Bad Boy Brother

CHANCE CARTER

Chapter 1

Jenny Dale walked into the office of her Editor in Chief with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. She tried to steady her trembling knees as she pushed the door open and inched her way into the large, sterile room, presenting herself to Mr. Rowland.

“Come on in, Jenny. I have a new job for you.”

He motioned toward the chair in front of him indicating for her to have a seat, so she complied.

“A new job, sir?”

Mr. Rowland nodded, sending crumbs from the sandwich he’d been eating sprinkling down onto the desk and floor beneath him.

“Yes, it seems Mitchell is leaving town to take care of her sick mother, and I need someone to fill in while she’s out the next few months. That’s if she comes back at all,” he added under his breath.

“Sir, you’re asking me to be the editor of the fall line-up?” she asked, sure she must be mistaken.

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?”

He dusted the crumbs from his shirt.

“I don’t know what to say. I…”

Jenny was at a loss for words as the excitement began a slow build from her gut up to her eyeballs.

“Say you’ll do it so I can get back to work,” he said, but his eyes trailed down to what was left of his sandwich.

“Yes! Thank you, sir,” she said, springing up from her chair and breezing out the door before he could change his mind.

She could not believe her luck. It looked like everything was finally falling into place. The time spent diligently working alongside numerous photographers, editors, and consultants was finally paying off after seven, long years at Joy Magazine.

She had seen movies and television shows, but nothing had prepared her for just how busy life in New York City would be. No longer under the eyes of the opinionated citizens of her small, hometown of Ombrea, she was one of thousands crowding the streets, a stranger among many in a big city. For the first time in forever, Jenny Dale was beginning to feel like she was in the right place, at the right time.

She had only two short months to plan and prepare the upcoming magazine spread. She would have to choose models, follow trends, select styles, determine what colors to use and the like. As daunting as the workload was, Jenny couldn’t wait to get started on the new project. In her mind, she had been preparing for this for years.

She decided a celebratory coffee was in order. Her mother had always said no work meant no play, but Jenny felt she deserved a little play after all the work she'd put in over the past seven years.

She waited in line at Starbucks, so engrossed in her own success that she almost didn't hear the musical notes of her ringtone from inside her handbag. Expecting a crisis at the office, something that came with the territory when working in the fashion industry, she quickly retrieved her cell phone, catching the call right before it slipped to voicemail.

“Miss Jenny Dale?”

The caller sounded brusque. It wasn't a voice she recognized.

“Yes, speaking,” Jenny replied.

“This is Chief Joseph Cartright from the Ombrea Police Department. I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, ma'am, but your brother, Joey Dale, has been arrested. He was taken into custody this morning.”

“Arrested?”

It was a very familiar word when it came to her younger brother. It was exactly the reason she had chosen to avoid contact with him over the past seven years. He was much more trouble than he was worth, and Jenny had long ago decided not to get any more involved with his life than she had to.

“That's really not a surprise to me, sir. What did he get himself involved in this time?”

“He is charged with first-degree murder,” Chief Cartwright answered calmly.

Jenny couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ever since their parents had died, during her junior year of high school, Joey had been in and out of trouble for things like petty crime or vandalism, but he had never been arrested for anything even remotely violent, and the last arrest had been before he’d turned 18, as far as she knew. She had always been grateful that despite his numerous shortcomings, he had never done anyone physical harm.

For Joey to be accused of first-degree murder seemed almost unbelievable, and for the most part, she had believed everything she heard about her brother.

“What?”

She swallowed hard and began again.

“Who did he…” she said, unable to find the words.

“Chloe Dale. His soon-to-be ex-wife,” the man answered.

Jenny felt the world circling around her. She had to grip the phone tighter against her ear as her hands began to tremble, to make sure she didn’t drop it and miss anything. Her chest constricted with grief, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she tried to hold it together.

My best friend, she thought to herself but didn't say aloud.

From what Jenny had gathered from the sporadic phone calls she and Chloe had shared over the past few years, Joey had been working at turning his life around since the birth of their daughter. He had taken on a job as an officer at the local station and was trying to stay on the straight and narrow.

The powers-that-be at the police station had obviously seen something in him that no one else had. Either that or they were desperate for fresh blood, because from what she knew, they had taken him on immediately, in spite of his past grievances.

For his own officers to have arrested him, there had to have been some serious evidence connecting him to the crime. It must have been Joey who’d murdered Chloe.

Jenny was completely shocked.

“Did you say, soon-to-be ex-wife?” Jenny asked.

As far as she knew, despite their marital problems, Chloe and Joey had never divorced or even separated. Chloe had been aware of her husband's difficulties with his sister and vice versa, so they had avoided mentioning him in their phone calls. Apparently the silence had caused her to miss so much of her best friend's life, and now it was too late to change that.

“I didn't know they'd been divorced,” Jenny said, still in shock.

“They were planning to separate. In a small town like Ombrea, gossip travels rather quickly. They'd been at odds for years, or so I hear. The situation was a rocky one,” Chief Cartwright offered.

Jenny nodded to herself. That was true. Whenever Chloe and Joey fought, Jenny could hear the strain in Chloe's voice, a tightness that suggested she was on the verge of breaking down. Jenny felt guilty for never having pressed too hard to find out the cause of her friend's sadness. It had always been so blatantly obvious, like an elephant in the room. Another conversation about Joey was the last thing she wanted, so she selfishly avoided giving Chloe the opportunity to share.

Sure, Joey had never been an easy person to get along with. He was stubborn and quick to anger. He had an innate ability to draw on a person's weakness and use it against them. When they were kids, he tormented her if she didn’t do as he said, or if she wouldn’t give in to his demands. He was a hard case then, and even more impossible to deal with as an adult. Chloe definitely married a man who needed more help than she could ever have given him.

“You’re listed as his only surviving next of kin. That means you become the guardian of their young daughter, Isabelle,” the chief stated after a long pause.

Having forgotten that piece of the puzzle, her eyes went wide as the realization struck her. She had to pinch herself to see if it was really happening, or if it were some sick joke or a dream.

“Right,” she said softly, realizing it was all too real.

Jenny's turn had come in the queue, but she dropped into the nearest empty chair instead, her coffee no longer an immediate concern. At that moment, all she could think about was that Chloe was gone for good and that her brother was to blame. It was a lot to take in at once, especially when the day had been going so well.

“Right now, she is in the custody of our local branch of the Children's Aid Agency, but you will need to collect her as soon as possible, ma'am. We don’t have adequate resources to look after a child here.”

“Right,” she said.

It seemed to be the only word she could muster in her confused state.

She heard the soft click of Chief Cartright ending the call. She sat in silence collecting her thoughts, and for the second time today, Jenny Dale couldn’t believe her luck.

What was she going to do with a child, and what did this mean for the fall lineup?

Chapter 2

As soon as her old Dodge Neon reached the Ombrea town limits, Jenny’s chest began to constrict and her hands were shaking against the steering wheel.

Long ago memories pushed their way through her subconscious. The mix of good and bad thoughts toyed with her emotions, making her feel like she was about to crack. She swallowed hard and forced the thoughts back into the dark shadows of her mind. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on the past. Not when there was so much to be done here and now.

She considered how easy it would be to turn around and head back to where she’d come from. She told herself that she could flee this place again if she really wanted to. It had been the most freeing experience of her life when, seven years ago, she packed up her belongings and left this town behind her. She hadn't looked back even once.

None of this was really any of her concern, she reasoned with herself. Her brother's mess was entirely his own, just as it had always been. She didn't need to have a hand in it if she wasn't ready to. He didn't deserve her help, especially not after what he had been accused of. He'd stolen a life. He'd taken away her best friend. He needed to be brought to justice.

Right?

Jenny couldn't help thinking about her young niece Isabelle. She hadn't seen the girl in a number of years, not since she was stumbling around in diapers.

Chloe had kept her updated with news and photos, like the doting mother she was, and Jenny had dutifully put them up on her fridge with all the pizza coupons and take out menus.

Chloe had been a doting mother, Jenny thought, but she was gone now. That wouldn't change. She could feel the tears pooling in her eyes as she passed the familiar streets of her childhood.

Jenny was all Isabelle had, and the very thought of leaving the innocent child behind made her feel guilty. She considered that the child had never had the chance to know her either. Jenny had left at the first opportunity, so she couldn't imagine that Isabelle knew her as more than a picture in a frame or some woman in one of her mother's stories. They had no connection other than by blood, and the Dale family blood wasn't that thick. It was thinner than water.

Given their scarce association, Isabelle probably wasn’t keen on the idea of being taken in by her long, lost aunt either. If roles were reversed, Jenny would feel the same. It really was madness that they were being thrown together with no choice but to make it work.

Jenny pushed on despite her nervousness. Chief Cartright had spelled it out to her. Isabelle had no other surviving relatives. It would have to work out one way or another. They would grow to know each other no matter what it took. That's all there was to it.

Jenny didn't even entertain the thought that her brother might be found innocent or that he would one day walk free. He had made so many bad decisions over the past fifteen years, why would he be innocent now. Although he had not previously shown any violent tendencies, she supposed that this step up from his minor crimes had simply been coming all along.

Besides, he and Chloe hadn't exactly been a loving and devoted couple. It came as a surprise to everyone when, in her senior year of high school, honor roll student Chloe had taken up with rogue, bad boy Joey Dale. Their relationship was moving extremely fast, and five months before graduation, Chloe discovered she was carrying his baby.

The day after graduation, Joey and Chloe were wed in the town chapel to appease her strict parents. Isabelle arrived only a few months later.

Since then, the lovebirds had seemed somewhat dissatisfied with their life choices. Chloe mentioned to her once how their arguments and spats were well-known around town. Rumor had it, Chloe told her bitterly one afternoon, that Joey had been sleeping on the couches of everyone in town.

Now, if convicted of his crime, Joey would be lucky to see outside of the prison walls.

When Jenny pulled up outside the Ombrea Police Station, it was almost noon. She took a long, deep breath, hoping to settle her nerves. She had to pull herself together.

The desk clerk, an older woman with her hair pulled into a severe, gray bun, showed Jenny into Chief Cartright's office.

The police chief's office was sparsely furnished. A picture of a bulldog hung on the far wall, and a plaque honoring him as Ombrea's Citizen of the Year two years prior provided the only other decoration in the small space.

The desk was cluttered with papers and numerous manila file folders. Crumbs from various baked goods adorned the top of his keyboard. It looked to be the office of a man who had little regard for cleanliness or order, not unlike her boss.

Sitting behind the desk and piles of folders sat Chief Cartright. Jenny couldn’t help but notice he was quite a handsome, older man. His dark hair was cut short and beginning to go gray at the temples. He was tall and well-built for his age.

He stood when she entered and leaned over his desk to shake her hand. His lips curved into what she considered a pleasant smile. She was caught off guard when he held her hand, though. It felt as though he didn't want to release her. His dark, steely, blue eyes were focused on her face in a way that made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. She took a step back and he had no choice but to let her hand go.

“You’ll have to forgive the mess,” he told her, directing her to a seat with a wave of his hand. “It’s been hell in here over the last couple of weeks.”

Jenny watched as he piled a few case files together in an attempt to clean up his workspace. She couldn’t imagine a small town like Ombrea being so busy a place as to create a mess this size. Not much happened while she was growing up here, and she doubted it were any different since she left. And her brother was behind bars now. That must have brought the crime rate in this small town down by at least half.

“Is my brother here?” she asked cautiously.

She didn't want to see Joey at the police station at all. She couldn’t face him after what he had done to her best friend.

She hated him for his inability to behave himself as a teenager. That resentment only intensified after learning he had killed Chloe. It was a completely unforgivable crime and one she would rather not be involved with.

“He’s here in our holding cell. We can't transfer him to the courthouse just yet.”

The Chief studied her carefully. His eyes were steely, and she found them unsettling when he looked across at her.

“Are you going to want to see him while you’re here?”

Jenny held up her hands in defense.

“Oh no. I definitely do not want to see Joey again. We're not that close. I just wanted to know. I just wanted to be sure.”

“Sure of what?”

“That he is locked up. I wanted to be sure that he was secure.”

She wanted to drop the conversation. Just like she had done many years before, she told herself her brother was not her concern, and he hadn't been for a long time.

“It's fine.”

It wasn’t fine.

Sensing that the conversation needed to be changed, the Chief nodded to a sheet of paper on his desk. He scanned over it quickly before handing it to her.

“Chloe Dale's funeral is scheduled for two days from now at the local church. Someone has already gone over her will and designated what goes where. She didn't want any kind of a big show. The station will be sending an arrangement of flowers, of course.”

“Thank you,” Jenny said as she folded the paper and tucked it into the front pocket of her handbag. “That’s very kind of you.”

“As for your brother, I can keep you up to date on when he’ll be transferred.”

“That's really not necessary,” Jenny interrupted.

The last thing she wanted to do was return to talk of her brother.

“I'm sure everything is being done that should be done. I don't need to know anything else about him, to be completely honest with you.”

The Chief raised a dark eyebrow. Jenny was used to it. Many people she had met over the years had difficulty understanding her absolute refusal to hold a conversation about her brother. As far as she was concerned, she was a family of one. She didn’t have a brother.

“Okay. If that's the case, there isn't much more I can tell you, Miss Dale. Your brother's house is yours to live in as you see fit. The child is now in your care. You’re welcome to take her with you now, in fact.”

“Right, the child.”

“Isabelle.”

The Chief suddenly became doubtful of this arrangement.

“You have taken care of a child before, I'm assuming?”

“Never.”

Jenny decided brutal honesty was the best course.

“You're shaking like a leaf,” Chief Cartright said, concerned.

“It's been a tough couple of days,” Jenny answered.

“You can say that again.”

A knock came at the office door, and Jenny turned to see the desk clerk waiting for her.

“Children's Aid brought her in about twenty minutes ago.”

The woman's tone was curt and to the point.

“She's been waiting in one of our interrogation rooms. I gave her a spare pad and a pen, but I think she's just ready to go home.”

The Chief raised himself up slowly from behind the desk.

“If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call.”

He reached out and gave Jenny a firm handshake.

It's been nice to meet you, Miss Dale. I wish it had been under better circumstances.”

“Of course,” Jenny said as she pulled her purse over her shoulder and headed for the office door. “Thank you for your time.”

The Chief nodded his head briefly before dropping back down behind his cluttered desk.

The clerk led Jenny from the room and down a dark hallway to another closed door. Jenny felt her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She wasn't ready for any of this. If she had her way, she would turn tail and make a run for it. She could make a break for New York and head back to the life she had created for herself before any of this madness. It would be impossible to pick up where she had left off in this town. There was no sign of the life she had lived before her departure.

She didn't know how to start again. Something about her demeanor must have given her away, for the clerk paused a moment before opening the door to the room where Isabelle was waiting.

The woman’s expression suggested that Jenny really ought to pull herself together.

“Are you ready for this?”

Chapter 3

“It won’t do the girl any good to see you looking so nervous,” the clerk warned.

Jenny cut the woman’s judgment short.

“I will be okay, honestly.”

“You better be. There's no one else to care for the child. She’s relying on you to be the strong one here.”

“Believe me, I know that.”

The clerk felt Jenny was way in over her head, but nothing more was said about it as she turned the knob, letting the light from inside the small room flood out into the hall.

The eight-year-old girl that stood before her in faded pink dungarees was almost a complete likeness of her mother. Dainty, blonde curls framed a small, heart-shaped face. The blue eyes that stared innocently up at her were a mirror image of Chloe’s. Jenny felt her breath catch in her chest.

It dawned on Jenny that she had never spent time alone with any child, let alone her niece. Again, she felt guilt churning in her stomach for not having been more of a figure in Isabelle’s life.

After leaving Ombrea, Jenny had never once felt the desire to return. Chloe was the exact opposite. Chloe had always been something of a homebody, and there had been no charming her into leaving the small town she lovingly called home. Unlike Jenny, she never harbored any big ideas about moving to a city. Instead, Chloe had been more than happy to stay settled in Ombrea where everything just made sense.

“How are you doing, honey?”

The clerk was doing her best to put on a friendly face but, the little girl still looked absolutely terrified of her surroundings. The pad and pen she had kindly been given to keep her busy while she waited lay unused on the steel table. A doll in a little, patchwork, red dress was clutched tightly in her grip instead.

“This lady is your aunt,” the clerk said. “She is here to take you home.”

Jenny watched as the miniature version of Chloe lifted her wide, blue eyes to her own once again. She didn't look at all reassured to be going home with this new stranger, no matter what their family connection was.

The clerk glanced back at Jenny.

“I'll have you sign some paperwork at the front desk stating that you accept full custody of your niece here.”

“Right. Okay then.”

Jenny watched as the other woman left the room, wishing their roles were reversed and she could be the outsider in this whole scenario.

The little girl watched her silently, the grip on her doll becoming even tighter the longer they stood. Her little cheeks were flushed, a sign that she was only moments away from tears.

Jenny could sympathize with the child. When she had lost her own parents in a car crash at the tender age of ten, life seemed incredibly unfair. Everything felt dark and desolate without even a trace of a silver lining.

Her tears would come often and usually without warning. She sank into sadness while Joey used his grief to act out. Five days later, at only eight years of age, he was arrested for a petty act of vandalism. He got a stern talking to by the police chief and spent an hour in a jail cell, but it did nothing to scare the rebel out of the boy.

To lose one parent at the hands of the other seemed an especially harsh circumstance. Jenny wasn't aware how much the child knew about what had transpired. She had never even thought to ask the Chief what the child’s involvement had been.

“I'm your Aunt Jenny, your dad's older sister.”

The words felt unnatural and strange on her tongue.

“You were only little when I moved to New York. You probably don't remember me.”

“No.”

Isabelle’s curls moved as she shook her head.

It was a start.

“I haven't seen you since you were like,” Jenny said dropping her hand down to her knees while the girl watched, “this high. That's quite a long time ago, isn't it?”

Isabelle nodded but said nothing. She passed the doll from one hand to the other for comfort.

“Ah, here we are.”

The clerk returned. Her reappearance had little effect on the mood in the small space.

“You just have to sign in a couple places. We have all the other information we need.”

Jenny stepped up to the table to sign the documents while Isabelle sank into a metal chair and waited, the doll clenched firmly in her lap. Jenny glanced at the child before reading over the paperwork, but her eyes remained downcast, her cheeks once more showing the pink tone that indicated tears were close.

Jenny could only imagine what she must have looked like the day she was told that her parents would not be coming home.

“Ma'am?”

The clerk's voice brought her back to the task at hand, and she quickly regained her composure.

“Right. Sorry.”

Jenny signed the necessary forms and then turned nervously back for the child.

“Come on then, time to go home.”

Jenny drove her silver Neon toward Chloe and Joey's home on the outskirts of town. Isabelle sat silent and wide-eyed in the back seat.

What was she was supposed to say to her. She had never been alone with a child before and had never even once felt the urge to have any of her own. They were hard work, too much to be sure, and she had enough on her plate at the magazine as it was without having to worry about another person’s well-being.

But Isabelle had no one else, Jenny reminded herself. She would just have to figure out what came next.

The small farmhouse was set back from the neighboring properties. Tall trees lined the drive in such a way that the house almost surprised people when they parted to reveal the plot of land.

Chloe had lovingly cared for the Dale property. Flowers of all colors and shapes peppered the garden, making it feel friendly and welcoming. The path to the house, crooked and made of flagstones, showed signs of chalk from Isabelle's recent games. A slightly deflated soccer ball sat out on the lawn as if waiting for the next match to start.

Jenny could clearly see Chloe's love in the old, two-story property. Its slightly wind-battered shutters had been painted in a deep shade of blue, matching perfectly the double-sided front door. Pots of more colorful flowers adorned the wrap-around porch, and even more brightly colored plants brightened the large windowsills of the home.

Isabelle opened her own door and exited the car. Her little legs carried her in such a rush to the porch that Jenny thought she might fall over. She followed behind, letting the child lead the way. Jenny was in no rush to enter her friend's home and be taken in by all the memories.

Tears stung her eyes at the sight of Chloe's distinctive, yellow, rain jacket hung on the peg by the front door. A pair of pink rain boots leaned against the old siding. Isabelle's smaller, yellow pair was propped up haphazardly beside them.

Bright-yellow crime scene tape still hung across the doorway, and Jenny immediately ripped it down. She tossed it into a ball on the porch until she could find the will to face it.

She had the impression from her brief encounter with Chief Cartright that he didn't think this was anything more than a simple, open and shut case. She hadn't felt the need, or the desire for that matter, to argue for anything different. He was the Law Man in town, so she assumed he knew what he was doing.

Isabelle looked up, waiting silently as Jenny dug around in her pocket for the door key the Chief had handed over before they left the station. Although it fit inside the lock, the old door gave her some trouble. It took a small amount of shoving and pushing before it gave in and creaked open under protest.

The hallway beyond was silent and dark.

Jenny expected Isabelle to run in, grateful to be home after a long and, no doubt, unnerving night spent with Children's Aid, but there niece remained still on the porch.

“It's okay. You're home now.”

It was the only thing Jenny could think to say. She considered giving Isabelle a tight hug as a sign of affection, but it still seemed too soon. She didn't dare push their boundaries yet.

“Okay.”

It was only the second word Isabelle had spoken since they'd been introduced. Her little feet in their small sneakers rang out in the hallway as she darted inside. Jenny watched as she disappeared up the stairs.

Jenny lingered on the doorstep. She kept her hand firmly on the frame steadying herself.

This wasn't right. It had been many years sincere last visit to this farm. Chloe had greeted her at the door, a smile as wide as the sun on her face. The baby had been dancing in one of those Jolly Jumpers at the end of the hall. The smell of freshly baked apple pie wafted from somewhere beyond.

And off in the darkness, her brother had stood watching the scene unfold, cautious. He knew he had burned his bridges with her long before, and other than the polite courtesies their close quarters had called for, he was careful to keep his distance. She hadn't minded. He was Chloe's to keep in line now. He was no longer her problem.

The vivid image slipped from her mind as quickly as it had come forth. The dark hallway still lingered ahead of her, no longer full of the noises and smells she remembered.

Turning her back on the silence, Jenny returned to her car for her overnight bag. She would be staying a while.

An hour and a half later, Jenny had moved her belongings into the small, guest room at the top of the stairs.

