Love You Still

by Kat Bammer

  As soon as Richard left the room, Peter exhaled and slumped down in his chair. Richard was letting him off easy. He could have had his ass if he wanted to. Peter wouldn’t forget.

  41

  Two days later, Lisa still hadn’t talked to Peter.

  She had been awake at times, and either her sister or her mother or Claire were sitting with her.

  The nurses told Lisa, her fiancé was around a lot. But somehow, she always slept when Peter visited.

  At least Lisa hoped Peter was the one impersonating her fiancé.

  Belinda Graves, the nice deputy sheriff had stopped by yesterday to take her statement. Somehow huge portions of the evening were vague and blurry in her mind. Could be her brain trying to shield her from the horrible memories. Could be the heavy pain meds she was on which knocked her out.

  A knock on the door made Lisa stop her musings.

  “Hello, Lisa…”

  “Sheriff Travers…”

  The Sheriff closed the door behind him and pulled the chair up to her bed. “How are you?”

  “I’m good.”

  “Great. I read the transcripts of your statement.”

  Lisa’s throat turned uncomfortably dry, and she cleared it twice, before she gained back her voice. “I’m sorry if I didn’t remember well enough.”

  But Sheriff Travers just smiled and grasped her hand, perfectly missing the IV. “You don’t have to apologize. The brain is a mysterious thing.”

  “This, and the drugs they’re feeding me.”

  Sheriff Travers chuckled but turned serious again. “Do you know why he picked you?”

  Lisa wracked her brain. He had talked about various things. About how she wasn’t a good girl. The flowers he sent her. Her dad.

  “He wanted to know what was in the documents my dad kept in his shed. But he also mumbled about getting rid of no-good women. So, I’m not sure. Also, I grabbed the cab. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I don’t think he planned to pick me. At least not then and there.”

  “Why did you?”

  “Karen called, told me to check on Mom. Peter and the boys were having such a good time, and there was this cab.” Lisa shrugged. “I thought it would take me half an hour max.”

  “So, he was interested in your dad’s documents?”

  Lisa nodded. “He said, Dad was always wary of him. And he knew about Dad’s friend.”

  Sheriff Travers scribbled notes on his small notepad. “I don’t know if you got notified, but your father got cleared.”

  “Special Agent Holt told us on the day of the funeral. But she didn’t say how.”

  Sheriff Travers tapped his pencil on his notebook, then he rubbed his neck.

  What was wrong—why was he hesitating?

  “Peter.”

  “Peter? My Peter?”

  Sheriff Travers nodded.

  “What about Peter?”

  “He’s how your father got cleared.”

  Lisa scrunched her face. This didn’t make sense at all. “Okay…”

  “I told him off the case, but apparently he has a bit of a hearing problem.” Sheriff Travers looked at Lisa with a half-grin.

  Lisa’s chest tightened, and she frowned. This couldn’t be true. Peter played it by the rules. Black and white. That’s what they’d fought about.

  But Sheriff Travers continued. “He researched further into your dad’s documents, especially the photos, because they looked exactly like ones that apparently Peter had been obsessed with. The ones on our files. Peter dug deeper. As it turned out, Carl had a good friend. A guy named Sam Conors, who was a journalist. Not exactly hotshot, because it was only the Whitebrook Gazette, but he also acted as the liaison to the local sheriff department.”

  Lisa just nodded; Special agent Holt had told them all of this.

  “The former sheriff was a little lenient regarding what Sam had access to. So, the photos and stuff in the documents were actually copies of case files—ours. They showed the crime scenes, and the girls’ faces—some things that weren’t broadcasted in the newspaper.”

  “And my dad had those things in his shed.”

  “I’m really sorry you and your family had to go through all this, but it really looked bad.”

  “So, Peter?”

  “Well, Peter found this connection. Sam Conors died some time ago, but his late wife talked about how obsessed he’d been. So, Peter went to the FBI. They didn’t listen to him at first, but Special Agent Holt told me he stuck to his guns. There might’ve been a little pestering involved, which is completely unlike Peter. But he convinced Holt to work with him and together, they made the necessary connection.”

