try and forget what happened the night my mother shot the governor?”
Elizabeth gasped. “What? You saw?”
“Oh, I saw all right.”
Jillian moved toward the edge of the dock, her eye catching movement at the tree line. Hope rose as she tried to see who was there, but Carmen stood between the movement and her mother.
“Put the gun down, Elizabeth!” Colton yelled.
Jillian’s pulse leapt. She might survive this after all.
“No!” Elizabeth screamed as she spotted her nephew and Dominic. “No! No! No! It’s not supposed to be this way!” She turned back to Jillian. “This is all your fault!”
“Carmen, move!” Colton hollered.
The girl froze.
Elizabeth aimed the weapon and Jillian heard the crack of the gun as the water rushed up to meet her.
Colton yelled, “Drop the gun, Aunt Elizabeth! Do it! Do it now!”
Sirens finally sounded and grew closer. Backup had arrived, but it might be too late to save Jillian. Fear choked him as he kept the weapon on Ian. The man stood with his hands in sight. Carmen stayed in front of her mother.
Dominic glanced at Colton and shook his head. No shot. Agony coursed through him. “Carmen, move!”
She caught his eye and shook her head.
“Ian! On your knees, now!”
Ian dropped to his knees, hands still above his head.
To Dominic, he said, “I’m going to get Carmen out of the way, then get Jillian out of the water. You take care of the rest.” He paused. “I can’t shoot her, Dom.”
“But she might shoot you.”
“I don’t think she will. It’s a risk I’m going to have to take. We’re running out of time for Jillian.”
Dominic nodded. “Get Carmen, leave the rest to me.”
Colton moved, heart in his throat, his worry for Jillian nearly smothering him. As long as he kept Carmen between himself and the gun, he knew his aunt wouldn’t shoot. He raced out into the open, changed his mind at the last minute, and shot past a stunned Carmen. He tackled Elizabeth before she had a chance to do more than let out a ragged scream. He wrenched the gun from her hand.
Dominic approached at a rapid jog, weapon still trained on Ian. He hollered, “Get Jillian!”
Elizabeth lay wilted against the ground, the fight gone from her. Carmen knelt beside the woman, weeping.
Colton passed the gun to Dominic and hit the dock full speed ahead. Then he was in the water, which was only about six feet deep. Frantic, he looked for her. “Jillian!”
He ducked under and opened his eyes. Silence surrounded him. Murky, cloudy water hit his vision. He waded back and forth, panic building as he looked and found nothing. He came up, sucked in a deep breath, and readied himself to go back under.
“Colton!”
The air whooshed from his lungs. “Jillian! Where are you?”
“Here! Under the dock.”
He spun to see her in the water, but just under the edge of the dock, one hand raised to hang on to one of the wood crosspieces holding the dock together.
Colton swam to her and pulled her into a fierce hug. “Are you all right?” His gaze swept over her. Blond hair plastered to her face and blue eyes wide, but she was alive.
“I’m fine. The bullet missed.”
“You jumped.”
“Yeah.”
“I thought so, but I wasn’t sure. You scared me.”
“I was pretty scared myself.”
He gave her a quick, hard kiss, then said, “Let me check on Dominic.”
Jillian nodded and together they swam to the ladder at the edge of the dock and climbed up. He reached down to help her up, then he looked up to find most of the Columbia Police Department surrounding the area, along with Hunter and Katie, holding their guns on part of his family.
He shuddered. His mother would be devastated all over again. But he’d be willing to bet she’d take in Carmen.
Poor Carmen.
She sat on the ground next to her mother, who now had her hands cuffed behind her back. Carmen’s arms were wrapped around the woman’s stooped shoulders.
Ian was gone.
“Where’s Ian?”
“In the back of a squad car with two officers on him,” Dominic said. “I wanted to wait on you to see if you would help with your cousin. She’s not letting Elizabeth go and I didn’t have the heart to pry her away.”
Colton
sighed and Jillian gave him a gentle push. “Go to her, she needs you.”
He approached Carmen and sat beside her. “We have to take her in, you know.”
“I know.” Her words were muffled against her mother’s shoulder.
“Come on, Carmen, let her go.”