She didn’t bring much with her. She only packed enough to last her for two weeks, if that, and a dress that would be suitable for the funeral. It hadn't seemed necessary for her to pack up the rest of her belongings just yet. Not when everything was so uncertain. She still had hopes of making it back to her new position at the magazine.

She had closed the door firmly on her brother and Chloe's bedroom when she first brought her bag upstairs. There would come a time when she would have to clean and organize it, but not just yet. It didn't seem fitting to invade that space before the funeral was even over.

Jenny checked in on Isabelle while upstairs. She found the young child curled under a mass of colorful blankets and toys, her back to the door. Recognizing Isabelle’s need for peace, Jenny closed the door behind her and headed quietly back downstairs.

The kitchen was unnaturally silent when she entered, so Jenny set about creating whatever noise she could. She filled the tin kettle with water at the sink and set it carefully on the stove, waiting impatiently in the minutes that followed for it to whistle.

Jenny turned on the small, wireless radio on the windowsill, but didn't bother to change the station. She didn't care what song was playing as long as it brought some noise to the space.

Although it took a large amount of pushing and pulling to get the handle to turn, she opened the back door. She paused with her back to the doorway. She closed her eyes briefly, grateful for the late afternoon sounds of birds and crickets from the grass beyond. She made a mental note to get that door fixed when she had the time.

“What are you doing?”

Jenny turned to find Isabelle standing at the kitchen door. Her blue eyes were red and puffy from crying. This time, instead of her doll, a teddy bear in a red shirt was grasped firmly in her right hand.

“Just making some noise. It is much too quiet in here.”

Isabelle nodded once in agreement. An uneasy silence settled over them both once more.

So far, they weren't doing well at building any kind of connection beyond basic conversation. They were simply two strangers who had no choice but to interact with one another. At least Isabelle was home, and she could feel somewhat comfortable here.

It was the most stable place in the world for her, or at least it had been until just this afternoon. Now, Jenny was a stranger invading her space.

“I'll make you something to eat,” she tried. “You must be starving.”

It seemed like a good idea. Jenny hadn’t had an appetite since rolling back into town, but if there was anything she knew about kids, it was that they had to be fed on a pretty regular basis. What they ate, on the other hand, she wasn't too sure about. She chalked this up as yet another learning experience.

Chloe was a whiz in the kitchen. High school nights had been spent baking brownies or coming up with some tasty treat she had only to read about once in a magazine to recreate.

Her biggest success was Christmas dinner two years ago. It was the only time Jenny had come back in town to celebrate the holidays. A secondary table was brought in from storage to make room for the overwhelming amount of dishes on display. Chloe proudly called it the biggest Christmas dinner imaginable, and she wasn’t far from wrong.

“Do you even know how to cook any food?”

“Yes, of course.”

Jenny made a face as she pushed a wave of her blonde hair back from her face.

“I guess. Some things.”

“What are some things?”

“I'm not a whiz in the kitchen like your mom was, but I can manage.”

Jenny tried a friendly smile but the child stared back, unsure.

“We are going to starve, aren't we?”

“That is very unlikely. We'll just have to make do with what we've got.”

“Can anyone survive on just air and water?”

Obviously, Isabelle had inherited her father's dry sense of humor.

Jenny opened the nearest cupboard door. She was grateful to find it stuffed full with a number of food items she could put to good use. She selected a chicken noodle soup can off the bottom shelf and then found a box of salted crackers to go along with it.

“Soup and crackers. It's the perfect comfort food.”

“What does that even mean?”

Jenny rummaged around in a number of bottom cupboards and located a medium saucepan. The can opener was easy enough to find in a top drawer. She set to work dumping the soup contents into the saucepan and set the stove on low.

The kettle finally began to boil, and she selected a slightly chipped mug off the countertop mug tree, biding her time before offering a response.

“Well?”

Isabelle didn't like to be kept waiting.

“What does it mean?”

“Comfort food is something you eat when you want to be, um, comforted.”

She smiled at the child nervously as if that would at once break down any barriers between them.

“Alright.”

Jenny let out a sigh of relief, hiding it behind a nervous smile when Isabelle shot her a suspicious look.

“How about you set some crackers out on these plates?”

Jenny reached for another cupboard door but the side plates were nowhere to be found. It took a sheepish nod from Isabelle to point her in the right direction.

She busied the child with the chore, grateful when they fell back into silence. The drive from New York had been long and she was still reeling from the news. Right now she just wanted to get her mind straight so she could get everything to at least seem normal. The concept of normal having recently been updated.

When the soup was warm, she dished it out into two matching bowls. She tasked Isabelle to collect two TV dinner trays from the kitchen table and led her out into the hallway.

“Mom always serves soup at the kitchen table,” Isabelle pointed out as Jenny shouldered the living room door open and set the dishes down on the coffee table. “We are not supposed to watch television until after dinner. It's the house rule.”

“What can I say?” Jenny gave her a small shrug. “I'm a rule breaker.”

Isabelle gave her another one of her suspicious looks. She wasn't sure what to believe, but she relented anyway and took a seat on the couch.

Jenny was grateful that there wasn't going to be any more pushing on the subject, for now. She took a seat beside Isabelle and reached for the remote.

“Now, let's see what's on television tonight, shall we?”

Isabelle didn't say a word.

An hour later, the sun was beginning to set. Jenny stood at the living room window and watched as it slowly dipped below the hills in the distance. She hated Ombrea and its backward, small town ways, but the view was spectacular. She had to admit that much.

The view of the rolling hills and farmland was more pleasing than the view she had of skyscrapers from her kitchen window in the city. From her apartment balcony, she could see a small, city park, but it was just a crowded neighborhood dog park. It didn’t compare to the natural surroundings of Ombrea.

Now sufficiently fed, Isabelle curled up in a ball on the sofa with a couch cushion propped behind her head for comfort.

Jenny left her to the television's care and began to clear the dinner dishes. She was grateful to have a little time to herself. Taking care of Chloe's young child was already tiring her out. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have one of her own.

She ran the hot water in the kitchen sink and left the dishes to soak. She would get to them later when she had more energy.

She opened the fridge and found the one staple she knew she could count on Chloe to have on hand, chilled, white wine.

Jenny turned the blue bottle over in her hands and carefully studied the label. The description left her puzzled as to why Chloe would have this particular wine on hand.

Chloe had always been big on sweet wines, ones that came with a bright, colorful label and a less colorful price tag. Her wine of choice had always been what her dear grandmother had called cheap and cheerful. It didn't break the bank, not unless you planned to have a few cases on hand.

Jenny had tried this particular wine on more than one occasion at her editor's annual, summer barbecue. She decided to pick up a bottle or two herself once but had been put off by the price tag.

Jenny couldn't imagine that there was a high demand for this wine in Ombrea. She made a mental note to check it out when she had a spare moment.

She uncorked the wine bottle with ease and located a clean wine glass in the dish rack. She hesitated for a moment, imagining Chloe standing before the sink, humming along with the radio as she took care of the dishes. Chloe had always been so cheerful, no matter what the day or situation. It seemed unfair to imagine her life cut short.

Especially at the hands of someone she had loved so dearly. Jenny shook the thought from her mind. She was determined not to focus on her brother.

The police had arrested him for the crime, and she had enough faith in the system, such as it was in Ombrea, to trust they knew what they were doing. If they thought he was guilty of murder, then he was. That was all there was to it. After all, he was one of them. To arrest one of their own, they had to have just cause.

Jenny poured herself a glass of the chilled wine and sipped it slowly with her eyes closed. This day had been hell, and the alcohol would help her relax.

A sharp knock at the front door summoned her back to reality.

Chapter 4

Isabelle hadn't stirred from the knocking, and a quick peek into the living room suggested she’d dozed off some time ago. Jenny closed the door gently as she crossed the hall to the front door.

She expected a neighbor with a warm crock pot dish to comfort the grieving, but the man beyond the door didn't seem like the cooking type, much less the owner of a crockpot. He was tall with messy, dark hair that drifted over his forehead and almost into his eyes. His jaw was stubbled and in need of a good shave. His worn-out, navy T-shirt showed off his muscular body in great detail. It was clear that he did a lot of physical labor.

But it was his blue eyes that distracted her most. They were deep in a way that drew her in and left her unable to immediately look away. She felt a distinctive fluttering in her heart that she couldn't deny. Even in his sweaty, disheveled state, he was the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on.

“Can I help,” Jenny began, but he cut her off abruptly.

“Are you Jenny Dale?”

“Yes. But,”

“Then you’re just the person I came here to see.”

With one hand, he forcefully pushed open the door leaving Jenny no choice but to move aside and allow him in.

“What are you…”

“I just told you, I came here to see you. We need to talk about your brother. It's important.”

Jenny shook her head. This once handsome stranger was beginning to anger her. He was behaving like a massive jerk, and if her brother was what he came to discuss, he would have to leave.

“I'm in no mood to discuss him right now, whoever you are.”

“Roy Peters. And when would be a better time, exactly?” he snapped, his face reddening. “When he's going up against the death penalty?”

“Hold on now.”

Jenny stepped up to him, never one to back down from an argument.

“You have no right to barge in here and try to force a conversation about my good-for-nothing brother. What he's done…”

“That's just it,” Roy interrupted, pointing a finger in her face. “He hasn't done anything. He’s been set up.”

“Don't be absurd!” Jenny said, pushing his finger away angrily. “Who would have any reason to set up my brother?”

“The very people he worked for. Did you ever think about that?”

Jenny was confused and wished Roy Peters would turn around and walk out the door and back to where he had come from.

“You're his sister. Surely you're wondering why he would suddenly go this far? You can't honestly believe that he would commit such a crime, can you? And his own wife, at that.”

“It's because he is always guilty. He's my brother, and I know from experience. He is always found guilty, and he always will be. If he weren’t guilty, the police wouldn't have arrested him in the first place.”

Roy laughed in a way that made her skin crawll. It was he thought she were being absurd.

“You can't honestly be that naïve.”

Jenny folded her arms over her chest and stared him down, willing herself not to break underneath his steely glare. It had been too long a day, and no doubt there would be more to come in dealing with the fallout of her brother's actions. She burned with hatred for Joey, for what he had done in stealing the precious life of her friend, his wife, Isabelle’s mother. It was a cruel injustice.

For this stranger to march in and throw such accusations around was ridiculous and out of line.

Jenny suddenly realized the door was still open and pointed to it, hoping he would take the hint and get the hell out.

His face was shadowed with anger as he stepped back outside.

Just as she was about to slam the door behind him, he put his foot back inside the door frame.

“You are completely wrong, you know. He's innocent. And even if I have to do it alone, I'll prove it.”

“Then you can just go right ahead.”

“Have you even seen him yet?”

“I don't need to see Joey to know he's guilty as sin.”

She slammed the door, securing it quickly behind him. Leaning against the wall, she willed her nerves to settle. As she regained her breath, she heard the soft click of the living room door closing.

Isabelle had been listening to the whole thing.

Roy Peters trudged back to his busted up, green truck.

What a stupid, stupid woman, he thought. Roy cursed heavily under his breath. This had been a big waste of time.

Joey had never mentioned his sister, and now Roy understood why he hadn't. The woman he just met was as naive as they came and completely disloyal. He hadn't known what to expect when he decided to approach Jenny about Joey’s innocence, but he thought she would be more receptive than that.

If one of his siblings had been accused of such a vile crime, Roy would swear in court that they were innocent, no questions asked. He would fight tooth and nail to prove their innocence. That this woman had accepted her brother’s guilt without a second thought infuriated him.

Joey and Chloe had problems, but what couple didn't? They could fight for days if the mood struck them, but never once had he known his friend to lay a hand on his wife. In fact, Joey would be one of the last men to ever do something like that. As far as police officers went, Joey was one of the good ones, and there was a real shortage of good ones, especially in this town.

* * *

Roy was angry that night as he lay in bed. No woman had ever infuriated him as much as Jenny had that day.

Man, what a bitch, he thought, as he lay tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep.

Someone should teach her some manners.

He imagined lifting her tiny frame in his powerful arms and throwing her over his shoulder.

He imagined being the one who knocked some sense into her.

He’d carry her right into the bedroom and throw her down on the bed.

“Roy,” she’d cry.

He smiled, despite his anger, at the thought of her looking up at him, her infuriating, defiant eyes bright and flashing.

As he pictured himself looking down at her, breathing heavily in anger, his hand started to creep down toward his crotch. He grabbed his cock, which was thick and large in his hand, even though it was still semi-soft, and imagined what Jenny’s breasts looked like.

He pictured himself ripping her clothing off, tearing it to shreds as he tore it from her body and flung it on the ground.

“How dare you,” she’d say.

She was always saying things like that. Things that sought to put her in control of the situation.

How would she like it if he took control for a while.

He felt his cock stiffen and throb in his fist at the thought of how mad she’d be if anyone, least of all him, took control of her.

“Get on your hands and knees,” he’d say to her.

Despite her fury, one look in his eyes would tell her he meant business.

She’d do as she was told and get on her hands and knees.

“Good girl,” he’d say. “Was that so difficult.”

“Fuck you, Roy.”

“Fuck me? Why yes, that’s exactly what you’re about to do.”

She’d turn around, flashing those angry eyes at him, and he wouldn’t care. He’d grab both thighs firmly in his grip and hold her perfect, round ass right in front of him.

She’d struggle a little but her heart wouldn’t really be in it. He knew she’d want this every bit as much as he did. She’d pretend to protest, but really, she’d be wetter than she’d ever been in her life.

He’d lean down and kiss her ass cheeks, each in turn, before running his tongue down the crack of her ass.

“Roy!” she’d gasp.

She wouldn’t be used to this kind of treatment, but she’d like it.

He felt his cock throb, fully erect now in his powerful hand. He stroked it, gently at first, but harder and faster as his fantasy took over his imagination.

He’d slide his wet tongue over her asshole, pressing it against her rosebud, making her squirm in anticipation for what was coming.

“What are you doing?”

He’d smile and say nothing, just sliding his tongue over the mouth of her pussy, and then sliding it right inside, as deep as it could go.

“Oh my god,” she’d moan.

He’d make out with her pussy, sliding his tongue in and out of it, and then make out with her asshole, trying to make her squirm. Trying to make her blush. He was supposed to be teaching her a lesson after all!

When she was really soaking wet, dying for release, practically begging him to fuck her, he’d reach up and slap her ass as hard as he could.

“Ouch,” she’d protest, and that’s when he’d rise up and press the head of his massive cock against her pussy lips.

“Roy,” she’d moan. “Do it, please.”

He’d toy with her, tease her, taunt her. He’d press his head into her pussy, just the first inch of his massive cock, and let her imagine the pleasure she was about to feel.

“You’re a naughty girl, aren’t you?” he’d say.

“Yes,” she’d say.

“And you know what we do to naughty girls?”

She’d nod, but she’d be wrong.

Not so fast, Jenny.

He’d pull his cock out of her pussy lips and lean back down, this time focusing all his attentions on her beautiful, virgin asshole. He’d slide his tongue over it. Then he’d press his tongue into it, making out with it. She’d squirm in embarrassment, mortified at what he was doing to her, but secretly she’d want it. She’d be dying for it.

He could make her beg for it if he wanted.

“Roy, fuck me. Fuck my tight little asshole.”

He almost came just imagining her saying those words.

When her asshole was all wet and slippery and ready for him, he’d rise back up and grab a butt cheek in each hand. He’d grip her tightly, leaving her no room for maneuver, and press his cock against her asshole.

At first, he wouldn’t be able to enter. She’d be too tight. She’d squirm and resist.

But he’d be patient with her. He’d take his time.

He didn’t want to hurt her, just show her that he was in charge.

He’d press his cock against her, and if it didn’t fit, he’d slide in a finger. Just the tip at first, and then more and more of it. He’d slide it in and out, lubricating her thoroughly with his saliva.

She’d squirm against his finger, begging it to fuck her ass, and as she got looser and more ready, he’d bend back down and make out with her asshole again. He’d press his tongue inside her, loosening her, taunting her, bringing her to the point where she was ready to cum.

Then he’d rise back up, grip her ass tightly in his large, powerful hands, and then carefully slide the full length and girth of his cock deep into her asshole.

“Oh, Roy,” she’d cry, and he’d slide all the way in, and then all the way back out.

In and out, again and again, he’d slide. Each time, she’d moan louder, and his cock would throb harder. He’d be growing inside her with each thrust, his cock getting ready for its moment of climax.

As he fucked her in the ass, he’d maintain his powerful grip of her, leaving her in no doubt that he was the one who was in charge.

He’d thrust and thrust, harder and harder, faster and faster, until the pleasure became so unbearable that he’d cry out her name.

“Jenny, oh my god, you’re an angel.”

He’d scream as he came.

His cock would explode in ecstasy, pouring itself deep inside her. With each surge of his orgasm, it would throb and pour more cum into her, until he was completely spent.

Then, as his cock was pumping its cum into her, he’d reach around to her clit and start stroking it rapidly. The fingers of his other hand would reach around and fuck her pussy, in and out, over and over, until she was screaming also as wave after wave of orgasm crashed through her.

“Oh, daddy,” she’d coo when he was finished.

“You’ve been a naughty girl,” he’d say.

“Oh, yes I have, daddy. But you taught me some manners.”

Roy was breathless in his bed. He looked down under the sheets and realized he’d just cum all over his hand. The sheets were soaking with the mess he’d made.

But he didn’t care.

He did feel a little guilty, however! How could he allow himself to have thoughts like that about his best friend’s sister! It just wasn’t right.

There was a code of ethics among men like him, and fucking your best friend’s sister in the ass to teach her some manners certainly crossed the line!

And what was worse, he knew he wanted to do it for real!

He rolled over and fell into a very deep, very satisfying slumber.

* * *

The next day, Isabelle was content to occupy herself with her toys and books in her room. The peace meant Jenny could spend the morning in the kitchen after breakfast.

The pile of breakfast dishes was still spread out on the kitchen counter. In time, she would have to bring some sense of organization to the house. But not yet.

Earlier that morning, when Jenny hadn't been able to sleep and Isabelle was tucked away in her room, Jenny tiptoed down to the living room to place a call to Chief Cartright.

It wasn't that she didn't want Isabelle, she just had trouble believing that she could be the only option available to raise her. Didn't Isabelle have grandparents who would embrace her with open arms? Ones who didn't have important jobs and fulfilling lives in New York?

The Chief assured her he would come around soon to better explain the situation. He had sounded busy and short, as if her call were exactly as selfish as the back of her mind kept telling her it was.

When he eventually arrived in a dusty squad car, Jenny put on her now familiar fake smile and invited him into the kitchen.

“In response to your earlier inquiry,” Chief Cartright removed his hat and set it down on the counter. “I'm afraid I have to tell you that the grandparents won’t be able to take on the child. They're in a nursing home.

Jenny could tell from the look on his face that he suspected she might not be particularly fit herself.

“I just wondered, is all.”

Jenny set about preparing coffee, grateful to have found a pack of pecan tarts in one of the cupboards in time for his arrival. Eager to change the subject, she moved onto last night's surprise visitor.

“What do you know about Roy Peters?” Jenny asked the Chief as she poured the hot water into two mugs.

Chief Cartright paused, a crumbling pecan tart in mid-reach.

“What about him? Has he been causing you any problems?”

“He stopped by last night.”

Jenny handed the Chief a mug of steaming coffee.

“If he's been bothering you, I can do something about that. He's already been warned not to spread his filthy lies about town.”

“It's fine.”

Jenny dropped two sugar cubes into her coffee and stirred it thoughtfully.

“He had a lot to say about my brother, Joey, and his supposed innocence.”

“He's been running that racket around town since we arrested your brother. They used to be very close. They were partners on the force together before we had to let him go for his anger issues.”

Chief Cartright sighed heavily as he readjusted his weight in the soft couch cushions.

“Like I said, we've given him a warning already, and he didn’t take it well.”

“He did say something about my brother being set up.”

“Well, that is just nonsense talk, of course. Everyone in this town knew your brother, and I can't think of a single person who would have gone out of their way to do that.”

He grunted out of frustration.

“We wouldn't have arrested him unless we had due cause. You must know that.”

“Right.” Jenny felt foolish for mentioning the visit to him in the first place. “I'm sorry to have brought it up. Obviously, I believe that you arrested the right man.”

The chief grunted in agreement as if he, too, felt it was a foolish notion to even be discussing such a thing. He took a generous bite of his pecan tart as he studied her face with his steely blue gaze.

“You don't doubt that we arrested the right man, do you?”

“Of course not.”

She reached for a pecan tart herself, anything to keep her hands from shaking in her lap.

“Why would I doubt you? That would be foolish. I know the kind of guy my little brother is.”

Except, she didn't know anymore. It had been two years since she had last seen him. All she knew about Joey was what she knew about him growing up together as children and what she’d learned from her semi-regular phone conversations with Chloe.

It would be foolish to doubt the police, right?

Chapter 5

Roy Peters closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.

It was silent except for the rush of water draining from his shower head. The best sound in the world, if you asked him.

His small cabin was built on the outskirts of town with his own two hands roughly five years ago, immediately following his return from the army. His head was full of memories, and with it came the strong desire to keep those memories from doing him in.

He had taken up with the loveliest girl in town, a gem, Natalie Reed. He swept her off her feet in an instant, grateful to have someone with whom he could spend the rest of his life. Love, he thought, was going to keep him going strong. It would also serve to keep those memories of a life gone by far at bay.

They married within months, far too wrapped up in their hearts and hopes to consider what the future could hold for them. He'd took on a job as a police officer at the local station, and she got a part-time job at the bakery.

He built this cabin the following summer to house them and their future family.

And then, in an instant, their blessed lives took a dramatic turn, from which he'd never recover.

They'd fought, and although it was a rarity, it was one for the books, as his mother would have said, were she still living. She left for her folks’ house out of town, and when she was going, he told her he was glad. “Peace,” he had shouted at her angrily as she hauled her bag out to her truck. “Finally!”

The next morning, before the sun had risen over the lake, he heard a distinct knock at the door. He thought it was her, hoped that it was, as he stumbled shirtless to the door to allow her re-entry and ask for forgiveness.

But the officer at the door, a grave look on his face, said it all. His precious wife was gone forever.

Roy had remained angry ever since.

He reached for the knobs and turned off the shower abruptly. Those memories were getting harder to suppress.