  “So, this is it?”

  Sheriff Travers nodded. “Except. You, finding the documents, and Peter and the FBI pushing the case, obviously made the real killer nervous. Really nervous.”

  “So, he grabbed me?”

  “So, he grabbed you.”

  “Did you get him?”

  Sheriff Travers’s lips pressed together in a slight grimace. He didn’t answer for a long time.

  Lisa’s breath hitched and heat gathered behind her eyelids. She turned and looked out through the window. This monster was still out there.

  “We found his body.”

  Even though the tension in Lisa’s body suddenly evaporated, tears welled up behind her eyelids. Thank God, he was dead. He couldn’t hurt her anymore.

  “So, you think he’s the one who killed the others?”

  “We’re still reconstructing everything, but we think he could be the one.”

  Lisa nodded.

  “And you were caught in the middle of it.”

  Lisa nodded again.

  Sheriff Travers turned silent again. He looked down at his notepad, before he closed it, put it in his chest pocket, and stood.

  “He did this for you, you know that, don’t you?”

  “The killer?”

  Sheriff Travers smirked and raised his left eyebrow. “Peter. I’m talking about Peter. He went against my order. Against his better judgment. Behind the FBI. He could lose his job over this.”

  Lisa’s eyes widened and she must have looked alarmed because Sheriff Travers laid his hand on her arm.

  “That’s not going to happen. But Peter knew it was a possibility…and he did it, anyway. From what I heard, you hit a bit of a rough patch over this. So, I thought you should know.”

  Lisa rubbed the heel of her palm against her thigh. She had been so quick to judge, she’d even accused him of not having her back, and the whole time he’d risked his job and his reputation to redeem her dad, her family. Why didn’t he tell her? Because that’s not who Peter was. He did it, because it was the right thing for him to do. Not to impress her. That’s what made him the man he was.

  The man she fell in love with as a young girl all those years ago.

  The one for her.

  Now she just had to tell him that. Open up and tell him how much she loved him.

  “Is Peter somewhere out there?”

  “Peter, his old gang, your friends, family. From the feel of it, half the town is out there, waiting to see you.”

  Lisa smiled. “That’s Moon Lake.”

  “Moon Lake, hmm. I guess I should check out what this small-town charm is all about.”

  “You thinking of moving?”

  “Nope.”

  His face turned sad and Lisa’s stomach roiled.

  “Did I say something wrong?”

  Sheriff Travers smiled, but sadness still lingered in his eyes.

  “No, it’s okay. And please call me Richard. We’ll see each other a lot, so I think first-name basis will do.”

  Lisa nodded. “Okay, Richard.”

  “I’ll send Peter in, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  42

  “So, we’re getting married, I’ve been told.”

  Peter laughed and closed the door behind him. Lisa still looked fragile and small, her skin ashy and dark circles under
her eyes. It had been three days since her surgery and there hadn’t been any further complications in her recovery process. It was a tough one for Peter to read her statement about what happened up the cliff, but he was proud for her resilience and happy to have her back in one piece.

  Lisa grinned. “So, what about that? Why does the staff here think you are my fiancé?”

  He laughed again and took a seat by the bed. “It’s because I lied.”

  Lisa inhaled sharply and in a theatrical voice said, “No, not you—why would you ever lie?”

  Then she laughed, and it was so good for Peter to see her so loose and happy.

  “I lied, because of the disclosure-to-family-members-only thing. They wouldn’t have told me anything about how you were doing and your family wasn’t there yet, but I got this”—he stood up, fished his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a ring—“a while ago. I wanted to wait until you’re on your feet again, but since you are well enough to joke around, you can handle this as well.”

  Peter got down on one knee in front of the hospital bed. “Will you marry me?”

  Tears pooled in Lisa’s eyes, but her face beamed with happiness. “Yes.”