A sob shook her. “I saw her that night. I saw her shoot the governor and I never said a word. It’s eaten me up inside.”
Elizabeth didn’t move, her eyes empty, vacant. She’d retreated somewhere within her mind.
Colton rubbed a hand down Carmen’s back. “You’re going to have a long journey, dealing with all this. We’ll be there to walk with you. I promise.”
Another sob ripped from her and she let go of her mother to throw her arms around his neck. He looked up at Dominic and nodded. Dominic came and hooked a hand under his aunt’s arm and helped her to her feet. She moved obediently, yet with no expression on her face.
Carmen clung to him, apparently not caring that he was soaking her. “I couldn’t say anything about that night. If I told the police the governor didn’t have an accident, then I would have to admit my mom shot him—even though she didn’t mean to. And I couldn’t do that because my dad was never around and if my mom went to jail, what would happen to me?” She looked up at him, eyes pleading. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Colton held her in a hug. “It wasn’t your fault, Carmen, you were just a kid.” He held her awhile longer as he processed what she’d said. She’d known all along. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
He looked up to see Jillian dripping tears and water, standing beside Hunter. He took Carmen by the hand and wrapped an arm around Jillian’s shoulder. Together, they made their way back up to the house.
Epilogue
Six months later
Colton smoothed his sweaty palms down his suit-clad thighs. Him. With sweaty palms. He never would have imagined it.
The last six months had been heartbreaking—and amazing. His aunt had gotten a thirty-year prison sentence. Colton ached for his cousin, but frankly didn’t feel the sentence was long enough. He knew his aunt would probably die there, but she’d gotten off easy in his opinion. He would continue to try to visit. Maybe one day she’d let him see her.
Dominic and Serena’s Christmas wedding was followed by Alexia and Hunter’s Valentine’s Day nuptials.
Dominic and Alexia’s father had passed away the last week in September, and it looked like their mother and her pastor might tie the knot before much longer.
Grayson had taken a job with the Columbia PD and word had it that he and Katie might make a go of it.
Colton breathed a laugh and shook his head.
As for Jillian and Meg, he loved them more and more each day.
Which brought him to the sweaty palms.
Jillian and Meg would be there shortly.
Bert and Ernie watched him pace, their eyes following him back and forth. Colton stopped in front of them. “Okay, guys, just like we practiced for the last four weeks, right?”
Bert yawned and Colton groaned.
The knock on the door made him flinch and his heart flip into overdrive. “Showtime,” he whispered.
Jillian waited for Colton to answer the door. Meg shifted from one foot to the other. “Can I go down to the creek with Bert and Ernie?”
“Maybe in a little bit. Colton said he had a surprise for us, so let’s find out what it is, okay?”
Meg sighed. “Okay, but if it’s a dorky surprise, can I go?”
“May you go?”
“Why are you asking me?”
Jillian groaned as the door opened. Her groan turned to a gasp. “Why are you so dressed up?”
Colton grinned at her. “Because I had been looking forward to our reunion dance and it kind of got blown up. So, I decided to re-create it here.”
Jillian looked down at her winter boots and jeans. “I’m not exactly dressed for it.”
“Me either,” Meg said.
“Come right this way, ladies.”
Jillian and Meg followed him down the hall into one of the bedrooms. Another gasp escaped her and even Meg was impressed. “Wow.”
Two sparkling gowns graced the bed. Colton smiled. “Will you?”
“Colton—”
“You bet we will,” Meg said as she placed both hands on Colton’s stomach to push him from the room. “We’ll be just a few minutes.”
Colton’s laughter echoed even after Meg shut the door. Jillian laughed. “What is he up to?”
“Who cares? Get changed.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Fifteen minutes later, they emerged from the bedroom. Jillian had on a green silk gown with pearl beading. Meg’s dress was a long-sleeved pale yellow velvet with a sweetheart neckline. Her gold locket necklace, white tights, and white shoes completed her ensemble.
Colton had his head next to Bert and Ernie’s and appeared to be in a deep conversation with them. Meg’s laugh caused him to turn. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. Jillian walked up to him and tapped it shut.
Colton clicked the remote and music filled the room. A slow, bluesy tune without any lyrics. He placed a light kiss on her lips, then looked at Meg. “May I have this dance, Miss Carter?”