* * *

That afternoon, Jenny took Isabelle out to run errands, a diversion that would get them out of the house for a much-needed change of scenery. They'd existed mostly in an awkward silence since they'd returned to the house, and Jenny was anxious to make some progress with the relationship.

Isabelle, as always, remained quiet. She followed Jenny like a nervous shadow, staying close but not willing to risk looking like she belonged to the strange woman.

Jenny was fine with the child's shadow-like strategies. It was the looks she was getting from the other town folk that made her feel uneasy. They stared openly and whispered among themselves, obviously finding her a good source of gossip. Not that she wouldn't have had something to say if she had been in their shoes.

Joey was well-known for his misadventures. She could only imagine what they expected her to be like.

It was times like this that she craved the anonymity of the city.

The faces that peered from shop doorways and from passing cars were unfamiliar. Like Jenny, most of her childhood friends had left Ombrea as soon as it was humanly possible.

Chloe and Joey were two of the rare few who stayed behind, content with all the small town had to offer and happy to remain isolated.

“Can we be done now?”

Isabelle spoke softly for the first time since they'd left the safety of the car behind.

“Almost.”

Willing herself not to lose her resolve now, Jenny pushed on. Isabelle came quietly along behind her.

“Is there nothing you want to get?”

Isabelle shook her head rapidly, and her bottom lip began to tremble. Before Jenny knew it, tears were streaming from the child's eyes. It was agonizing to watch, and Jenny's heart ached for her little niece.

“Come here, sweetheart.”

She took Isabelle into her arms awkwardly. Isabelle remained stiff in her aunt’s embrace, sobbing.

“It's going to be okay.”

“I know,” Isabelle said defensively , breaking free of Jenny's arms. “I wasn’t even crying.”

Isabelle’s tough attitude reminded Jenny of Joey at that age, broken but not wanting to display his vulnerability. Even when they learned their parents had been killed, he didn’t shed a public tear. He just holed himself up in his battered, old treehouse for days, as if his anger and grief were something he had to keep secret.

“Okay. I didn't see anything.”

She turned back to the street and they continued on their way, her shadow keeping pace behind her.

* * *

Roy was chopping logs in front of his cabin when he heard the screech of tires coming down the back road.

He paused to wipe the sweat from his brow, his muscles rippling in the mid-day sun. As the noise grew closer, he reached for his discarded shirt and pulled it on. It clung tightly to the sheen of sweat across his chest.

A lone police car rolled into view and Roy slammed the ax down into the nearest log, anger and frustration taking hold. This was the last person he wanted to see.

Roy could tell from the look on Chief Cartright's face that the feeling was mutual. Cartright threw his car door shut with a force that was clearly meant to make a statement.

“You must be lost,” Roy shouted across to him, wiping a tuft of his dark, brown hair away from his forehead. “You're not welcome here.”

“You better watch your mouth, boy.”

Cartright gave a cautious glance to the ax as he approached, his face twisted in a vicious sneer.

“I hear you've been making a pest of yourself again.”

Joey’s sister, he thought, wincing. Of course, she'd see to it that he and his plan to prove her brother’s innocence were shut down.

“You must have heard wrong.”

“Is that so?”

Cartright let out a snort.

“Funny how trouble just seems to find you in this town, Roy.”

“That's not how I see it.”

“That doesn't matter, boy. You've had one warning already about spreading this ridiculous theory of yours. You'd be smart to get a new hobby.”

“Or what?”

Roy reached out his hand and gripped the handle of the ax. He smiled thinly as Cartright's eyes passed from the sharp weapon and back to his with a fleeting look of apprehension.

“You don’t want to know what happens if I have to come back and speak to you again.”

“You'll have to forgive me if I’m not shaking in my boots, Chief.”

Cartright smirked, and Roy considered just how much damage it would do if he went for the older man with his fists raised. He could have him on the floor in an instant, perhaps aiming a well-placed boot to the Chief's ribs.

It wouldn't make him or his band of fools any less corrupt, but it would be satisfying as hell to wipe that smirk from his ugly face.

“Just keep your ridiculous notions to yourself. No one wants to help Joey Dale.He’s a scumbag”

Cartright turned his back and started back to his car.

“Or you could save us all some time and effort and just release the innocent man from jail,” Roy called out to him.

He watched Cartright's shoulders tense as he halted his step.

He had hit a nerve.

Without turning back, Cartright responded, “Or you could just let it go, boy.”

Roy didn't give the Chief the benefit of a retort. He simply watched as the officer shifted himself into the car and pulled the door shut behind him. The car's tires scattered dirt and gravel as he disappeared back down the beaten track to the main road.

Roy picked up his ax once more and gave it an almighty swing into the closest log. To hell with them all, he thought.

Chapter 6

The morning of the funeral, Jenny got up before the sun and sat on the front porch. She made herself a hot coffee but it sat untouched on the small table beside her.

She couldn't believe she was about to attend the funeral of her best friend. It was all such a dreadful turn of events, and she found herself wishing she had been more of a friend over the past few months.

Her new life had kept her insanely busy. Her magazine career had skyrocketed in the past few months, and it consumed her every moment, leaving no time to be social or tend to old friendships. In fact, she could clearly recall at least one time when she had purposely ignored Chloe's call.

She had been absorbed in her work and eager to meet an editor's deadline. She jotted down a note on her memo pad return Chloe’s call, but she never did, and now she never could.

Jenny had never once considered what would happen if she lost Chloe. Her parents died in a car accident when she and Joey were young and the grandparents that had taken them in immediately after the accident died, one after the other, during her college years.

She thought she was done with losing loved ones. It never occurred to her that she would lose someone her own age. Someone with so much life left in her.

Life and death were so unpredictable.

The funeral itself was a small affair. There was a handful of guests in attendance, mostly townspeople who had known Chloe. Three or four old friends from their high school days had also returned to Ombrea for the memorial.

Having been a year ahead in school, she barely knew them, but they spoke of Chloe fondly, and Jenny enjoyed listening to their stories of time spent with her. She couldn't help but feel out of place amongst them. They seemed to know more about her sister-in-law than she did.

A few of Ombrea's police officers also attended the funeral. Chief Cartright’s towering figure stood out among the rest. Jenny felt his steely gaze on her more than once at the service.

The officers stood away from the crowd, speaking amongst each other.

Jenny kept a watchful eye on Isabelle through it all. The young child had been especially close with Norma, the Dales’ elderly neighbor, and so the pair of them sat together, Jenny a stranger at their side as they talked and reminisced together. It was Norma who Isabelle turned to for a hug when the memorial got to be too much. Jenny simply clasped her hands in her lap and allowed Isabelle her comfort and grief. Today would not be a day for bonding.

In order to prepare herself mentally and emotionally, Jenny made sure she was the last one to speak at the funeral. She kept her story short, bringing up long-forgotten memories of her time with Chloe. Each memory was more painful than the last, and she had her head bowed to hide her tears from the room of strangers.

Embarrassed and hurting, she lingered close to Chloe's grave and away from the others. She watched in silence as her friend was carefully lowered into the ground. It didn't seem real, she thought, as she dropped a handful of dirt in on top of the coffin and said her final goodbyes. It couldn't be real.

Following the ceremony, the attendees began to socialize, Isabelle and Norma included. Jenny was an outsider and made no effort to bridge any gaps.

She could feel their eyes on her as they no doubt discussed the horrific circumstances of Chloe’s death. She knew she longed for the streets of the city from whence she’d been torn – nameless, faceless, anonymous.

This town was suffocating. A person couldn’t leave the house without everyone holding an opinion on where he’d come from, why he’d been there, and where he was going.

The crowd dispersed to their cars in small waves. They would be heading to Norma’s where a wake would be held. Jenny held back from the rest, allowing Isabelle to leave with Norma who provided the support she obviously needed at this difficult time.

Jenny was alone. She was in no mood for awkward small talk, egg salad sandwiches and tea. She wanted nothing more than to head back to the Dale house where she could crawl under the covers and hide for the rest of the day, but the judging mourners would no doubt find her absence offensive. She’d be damned if she went and damned if she didn’t. They had already made up their minds about her.

As she stood there trying to gain the courage to go to the wake, she sensed that someone was watching her. Turning her head toward the church she saw a tall figure dressed in faded jeans and an old army-green jacket.

Jenny took a quick look around to see if anyone else had noticed Roy standing there before heading in his direction.

“You shouldn't be here, Roy,” she told him.

She kept a careful eye on the small group of officers who were still deep in discussion at their vehicles.

“You have a lot of nerve showing up at Chloe’s grave. You have to leave immediately.”

Roy stuck his hands into the pockets of his old combat jacket.

“I came here because I figured I would give you another chance to hear me out. Three days seemed like enough time for you to come to your senses. ”

“Why show up here asking for a second chance to plead your case?” she asked incredulously as she placed her hands on her hips.

“You’re a real piece of work, Dale. Are you honestly going to stand there and tell me that you’re okay to let your brother rot in jail for a crime he didn't commit? You’ve decided his guilt, and you’re too stubborn to even entertain the thought that he may have been set up?”

“By whom?” she cut in.

She raised her voice, her temper flaring. This jerk really did bring out the worst in her.

“Who in this back-ass town would have any reason to set up my brother?”

Roy jerked his head toward the group of officers who, thankfully, had not noticed his presence. Jenny could only imagine what would happen if they did discover he had come to the grave, especially after everything Chief Cartright had told her the last time she had brought Roy up in conversation.

She crossed her arms across her chest.

“You have got to be kidding me. You just can't stop this crazy train, can you?”

“Is my theory that farfetched, considering the rumors already going around town?”

Roy turned his back on her and began walking off between the headstones.

Jenny hesitated for a moment, her anger and frustration rooting her to the ground. She didn't believe him even for a second. She couldn't believe him. And yet, something made her doubt her once solid beliefs.

Joey had immediately owned up to every one of his crimes in the past. It was as if he took pride in them. Why hadn’t he admitted to this one too?

Jenny hadn’t spoken to her younger brother since his arrest and her arrival back in town. In fact, she hadn't seen him at all in at least two years. Visiting him now in his jail cell had just seemed unnecessary.

But Roy's words struck a raw nerve in her, and she wanted to know what he had meant by “rumors.”

Jenny took one last look over her shoulder before rushing after him.

Chapter 7

Roy knew she would hear him eventually. The Dales were a stubborn bunch, but they were reasonable.

He pushed on through the cemetery in long strides, refusing to stop and wait for her to catch up, and she didn't call out for him to stop. Instead, she followed quickly behind. He could hear her heels clicking on the gravel path as he cut a straight course toward the cemetery gate.

“Hey!”

Roy heard her call out to him as he pulled the wooden gate forward, but he wasn’t going to give in just yet. He hurried through and let the door swing shut behind him. A devious smile crossed his face when he heard her muffled curses beyond the gate.

“Hey!” she repeated, this time louder, her frustration obvious.

Finally catching up to him, her hand found the shoulder of his army jacket and pulled him roughly back around to face her. He shrugged out of her grasp and took a step back from her.

“Whatever can I do for you?” he said with an annoying smirk.

Jenny rested her hands on her hips as she paused to catch her breath. This was probably more exercise than she ever had in New York, and the heels didn’t help.

“Okay, okay.”

She held up her hands in mock defeat as she fought to regain her breath.

“You've got my attention.”

“Really?”

Roy raised an eyebrow in disbelief as he stared her down. He had expected another fight, not her willingness to hear him out.

“I doubt anything could change your mind when it concerns your brother.”

She rolled her eyes in frustration.

“Oh, come off it. You had something to say. Now say it. I’m listening.”

Jenny was struggling to catch her breath so he reached out and put his hand on her shoulder.

“You okay there kid? Need me to call a paramedic? You aren’t going to pass out, are you?”

“Very funny.”

Annoyed, she knocked his hand away, but Roy didn’t miss the unmistakable smile that accompanied her gesture.

“I'm not that out of shape.”

“You could have fooled me. You're as white as a sheet.”

“Ugh, it’s been a while since I attended my last hot yoga class, okay?”

“I don't even know what that is. Hot yoga?”

Roy shook his head at the absurdity.

“Don’t judge. It can be very relaxing.”

“I’ll take your word for it, honey,” Roy teased.

“That’s fine. You just live your angry life and continue to hate everyone and everything.”

“I never told you that I hate everything. I am rather angry though. For good reason.”

“Yeah, I gathered.”

Roy found he liked sparring with Jenny. And even though she had a completely different outlook on life, he found her oddly attractive. She amused him.

“What rumors?” she asked, hoping to move the conversation along.

“I'm not going to tell you here. It's too out in the open.”

Jenny furrowed her brow.

“This is going to be very secretive, isn't it? How about I just meet you in a trench coat and a fedora an hour from now in some old lady's garden, and we talk this one out in code?”

Roy raised an eyebrow.

“Why? Do you know code?”

“Does S-O-S count?”

He laughed.

“Tell you what, I'll come to your house later. I know you want to get on to the wake, so I won't keep you any longer.”

He paused for a moment.

“I'm glad you've come to your senses.”

“I only agreed to listen. I’m not making any promises,” she said as she turned back toward the graveyard. “You better bring your A-game, Peters.”

* * *

That evening, Jenny had an easy time excusing herself from the wake.

Although the crowd was small, the group had managed to keep going for a solid, two hours. Norma was the perfect hostess, bringing in fresh plates and refreshing glasses like a seasoned hostess.

Isabelle had become the elderly woman's helper, bringing trays back into the kitchen or running out with fresh napkins. As Jenny watched her dart back and forth in her black dress, she could see it did the little girl some good to keep busy in a familiar place.

Jenny spent time talking to the visitors at the wake, but she had a general impression that not everyone thought she should be there. No one went so far as to bluntly tell her so, but the way their eyes cast over her as she moved about the room, and their stifled talk when she arrived mid-conversation gave it away.

Catching Norma between duties, she took her arm.

“Norma, I'm going to head back over to the house.”

“Oh, dear, are you sure?”

Norma had shown her nothing but kindness since she’d arrived back in town, but Jenny could sense it was awkward having her around.

She forced a polite smile.

“I'll just walk back. I can take Isabelle with me.”

“Oh no, dear, leave her be for now.”

Norma patted her arm kindly.

“It will do you some good to have some time to yourself. I'll walk her back when we are all finished up here.”

“Are you sure that's not an inconvenience?” Jenny asked. “I mean, you've been so generous. You probably want to put your feet up and relax, too.”

Norma suddenly looked pained, and Jenny feared she may have accidentally upset her.

“When I had my bad spell two or three years ago, Chloe helped me out with whatever I needed. She even came ‘round and cared for my tomato crop, although that poor girl never did have much of a green thumb when it came to tending to vegetables.”

Norma smiled, tears catching in her eyes.

“Today was the least I could do to honor such a thoughtful woman. I'll walk Isabelle back later on. It's no problem for me. It feels like having a grandchild around.”

“Well, if you're sure.”

Jenny didn't know what came over her, but she drew Norma into a tight hug.

“Thank you for everything, Norma. You really are a Godsend.”

“Thank you, dear. Now, go on with you.”

Jenny quickly gathered up her sweater and purse. She let out a sigh of relief when she closed the living room door behind her, and she suspected their were a few sighs in the room she just left. It must have been uncomfortable to be sharing space with the sister of the departed’s killer.

She was on the porch when she heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming around the side of the house from the road. Jenny looked up to see Chief Cartright approaching, this time without his officers in tow.

His face was drawn and he looked extremely angry. Jenny could see a new, purple bruise welling up on his right eye.

Before she could remark on his swelling eye, though, he began to unleash his attack.

“Miss Dale, you're still here, I see.”

“I was just heading out.”

“You better be,” he growled, his eyes dark with rage. “And you had better watch who you associate with.”

“Who?”

He laughed maliciously.

“Don't play the fool with me.”

Jenny was never one to back down from an attack, and she met his aggression with her own.

“I beg your pardon, Chief Cartright. I'm sure I have absolutely no idea what it is you’re going on about,” she said with her chin jutting out in defiance. “But if this is how you talk to people, it really is no wonder that you have that shiner.”

This time, she really was frightened by him. He stepped even closer, his face only inches from hers. She could feel his breath on her face, and she despised every second of it.

“Roy Peters is nothing but a lying bastard looking for trouble.”

“Back away,” she told him with all the courage she could muster, “and leave me the hell alone.”

He snorted, stepping back enough to let his eyes coast up and down her frame. She crossed her arms across her chest, feeling violated by his cold, unrelenting stare.

“You city slickers don't know when to mind your own business. Why don't you just clear the hell out of here?”

He smirked.

“Your brother is going to rot in jail for what he did. The boys did a fine job taking a low life like that off the streets.”

“The “boys” need to work on improving their public relations tactics.”

Cartright stared at her a moment longer, his gaze intimidating and cold. Then he entered Norma’s house, slamming the door behind him.

Jenny rushed back to the Dale house. She had to admit she was unnerved. The Chief must have run into Roy at the grave site. Perhaps he had even eavesdropped on their conversation. One couldn’t talk to anyone about anything in this town without it becoming public knowledge.

Even if she was considering the idea of her brother's innocence, he had no right to attack her like he had.

Jenny hurried across the grass to get as far away from the wake as she possibly could. She glanced back once or twice to see if the chief was following. She wished Isabelle had returned home with her. The Chief would never have treated her so aggressively if a little girl had been at her side.

Roy Peters would be coming to the house soon, and that helped relax her a little.

Under different circumstances, she could have seen herself falling for the rugged, ex-cop. He did have a few endearing qualities, and there was no denying he was hot in a rough, manly sort of way. He was not the sort of man she was used to meeting in the city.

Jenny was pleasantly surprised to find Roy waiting at the back gate, his arms resting over the top of the wooden frame. He looked tired, and she had to admit this day had been a long one.

She smiled warmly as he unlatched the gate for her and let her into the back yard. The sun was just beginning to set, and the garden was lit by its dying rays. Bees danced along the top of the honeysuckle bush and crickets chirped in the farmer's field beyond.

“I'll make us some iced tea,” she said as she unlocked the back door of the home.

He followed her into the cool space, already more familiar with the home than she was.

“Did you come here often?” Jenny asked when she saw him place a finger on one of the photographs on the wall. She moved closer to make out the image, surprised to see that it was a snapshot of Joey and Roy, their arms around each other, big goofy grins plastered on their faces. They were in their Ombrea Police uniforms. Behind them was City Hall.

“Oh.”

“After I was let go from the service, I don't think Chloe wanted me around as much,” he admitted sadly, his eyes still firmly planted on the framed photograph. “I was bitter back then. I still am, but that first year or so took its toll on me. I don't think she thought I was a good influence on her kid, or Joey, for that matter.”

“Joey was never a good influence on anyone. I'm not sure you could have done any more damage where he was concerned.”

She saw a flash of anger on Roy's face and mentally prepared herself for another argument. The day had been long and exhausting, and she pined for a hot shower and a good cry. But if Roy wanted to have a go at her, she would find it in herself to fight.

No one knew her brother as well as she did. No one else had stayed up waiting for him to come home at night, praying that he hadn’t gotten himself in trouble again, praying that if he was out getting in trouble that at the very least he wasn’t getting caught.

No one else had to console their grandparents when he was arrested. No one else had to see the tired looks on their faces or the worried glances every time someone came to the front door.

That had been all her.

“He wasn't the best man in the world, but he had a good soul,” Roy said, crinkling his nose. “If that makes any sense.”

“He was a good husband and good father,” Jenny said. She didn't know if it were true but it seemed to relax Roy some.

He took a seat at the kitchen table while she set about making the iced tea. They didn’t speak. Roy stared out the back door at the dimly lit garden, his mind elsewhere.

When the tea was ready, he stood to help her carry the tray outside, waiting for her to take a seat before he set it down on the wooden picnic table. He poured them each a glass and then took a long gulp.

“Are you ever going to fill me in on these rumors?” Jenny asked him impatiently. “I feel like you’re giving me the run-around.”

He set down his empty glass. “There is no turning back once you know.”

Jenny raised an eyebrow as she looked across at him.

“How very mysterious of you.”

Roy chuckled.

“You know, you are not as much of a witch as I first thought you were.”

Jenny reached across and poured Roy a refill of iced tea before setting the jug back down on the table.

“I had a few words to describe you at first, too.”

“Oh, really? Only good ones though, right?”

“Oh, ya. Definitely,” she said laughing sarcastically. How does “pigheaded” sound?

“Pretty accurate,” he said laughing as he reached for his glass and took a swig.

“I thought so. Now, the rumors?.”

Roy’s expression darkened. She reached for her own glass feeling the need to hold onto something, anything for support.

Roy sighed deeply. He looked down at his legs for a moment and then out across the garden.

“I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this. Really, I am.”

“Okay…”

Jenny waited until his eyes were on her again before she nodded.

“Just tell it to me straight. I'm a big girl. Four days ago I received a call that my brother had been arrested for the murder of his wife, my best friend, and I've been informed that I am now solely responsible for a child I barely know. At this point, I’d say nothing can phase me. Just get to the point.”

Roy nodded. “Did you know Chloe was having an affair?”

Jenny almost dropped her iced tea.

“You’re full of shit. Not Chloe.”

She shook her head at the absurdity of his claims.

“Chloe was the poster girl for morality. She would never have stepped out on Joey like that.”

Suddenly she remembered.

“Chief Cartright told me they were separated. Are you sure that's not what happened, she just started seeing someone after the separation?”

“You really don't want to see your best friend painted as an adulterer, do you?”

“No, I sure as hell don’t.”

Jenny set her glass back down on the table with a thud. It was no longer doing the job of keeping her hands steady.

“This can’t be true.”

“She was having an affair!”

Roy pushed on her again.

“Hell, they hadn't even made their separation official yet. Joey told me he was still living in the house. They were still sharing a bed.”

“You and my brother shared a lot.”

Jenny shook her head again.

“But this time you are entirely wrong.”

“I'm not wrong about this, you mark my words.”

Roy shook his finger at her, his temper rising.

“Maybe if you had taken an interest in your supposed best friend’s life and stopped in to visit once in a while, you would have been informed about the things that were going on in Chloe’s life.”

Jenny paused. She bit her lip as a wave of emotions threatened to overthrow her. He was right. Of course he was. She had always put her nose up in the air when it came to her hometown. If she had made more of an effort to visit Chloe and her family, maybe she would have seen more of what was going on. Instead, she got the Coles’ notes version. And she was more than satisfied with that. How could she have been so selfish.