  Peter got up; heat radiated through his chest unlike anything he had ever felt before. He leaned forward and wiped away a tear from her cheek. “You make me the happiest man alive.” Then he pressed his lips carefully against hers. Something shifted and settled in his chest. A splinter in his heart, that had pinched him all his life.

  He sat down again, held her hand, and slipped on the ring. Thank God, or thanks to Claire, it fitted perfectly. “So, you and Richard talked?”

  Lisa nodded and her smile, that had made her whole face light up just minutes ago, dimmed instantly. “He had some questions regarding my statement, answered some, and told me some things he thought I should know.”

  Peter raised his eyebrows. “He did?”

  “Yes, he did.”

  Whatever Richard told her was probably things Peter already knew. Special Agent Holt had given him full access regarding the case. “Okay.”

  “He’s the one, isn’t he? The one who killed Sophie?”

  Peter shrugged. “We think so. There’s some strong evidence, and he fits the profile perfectly.”

  “I’m sorry, it must be hard, but now you finally know.”

  Peter nodded and looked down at his clenched fists. “I haven’t told Mom.”

  Lisa hissed. “Isn’t Special Agent Holt going to tell her?”

  Peter shook his head. “I asked her not to. I want to be the one—might do it today, before she hears something on the news. Plus, now I can tell her the good news, as well. Balance it out a little.”

  There was a knock on the door and Peter turned around.

  “Hello, may we come in?” Peter’s mother, Mary, stepped through the half-open door, and behind her Peter’s father entered. “We didn’t want to bother you, Lisa; I just wanted to check in on you real quick.”

  Lisa smiled. “Come in. Come in. I always love to be checked on by you.” Lisa beckoned her in, and Peter vacated the chair so his mother could sit.

  He shook hands with his father, who hovered by the door and then went around the bed to the other side and Lisa grabbed his hand. They exchanged a long look, and Peter understood, without words, what she was telling him. They should tell them now. For better, for worse. Together.

  “So, you feeling better? You definitely look good.” Peter’s mother caressed Lisa’s face before she sat down and carefully clasped her hand.

  “I’m fine. I feel better with every passing day. I’ll get to go home in a day or two, and I so look forward to that. Hospitals really aren’t my thing.”

  Mary nodded in agreement.

  Peter squeezed Lisa’s hand before he released it, fetched a second chair, and took a seat next to his mother. “Mom, Dad, there is some news we have to tell you.”

  Mary didn’t miss the serious expression on Peter’s face. She instantly let go of Lisa’s hand and turned toward Peter. “Now? Here?”

  Peter nodded. “There really isn’t any good place or time, Mom.” Peter grabbed Lisa’s hand for support. “They found Sophie’s killer.”

  Mary inhaled sharply and slapped her hand over her mouth.

  Peter’s father walked to Mary and laid a hand on her shoulder, which she immediately clasped.

  “He’s dead, but we’re pretty sure it was the same guy who did this to Lisa and a long history of other women. They found some evidence in his house to link him to Sophie’s murder, as well.”

  Mary trembled and tears streamed over her cheeks. It was hard for Peter to watch his mother fall apart. His father appeared frozen, stony-faced, and hardly breathing.

  “Mary, Eugene, I’m so sorry.” Lisa switched her hand in Peter’s and stretched the other toward Mary.

  For a few minutes there was silence in the room. They held hands, but each of them was deep in their own thoughts and memories.

  Finally his mother’s tears subsided. The truth about Sophie’s murderer didn’t change anything. His mother had lived with the grief of losing a daughter for a long time now. As had his dad. As had Peter. Lisa had shown him, that feeling guilty about Sophie’s death maybe wasn’t the most healthy way to deal with it. And he was trying.

  His mother cleared her throat, then broke the silence. “Is that an engagement ring?”

  Lisa looked at Peter. They both smiled at each other and he grinned at his mother and nodded.

  “Congratulations, I knew you two would finally get it.” She stood up, hugged Peter and then turned to Lisa, while Peter’s dad patted him on the back.

  “Well done, Son.”