Shyness seemed to overtake Meg and she ducked her head even as she held out a hand. Colton took it and led her in a dance around the room.
Jillian watched, hands clasped in front of her, heart filled to overflowing with love for the man who had taken the time to get to know her all over again—and allowed her to get to know him.
Added joy had been watching him win over his daughter’s heart.
Meg pulled away. “Your turn, Mom.”
Jillian slipped into Colton’s arms and nestled her head against the base of his throat. She felt him kiss the top of her head.
After they finished their spin around the room, Meg said, “What’s Bert got in his mouth?”
Jillian pulled back as Colton dropped to his knee and clicked the dog over. “Here, boy.” Bert padded over and Colton held out his hand. The dog dropped the object into his palm, then sat, tongue lolling. Jillian couldn’t see what it was the dog had given Colton and shifted for a better look, but she was too late.
Colton made a sweeping motion with his hand and Bert bolted over to lie down beside Ernie in front of the fireplace.
Colton stayed on his knees and waved Meg over. Curious, Jillian watched as Meg crossed to stand next to her. “What is it?”
He looked up at Jillian and held up his hand. She gaped at the ring staring back at her.
Meg laughed. “Wow! That’s huge!”
Jillian clapped a hand over her daughter’s mouth. “Colton . . . it’s . . .”
“Gorgeous,” Meg mumbled against Jillian’s palm.
“Gorgeous,” Jillian repeated. She dropped her hand and stared at the man in front of her.
He said, “I’ve had this ring for over ten years now. I was going to give it to you the night of graduation.” He glanced down at it. “It’s not exactly your style now, but I couldn’t . . .” He stopped and bit his lip. “Back then I thought you needed a huge ring. I . . . I thought that I had to prove how much I loved you by how big the ring was. Only now . . .”
“I would have loved it.”
“Would have? What about now?”
“What about now?”
“What kind of answer is that?”
Meg sighed. “You haven’t asked the question yet, Dad.”
He blinked. “Oh.” Back to Jillian, he asked, “Will you marry me?”
Jillian choked out a strangled “Yes.” She looked at Meg, who nodded. “Yes. We will.”
The relief in his eyes almost made her laugh. He slipped the ring out of the box and onto her finger. A beautiful square-cut diamond. “If you want something different, we’ll go shopping—”
She laid a finger over his lips. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
Meg squealed and clapped her hands. “
We’re getting married!”
Colton laughed and said, “Yes, it appears we are.”
“But you forgot one thing,” Meg said.
“What’s that?”
“You haven’t kissed her. I imagine when people get engaged, they gotta kiss.”
Colton turned his green eyes back to Jillian. “I imagine they do.”
He lowered his head and covered her lips with his, and Jillian reached behind her to cover Meg’s eyes as she kissed him back with every ounce of love she had in her.
When he raised his head, he asked, “Short engagement?”
Breathless, Jillian nodded. “Definitely.”
“Okay, now that we got this mushy stuff taken care of, can I go to the creek?”
Colton laughed. “Sure. Take the dogs with you.”
“And change your clothes first,” Jillian said.
Three minutes later, Meg was out the door, the dogs on her heels, and Colton had Jillian back in his arms. “I love you, Jillian Carter.”
Emotion made it hard to force the words out, but she managed a strangled, “And I love you, Colton Brady.”
“For a lifetime?”
“A whole lifetime. Whatever time God gives us.” She wiped a stray tear and sniffed.
“Well, he sure has gone to a lot of trouble to reunite us. I figure we’ve got a good fifty or sixty years left.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” she said.
“Yep, no plan B needed,” he agreed.
Jillian threw back her head and laughed.
Acknowledgments
Thank you once again to Jim Hall, police officer extraordinaire. I appreciate so much your willingness to take the time to read each book and give me your expert feedback.
And thank you to Drucilla Wells with the D2L Behavioral & Investigative Consulting Services, LLC, and retired FBI Special Agent.
Thank you to my agent, Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency, for all your work on my behalf.
Thank you to the crimescenewriters yahoo group for answering my numerous questions.
Thank you to Cara Putman, who took time out of her busy schedule to read and give me feedback. I appreciate it!
When a Secret Kills Page 28