Roy sighed deeply. “Look here, I didn't mean to upset you. That wasn't my intention.”

“No, no.”

She held up her hand to silence him.

“I'm okay, honestly. It's just a lot to take in, is all.”

He bowed his head.

“It's all true, you know,” he murmured. “It was the talk of the town. She started the affair, I’s say, about four months ago. Everyone was talking about it, but I don't think anyone had any idea who it was she was seeing. The grapevine is only so long”

“How did they know it was happening then?” Jenny asked.

“Everyone knew how Chloe and Joey were, I suppose, always fighting and bickering with each other. Next thing you know, he's still crabby and she's happy as a pig in muck.”

Jenny regarded him as he absentmindedly flicked a splinter off the old picnic table.

“Suddenly, she was different. She started wearing more skirts and dresses. Her hair and makeup were always done to the nines. She had a new confidence”

“That doesn’t sound like Chloe,” Jenny mused. “She was always trying to blend in. Then she met Joey and their relationship stood out like a sore thumb. It was a real case of opposites attracting.”

“If you ask for my opinion, I think it was her lover that murdered her.”

Jenny looked over at him. His face was partially shaded, in the falling sun. He looked downcast, beaten, and she wondered how he’d come to be so troubled. A part of her wanted to go to him, another part told her to hold back. So the pair of them sat in silence.

Her mind ran over the new information. She never thought Joey could be innocent. He was always guilty. To consider him innocent, set up even, was an entirely new idea. A challenge even.

“But who?” she asked finally. “Who would do such a thing?”

“That is the biggest part of the puzzle,” Roy told her softly. “And the one that has me stumped.”

Chapter 8

That evening Jenny stood at the kitchen window and stared out into the darkness.

Roy had left some time ago. He had delivered his message, and now she had to make some sense of it. He had carried in the jug and glasses and assured her he would call back again soon.

She thought about how much he infuriated her. Why did she always let him get to her so badly. She’d never allowed anyone to bug her that much in the past, but there was something about Roy, something that made him stand out. And also made him get under her skin in a way she couldn’t fully understand.

It was infuriating and maddening, but also irresistible and addictive. She found herself thinking about him all the time, and looking forward to the next time he’d show up and give her a piece of his mind.

She’d never known anyone to be so strong-willed and hard-headed.

She wondered if he was as strong-willed in all aspects of his life.

Would he be as sure of himself in the bedroom?

Would he know exactly what to do with a girl like her to subdue her?

She had no doubt he would.

As she stood there, looking out the window, she felt her hand reach down toward her pussy. She felt very naughty, standing in such a public place as her fingers found their way inside her panties.

She wondered what Roy’s cock looked like as her finger gently caressed the lips of her pussy.

She imagined it large, thick and long, with a pulsing vein running along the underside of it. She’d never seen a truly impressive cock in her life and she had no doubt Roy’s would knock her socks off.

What would it be like to get down on her hands and knees in front of him and show him that she could be submissive just as much as she could argumentative?

Would he stand there and let her open his fly?

Of course he would! She’d seen the way he sometimes looked at her. She couldn’t be sure of his feelings, but she knew he’d had naughty thoughts about her. He wasn’t that good at hiding his thoughts!

He’d stand there and look down at her as she reached inside his pants and pulled out his massive cock.

She continued to play with her pussy and clit, rubbing her clit and sliding her fingers deep into her increasingly wet pussy as she imagined being on her knees in front of Roy.

She’d pull out his cock and it would stiffen right in front of her eyes. Just the idea of it being in her mouth would have it rock hard. Roy couldn’t resist a mouth like hers!

She pursed her lips and licked them as she imagined the first moment when her lips touched the tip of Roy’s cock. She’d kiss it, right on the tip, and then slide her tongue around the head in a circle. It would throb with desire and she’d take the first inch of it, and no more, into her mouth.

She’d look up at him then, and could picture perfectly the happy expression that would be on his face at that moment.

The idea of making him that happy, of having his pleasure under her control, thrilled her.

She would let his cock slide all the way into her mouth, right until she reached the hilt. It would be right at the back of her throat then. As he pulled out, she’d slide her tongue along the underside, along the vein, coaxing him toward climax.

She’d let him slide in and out of her mouth as many times as he wanted, and she’d reach up and toy with his balls has he did it.

She wanted it to feel good. She wanted it to be the best fucking blowjob of his life. She’d show him!

As he continued to drive into her mouth, she’d be able to feel his cock throb and pulse with more and more pleasure, until finally, he’d reach and grab her head, pulling her mouth down hard on his cock, and then she’d feel his sticky cum flowing out of him and into her mouth.

That’s what would bond them. That would bond him to her forever. He’d be hers after that.

She imagined the taste of his cum, of swallowing his orgasm, as her fingers continued to slide back and forth rapidly over her clit, bringing her over the edge in a crashing wave of pleasure.

She was flushed and hot when she was finished.

Wow, she thought to herself, surprised she’d allow herself to fantasize so freely and deeply about a man who pretty much infuriated her every time they saw each other.

She rinsed her hands in the kitchen and then went into the bathroom to freshen up.

Norma still hadn’t returned with Isabelle, but Jenny was in no rush to have the child back anyway. She considered calling Norma and telling her the child could stay the night, or forever if that was what she wanted.

Norma would do a way better job as a substitute mother than she ever could.

Jenny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted to yell, cry, scream. It would be better to release the feelings pent up inside of her than to try to hold them inside. She was beginning to crack from all the stress and pressure.

She hadn't had a moment to relax in three days. She massaged her tired face.

Jenny couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit optimistic. Could it be that her brother really was innocent, that he would be released, pardoned, and allowed to return to his home and his child, thus permitting her return to the city? It would be her goal to have his innocence proven. To do this, she would need to know the identity of Chloe’s lover, her mystery man. And that is what he was, a mystery, one that she would take to solving no matter what it took.

Her job at Joy magazine was on the line now. She'd spoken with the editor-in-chief before she had left and again last night by email, and she could sense her time was running out. No one could organize a fall fashion spread from Ombrea. There was nothing high-fashion about cows and a dusty, wind turbine.

Jenny could imagine it now. Models in Vera Wang draped over the latest in farming equipment. That would be a sight. She could make a name for herself with a photo spread like that. Perfect timing, she thought, as she selected her favorite mug from the mug tree. Just when I thought I had it all.

The kettle whistled on the stovetop and she reached over to turn off the element. As she did so, she heard a loud smashing sound coming from the living room, causing her to jump.

“What the?”

She hastened to the living room door and pushed it wide open. Her heart was racing.

She had only ever seen a Molotov cocktail in the movies. Nothing had prepared her for what was to happen next. There was no doubt in her mind that’s what it was. Broken, blue glass peppered the living room carpet. The burning rag that had been stuffed inside was spreading a red hot fire trail rapidly across the room.

Jenny panicked. She realized with horror that the house phone was on the other side of the room, and there was no chance of reaching it now, not safely. She remembered that her cell phone was in the kitchen and ran to grab it.

“Damn it! Damn it!”

She found it on the counter and fumbled with the keypad. The screen refused to come on and she realized with a sudden sinking feeling that she hadn't set it up to charge after arriving back from the funeral. The cable was still sitting on the counter. She had no way of reaching the outside world or calling for help.

Her heart racing a million miles a minute, Jenny’s chest began to constrict as extreme terror took hold. She turned her back on the counter, her fingertips digging into the wood as she watched the fire spread quickly out into the hall. It was moving faster and faster. Before long it would be upon her.

Jenny stuffed her cell phone and charger in the pocket of her sweater and ran for the back door. She grasped the metal handle and twisted and turned but it refused to open no matter how hard she tried. Desperate, she began to bang on the frosted glass but it refused to break underneath her fists.

Tears filled her eyes as she pounded, the roar of the oncoming fire in her ears.

She thought she could hear someone yelling in the distance, but it was wishful thinking. No one was going to help her out of this one. She would perish here in Ombrea, the one place she had tried so hard to escape.

Chapter 9

When Roy pulled his truck off the road and down the Dales’ laneway, he could sense that something wasn't right.

He had driven away that afternoon thankful that Jenny had finally allowed him to share his information, but it didn’t sit right with him that he’d left her so broken.

He was never one for comforting people, but for Joey’s sister, he would make an exception. He wasn't a flowers or wine type of guy. Instead he hoped the bottle of cheap whiskey bouncing beside him on the passenger seat would do the trick.

The Dale House was fairly secluded, but the trail of black smoke rising above the trees alerted him that something was wrong. He revved his beat up truck, hoping it would hold up as he navigated the back road as fast as it would run.

As he turned the corner that led to the house, he swerved, the truck tires spinning in the mud beneath. He cursed the heavy rain from the night before. The whiskey almost bounced onto the floor and he had to grab it at the last second to avoid it shattering.

He pulled to a sudden stop before the front gate. He could make out two figures standing side by side in the garden, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. One figure was little Isabelle Dale and the other the Dales’ elderly neighbor, Norma Green.

Norma was the first to spot him approaching.

“I've already called the fire brigade. They're on their way, but the firehouse is fifteen minutes out.”

She turned back to the house.

“Oh God, have mercy.”

Isabelle stared wide-eyed, as her home became engulfed in flames. Her hand was clasped tightly within Norma’s.

“Where's Jenny?” Roy asked the frightened child. “Where?”

Isabelle pointed inside, her eyes as large as saucers. She dropped Norma's hand and clung desperately to her frail arm instead.

“Stay here, and don't get any closer. It's not safe.”

Roy ripped off his jacket and tossed it into the grass.

“When the firefighters get here, let them know I went inside for Jenny.”

He left the girl in Norma’s care and ran for the front door. He busted it open with his shoulder and it crumbled easily under his heavy weight.

The fire inside the home burned hot and fierce, and it seemed to be coming from the living room to his left. The heat burned against his skin as he pushed on into the hallway in search of Jenny.

“Jenny? Jenny?” he shouted out, desperate to be heard above the roaring flames.

He didn't hear a response.

He winced as a heavy beam above the living room door collapsed beside him. A wave of dirt and debris fanned out and he put his arm up over his face to avoid the spray.

The wall of heat was completely unbearable. He had to squint to see further than a few inches ahead of him and his eyes ran. He held his arm up to his face, doing all he could to avoid breathing in the smoke.

“Jenny!” Roy bellowed again.

His throat felt dry and raspy from the pressure and lack of oxygen. He didn't know how many more times he could call out her name without turning back for air.

He could make out the entrance to the kitchen up ahead and pushed on, hurrying to avoid the inferno spreading across the living room. He dropped down to a crouch and entered the kitchen, trying his best to keep beneath the billowing smoke.

“Jenny!” he yelled again, this time louder. His chest heaved as he breathed, and he collapsed to his side, desperate for clean air.

He could feel the kitchen wall behind his back. Judging by how far he had come into the room, he guessed he had to be sitting near to the kitchen table. He could use it to pull himself back to his feet.

Roy shifted his weight to his right side until he could reach out and grab a wooden chair leg, then dragged it roughly across the tiled floor. He got a good hold of the wooden seat and brought himself to his knees, his chest heaving from the effort.

He willed himself to keep going. He had to pull through.

“Jenny!” He spluttered. “For the love of God, Jenny!”

“Roy!”

He closed his eyes in relief as her terrified face appeared in front of him. She had been tucked under the kitchen table, unsure of where to go. He grasped her hand tightly and pulled her out from beneath the table. Then he tucked one hand around her waist.

“To the back door,” he said in a hoarse voice. “Go!”

They half crawled, half crouched together across the kitchen, bowing under the darkening smoke cloud. She fumbled clumsily with the back door. Her sweaty hand slipped and slid on the metal handle.

“Let me!”

He gently moved her aside and reached for the handle himself, doing his best to ignore the roar of the inferno approaching them from behind. The sound of glass breaking as the frames expanded made them jump out of their skins.

Just when he thought they were out of time and luck, the door finally gave way. He used the last of his energy to propel her out into the daylight before he stumbled out himself, collapsing against the flagstones of the patio in a heap.

“Roy!”

He could hear her frightened cries as he lay exhausted on the cold stone. The dull roar seemed to be getting even closer than before. He would have to move away from the house if he wanted to survive.

“Come on!”

Jenny suddenly had a strong hold of his upper arms. He was heavy but she did her best to pull him across the flagstones, grunting and groaning as she forced her muscles to act.

Roy could feel the stone scraping at the back of his shirt. He fought his aching body to turn himself over and clawed his way onto the lawn and out of danger.

Roy and Jenny fell in a heap on the lawn, her hands still clenched tightly to his shoulders. He gently shook her off and turned himself back over, wiping a heap of sweaty hair away from his forehead as he fought to catch his breath.

Roy could hear Jenny’s heavy breathing behind him. He pulled himself into a sitting position and reached for her hand. She took it and she squeezed his hand as hard as she could. Tears flowed steadily from her eyes.

“You okay?' he asked her softly. “You're not hurt, are you?”

She shook her head.

“No, I think I'm okay.”

She coughed into the back of her hand as she looked up at the house.

“I thought for sure I was going to die in there.”

He held her hand firmly. He had feared the same thing.

Chapter 10

A half-hour later and the fire was extinguished, but unfortunately, it had destroyed much of the ground floor. The firefighters had done their best, but the damage was done before they arrived at the scene.

The paramedics showed up just after the fire truck. Both Jenny and Roy had been declared fit to leave. Jenny had minor smoke inhalation, while Roy refused any medical help. He would be just fine, he protested, as they attempted to examine him.

Jenny thought Roy was being a complete idiot, but she decided it wouldn't do to tell him so, not after he'd just saved her from a fiery death.

Jenny and Isabelle stood outside the house watching the firefighters work. Norma had gone home to get them something hot to drink. It had been a stressful day for all of them.

“What are we going to do?” Isabelle asked. “Where are we going to sleep tonight?”

“Don't you worry.”

Jenny tried to be reassuring as she brushed Isabelle’s hair back from her face, but even she was unsure what their next move should be.

“I'll figure something out. I promise.”

Isabelle nodded and held her dolly a little tighter.

Roy approached a few minutes later. The darkness in his eyes confirmed what she had already known. This was not an accident, and something about the way Roy held his shoulders and stared directly into her eyes confirmed that he knew. Someone had tried to eliminate Jenny, and the house along with her.

“Are you two okay?” he asked gently. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”

“I know,” Jenny responded for Isabelle's benefit more than her own.

Roy paused for a moment to study her face. He looked as if he were about to respond when the wail of sirens filled the air. They turned back to the driveway just in time to see two patrol cars rolling quickly into view. Jenny could make out the silhouette of Chief Cartright in the front seat of the first car.

He slammed his door shut and strode across to meet them, three of his officers following quickly behind.

“Jenny.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder. It was a far cry from the way he’d treated her earlier that day.

“Are you okay? What the hell happened here?”

She glanced aside to Roy to gauge how much she should reveal. He gave a subtle shake of his head, so she stuck to the basics.

“I don't really know. It all happened so fast.”

The Chief frowned as he studied her face.

“Well, I'm glad you’re doing okay.”

He moved his attention down to Isabelle.

“And you too, little missy.”

“I wasn't even home,” Isabelle responded, her back pressed up against Jenny's legs. “Just Jenny.”

“Well, that makes you a very lucky little lady, then.”

“Very lucky, indeed,” Roy spoke up.

He laid a hand on Isabelle's shoulder.

“They won't be in a spot like that again, Chief.”

“No, I don't think they will,” Cartright replied. He forced a tight-lipped smile. “If you'll excuse me.”

He headed off in the direction of the fire chief, leaving the three of them alone again.

“Why don't you take Isabelle back over to Norma's house for the time being?” Roy urged. “She doesn't need to be here for this and I'm sure she could use some sleep.”

“Are you sure you don't need me to stay?” Jenny asked him. “With what I know?”

“Let the fire chief come to you once his initial investigation is complete. From what you told me, and from what I’ve see for myself, there will be plenty evidence to support what we know. I promise.”

Roy hoped his smile would reassure her that everything was going to be alright.

“Get on with you. I'll come find you soon, and you can stay with me at my cabin.”

“Okay.”

Jenny wasn't entirely convinced he was right, but she took Isabelle's hand and led her down the trail that would go behind the house and onto Norma's property.

“Just relax, okay?” Roy shouted out to them as they were leaving.

Jenny turned and gave him a wave before continuing on their way.

Roy watched them disappear before he turned his attention to the crime scene. Chief Cartright was deep in conversation with the fire chief. He inched forward a few steps to hear their conversation better.

“I'll take it from here,” Chief Cartright said, reaching for the fire chief's notes from the initial investigation. The fire chief was holding back. He kept his notes just out of reach, much to the frustration of Chief Cartright.

“If you don't mind, Chief Cartright, I'll hold onto these notes for now. This is still my crime scene, after all.”

“This fire was under suspicious circumstances, was it not? That makes it my business,” Chief Cartright insisted.

“And when I've concluded that is actually the case, I'll set about making it your business.” The fire chief held his ground firmly.

“Until then, if you'll excuse me, I have an investigation to run.”

“You will wind up regretting this.”

“Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t,” said the Fire Chief snidely as he strode away, his notes in hand.

Chief Cartright was fuming.

Roy did nothing to hide that he had been watching the entire exchange when Chief Cartright turned to go back to his squad car. The two rivals glared at each other as they passed.

It couldn't be any more clear to him that the police were involved, especially Chief Cartright. Rumors indicated Chloe Dale had been stepping out on her husband, but they didn't indicate who she was actually stepping out with. He'd tried numerous times to find out via the usual grapevine, but no one had any idea. If the police were involved in the fire, maybe one of them had been Chloe's mystery man.

Still, he couldn't imagine what Chloe could possibly see in any of them, and especially not a creep like Cartright.

“It would be great if you would just pick up and move out of town, Peters. This town could use one less scumbag,” Chief Cartright scoffed as he passed. “Isn't it about time you moved on with your life? Let Joey Dale rot for his crimes?”

“I don't know. Seems like a big leap when all he's ever done is petty crime. I think you should focus on finding the real murderer.”

That was enough to get Chief Cartright to stop in his tracks. Roy hadn't noticed his deepening black eye before now. He thought it suited him and made a mental note to point it out to him. He did so enjoy getting a rise out of this asshole.

“You must be forgetting that he shot his wife, Peters.”

“I don't think that's ever really been proven, Chief.”

Chief Cartright stepped toward him, and Roy held his ground. He couldn't resist letting a smirk loose on his lips.

“I wouldn't if I were you, Chief,” an officer behind him spoke up.

He briefly held Roy's eyes before dropping them to the ground. Sheep, Roy thought. Sheep being led around by a wolf.

“Do what he says and back up,” Roy told Chief Cartright firmly. “Get your ass out of here while you still can.”

“Come on, Chief,” the officer urged again.

“Okay, okay. I'm going.”

The Chief held Roy's eyes for a moment longer before turning his back and walking back to his squad car, his officers following behind.

Roy watched until they were out of sight, then made a beeline for the fire chief to make sure they hadn't missed the blue shards of glass Roy had seen inside the house.

Roy entered the Dale house an hour later for some of Isabelle and Jenny's belongings.

The fire chief had asked him to stay out of the house until they could finish up, but being an old friend, he also said he would turn his back if there were anything Roy needed to do. Roy grabbed an old sack from the back of his truck and stuffed it with clothing and toys from Isabelle's room before heading into the guest room to do the same for Jenny.

He found her duffel bag still packed at the end of the bed. She had been refusing to unpack, still uncomfortable with her fate. This made an easier job of collecting her things. He was almost out of the room when he paused at the door to do one last check around. That was when the glimmer of a shiny piece of paper on the windowsill caught his eye.

The photo propped against the old frame was of two teenage girls. One was Chloe with her dark, curly hair and her bright beaming smile. He'd only met her on a few occasions but he'd always found her to be lovely. He sensed that Chloe was unsure about him, especially after he had been let go from the police service, but she was kind enough to him when they did speak.

The other girl was Jenny. The Jenny he had met three days ago was well-manicured and put together. The girl in the photo had a streak of mud across her forehead and a smile that was almost as bright as her best friend’s. They looked like a pair of troublemakers, happy and carefree.

He tucked the photo in the front pocket of his checkered shirt for safe keeping.

Roy was at the top of the stairs when he thought to check out Joey and Chloe's bedroom. The door was closed, but he pushed on it nevertheless. It stuck a little in the old door frame before swinging open.

Sunlight shone through the thin white curtains, sending thin shadows across the big, double bed. Pictures adorned the walls, mostly of Isabelle, but some showed a once happy Joey. A large-framed, family portrait hung above the bed. Joey had his arms around Chloe who had a toddler version of Isabelle perched on her lap. Their old family dog, Patches, stood guard beside them.

Roy studied it for a while. The family looked happy and secure, as if nothing could break them. If he were good at guessing ages, he would assume it was taken about four or five years ago, back before the rumors had started, before all of this madness.

He shook his head and turned away.

That was when he saw it.

The blood had darkened on the white, shag carpet but the trail was still there leading to a fairly large puddle. Chloe had been shot once in the chest. Then survival instincts had kicked in, and she had pulled herself away from her attacker on her forearms. It was then that she had been shot in the back of the head, ending her life forever.

Roy couldn't imagine Joey ending his wife's life in such an inhumane way, even if the rumors about her affair had been true. Roy had no doubt that they were. The Ombrea rumor mill was strong and reliable.

Joey found her body upon returning from work one afternoon. The officer working alongside him claimed that Joey had disappeared for an hour or more before returning to work extremely agitated. Joey explained to him that he had gone home and that while there, he had fallen into yet another blow out with Chloe. He left the house in a huff and drove around town for a half-hour or so to blow off steam.

The Chief was now claiming Joey had used the time to rid himself of evidence.

To make matters worse, the gun used to kill Chloe was Joey’s police issued service pistol. Joey claimed that he had taken it off when he returned home. He always removed it when spending time with the family as a precaution. He would leave it in the bedroom with the door tightly closed.

After his argument with Chloe in the kitchen, he said goodbye to his daughter, and then stormed out of the house leaving the weapon behind.

Joey explained that when he arrived back four hours later to make amends with Chloe, he found her body on the bedroom floor and his service pistol on the end of their bed. He called the paramedics, but it was too late. Isabelle was missing, but it didn’t take long to find her at the neighbor’s house. According to Norma, Chloe had dropped the child off two hours prior claiming she had to run errands.