  Peter shrugged, then nodded. He was still unsure about having his father around, but his parents seemed to be enjoying each other’s company, so who was he to judge?

  Peter’s mom laid her hand on Lisa’s cheek again. “You make him the best man he can be. I’m really happy you chose him.”

  Peter scowled. “Hey.” Mary patted Peter’s cheek as if he was five again. “I’m happy you finally got your act together, child of mine. You chose well—should’ve done so years ago. Now don’t mess it up. Again.”

  Peter inhaled sharply. Holy shit. How the hell did his mother know?

  But she just grinned.

  Lisa’s grin turned a little wobbly and Peter instantly softened.

  He leaned forward. “I really am the lucky one. I love you.” He kissed Lisa on the lips before he smiled at his mother.

  There was another knock on the door and Lisa’s family pooled in.

  The good news was shared over and over again. The room was filled with chatter and laughter.

  Peter took up the position behind Lisa’s bed and held her hand.

  He listened in on his mother and Mrs. Reynolds, then on Claire, Karen, and Lisa who would make plans for an engagement party, once Lisa felt better.

  He was content to not be part of the conversations. To observe. His hand tingled where he touched Lisa and his heart felt light.

  He had everything he needed right here.

  Then Blake walked in, followed by Lucas, Rey, and Christopher, and his contentment turned up another notch.

  He looked down at Lisa with a grin and her returning grin told him everything he needed to know.

  They were home.

  43

  As it turned out, the engagement party and welcome-home party took place three days later.

  Lisa had finally been released from the hospital the previous day, and Peter insisted on her staying at his house for the first night.

  Now they were on the way home to the Inn and Lisa couldn’t wait.

  “I’d marry you today if I could,” he said.

  “That’s nice of you to say, but I don’t want to hobble down the aisle. Plus, if we wait a little longer, the boys could attend.”

  The boys had had to cut their visit short and had left the day before.

  “I promised them we’d
wait. They want to be there for the wedding. They are your friends. So, you should want that too.”

  Peter squeezed her hand and a wicked grin spread over his face. “Not even married and already you tell me what it is I should want. You are really bossy, woman.”

  Lisa grinned too. “Well, that’s who I am; you should have really thought about that before asking me.”

  They parked the car in front of the Inn and Lisa’s eyebrows shot up. “Who are all these people?”

  Peter rubbed his neck. “Since you made the news, business has picked up significantly for the Inn, but I think the whole town showed up for your welcome-home party today. Are you up for it?” Peter grabbed her hand and pressed his lips into her palm. “Just give me a sign and I will sweep you away, if it gets to be too much.”

  Lisa smiled at him and after he handed her her crutches and helped her out of the car, she kissed him. “Thank you.”

  They went around the Inn toward the patio and it really seemed like the whole town was out and about.

  The heavenly smell of grilled food wafted toward them from the meadow and Lisa’s stomach growled. This was just what she needed.

  Hours later Lisa felt bone-weary. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she cuddled into the deck chair on the patio. Her propped-up leg and her stitched-up wound on her back were pounding. Maybe she had overdone it a little.

  There were only a few people left. Mostly family and friends. Even Peter’s father had attended the party and him, Peter, and Peter’s mother had had a long talk.

  Maybe there was a chance of healing their relationship, as well.

  Claire had been all over the place. She had, with Blake’s help, organized and managed the whole event. But even though Claire had smiled and made all the right moves, Lisa couldn’t shake the feeling that she was preoccupied with something.

  “Hey, girl, come here.”

  Claire settled down in the deck chair next to Lisa’s.

  “Thanks for the party and for holding the fort. Was it too much? You look stressed.”

  Claire took one of the pillows next to Lisa’s deck chair and propped up her feet too. She looked over the remaining people, zoomed in on Blake and Peter, who stood on the other end of the patio, deep in conversation. “I’m okay. But I’m glad to have you back. I was really frightened, you know—didn’t feel safe, couldn’t sleep. I was so happy when I saw you in the hospital. All of this—I need you, you know that, right?”