But when Norma and Isabelle were out butterfly hunting, Chloe's truck could still be seen from the hill. It was parked in the yard as usual. Norma told Chief Cartright she had almost gone back to the Dale house at that point, finding it strange she wouldn't have come right over to collect Isabelle when she got home.

Roy couldn't stand to be in the room for much longer. He closed the door gently behind him and descended the staircase. He took one last look around the ground floor before heading out to his truck and loading the belongings into the back seat.

He cleared a space for Isabelle to sit and quickly tidied his truck.

He hoped he was doing the right thing.

Chapter 11

Jenny followed Roy in her silver Neon to his cabin on the outskirts of town. He sent the girls inside to make themselves at home while he gathered their things from the back of his truck.

Jenny came out a while later with her car keys in her hand.

“Not making a break for it, are you?” he asked as she unlocked her car. “If so, this cabin is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. You might need a map.”

“As much as I want to head out of here, I'm not going anywhere,” she responded.

She pulled open the back door and dug around under the seat.

“I thought I saw one of Isabelle's books in here this morning.”

“That's kind of you to fetch it for her.”

Jenny shrugged. She found the beautifully illustrated book and closed the car door.

“I'm just trying to make her feel more comfortable,” she told him.

“Don't worry too much,” he responded as they walked side by side up to the cabin's front door. “It is just going to take a little time for you both to adjust to your new arrangement. I’m sure that the two of you are going to make it through just fine.”

“I sure hope so.”

Jenny knew Roy was trying to be nice, but what she really craved right now was some alone time.

She couldn't help but feel grateful to him for having offered her and Isabelle use of his cabin until they could figure out what to do next. She hated the idea of checking into a hotel on the other end of the town. It would have only made their situation even more awkward and uncomfortable than it already was.

Jenny was surprised by how large the cabin was. It had to be at least three bedrooms with a spacious living and kitchen area. A small study led off one of the guest bedrooms, but to respect his privacy, she hadn't taken too long of a look in there. The bathroom at the far end of the hall looked inviting after her ordeal, but a cleanup would just have to wait.

She checked in on Isabelle and gave her the book. Isabelle took it gratefully but without comment. Jenny wished Isabelle knew she could confide in her. It would make things easier if they could be open and honest with one another.

Isabelle stood up and carried the book to a more private place in the next room. This relationship was going to take some time.

Jenny and Roy went out to the wooden deck at the front of the cabin. Isabelle had resumed her silence. She hid behind her book, grateful for the solitude it provided.

“Someone knew what they were doing,” Roy told her as he unscrewed the lid of his whiskey bottle.

He set out two shot glasses and poured a liberal amount of alcohol into each.

“What do you mean?” Jenny asked him as she took a seat.

“They were trying to kill two birds with one stone. The crime scene. That's now destroyed, leaving us no hope of finding any new evidence. And then, of course, there's you.” He nudged her shoulder with a soft fist.

“But look at you, trooper. You survived despite the odds.”

“It's a miracle.” Jenny joked sarcastically as she reached for the open whiskey bottle.

The first shot went down so easy. A little buzz wouldn't hurt after the day she’d had.

“You should take it easy on the whiskey,” Roy suggested taking a seat beside her. “Your throat has been through a hell of an ordeal today.”

“My whole body feels like it's been put to the test,” Jenny responded, downing the second shot. To ease his mind, she set the bottle aside for the time being. She leaned back against the deck chair sighing.

“The house is a write off, isn't it?”

“It sure is. But the great thing about houses is that they can be rebuilt.”

“But memories can't be replaced. I can only imagine what was lost today in that house.”

“I'd rather that they lost those precious memories than you or Isabelle,” Roy reminded her sharply, his finger gesturing at her chest. “You came awfully close to the end today.”

“Because I was a damn chicken, right?”

“What the-”

“I hid under the kitchen table, Roy. I was hardly a hero in there.”

“Hey, you listen to me!”

His voice rose and she fell silent.

“It was madness in there. With the smoke and heat, hell, I didn't even know in which direction I was heading. I don't blame you for finding a hiding spot in all that chaos.”

He reached angrily for the whiskey bottle and poured himself a healthy shot before knocking it back. He rose to his feet.

“I'll go check on the kid.”

* * *

Jenny watched as he strolled into the house, the screen door slamming behind him. She remained where she was, a part of her wanting to follow him in and another wanting to keep her distance. He was so damn hot, but that paled in comparison to the feelings that were starting to bloom after he risked his life to rescue her from the fire. What kind of guy would do such a selfless thing, she wondered.

She was unsure what to make of Roy. At times he was distant and unapproachable, but lately, she had seen a friendlier, gentler, more generous side of him. She was never sure which side of him she was going to get.

It was clear he had a hold on her. She quickly learned that Roy had a way of jumping to anger, but he told it to her straight and that, she could appreciate.

She reached for the whiskey bottle one last time and poured herself a shot. She paused a moment and held it up to the sky.

“To Chloe,” she said aloud. “I'm really missing you down here.”

When Jenny stepped back into the house with the whiskey bottle in tow twenty minutes later, she hoped he had settled down some.

She had spent the past few minutes crying. It felt good to release the emotion and stress that had collected inside her over the past three days. She cried especially hard over the loss of her best friend.

She and Chloe had been close since ninth grade. They had bonded at high school orientation and had clung to each other for safety ever since.

In Chloe, Jenny had found the perfect best friend. Chloe’s happy disposition and positive outlook on life had helped Jenny through many difficult times and her periods of depression. The death of her parents in grade school was extremely difficult for Jenny, and it remained difficult even after so much time had passed. Chloe had a knack for bringing her around whenever she got to feeling low.

Without Chloe, she would have had to fight her inner demons alone. She owed it to Chloe to do right by her daughter.

Jenny just wasn't sure how she was going to do that. These past three days they had been put to the test, and she still didn't believe she was any closer to forging a friendship with Isabelle. Lack of a proper home was not going to help.

At the sound of the front door closing, Roy stepped out from the kitchen. His face revealed that he was still embarrassed by what had transpired outside.

She cut to the chase.

“You were right, you know? I wasn't a chicken.”

“Well,” he said, holding up his thumb and forefinger, indicating a small gap between them, “maybe you were just a little bit of a chicken.”

“Hey, that's enough of you,” she said laughing.

“You must be ready to settle in for the night.”

Despite their jokes, he looked just as nervous with this awkward arrangement as she was.

She was thankful that Isabelle was so easy going about it. That little girl had a lot of guts to to handle what had been thrown her way.

“You know what? I'd kill for a shower.”

She regretted her choice of words and cringed. Isabelle, tucked away by the window with her book, seemed to have missed her slip up.

She reiterated, “A hot shower would be nice.”

“Of course.”

Roy pointed down to the end of the hall.

“It's the very last door down there. The water heater is a little testy, so don't step into the tub too fast after you turn on the taps.”

“Thanks for the heads up. And clean towels?” she asked as she headed in the direction of the bathroom.

“There's a cupboard in there. Guest towels are on the top shelf.”

“Have a lot of guests, do you?”

She smiled mischievously over her shoulder.

“A few.”

He let slip a short sexy smile.

“None that were here for protection, but they say there’s a first time for everything.”

Chapter 12

Jenny closed the bathroom door with a grin.

He had to hand it to her, the woman had guts. It had been only a couple hours since he'd pulled her from the burning structure that had been her brother’s home. Even covered with soot and dirt, she could still manage a joke and a smile.

For a moment, he considered what his wife, Natalie, would have done had she been in the same situation. She wouldn't have handled it quite so well. Natalie had a temper to match his. Their fight on the night she died was proof of it. If he knew his wife, she would have gone marching right up to that police station demanding justice. As much as her temper could infuriate him at times, he found it was one of the things he loved most about her. Her strong will and tough demeanor were two of her most endearing qualities.

He closed his eyes as a wave of sorrow and grief passed over him. Usually, he had his pain under control, but the recent events had stirred up feelings that were difficult to suppress.

Looking for some kind of distraction, he decided to tend to the fire. It was always a little cooler being on the lake, and they would be grateful for the warmth when night fell.

“Hey kid,” he called out to Isabelle who had yet to break her book trance. “Want to help me out?”

Isabelle sat forward, interested, her book still firmly in her hands.

“Doing what?”

“Making a fire.”

He saw the flicker of horror pass across the young girl's face as her shoulders stiffened.

“No, thank you.”

“Are you scared?”

She looked surprised by his blunt question. When her eyes hardened for a moment, he could see Joey's likeness in her.

“No. Never.”

“Then come and help me.”

He headed for the back door and picked up his axe. He had plenty of logs to keep them warm for the night, but he wanted her to face her fears. When she hadn't moved from her spot, he urged her again.

“Come on. It's going to get dark soon, and we don't want to be without a fire when that happens.”

“Okay. Fine.”

Her tough little attitude made him smile as he led the way out to the stump.

“Have you ever used an ax before?” he asked her, selecting a dry piece of wood and standing it straight up on the stump.

She crossed her arms across her chest.

“No.”

“Want to try?”

He could see a flash of interest in her face.

“It looks dangerous.”

“I'll make sure you don't get hurt. Promise.”

“Okay.”

Hesitantly, Isabelle stepped forward and let him hand her the ax. Under its heavy weight, she looked even smaller, her hands fumbling to keep it steady.

“Now listen here.”

He touched a finger to the center of the piece of wood on top of the stump.

“This is what you're aiming for. You should try to cut it right down the middle so that it splits into two pieces. But it doesn't have to be perfect. Just see what you can do.”

“You really think this is a smart idea?” Isabelle looked skeptically at him. “I could chop off your foot and you would have to limp around for the rest of your life.”

“Which is why I'm standing way back here.” He backed up dramatically until she couldn’t help but giggle. “I'd rather you chop off your own foot than mine. I'll let you be the one who has to limp for all eternity.”

She gave him a playful look.

“Okay, I'll try it this once. But only because you promised I wouldn't get hurt. And you said it didn't have to be perfect.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Nothing in this life is.”

“You can say that again.”

Isabelle raised the ax as high as she could before bringing it down hard on the piece of wood. It split about half way down, and she raised the ax again, this time bringing the wood along with it.

“Okay, hold on a minute.”

Roy yanked the wood free and set it back down, this time the opposite way up. “Retry.”

Isabelle awkwardly picked up the heavy tool and slammed the ax down hard again. This time, the two pieces of wood fell down beside the stump.

“Perfect.”

He applauded her, grateful to see a proud smile on her face. His heart longed for a life with a family.

Roy had discussed the idea of children with Natalie, but it never seemed like the right time for them to start. He didn't know for sure if that was really the case, or if she had just never wanted children to begin with. Natalie was carefree and idealistic.

As he interacted with Isabelle, he wished he had pushed the issue all those years ago. Perhaps if he had been more determined, he could have changed her mind, and he would be standing here today teaching his own child to chop firewood.

“Nothing in this world is perfect,” Isabelle murmured as if she could see into his thoughts.

He nodded glumly as she dropped the ax. He picked up the wicker basket he kept for transporting the wood and held it out to her so she could drop her two pieces inside.

“No, but that was pretty darn cool.”

He ruffled his hand in her long, strawberry blonde hair.

“Care to cut another?”

* * *

Jenny stepped into the shower and let the warm water wash over her. Her muscles ached, and her shoulders throbbed from the stress of the past few days. She felt the dull thud of a headache in her temples and closed her eyes, pressing her face against the heavy stream of water.

Her mind wandered as her body began to relax. Proving her brother's innocence seemed an impossible task, but with Roy working alongside her, they would get to the bottom of it. Her brush with death this afternoon proved someone felt threatened by their interference. She had seen enough cop thrillers to know that the bad guys only acted when the good guys were on the right track.

It was funny that she and Roy were working together now. His initial approach had left a less than favorable impression. But his persistence forced her to reconsider her standpoint on Joey. In fact, he had broken seven years of bad memories simply by pushing her to look at the situation from a different perspective.

Jenny reached up to massage her aching shoulder.

Roy was as stubborn as a mule. Without his coaxing, she would have packed up Isabelle and headed back to the city without giving Ombrea or her little brother a second thought. Joey would never have had this chance at freedom if she had remained so pigheaded.

“Roy.”

Jenny said his name aloud in a voice barely above a whisper. It was a good name, she thought, a strong name. The perfect name for such a man. She considered his build as she massaged her nagging shoulder muscle deeper.

He had a great body. Under different circumstances, she might have fallen for him. After all, there was plenty to like about Roy Peters. He was tall, dark, and handsome in a way that could make any woman swoon.

She considered the red shirt he had changed into upon arriving back at the cabin. Most men in the city went to the gym to build up their bodies, but Roy's muscular frame had come naturally. He built his body through hard work and made those muscles even more manly and sexy. Irresistible, she thought.

Jenny let her hand slip down to her chest, cupping her breasts slightly as she let her thoughts slip away.

Roy Peters was definitely a man worth thinking about.

Jenny was toweling her hair dry when she walked into the master bedroom wearing a red dress she had hastily pulled from her bag. She assumed she would be alone to undress and prepare for bed, but Roy was there collecting some items from the nightstand.

Her heart fluttered when she found him there. She quickly pushed it aside. It wouldn't do to let thoughts of Roy take over her mind when there was so much work to be done. She had to focus.

“Oh, sorry.”

Jenny started back out of the room, but Roy held up his hand.

“I was just getting a couple things.”

He stuffed an old, red shirt under his arm and reached for a battered book from the nightstand drawer. He paused for a second.

“I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and put Isabelle to bed in the spare room. The poor thing was exhausted. I made her a ham sandwich, and she barely made it through half of it. Her eyelids could barely hold themselves up.”

“Thanks, Roy. I'm glad she could get to sleep that easily.”

Jenny rubbed at her hair with the towel as she fought for something to say.

“Thank you for being so kind to her… and to me. Thanks for letting us spend the night.”

He nodded curtly.

“I'll leave you to it, then. I’m sure you must be tired after all that's gone on.”

Jenny felt a sudden panicked feeling as if she dared not let him leave. She mentally chastised herself for allowing herself to get so attached. This wasn't at all the right time for a man. Especially one she would be leaving behind as soon as this whole mess was taken care of.

“What are you reading there?”

“What?”

He seemed surprised she was making conversation with him.

“Your book.”

Her cheeks were beginning to heat up.

“It looks well- read.”

“Oh, this?”

He looked down at the book in his hands as if just realizing it was there.

“It's To Kill A Mockingbird. It's not mine.”

“You don’t come across as a library card holder.”

“I'm not a card holder. This belonged to my wife.”

Roy was suddenly aware of what he had just said. He never felt comfortable publicly admitting to Natalie's death. Instead, he was more of a recluse, happy to surround himself with what was left of their life in the cabin. He had read her favorite book again and again until the pages began to wear thin.

“I'm sorry. I didn't realize.”

Jenny's words fell flat. To remain in the room seemed like she was crossing into his personal space and she suddenly wanted out.

“I'll leave you to it.”

“Wait.”

He stopped her before she could reach the door.

“You're taking my room tonight. I'm taking the couch.”

“I couldn't. It's your bed. I can take the couch. Even we city slickers know how to slum it now and again.”

It was a poor attempt at a joke.

“I can't let a lady take the couch. You're going to have to sleep in here tonight.”

“I couldn't do that,” she protested again. “It's your space.”

“It's only the one night. I think my back can handle it.”

“Well, there you go! If you have a bad back, then you've got to…”

He crossed the floor, closing the space between them. Before she knew what was happening he had her in his arms and his face was right up close to hers. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face, and without thinking, she closed her eyes as he pressed his lips against hers.

She couldn’t believe this was finally happening. All the thoughts she’d had of this moment, all the fantasies, were finally coming true.

He was brave, and powerful, and he’d rescued her from a fire.

She owed him her life, and she would repay that debt by giving him everything he demanded of her.

She felt like she was completely his, his property, and there was nothing that could compare to being in his powerful, sexy arms.

Her heart leaped in her chest as he deepened the kiss, his hands clasping her hips tighter as he did so. She reached her hands up his back and under his T-shirt, the feeling of his muscles driving her wild with lust. He as like a ripped, muscular predator and she could feel the raw power of his body as she squeezed her fingers into his muscle.

Her desire took over. She let her hands slide down his muscular back, all the way to his ass, and she grabbed the cheeks of his ass in her fingers.

He was surprised at how forward she was and reached up to grip her mouth in his hands, kissing her so passionately that she could no longer tell where his tongue ended and hers began.

She brought one hand across his hip and then down across the front of his pants. Then she pulled her hand away rapidly!

She couldn’t believe it!

She’d run her hand over the bulge of his cock and it was even bigger than she’d imagined. It was bigger than she ever imagined any cock could be.

It scared her.

“Don’t be frightened,” he whispered as they continued to kiss.

She took a deep breath and reached back for his pants, putting her hand right over the massive bulge of his cock and squeezing it.

He let out a low, appreciative moan that sent her heart racing even faster.

“Close the door,” he whispered into her mouth, and she rushed to do so.

When she turned back around, he took her in his arms again. This time he lifted her body, turning her around so that he could drop her on her back onto the bed. He watched as she propped herself up on her elbows, enjoying her full attention as he pulled his shirt up over his sculpted chest, shoulders, and head and tossing it to the floor before reaching for his belt buckle.

She’d never seen such beautiful tattoos, or such a beautiful torso. He was like a god, sculpted from fine marble. She felt her pussy quiver with desire as she watched him.

“Stop,” she murmured, and for a second he thought she was calling a stop to the entire show.

But to his surprise, she leaned forward onto her knees and reached for his belt buckle herself. With her eyes locked on his and her teeth biting into the flesh of her bottom lip, she slowly unbuckled his belt and pulled it from his jeans. He could hardly stand to be kept waiting while she unbuttoned his jeans before unzipping him with an agonizing, unhurried slowness.

As she opened his jeans, her mind wandered back to her fantasy by the kitchen window, when she’d imagined sucking his cock and swallowing every drop of his delicious cum.

She’d wanted to give him the best blowjob of his life.

She’d wanted him to cum so hard he could never forget her.

But really what she wanted was his heart. His heart and his soul. She wanted him to cum inside her so that there would always be a part of him that was hers, forever and ever.

She couldn’t help it. She was falling for this man and she was afraid of what that meant.

She wanted to be his, body and soul, and she wanted to feel the force of his orgasm inside her, sealing their bond for eternity.

He shook himself free of what was left of the constricting clothing and pushed her down onto the bed in a frenzy of passion and desire. He couldn’t keep his hands off of her for another second. She was like a drug to him, and he craved her so badly he didn’t know how to handle himself. He growled as he grabbed her and pulled her tightly against the firm, masculine hardness of his muscular chest.

She giggled as his hands reached under her dress, arching her back so he could find the back of her bra and set her breasts free from their lace prison. His hands caressed them softly, finding delight in the perkiness of her nipples.

“God, you’re fucking beautiful,” he whispered.

“What?” she whispered back, blushing.

No one had ever said that to her before, not like that. Not like he meant it. And in that moment, she realized that whatever fears she’d had about her appearance before, in Roy’s eyes, she really was the most beautiful, desirable goddess he could imagine.

She almost came just from the look on his face. He cupped her breasts in his hands as he looked into her eyes, and she felt it. She felt the real, true depth of his emotion. She felt love.

She reached down and pulled off her dress, letting it drop to the floor at the side of the bed, covering his now forgotten novel.

Jenny circled his tongue with her own, enjoying his moans of satisfaction. She could kiss that mouth forever, she thought. His jaw was so firm, his skin so rough, but his lips were so soft, and the silky smoothness of his tongue made her want to die in pleasure. She sucked his tongue and made out with him so passionately that he began to moan as they continued to kiss.

She wanted to jump right into the throes of it, she was desperate to feel his massive girth sliding into her, stretching her pussy in the most delicious pleasure, but the kissing was too much to stop. They continued like ravenous animals intent on devouring each other.

She had never imagined there could be a desire, a passion, as intense as this. She wanted him more than she’d ever admitted to herself. She craved him.

He grabbed her ass in his large hands and lifted her up, pulling her against him.

She threw her legs around his torso, gripping him like a clamp.

He spun around so that his back was to the bed and then fell backwards onto it. She was still in his arms and fell on top of him.

They both let out a laugh.

He looked up at her, into her eyes, and for a moment the entire universe disappeared. All she could see was his beautiful eyes. All she could imagine was the look of love in them.

“I’m yours,” she whispered.

Then, without waiting for him to reply, she brought her attention to his boxer shorts, which tightly covered the massive cock beneath them. She leaned down with her mouth and grabbed the waistband in her teeth.

Playfully, she pulled the shorts down over his legs with her mouth.

His enormous cock, fully erect, fell out of the shorts and sprang to attention.

She laughed in surprise when she saw it. She covered her mouth, embarrassed.

She had no idea why she’d laughed.

It was the shock of seeing that cock, so perfect, so big, so dominant, that made her forget herself.

She looked at it now like it was a delicious treat she was about to devour.

It throbbed with his pulse, a huge vein running along the underside of it. The skin was white as snow, before growing pink at the top. From the skin emerged the real gem, the pink head of the cock. The fountain that she was going to coax into full ecstasy.

She wrapped her lips around his head and began sucking on it, just the head, like it was a popsicle. Roy moaned in pleasure as her tongue ran around the edge of his head. She felt the cock grow even more, become even harder and more firm, as the pleasure of her tongue worked its magic.

“Oh, Jenny,” Roy moaned.

She smiled as she continued to work her magic on his head.

With each throb of desire, she felt him getting closer to orgasm. She opened her mouth wider and let him slide all the way into the back of her throat. She knew he craved that. She knew he craved release.

He was a naughty boy. He wanted to explode right there in her mouth and give her a mouthful of his perfect, delicious cum, but she couldn’t let him do that. She couldn’t let all this pleasure and anticipation subside so soon.

She climbed up over him, letting her breasts slide over his cock and up along his torso and over his face. He stuck out his tongue to lick her breasts as they past by. She rose higher, out of his reach, and he leapt up and grabbed her, pulling her back down onto him.

He couldn’t resist her any longer.

He pulled her tight against him and bit her neck, desperate for more.

She fell onto him and then rolled over onto her back next to him. She was so wet, so ready for him.

“Take me,” she giggled.

She wanted to give him every bit of her body, and she wanted him to take her in every single way he could imagine.

He got up and looked at her, his cock throbbing with each powerful beat of his heart.

She’d never imagined that a man could be so sexual, so animalistic and raw. Looking up at his naked body, the muscles ripped and taut, the cock pointing at her like a weapon, ready to pounce, he seemed like he’d been created for sex. Like he was an animal built purely for ravishing her.

She trembled at the thought of his massive cock invading her.

And then she opened her legs, never letting go of him in her gaze.

She was so wet she could feel herself trembling with desire. She was more ready for this than she’d ever been ready for anything in her life.

He got up over her, his cock pointing right at her trembling pussy, and his eyes locked on hers.

“Take me,” she whispered.

He touched the lips of her pussy with the head of his cock and then pressed, sliding so smoothly and perfectly into her that she was surprised. She’d thought something so massive would hurt her, if it fit at all, but he fit her like a glove.

“Oh god,” he moaned.

“Fuck me. Fuck me, Roy.”

When he reached full depth, she thought she would explode immediately. She couldn't remember the last time she had been with a man, but in this instant, it seemed like this was her very first time. He slid all the way into her, right to the girth, his pubes pressed against her bare, shaved skin, and then he paused for just a second before sliding all the way back out of her. The second he was out, he sunk back into her, causing a rhythm to build that he repeated, over and over, in and out, until she thought she would scream.

His movements grew more and more rapid as the rhythmic thrusting continued. He got more passionate and frenzied as he continued fucking her. She could feel sweat forming on her skin and her fingers turning into claws that she pressed into his back, clawing him like an animal.

He fucked her harder and harder, both of them writhing in pleasure, transcending into pure ecstasy.

Her nails scraped at his back and shoulders as she clung to each passing wave of pleasure. Her toes curled, and she fought to stay afloat. She could feel his languid lips pressing sensually on her face and neck. She could feel his teeth as they nipped her ears. She raised her face and caught his mouth again with her own, kissing him with a passion she had never experienced.

He reached back and took one of her ass cheeks in his hands, bringing her leg up higher. The effect was perfection. She bowed her head and let her soft, wet tongue coast across his nipple.

He let loose a low moan, signaling to her he liked it, so she continued, enjoying the sound of his heavy breathing as he fought to hold on.

When he reached a hand up to return the favor, squeezing her hardened nipple while he rocked and thrust hard and deep into her, she thought she was going to faint.

He was so deep inside her, all the way into the very core of her body, and she could picture his ripe cock getting ready to explode, spilling itself inside her.

In that moment, the crescendo of ecstasy washed through her like a tidal wave.

She screamed in pleasure, her orgasm ripping through her nervous system and sending so much pleasure through her it felt as if she was on overload.

“Roy,” she screamed. “I’m cumming. I’m cumming.”

Her grip tightened on his shoulder, her mouth pressed firmly against his as he sought to follow her lead. It didn't take long.

She felt his cock grow even bigger inside her, filling up with his cum as his climax passed the point of no return. When he came, the force of his cum inside her caused her to fall into another wave of orgasmic pleasure.

“Fuck,” he cried, roaring into the pillow next to her head as his body convulsed powerful in surge after surge of pure, orgasmic adrenaline. She was shocked at the power of his orgasm. It was violent and powerful and so erotic she couldn’t believe it.

“Fill me,” she cried, as his cum poured into her, surging in gush after gush of orgasmic ecstasy.

His heavy roar as he finished inside her gave her a deep satisfaction. In fact, she’d never been so satisfied in her entire life.

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead before he slowly untangled himself from her frame and collapsed on the bed beside her. They lay side by side, motionless as they allowed their breathing to return to normal.

Jenny was completely satisfied for a moment, her body slick with a combination of their sweat. Her body still ached from their interaction, and she couldn't resist considering going for it again once he got his breath back.

She propped herself up on her elbow and let one finger trail from his chest hair down to his cock. She circled it with the tip of her finger, enjoying the way his own hand reached up around her back.

“You are unstoppable, aren't you?” he said as he used his free hand to wipe his sweaty hair back from his face.

“I thought that was you,” she teased as she leaned in for a quick kiss. “You're the one who seduced me, remember?”

“I wouldn't call it seduction, and besides ...” He gently brushed her hand away from his cock. “You're the one who ended up following me home. I could have easily set you up at the Best Western just outside of town.”

“And miss this?”

She swung herself over so that she was straddling him. His easy smile told her he liked her being there.

“It's been a while since I've done this, Roy. Care to remind me how?”

He laughed, and then she moaned, as she felt his cock sliding back into her swollen pussy. She began rocking back and forth, riding him like a toy, and enjoyed the feeling of his cock stiffening up again and getting back to the point of full erection.

She played with it, clenching it in her pussy, sliding back and forth on it, twisting and squirming and making it reach new places inside her pussy that had never been reached before.

“I could play on this toy all night,” she teased.

He looked up at her and she was sure she saw love in his eyes.

“Please do,” he said.

Chapter 13

The next morning, Jenny awoke to find herself alone.

She had the big, double bed they had shared the night before all to herself. She rolled over onto her stomach, stifling a yawn behind her hand. Last night, her first night with Roy, hadn't left her much time for sleeping.

She stretched, the ache in her muscles beginning to subside. Roy was the perfect drug. All the pent up frustration and anger she had been holding onto for the past few days seemed to have been released. Her head still ached a little, and her worries and doubts about their ability to save her brother were still there, but Roy had helped to divert her focus.

She wished he would have stayed in bed to give her another dose.

The sound of laughter beyond the well-lit window attracted her attention. She groaned a little as she rolled out of bed, reaching clumsily for her clothes. She pulled on her underwear and dress, then stretched her arms out above her head as she stood.

Jenny went into the bathroom and stood before the mirror. She could barely recognize the reflection staring back at her. If she were back at her New York apartment, she would have been in full makeup, her hair masterfully layered and colored at her favorite salon. It had only been four days since arriving in Ombrea, and already she looked completely different from the woman she was.

Her hair hadn't been brushed after her shower last night, so her natural curls cascaded over her shoulders. There were dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, and her cheeks were tinted pink from far too much sun. She lifted a handful of hair to her nose and took a long sniff. At least the stench of the fire was gone.

Jenny made her way down the hall and slipped on her battered, running shoes at the front door. The main door was wide open, and she unlatched the screen to head out onto the front deck.

Toward the lake, she could make out a small figure running in the surf and a medium-sized dog bouncing alongside her. As she watched, Isabelle stopped suddenly, laughing when the dog barked and jumped up for the game to continue.

“She's a fun little girl once you get her out of her shell.”

A husky, male voice stole her attention, and Jenny turned to see Roy stepping up onto the deck, a cup of coffee cradled in his manly hands. His face revealed that he, too, had enjoyed the events of the night before.

“You’ve done more for her in the past couple days than I ever could.”

He frowned heavily and stepped forward to lean against the wooden railing of the deck.

“I don't think that's true. She trusts you.”

“That's something, I guess. I can live with that.”

“Come here.”

When he beckoned her forward, she stepped up beside him. She was comforted when he slipped an arm around her waist.

“You're being too hard on yourself. That little girl down there is safe because of you.”

“I almost got her killed yesterday. If she had been in that house with me, who knows what might have happened.”

“She's fine. Just look at her.”

Roy pointed out to the lake where girl and dog, tired from their game, had taken a seat on the shoreline beside one another.

“She's doing alright. I can promise you that. And it’s all your doing.”

“Okay.”

Jenny relented a little, but she couldn't shake the idea of what would have happened if Isabelle had come home with her. She wasn't able to open that back door for anything. What could she have done with a child in tow?

“But what next? How is she going to adjust to life in New York?”

“Who said you had to go back to that damn city anyway?” he asked, and Jenny could sense frustration in his response.

“Just my job and my life. That's all.”

He removed his arm out from around her waist, and she immediately missed the comfort it provided.

“Well, as long as you have something to go back to.”

Jenny watched as he headed down the steps to the beach.

“Roy! Come on,” she pleaded.

“I'm going to go see if she's hungry yet.”

When he glanced back at her, Jenny felt the hardness she had first seen in Roy returning.

“Why don't you just go inside and do whatever it is you have to do?”

* * *

Roy heard the porch door swing shut but refused to turn around.

He was angry, fuming even. He thought she had changed. Most women would have been more than willing to take on a child who had no one else, especially when that child belonged to their brother and their best friend. Instead, Jenny seemed unwilling to take on the responsibility. In fact, she was as eager as ever to rush back to her life in New York where he could only assume Isabelle would be left in the care of a nanny or sitter.

Roy shook his head as he reached the surf. He kicked at a grouping of pebbles with the toe of his boot and watched them scatter into the oncoming wave. How foolish could he have been, he thought, as he watched yet another wave lap the shore, this one reaching his boot.

And to think, he had slept with her. Last night's tangled embrace came back to him in a flash. He had kissed her because he wanted to. It was as simple as that. He had taken something he wanted. In the heat of the moment, what man wouldn't have taken it when it was right there in his grasp?

He thought it meant something. He breathed in deep and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans as he scanned the far reaches of the lake. How could he have been so naive.

He thought back to the last time he had been intimate with a woman, a whole two years ago. Natalie and he had a passion, unrelenting and wonderful. He could remember many a night when, too frisky and too excited about their love, they had undressed one another and done it right there in the surf.

Since her death, he hadn't thought about another woman in that way. He had never wanted another woman. Even when he felt a need or desire and pleasured himself, it was always to an unnamed woman with a blurred face. Just a set of limbs he could create and fantasize about. It always did the trick, but it always left him wanting a little something more that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Until last night that was.

Being with Jenny had shown him what he had been lacking all along - human connection and emotion. Jenny wanted him as much as he wanted her. They had come together, free and unhindered by their pasts, and it was meant to be, or so he thought. He wasn't sure what it was now.

One thing was for certain. He wasn't about to ask her. He had too much pride for that. If she was going to take the kid back to the city, what did it matter anyway? If Isabelle hadn't been around, he considered that he might have told her to pack up her things and go to the Best Western on the outskirts of town. With her there, he would have his own space back again. He could focus better if she weren't around to distract him.

Roy watched as Isabelle came running back through the surf toward him as fast as her little legs would carry her. The dog, a stray that often loitered about with him as he ran errands or worked around the cabin, came tumbling after, clearly enamored with his new friend.

“Slow down!” Roy called out to them as they approached. “You’re going to make yourselves sick at this rate, and that's the last thing I want to see on my beach.”

“Is it really your beach?” Isabelle asked as she came to a grinding halt. The dog barked and danced around her feet until she reached out a hand to tickle the dark fur between his ears.

“It is. All this land is mine, from the edge of the lake on the other side to the top of that hill. See?”

He turned and pointed past the cabin to the edge of the crest of a hill off in the distance.

“It's a fair size, don't you think so?”

“I do indeed.” Isabelle nodded with enthusiasm.

He hadn't seen a child smile as much as this one had since she had been out here. The open air was doing her some good.

“I think this is simply the most amazing place I have ever been to.”

“Well, thank you very much, Miss Dale.”

Her smile suddenly disappeared.

“I wish I could stay here forever with you and your dog.”

Roy dropped to a crouch in front of her.

“Now first off, that there isn't my dog.”

The animal barked as if to disagree and circled them both before he dropped down in a sweaty heap beside him.

“It sure looks like your dog,” Isabelle laughed. “I bet you have a name for him and everything.”

“Dog, of course. Plain and simple.”

Isabelle laughed again until Roy took her little hands in his own much larger ones.

“Now you listen here, little missy. You are in very good hands with that lady in there. She's your aunt, and that means she is family to you. It’s a damn sight more family than I've got, believe me. You’re lucky she came all this way to take care of you.”

“Except I don't think she really wants to.”

Isabelle jutted out her chin, a sure sign she was holding back a flood of tears.

“I think she really just wants to get rid of me. I wish my mom was alive so I could just be at home right now with her. I wish my daddy wasn't locked away in jail. I wish he didn’t kill my mommy.”

She paused to sniff loudly.

“That is what happened, isn't it? My daddy killed my mommy?”

“Who told you such a thing?”

Roy held her hands for comfort.

“Whoever told you that is wrong, very wrong. Your dad would never hurt your mom like that, and I think you know that already.”

“But he told me so,” Isabelle protested.

“Who? Who would fill your head with such foolish notions?” he asked her.

Isabelle stared across at him. Her blue eyes were welling up with tears.

“The man at the wake.”

“What man?” Roy asked, although he had a pretty good idea who Isabelle might have been referring to. “What did he look like?”

“A policeman. The tallest, scariest one.”

* * *

Jenny watched from the cabin's living room window as Roy and Isabelle interacted down on the beach.

She had to admit, she was feeling unmistakable pangs of jealousy. She only wished she could talk to her niece as easily as Roy could and have her respond in the same way. Since she had met the child at the station, it seemed as if she hadn't been welcome. Isabelle would rather have been with absolutely anyone else in this town, but her.

Jenny felt like she would be stealing Isabelle’s life away by taking her back to New York, but what choice did she have? Her life was there and all of her responsibilities. Without them, she had nothing. It was her whole life and one she worked hard to build for herself. She couldn't give it up now, especially not to remain here in this backward town full of difficult memories.

Not that she was entirely sure she had a career to go back to. It had been five days since she’d been given the editor position. She knew it didn’t look good that she’d left town the day after the promotion. The fashion magazine business, was tough, fast, and competitive. If she couldn't step up to the plate and get the work done, she would be toast and all of her hard work to get to this point will have been for nothing.

Jenny turned away from the window and sank down onto the old couch, crossing her arms across her chest. It wasn’t fair that she was back where she started.

Although, last night with Roy had been pretty amazing. She could get used to that. He had been confident and took control of the situation, qualities she liked in a man.

He brought out her confidence as well. She gave herself freely to him, with no inhibitions. She had loved every minute of it. She could still recall each and every caress. She closed her eyes and recalled each delicious kiss. Her body burned with the desire to reconnect with him.

It had been a long time since she had taken a lover. Her days were spent mostly at the desk in her office or back in her apartment sleeping off the stress of her job in the fashion industry.

As much as friends tried to drag her out to the latest club or trendy bar, Jenny just had a hard time letting herself go. She made a good first impression, with a knack for making quick conversation with strangers when she had to, but that was where her involvement stopped. She didn't have the same desire to build something romance-wise with anyone. No one had tickled her fancy.

Until now. Since her first meeting with Roy, he held a spot in the back of her mind, even when he was getting under her skin.

She had wondered if she would run into him again, half wanting to and half dreading it. Seeing him at the funeral had sent her heart, and body, into a frenzy, and she was pleased that they were now on speaking terms and becoming more. She hoped it was more.

Jenny wished he weren’t so angry with her. Surely he realized she had to go back eventually. It was her livelihood. How else was she going to make good money? A girl had to eat, live, and shop. Just because he lived off the land and made do with the simple way of life didn't mean it was for everyone.

She leaned forward and let her head drop into her hands as a headache creeped up on her.

Chapter 14

Roy told Isabelle she could help cook breakfast, and he watched as she happily skipped on ahead of him toward the cabin. Her mood had brightened considerably after he explained to her how wrong the police officer at the wake had been to say those things about her parents.

He knew immediately that it would have been Chief Cartright who had said those horrible things to a little girl. No man of any character would have done it.

Cartright often ran his mouth around town. He was especially obnoxious when he had a few drinks in him, and yet he was still widely respected and trusted by most people in Ombrea. Chief Cartright had even been named Town Official of the Year a couple years prior. The brass plaque was displayed proudly on his office wall, or at least it was the last time Roy reported to duty, two years ago this November.

Roy had been quite friendly with Chief Cartright when he first joined the service. He would even go so far as to say they had been close. It was Chief Cartright who took a chance on him when he showed up one cold, rainy morning with no formal police training or education. He had only his army training and experience to back him up. That, along with determination and willpower. He had those in spades.

In a small town like Ombrea, anybody willing to report on time to duty and put his life on the line was taken on almost immediately.

Things progressed quickly from there. Roy did well in the position and proved himself to be an asset to the team. He was told he would be working with Joey Dale on his fifth day. It was a Friday, and the two of them, the service's two newest recruits, bonded quickly as they carried out their duties together.

They spent the first afternoon working traffic up on the main road, the task being to ensure construction on the new stop light didn't slow traffic to a dead stop. Roy found Joey fun to work with. He was quick with the jokes and chatty. None of the police officers Roy had worked with up to that point had been as friendly as Joey. He knew they had been trying to intimidate him and keep him on his toes while they trained him, but he learned more from Joey than any one of them, and he started to enjoy the job.

After Natalie died, everything changed. He no longer cared about the police force or those he worked with. He constantly showed up late or in such a bad mood. He was quickly reprimanded.

After a number of reprimands, he was eventually called into Chief Cartright's office and relieved of his duties. He turned in his badge and gun without a peep. He just didn't care. All he wanted was his beautiful wife back, and if he couldn’t have that, he didn't want anything.

Chief Cartright didn’t speak to him again until the trouble began with Joey.

Roy had gone home the afternoon of his termination with a plan. He had his father's old shotgun in the house. It wasn't the cleanest of ways to go, but it would do the trick.

Roy slammed the front door shut behind him and walked straight through the cabin to the gun locker in the study. He found the old key tucked away in his desk drawer. It had been a long time since he had taken the gun out of its storage unit.

He unlocked the cabinet easily. The lock snapped back and he flung open the door. He bent to collect a couple of shells from the metal tub at the bottom of the old unit and stood, reaching for the gun. He unlatched it from the wooden holding frame.

Roy pulled the desk chair across the room and propped his foot up on it so he could load the weapon more easily. When he clicked the barrel back into place, he felt his first feelings of doubt. Maybe this wasn't such a good decision to be making. Maybe he was being a little overly-dramatic in thinking he should end it all so suddenly.

He locked back up the gun and dropped the key once again into the cluttered desk drawer. He closed it firmly and left the study the way he found it.

Roy never considered doing away with himself again. In fact, he made sure to hide the key a few days later just to be sure he wouldn't repeat his actions. The downside was that he had done the hiding while drinking whiskey and still had to find where the new hiding place was.

Now, as he followed Isabelle into the cozy cabin, he was especially grateful that he hadn't chosen to end his life that day. His place was here, fighting for a good cause. That good cause was Joey Dale.

No one else would be stepping up to fight for Joey’s freedom. Not even his own sister would have been there for Joey if it weren’t for him. Roy was the one who convinced her that her brother had been set up. Joey would have been screwed.

But their fight still was just beginning. They still had to prove their case to the authorities and have Joey freed from jail. Right now, he had to figure out how to go about doing that. They would start with the fire. If they could find the person or persons who wanted Jenny Dale dead, it would lead to new information about Chloe’s death.

* * *

Roy didn't see Jenny when he came inside, but he could hear the shower running and figured she would be avoiding him at all costs. He was fine with that. He was still upset that she intended to return to New York, even after what happened between them last night. Some distance would do them both good. He didn't want to look like a fool for thinking last night meant more.

He told Isabelle which ingredients to fetch and she went to the fridge to find them. He figured a large breakfast would do them all some good. They needed rest and nourishment for hunting down leads.

Soon, the kitchen was alive with the smells of cooked bacon and sausages. He pulled over a stool from beneath the open sink and showed Isabelle how to fry the eggs until they were over easy and perfect. He was impressed by how quickly she caught on.

He let Isabelle set the table. Isabelle demanded a tablecloth like the one her mother had always used. He dug around a few cabinets while she monitored the cooking. He was relieved to find an old, blue one he hadn't seen in years. Natalie had laid this one out on the table when they first moved in. She said blue was her favorite color.

He gave the cloth to Isabelle and took over the duties at the stove.

Roy was sliding the food onto warm plates when he heard soft footsteps coming down the hall. Jenny arrived in the kitchen doorway a moment later, her hair in a towel.

He was expecting her to be in the same, red dress she had worn last night, until he remembered he had brought her duffel bag from the end of her bed. She was constantly surprising him. Instead of being dressed to the nines like she usually was, she looked pretty in jeans and a red sweater. She had on a little bit of makeup, but she really didn’t need any. She was a natural beauty. Around her neck she wore a simple, black beaded necklace.

“Hey.”

He noticed she avoided eye contact when she spoke to him. She crossed the room to the table and took a seat beside Isabelle.

Roy distributed the plates. Isabelle must have listened to what he said about Jenny, because she began telling her at length of her involvement in the preparation of breakfast.

As he tucked into his own food, Roy couldn't help but notice Jenny's happiness and relief as the little girl chatted away to her for the first time. She joined in wholeheartedly, and before long, any awkwardness there had been was distinguished.

Roy was relieved too. He was concerned when he heard through the grapevine that an estranged aunt was to take over Isabelle’s care. He had never met Joey's sister, but judging by how little Joey spoke of her, he didn't think she would be a good fit.

Now watching the two of them together, he could see that Isabelle was in good hands. He only hoped that Jenny would see it too.

Chapter 15

Jenny was still feeling bad about how she and Roy had left things, so she offered to do the dishes. She left Isabelle and Roy to chat without her at the table while she cleared away the plates.

Filling the wide, ceramic sink with hot water, she had time to think. When she was in the shower, an idea had come to mind, and she hadn't been able to get it out of her mind. She just wasn't sure it would work.

She added some dishwashing liquid to the hot water and set the dishes in, one by one, using the time to debate in her head the pros and cons of her her idea.

She had never been especially close with Joey. He had only been just over a year younger than her, but when they were children, it had seemed like a huge difference. They had nothing in common, so far as she could remember. That became obvious the first few time he was whisked home in a police car, a cocky smirk on his face. The life he led had held no interest for her. It was childish and immature. She never wanted any part of it. His behavior and her disagreement with his choices had led to their tension.

She could remember very clearly one night in high school. He was sent home with a warning. The officer told their grandparents he had been caught with a couple of spray cans out at the train tracks. When asked what the hell he thought he was doing, Joey told them all he only wanted spray paint his name on the cars so it could feel like he was getting out of this place every time the train left the station. He wanted strangers to see his name out there in the world beyond Ombrea and wonder about who he was and what he believed in. He claimed it was poetic, but no one was convinced.

After being sent to his room, Jenny confronted him in the hall. It was the week she had been nominated for homecoming queen, and she was feeling very proud of herself at the time. With her chin jutted out, she pointed a finger into his chest and told him to get his life together. You're making it too easy for me to be the favorite, she said. Now she regretted having said it. She couldn't imagine how he must have felt when he heard those words from her mouth. If she were him, she would have hated her.

He must still hate her for saying it.

That settled it. Now was her chance to make it up to her brother. She abandoned him when he needed her most. He was an orphan like her, but he didn’t just lose his parents, he lost everyone. He was crying out for attention and she was too wrapped up in her own life to see to it that he was okay.

She wouldn’t make that mistake again. She would stay in Ombrea to care for Isabelle and fight for her brother’s innocence. Her life could wait.

Jenny was so deep in thought that she didn’t notice when Isabelle left the kitchen to play outside with her dolls. She finished up, drying her hands. When she turned around to hang the towel back over the stove handle, Roy was standing behind her, his mind occupied with serious thoughts of his own.

“I owe you an apology,” he said sheepishly. “I shouldn't be upset that you want to get back to New York. This wasn’t part of your plan. You have a life there and a job. I can’t expect you to give it all up and move back to Ombrea. I wasn’t only thinking of Isabelle either. I was being selfish. I really enjoyed last night,” he said, his face turning pink. “I guess I had hoped there would be more nights like it. I’m not one for casual hookups. But I’m not from the city, either.”

Jenny was surprised to hear what Roy had to say. Did he think she slept with men all the time? Did he think it was just random sex for her?

“You have no need to apologize to me,” she started.

“But I do,” he cut in. “I didn't mean to be a prick. Or make you feel guilty. I'm sure Isabelle will love New York when she has had a chance to settle in. There must be a ton of things to keep a child stimulated there, so many more opportunities than this small town has to offer.”

“I guess so, but,”

“Schools, for one. She would have plenty of friends. I bet you have a really nice place out there.”

Yeah, Jenny thought herself, a gorgeous, one-bedroom that barely fit a bed and her shoe collection. It would be a tight squeeze to add a child and all the toys and clothes she would bring with her. She would have to sell her place and find somewhere bigger to live. It would cost a lot more for a suitable place in the city. She didn’t even know if her job would be there for her when she got back. She hadn’t heard a peep from Joy Magazine.

“Roy, hear me out.” Jenny said, “About last night…”

“Hey, Roy!”

Jenny was cut off when Isabelle arrived in the doorway. Perfect timing, kid, she thought sarcastically. It looked like her conversation with Roy would have to have to wait until a later time.

“What's up, kid?” he said, looking over at Jenny and smiling apologetically.

“Will you teach me how to fish?” Isabelle asked eagerly.

She had his battered, green, bait box in her hand. She must have found it on the deck while she was outside playing.

“Of course I can.”

He rose to his feet and ruffled her hair with his hand.

“I’ll just have to dig out the fishing poles.”

“Oh, great!” Isabelle exclaimed.

Jenny smiled warmly. She had never seen the girl so happy.

“Do you think I will catch anything out there?”

“There are fish in that lake, so why the heck not?”

Jenny regarded the interaction between Roy and her niece. This would be the perfect home to raise Isabelle. It was secluded and there was plenty of land around to explore. A child could grow up here capable of conquering anything and with confidence in herself and her abilities. Jenny wondered how she and Joey would have turned out if they’d had a chance to grow up in such idyllic surroundings.

“Are you going to come too, Jenny?” Isabelle asked eagerly.

“I think I’m going to skip this one,” Jenny told her gently. “But you guys have fun. I just have to head out for a bit, but then I'll be back to see what you caught. Promise.”

“Okay.”

Isabelle looked a little unsure. Jenny couldn't blame her. She would be insecure about people leaving if she had been through the hell that little girl had endured over the past week.

“Come home soon then.”

Jenny was touched that the little girl had referred to the cabin as home, even if it wasn’t.

“You go on ahead,” Roy told Isabelle, “and keep that dog from eating anything in the bait box, will you?”

With Isabelle out of sight, he turned to Jenny.

“ Hey, where are you headed? You sure you should be going out alone?”

“It's something I should have done a long time ago,” Jenny told him softly. “I’m going to see Joey.”

Chapter 16

Jenny drove her silver Neon back into town and towards the Ombrea police station, an anxious feeling in her tummy. She was nervous, but she had to push through it.

The townspeople had obviously heard about the fire and turned to stare as she passed them in the streets. Neither she nor Roy had been back into town since the incident.

Roy had mentioned to her that the fire chief was an old friend. He agreed to give Roy a call when the results of his investigation came in. Roy had told him flat out that it was arson and his friend did not disagree, but there was procedure to follow. When the investigation was complete, they could start to come up with a plan for how to proceed.

When the Ombrea police station came into view, Jenny look a long, deep breath. It felt as if she were heading into enemy territory. She didn't know what she would do if she saw Chief Cartright there. She wasn’t up for another unpleasant confrontation.

She found a spot in the lot and locked her vehicle. She tried to appear confident as she strode up the front steps and through the two sets of double doors. It was a large, modern building, quite impressive for a town with such a low crime rate.

The same desk clerk was on duty as when she first arrived in town. If the woman recognized Jenny, she didn't show it.

“Can I help you, ma'am?”

“I'm here to see Joey Dale.”

The woman studied Jenny carefully.

“May I ask why?”

“Do I need to have a reason to see him?” Jenny asked her. “He is still here, right? He hasn't been transported elsewhere?”

“There won't be a prisoner transfer until closer to the court date,” the woman said officiously. “If you want to speak to him before then, I am going to have to clear it with the Chief”

Damn it, Jenny thought. How would she get around this. The desk clerk wasn't going to let her through . Jenny would have to play by the rules if she were going to get anywhere.

“Okay, call him then.” Jenny nodded toward the phone on the woman’s left. “I'm assuming he is in his office.”

“He could be out on a call. I'd have to check,” she said, pointing in the direction of the blue plastic chairs lining the opposite wall. “Take a seat while I find may have to page him.”

“I have all the time in the world.”

Jenny forced a polite smile. She took a seat, placing her handbag on the chair beside her.

This wasn't going to be easy. Chief Cartright was going to give her the run-around. He may even send her away entirely, she considered as she waited. With any luck at all he would just have the clerk pass on his message. It would be better if she didn't have to face him.

Twenty minutes later, she was still waiting. The clerk had placed the phone back down ten minutes earlier, but had yet to raise her head from her paperwork to tell Jenny what was going on. Jenny placed a hand on the handle of her handbag, but willed herself to hold on for just a few more minutes. If he were playing a game with her, she couldn’t crack too early. She could wait.

Suddenly, the clerk stood from her seat and waved her over impatiently.

“Chief Cartright is a very busy man, but he agreed to see you now. Try not to take up too much of his time. You can go in now.”

Just as he had done the first time she had come to his office, Chief Cartright stood from behind the desk when Jenny entered. She left the door open, deciding it was safer to do so.

The bruise over his right eye was beginning to fade, but it was still rather noticeable. She made a mental note the last time she saw him to check Roy's hands to see if he was the one who had delivered the blow, but apart from a few callouses they were undamaged. Who it was that hit Chief Cartright was a mystery.

“Miss Dale,” he said, directing her to the chair in front of his desk, “take a seat, please.”

Jenny sat down and placed her bag on the floor.

“I have a lot of work to do.”

“I know. Your secretary made a point of telling me four times.”

He smiled briefly.

“She is good like that. I'd offer you a beverage of some kind, but I honestly can't have you in my office for too long. I've got important police work to do today.”

Jenny almost burst out laughing. His untroubled attitude was an obvious show, and she could see right through it.

“I want to see my brother.”

Now she had his attention.

Chief Cartright folded his hands together and leaned forward over his desk.

“Whatever could you want to see him about?”

“Like I said,” Jenny responded calmly. “He's my little brother.”

“I'll remind you that your little brother is under arrest for second degree murder.”

“I want to see him, and I am well within my rights to do so.”

Chief Cartright sat back in his seat.

“And what exactly do you plan to discuss?”

“I was thinking I would update him on how the Lakers are doing this season. Maybe I’ll fill him in on what’s happening on Days of Our Lives. They don’t have TV in jail, do they?” Jenny didn't know where her new-found sense of confidence came from, but she liked it. “So, can I go through, or do you have something against the Lakers?”

“Visiting hours are by appointment only”

“Then , please, get out your appointment book and pencil me in.”

He shook his head. For a minute, she thought he was really going to send her away. She was certain that her sarcastic attitude wasn’t gaining her any points.

To Jenny’s surprise, Cartright reached for his desk phone instead. He called over to the desk clerk.

“Jenny Dale is here to see her brother Joey. Please escort her to the holding cells.”

When he hung up the phone, he looked directly into Jenny’s eyes, his stare meant to intimidated her.

“You have one hour. Make sure you save some time to say good bye. Your brother is going away for a long time.

“Thanks, Chief. You’ve been so helpful.”

Jenny rose to her feet as the desk clerk stepped inside the office to show her to Joey’s cell.

The desk clerk removed a heavy set of metal keys from a chain on her belt. She shuffled through them until she found the correct one and slid it into the keyhole of the heavy, steel door before them.

Jenny glanced back at Chief Cartright's open office door. She see him there watching her, but he had remained at his desk, probably in an attempt to show it wasn’t getting to him. Jenny wondered to herself if Chief Cartright was the one who started the fire yesterday. He had been angry and lashed out at her at Norma’s house, but still she couldn't imagine him throwing a Molotov cocktail through her front window. He was a man in a position of authority. He had too much to lose.

“Are you coming or not?” the desk clerk asked, her hand holding open the heavy door.

“I'm coming. Right behind you.”

Jenny followed her through, wincing when the steel door slammed shut behind them.

Chapter 17

The desk clerk's heels click-clacked down the hall at a fast pace. Jenny had to rush to catch up with her. She kept a careful eye on her surroundings, taking in the offices and conference rooms to each side of the hallway. What an elaborate facility she thought to herself. Seems like overkill. There were never going to be enough officers in this small town to fill a station like this.

“The holding cells are just up ahead. You will have to keep your hands and belongings to yourself. You aren't allowed to give him anything. Nothing at all. If you do, I could have you charged.”

Jenny doubted the validity of the claim, but chose not to say so.

“I'll let you in and leave you to it. I'll return for you in one hour. Don't do anything stupid. I have a camera at my desk and will be monitoring your every move.”

“Creepy,” Jenny murmured under her breath.

“What was that?”

The desk clerk raised a critical eyebrow at her.

“Nothing,” Jenny shook her head. “I didn't say a word.”

The desk clerk was unconvinced. As they approached another door, she extracted her set of keys again and selected one of the older ones. She placed it into the lock and turned, the metal catching on the other side. The door was part of the original station.

Jenny held her breath as the door swung inward. The room beyond was small and dimly lit . Apart from the small window looking out onto the street at one end, the only other right came from a low hanging, fluorescent bulb that flickered every few seconds as if it were about to die.

All of the jail cells were empty, except for one. Joey was in the cell at the end, closest to the window. Jenny barely recognized him when she entered the depressing room.

He wore a simple, white T-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. She noticed that his shirt had dried blood on one side. A few days’ worth of stubble covered his chin. She had never seen Joey with facial hair, but she thought it looked kind of good on him. His blonde hair was cut short on the back but the front hung haphazardly over his eyes. He stood and brushed it to one side before doing a double take. She was the last person he expected to see.

“This is it. One hour and counting.”

The desk clerk left the room, closing the door firmly behind her. Jenny waited until she could hear the key turning in the lock before she approached her brother.

He stared out at her through the iron bars. He looked worried, almost frightened to see her standing in front of him. Why had she come?

Sensing his fear, Jenny spoke.

“I’m not here to yell at you if that's what you think.”

“I don't know what I think.”

Jenny nodded. She touched her hands to the bars, feeling the cold of the metal beneath her skin.

“You look like hell,” she told him honestly.

His face changed into the same old Joey she knew as a kid.

“Well, I’m in the economy suite. You have to pay extra for the salon treatment.”

Again, Joey ran a hand back through his shaggy, blonde hair. This time, she noticed bruising on the knuckles of his right hand. Could Joey have been the one to give Chief Cartright his black eye? Jenny smiled at the thought.

“So you're happy to see me in here? Is that what you’re smiling about?”

He shook his head as he dropped back down onto his wooden bunk.

“Same old Jenny. You gotta be the best. Only happy when I’m fucking up. Don't worry, Jenny, I'll be the black sheep forever. Whatever makes you look good.”

“Hold on, now!”

She held up her hand to stop his angry tirade.

“Is that what you think I came here for? You think I want to give you hell for getting yourself into this mess? You think I want to rub salt in your wounds?”

When he said nothing, she continued.

“I came here to tell you something. I came to tell you that I'm working on getting you out of here.”

Joey’s jaw dropped.

“What the hell? Are you serious?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“I don't know, Jenny. I hardly know you? How do I know what kidding looks like”

“I'm your sister, idiot.”

But she knew that he was right.

“Listen, I had my doubts at first.”

“You assumed I was guilty from the start. I get it, Jen.”

“You’re right. I did, but, someone you know changed my mind. I'll admit it took a bit of convincing.”

“Who?”

“Roy Peters.”

“Of course! Roy!”

Joey let out a sigh of relief. He brought his hands to his face and sank down onto the bed. She couldn't recall ever seeing him look so grateful.

“It’s going to be okay, Joey, ” Jenny said.

She didn't know if that were true, but she wanted to comfort him. She realized with a pang of guilt that she had never said those simple words to him. Even after her parents had died. He needed support and comforting and she had run from him as fast and as far as she could.

“How is Isabelle doing?” he asked, a distressed look washing over his face. “I heard about the house fire from one of the officers here. Is she okay? Was she hurt?”

Jenny shook her head.

“No one was hurt. I was home alone at the time, and Roy got me out of there just in the nick of time. It could have been much worse.”

She paused before adding, “And it was not an accident.”

She watched as his face changed to one of horror.

“You have to tell me everything, Jenny.”

“I heard a smash from the living room before the fire really got underway. I saw a broken, blue bottle with a wet rag in it lying on the carpet in the living room. Next thing I know, the whole house is in flames.”

Joey sat silently, a serious expression on his face.

“What is it?” she asked.

Her hands grasped the cold metal bars even tighter.

“You look like you know something.”

“You said that the bottle you saw in the living room was blue?”

Joey stood up from his bunk and stepped up to the bars, only inches from his big sister. “Are you sure it was blue and not dark green or black?”

“No, it was definitely a blue wine bottle. Light blue. I remembered because it looked just like the one Chloe had in the fridge.”

She paused, her mind suddenly racing. It was definitely blue. It had been just like the bottle of expensive wine she had opened days earlier. It was odd that Chloe had it in her collection with its hefty price tag. She couldn't believe that she had not made that connection until now.

Roy had said the word around town was that Chloe was involved with another man. Entertaining a lover would be reason enough to splurge on a good bottle of wine, but still, Chloe was frugal, and Jenny still couldn't see Chloe making the purchase.

The wine had to have been bought by her lover.

“Joey, did you know Chloe was seeing someone else?” she asked gently.

Joey nodded his head sadly. His eyes were closed.

“Do you know who it was?”

Joey's eyes flashed open.

“If I knew who it was, I would have taken him down. I didn't know who the bastard was, but I definitely knew he existed.”

He slammed the bars with his palms out in anger.

“At first it was the little things. She started dressing nicer and wearing more perfume. Then it was the wine. I knew it wasn't what she usually picked up from the wine store. I checked our joint checking account, but I couldn't find any proof that she purchased it. I figured that meant he brought it with him when he came over to fuck my wife in our marital bed.”

Jenny nodded glumly. She still couldn't believe her best friend had been leading this secret life. Chloe had never said a word to her about another man. It wasn’t that unusual though. She was her husband’s sister after all. Even the best people make mistakes, their grandmother always said.

“If he came while you were at work, then he must be a local man.”

Jenny reached for her purse and dug through its contents until she found a pad of paper and a pen.

“Maybe he bought the wine locally, too. I can check the wine store on my way home and see what I can find out.”

“Home?” Joey asked, raising his brow.

“You’re still staying at the house, then?”

“No, someplace else.”

Joey looked at her, confused.

“At Roy's cabin. He kindly offered to put us up for a while. We've been waiting for the fire chief to call and let us know when we can do something about your house.”

Joey blew out a low whistle.

“Is that so?”

“Your daughter is staying there too. It's nothing like that,” she lied. “It’s purely platonic, don’t worry.”

“Sounds pretty cozy to me.”

He gave her a quick, half smile before returning to a frown.

“Check out the wine store and see what you can find out about that blue bottle. If you remember the store at all, you know it’s only a tiny place. If the wine has ever been in stock there, Lawrence, who owns it now, will be able to tell you exactly who bought it. And thank him for me”

“Will do.”

Jenny looked up at the sound of the holding cell door being unlocked. She put her hand through the cell bars and took her younger brother's hand tightly within her own.

“It is going to be okay, Joey. I promise.” she murmured again before being escorted out.

Chapter 18

Jenny felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest when she left her brother. Their talk had gone more smoothly than she could have ever imagined. Maybe they were getting back on track.

She made sure to stop at Chief Cartright's office door, despite the desk clerk's claims that he would be too busy to talk to her again. She found him at the window, his back to the door as if he were contemplating something. She knocked softly on the wooden door frame. She had to smile when he looked surprised to find her there.

“I'm heading out, Chief. Thanks for letting me in to see my brother. We had a good chat”

“I hope you clue in that your brother is nothing but a criminal and a con man. We found him at the scene with his service uniform drenched in blood. It was his police issued handgun that did her in, you know. You can’t ignore the evidence.”

“I like to think a man is innocent until proven guilty.”

“When your man has guilt written all over him, you have to face reality, Miss Dale. Joey will be going to prison. That's his life story.”

“We will have to see about that.” Jenny said as she walked away from his office.

She suddenly wished she hadn't thought to stop in.

Chief Cartright was right. The evidence did point to her brother and unless they could come up with some evidence of their own he would spend his life behind bars.

Jenny unlocked her car and took a seat inside. She willed herself to stay calm. Chief Cartright was a stubborn fool with a very large stick up his ass. He obviously had it out for Joey. That would explain why he wasn't willing to consider his innocence.

Jenny looked back up at the police building. To her surprise, Chief Cartright was standing ominously on the steps of the building. She hated his leering eyes. There was something so unsettling about them. They made her stomach churn.

As she started the Neon's engine, he raised a hand and waved a slow goodbye.

* * *

Roy was helping Isabelle cut firewood when he heard the phone ring inside the cabin.

He made her promise she wouldn't work while he was gone and then he hurried inside, desperate not to miss the call. He made it just in time.

“Hello.”

“Roy?”

The reception up by the lake wasn't the best.

“It's Adam Miller. From the fire department”

Roy squeezed the phone tighter.

“Yes. You finished your investigation then?” Roy asked. “What did you find out about that bottle?”

“Well, you were right. It was definitely a Molotov cocktail that started the blaze. It’s my belief that the perpetrator hoped the house would burn down and thus destroy any evidence left behind from the murder of Chloe Dale.”

“Exactly what I was thinking,” Roy agreed.

He cast a cautious look outside to see if Isabelle was behaving herself. She sat on the stump while the dog laid his head on her lap. They had certainly become quite the pair.

“I'm still running a few tests at the lab. I can’t say for sure what accelerant was used, but I think it may turn out to be engine oil. It has a unique smell to it. I'll call back with the results, but I know it's the blue wine bottle you were most interested in when we last spoke, Roy.”

“Yes. So it’s definitely a wine bottle, then?”

“It looks to be quite an expensive brand. Instead of a paper label, this bottle had the word wine etched into the glass. Luckily, we managed to find the shard with the wording on it. It helped to identify the brand, if nothing else. It's called Rosaceae.”

“That is good news. Did you find anything else?”

“We’re still working on it, Roy. It's not like the television shows, where it's all done and dusted in half an hour. I knew you were eager for some news so I called with what we have so far.”

Roy thought he could sense some doubt in Miller’s voice.

“You won’t be telling anyone I gave you this information, right? We had an agreement, Roy. I expect you to keep your word.”

“Of course, Chief. I won’t breathe a word of it.”

Roy nodded, even though the Chief couldn’t see him.

“I'll bring over that forty-year-old bottle of scotch in the next day or two. You’ll love it, I swear.”

“You are a good man, Roy Peters.”

“You too, Adam. Thanks for calling.”

Chapter 19

The Ombrea liquor store was harder to find than Jenny remembered. She drove twice down the street she thought it was on, but there was no sign of it. She couldn't ask one of the locals for directions. It would be all over town that she was a drunk if she seemed desperate to find the liquor store on a weekday afternoon.

She laughed to herself. This place was so predictable.

Frustrated, she turned at the end of the block. She would have to do another drive around to see if she could spot it this time. The store had a small, red sign tucked away on the window, and she was finding it hard to drive and spot it among the other shop windows at the same time.

She pulled ahead into an open parking space. Maybe the search would go better on foot. She stuffed her notepad and pen into her bag and set out, locking the car securely behind her.

Jenny kept her eyes on the store windows as she walked down the block. She ignored the stares of the people as she passed, her mind on the task at hand. She thought she could see the red sign up ahead between the florist shop and a lawyer’s office.

A hand suddenly touched her arm, and Jenny spun around, her guard up. Her mood softened when she found Norma standing before her with arms full of shopping bags.

“Oh, I’m so sorry to have startled you, dear.” Norma's smile was faint. “I just wanted to say hello and check in on how things are going. How is little Isabelle doing?”

“Well, thank you. She's been coping with everything just fine.”

“Good, good. You'll say hello for me?”

Norma waited until Jenny nodded.

“Thank you. So where are the two of you staying now? At the Best Western?'

“No, we’re staying with a friend.”

Even though Jenny trusted Norma, she thought it best to stick to the basics. “Someone was nice enough to put us up for a few nights while we figure this whole thing out.”

“Yes. It has been a really nasty business, hasn't it?” Norma nodded thoughtfully. “I’m so glad you are both safe.”

“Me too,” Jenny said honestly. “But if you don't mind, I’d best be getting on. I have a few errands to run before I head back.”

“Of course, dear, I understand you are busy, busy, busy right now.”

Norma paused for a moment. She looked a little unsure of herself.

“You know, you and Isabelle are always welcome to come by for something to eat or a cup of tea. You both are always welcome. I'm always at home.”

Jenny was touched. Since arriving back in Ombrea, Norma had been the only person who had extended the hand of friendship to her. It was a very sweet gesture.

“Of course. I'll make sure we come by in the next day or so, okay?”

Norma nodded, her smile wider.

“That would be grand. I’d best be on my way”

“Absolutely. See you later, dear.”

Norma continued on down the street with a spring in her step. Jenny made a mental note to go over to take Norma up on her invitation. She was sure Isabelle would consider it a real treat to see her old friend again.

Jenny was about to hurry on to the liquor store when she caught sight of someone ahead. She was a ways down the block, but she quickly tucked in close to the awning of a nearby store to keep herself out of sight.

Chief Cartright stood in the liquor store doorway, a brown, paper bag in his hand. He looked up and down the street as if he were trying to find someone. She moved in closer to the shelter of the awning, her heart racing a mile a minute. It appeared that he hadn't seen her because he started walking up the street away from her, the bag swinging in his hand.

Jenny remained for a couple more minutes in her hiding spot before stepping out onto the sidewalk. She hadn't expected to see Chief Cartright again so soon, especially not at the very store where she was heading to get some answers about the case. If he had been as busy as his desk clerk had insisted he was, he wouldn't have had the time to make a stop at the liquor store. She knew he was unmarried. Someone had mentioned it in passing at the wake.

Could Chief Cartright be Chloe’s mystery man? He was older than she was, but that didn’t mean much these days. He was handsome in his own way. A little too serious for Jenny's taste. She didn't think he would be Chloe's cup of tea either, but there’s no accounting for taste as they say. Maybe Chloe had taken a liking to the Chief.

She wished she had seen what he had in that bag.

When Jenny entered the liquor store, she found it to be quite dim and dusty. It looked exactly the same as it had the last time she was there. That was a lifetime ago.

There were only three or four small shelves and an old cooler on the side wall stocked with chilled beverages. It was a big step down from the large liquor stores she had encountered in New York. There, you could find one open at any hour and only a couple of minutes away no matter where you were. In Ombrea, if you missed opening hours, you had no choice but to do without until the next day.

The old bell above the door chimed when she entered the store. The tacky, blue, plastic curtain behind the counter shook as an older man stepped through carrying the newspaper. He set the paper down on the counter and cleaned his glasses before pushing them onto his face to get a better look at her. It was clear he knew who she was, but he gave her a curt nod and left her to shop in peace.

Jenny started to hunt for the blue wine bottle. She scoured each and every shelf in the store just in case it had been misplaced, but no matter how hard she looked, she found that the matching bottle was nowhere to be seen. She even checked the cooler, pulling forward a few bottles to check in the back, was so sure she would find it there. Her only other choice was to talk to the shop owner and see what he knew about it.

He looked up curiously when she approached, his eyes looking over her hands for any sign of a purchase. When it was clear they had to speak, he set his newspaper aside and placed his hands on the counter.

“Yes, Miss Dale, how may I help you today?”

He had caught her by surprise.

“You know who I am.”

“Everyone in this town knows who you are. Your brother is Joey Dale.”

“He is.”

Jenny felt uneasy being in the shop. She wanted nothing more than to step outside for some fresh air. She took a deep breath and willed herself to stay calm. She had a job to do

“You know him, then?”

“He is a good man, your brother. He did some odd jobs for me back in the day when he was saving up for that quickie wedding of his.”

The old man smiled.

“Young love throws the odd curveball now and again.”

“Indeed, it does.”

Jenny suddenly felt more at ease. He wasn’t like the others who gossiped and stared at her like she was an animal in the zoo. Maybe this would be an easier task than she had thought.

“I wonder if you can help me. I'm looking for a very specific bottle of wine.”

“Are you looking for a particular brand or variety?’he asked.

“A particular brand. Chloe had a bottle of wine in her fridge, and it tasted so sweet and crisp.”

She knew exactly how she had to play this out.

“I figured she must have picked it up in town while she was shopping. I was hoping to get another one for tonight.”

“Okay.” The old man stepped out from behind the counter and led the way to his wine selection. “White or red?”

“It was a white wine.”

“Do you remember the name?”

Jenny cursed herself for not having written it down.

She shrugged.

“No, unfortunately. I put it out in the recycling box without even thinking about it. Sorry. But there is one thing very distinctive about it.”

“Go on then. What is it? I bet I have it in here someplace.”

“It came in a light-blue bottle.”

She kept her eyes fixed on the old man. And she was glad she had, because made a noticeable jump in surprise. His eyes widened for a brief moment before he began to pull himself together. He shook his head quickly.

“I know the wine you mean, but I don't sell it here. I don't think I have ever stocked it.”

He forced a smile for her benefit.

“She must have picked it up somewhere else or perhaps a friend gave it to her.”

Jenny was sensing that something was up. Two of those blue bottles had shown up in the past five days. It seemed unlikely that someone would be making the drive to the city just to pick up some wine.

“Are you sure you don't have any in the back?”

Jenny followed him as he scurried back to the counter, clearly uneasy with her line of questioning.

“Or could I possibly order some from another store to be delivered here?”

“This isn't New York, Miss. Dale,” he barked, his good mood evaporating before her eyes. “You’re better off gathering up your things and leaving this place far behind you. You won’t find your wine here.”

He disappeared behind the plastic curtain and she stood disheartened for a moment. Something wasn't right about this, and she would bet money that it had something to do with Chief Cartright.

Chapter 20

Roy stepped out of the cabin when he saw Jenny drive up. He had spent the entire morning with Isabelle and then sent her to bed for a nap. Despite her initial complaints, she fell fast asleep within only a couple of minutes. Cabin life was doing her some good.

He waved to Jenny as she stepped out of the car. As she approached, he could sense that things had not gone according to plan.

“Well, how did it go?” he asked gently. “Did you see him?”

“Oh, I saw Joey alright. We had a good talk.”

She smiled gratefully. Roy was glad she’d had a good talk with her brother and that they had no doubt mended bridges that had been broken for a very long time.

“That is great news. You've been gone a while.”

“I was only allowed an hour.”

“Well, we knew he wouldn’t make it easy.”

“I think he’s smarter than we give him credit for.”

Jenny hooked her arm through Roy’s and led him down to the lake.

It was mid afternoon, and the air was beginning to chill. The summer days would soon be coming to an end, and autumn would be taking over.

“What makes you say that?” he asked.

“When I was leaving the station, he stood outside and waved good bye. It was weird. It felt like a threat. Like he was letting me know he had his eyes on me”

“He’s just trying to intimidate you. He’s afraid, because he doesn’t know if we have any real evidence to support Joey’s wrongful arrest. And if we do have something, he has no idea what it is.”

Jenny was glad to have Roy on her side. He had a knack for putting her at ease.

“So what happened after you left the station?” Roy said, urging her to continue.

“I went to the local liquor store. I wanted to find out more about the blue wine bottle used in the fire.”

Roy suddenly became tense.

“I saw Cartright leaving the store as I was arriving. He had one of those brown, paper, liquor bags in his hand. He looked around as if he didn't want to be seen and then went up the street to his car.”

“Rosaceae,” Roy murmured.

“What's that?”

“The name of the wine in the blue bottle.”

Roy nodded when she stopped to look up at his face, her hand clenched tightly around his thick biceps.

“It’s a family of roses. Chief Miller from the Ombrea Fire Department called while you were out. I had him check out the blue glass fragments at the scene, and they were a match.”

“That’s good news. Except,” she paused, “when I went into the liquor store, the owner was super friendly and helpful until I mentioned the wine in the blue bottle. Then, he became agitated and I felt as if he wanted me out of there. He said he had never stocked it there.”

“That is odd behavior for Lawrence. He's always willing to order something he doesn't have on hand.”

“I asked him if I could do that. He shouted at me that this wasn’t New York, and if I wanted wine like that I should get out of town immediately.”

Roy frowned.

“And you say Chief Cartright had been in there only minutes before you arrived?”

“He was just leaving before I headed in. Why? Do you think he might have said something?”

“Intimidated Lawrence into lying through his teeth?” Roy said. “I do think he’s capable of that. I just know he is involved somehow. We just need to find out how.”

“How are we going to do that?” Jenny asked as they resumed their walk. “We could search his house to see if we can track down a similar bottle of wine? But we risk getting charged with B and E.”

Roy shook his head.

“We have to go back to the beginning and figure out what we might have missed.”

“The crime scene? The house is a disaster, Roy. It's not safe to go back there.”

“Only the ground floor was damaged,” Roy reminded her. “The second floor is still standing and was in relatively good condition when I was there last. I’ll run it by Adam Miller, but I don't see it being a problem as long as I leave things as they are.”

“But you said already that there wasn't much to see.”

“There wasn’t, but I might have missed something.”

There was no way of talking Roy out of it. He was going to search that master bedroom until he found something.

“I've got to do it, Jenny.”

God, she wanted him in that moment. His determination and his passion were such a turn on. After their discussion this morning, she knew she couldn’t make a move, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be all over him if he started something.

“Okay, but you have to be careful.”

“Of course.” He loosened his grip on her to bend down pick up a shiny, flat pebble from the beach. He stood back up to skim it across the water. The surface rippled as the stone bounced toward the horizon and eventually sank into the icy depths of the lake.

“I'll be back before you know it.”

“You better be.”

Jenny reached up and kissed Roy on the cheek, his stubble scratching her soft lips. She moved her hand to his lower back and massaged him affectionately. For one, long moment, she thought she had made a horrible mistake. He didn't move or speak.

Finally, he reached out to find her hand. She felt a deep sense of relief as he held it tightly in his own. It seemed they had made it past their disagreement from earlier in the day. Maybe this was heading somewhere after all.

Chapter 21

Jenny watched from the kitchen window as Isabelle waved goodbye to Roy from the deck. Isabelle had taken a real shine to him, and Jenny was grateful for it. Roy was a good man, and he had come into their lives at just the right time.

When Roy's truck was out of sight, Jenny continued to watch Isabelle, who remained on the deck, Roy’s dog on guard at her side.

Isabelle patted the dog's head and led her down to the lake. The light was beginning to wane, but neither the child nor the dog had any intention of coming inside the cabin just yet.

It had only been recently that Roy allowed the dog into his home at all. He rationalized his decision, stressing that the nights were becoming colder and that he didn’t want her shivering outside all night.. Isabelle was over the moon.

Jenny felt a tugging at her heart strings. She loved that little girl. It was inevitable. Isabelle was adorable.

Jenny was finding it more and more difficult to rationalize taking her niece away from her life in Ombrea. She was happy here, with Norma and now Roy and her faithful, four legged friend to support her. And the freedom of the outdoors was something that Jenny could not provide in the city.

At least, she thought, if they could prove Joey’s innocence, Isabelle wouldn't have to move away. She could go back to living with her father, and her life, for the most part, would be as it once was. She would have to come to terms with the loss of her mother, but Jenny knew from experience that time would help to heal those wounds. And Jenny would be there for her. She had a lot of lost time to make up for.

Jenny cried. It had been an especially rough few days, and she was desperate for a resolution. She was homesick. She missed her life and her job and the freedom of a solitary life.

Still, she had warmed up to her hometown over the past couple of days, recognizing its drawbacks, but allowing herself to see the goodness in it as well. Roy, Isabelle, Norma and now after so many years she had her brother back.

Thinking about Roy sent her heart spinning. Ever since he had taken her hand at the lake, it felt like she was floating on a cloud. She wished it didn’t have to end.

* * *

Roy pulled up in front of the Dale house just as dark was setting in. He made a point of dropping in on Norma on the way by, so the elderly woman wouldn't call the police when she saw someone snooping around the house.

He packed a flashlight and a spare. If the army had taught him anything, it was to be prepared.

Roy scanned the property but saw no sign of another vehicle. He opened the gate slowly, the creak of the old wood echoing in the silence of the night, and then he closed it quietly behind him. If he were followed, the old gate would alert him to the intruder.

Roy cut across the garden and stepped up onto the old porch. He paused, aware that the shadows of the garden made easy hiding spots for anyone who might have come before him.

Satisfied that he was alone, he pulled at the yellow, crime-scene tape and located the padlock that secured the temporary front door. Adam had given him the key with the promise that he would have it returned to him by morning. He was risking his job, but Roy was a reliable man and Adam trusted that Roy would have it under his mat by the time he woke.

Roy closed the makeshift door tightly behind him. The house was deadly quiet, the strong smell of wet smoke difficult to bear. He lifted his shirt sleeve to cover his nose as he took a look around. With his flashlight beam he searched the floor, careful to watch where he was stepping. The ground was littered with soot and debris, and he did his best to avoid stepping on anything sharper falling through a hole in the damaged floorboards.

Roy carefully ascended the staircase, doing his best not to make too much noise. He used his flashlight beam to scan the upstairs landing as he climbed. If anyone were waiting at the top, he wanted to know ahead of time.

The smell of smoke was less intense in the upstairs hallway, allowing Roy to drop his sleeve from his face and keep his extra hand on the Swiss army knife he had tucked into his belt.

Roy knew his way to the master bedroom and headed there immediately, his heavy footsteps muffled by the hall carpet. He pushed the door open and used his flashlight to scan the room. If someone had been in the house before him, they hadn't moved anything, not that he could see, anyway.

Roy got to work quickly. He checked through the wardrobe and chest of drawers, pulling everything aside in search of anything that might lead them to the identity of the killer. All that turned up was a lottery ticket from last weeks draw. Joey's signature had been scribbled along the bottom. A lot of good winning the lottery would do him now.

He scanned the carpet, careful to step around the blood stain still staring garishly up at him. He had seen casualties in the army, but the sight of blood still made him recoil and his stomach churn. Nothing stood out that he hadn’t noticed before.

Roy dropped to his knees on the side of the bed that didn't have blood on it. He laid low on his stomach and shone the flashlight beam under the bed. He turned onto his side so he could shine the beam toward the end of the bed.

That was when he saw it. He recognized the Ombrea Police Service badge immediately. Not wanting to tamper with the evidence, he dug around in his pocket until he found a clean, white handkerchief. He reached out and wrapped the soft fabric around the badge, and pulled it carefully out from under the bed.

Roy held the badge in the palm of one hand and shone the light down on it. The number was clearly visible. It was not Joey's badge, he knew that for sure. He knew his partner's number as well as he knew his own.

He placed the new evidence gently on the nightstand while he did another sweep under the bed. There didn't seem to be anything else there.

If he was a betting man, he would say that what he had just found belonged to Chief Cartright. It could have come off when he was undressing for a roll in bed with Chloe or maybe during the struggle the day Chloe had been killed.

Chief Cartright hadn't come back to find his badge because he had already arrested Joey for the crime. People trusted the Chief. Roy and Joey with their colored pasts in Ombrea held very little credibility compared to Ombrea’s former Citizen of the Year.

This badge was as good as a smoking gun. Chief Cartright was going down.

Chapter 22

When Roy stepped back outside, he thought he felt something strange in the wind.

He padlocked the makeshift door behind him and slipped the key into the back pocket of his jeans for safe keeping.

Darkness had really set in while he was in the house. Roy kept his flashlight beam steady on the ground as he dropped down off the wooden porch and made his way along the crooked garden path. He paused suddenly in his tracks.

The garden gate, his trusty alarm system, hung wide open. It swayed in the wind, but he hadn't heard it creak when it had been opened. He cursed himself for not having been more aware. He couldn't say for sure if the gate had simply blown open or if someone had pushed it open upon entering the property. And he was sure he didn’t want to find out.

Roy turned to look at the house behind him. He didn't see anyone. And he didn’t want to stay longer than he had to. He had what he needed for the investigation. He needed to get the hell out of there.

He cut through the garden and walked swiftly to his truck. He still had the badge wrapped up in one hand, so he slipped the flashlight between his teeth while he hunted for his truck keys. He almost had his set of keys out of his pocket when he saw something shining on the ground beside his truck.

He gave up his search for a moment to duck down to his knees. He took the flashlight out of his mouth and reached the shiny object.

It didn't take him long to find the shards of glass. He stood back up quickly, looking his truck over for damage. Sure enough, the back window on the right-hand side had been popped out. Someone had used the time he had spent inside the house to go through his vehicle.

“Damn it,” he hissed.

There was nothing worth stealing inside the truck, apart from a few tools and some spare coins for coffee. He doubted that whoever had broken in had taken anything of real worth.

An old army buddy had instilled in him the need to always check his vehicle if it looked to have been tampered with, so Roy dropped back to his knees and checked the undercarriage with his flashlight. Next, he lifted the hood and checked the engine to see if that had been messed tampered with. Nothing seemed out of place, as far as he could tell. It would be safe to drive back to the cabin at the very least.

Roy looked back up at the house one more time. In the stillness of the night, it was oddly haunting. He climbed into his truck and slamming the door closed behind him, he stretched over to put the package containing the badge inside his glove compartment where it would be safe until he could show it to Jenny.

Roy was already cooking up a plan. And Jenny was going to be an important part of that plan.

As he turned over the ignition, he saw a retreating figure who, caught in the headlights, quickened their pace to escape from view.

Roy reached into the back of the truck and found his black windbreaker. He pulled it on, zipping it right to the top. Next, he unlocked the glove compartment and reached for the police badge. He unzipped one of the front pockets on his jacket and secured the package inside where it wouldn't fall out or be lost in the chase.

The figure had a decent head start on him. Roy raced across the dirt and into the cover of the dense woods circling the Dale property. He was quite familiar with the land around the house and made assumption on the intruder’s route based on that knowledge. He pushed on, branches whipping at his face and body.

Somewhere up ahead, a night creature screeched. Roy took it as a sign that the animal had been startled and turned toward the noise. It didn't take him long to hear the crash of footsteps through the underbrush on the hillside a few yards ahead of him.

Roy knew he must be gaining on the other man. The thudding of footsteps and snapping branches was getting louder as he hurried to his left. He could make out the faint sounds of the water running through the creek on his right. He was further along the Dale property than he thought.

A twisted root took him suddenly by surprise and he lost his footing. The slope, still slippery from last night's rain caused his feet to move out from under him. He reached out frantically for something to hold onto, but each branch he found was too fragile to hold his weight. He had no other choice but to hit the ground hard. He cried out in pain, his back aching as he lay on the cold, wet ground. His right ankle throbbed where he’d caught the root.

He fumbled with the pocket of his coat and found the badge still tucked safely away.

He could still hear movement ahead of him, but it was becoming more distant. The stranger was getting away.

Roy struggled to sit up. He cursed under his breath as his back roared with pain. He rubbed at his ankle with both hands. It had already started to swell, but he didn’t think it was broken. He pulled himself to his feet in the darkness and prepared himself for the long, painful walk back to his truck.

* * *

Jenny anxiously checked the clock one more time.

It was very late. She thought Roy would have returned a long time ago. She didn’t expect him to find anything useful, but didn’t tell him so. He was a lot more positive than she was about their chances of solving this mystery.

Jenny had tucked Isabelle into bed an hour ago. The dog had been adamant about sleeping at the foot of the bed, his weight pinning Isabelle's feet to the mattress. Jenny didn’t have the heart to discourage it.

“Come on, Roy,” she muttered under her breath as she pulled aside the kitchen curtain and stared out at the still lake. “Where the heck have you got to?”

The cabin at night was eery without his presence. She wished they’d had the good sense to leave Isabelle with Norma for the night. If anything went wrong she could help without having to worry about her niece.

And if Isabelle was with Norma and Roy returned empty-handed and without incident, she could think of a few things they could do alone in the cabin.

She imagined him taking her again as he had done last time, only more playful this time. She’d let him toy with her, play with her. She’d get on her hands and knees in front of him and crawl across the bed away from him, teasing him.

“Come get me,” she’d say, wiggling her ass from left to right and tempting him to slide his massive shaft into her.

She loved the sensation of him cumming inside her. She hadn’t been able to get that memory out of her mind since it had happened. It was a crazy thing to do, she knew that, but she didn’t care.

If something happened, if he made her pregnant, it would only mean that it was meant to be. It was God’s will. That’s what she told herself as she imagined him cumming inside her again.

She loved the wetness of it. The messiness. The raw animalness of it. His cum pouring into her pussy, filling her womb, getting deep into her body to places where it’s traces could never fully be erased again.

She imagined gripping his cock tight in her hand and licking it like a lollipop. She’d like to lay him on his back and lick his cock, but not suck it. Just lick it, taking her time, toying with it, forcing it to get slowly to the point of no return, and then, when the time came, let him cum on her face. The naughtiness of it aroused her.

She also imagined sitting on his face. She wasn’t sure if she’d be confident enough to do it in real life, but in her mind, the thought of sitting on his face and squirming her soaking wet pussy all over his mouth drove her wild. She’d gush on his face, dripping all over him, and he’d drink her juices and beg her for more.

Then she’d lean forward, over his cock, and sixty-nine him until she had a mouthful of his delicious cum. She’d swallow every drop.

She also imagined lying him on his back, his cock sticking up out of him like a pole, and then she’d squat over him, and sit right down on it. Only, instead of allowing him to slide into her wet, trembling pussy, she’d position herself so that it was her asshole that landed on the tip of his cock. She’d be all lubed up and he’d slide right into her, impaling her with such a feeling of pleasure that she’d reach orgasm just from the feeling of his cock sliding in and out of her asshole. Using her thigh muscles, she’d rise up and down on his pole of a cock, causing him to fuck her ass at exactly the pace and speed of her choosing. And as she bobbed up and down, he’d look at her and watch her reach the point of climax, her pussy squirting and orgasming right in front of him and spilling on his belly.

She got hot and bothered just fantasizing about all the naughty, dirty things she wanted to do with him. For too long, she’d thought of herself as a good girl. The truth was, she was bad, and she had very naughty fantasies that she craved making a reality.

A sudden movement outside the window caught her eye. She pressed her palms down flat on the wooden countertop as she leaned forward to see better. She searched the area for any sign of what it had been. Just then she saw a ghostly figure moving along the tree line. She watched as the figure moved within the cover of the trees. Whoever it was did not want to be seen.

Suddenly, the trespasser paused and looked toward the house. They knew she could see them. She sank back, hiding from view. What was she going to do. What if this person was a threat to her and Isabelle.

When she dared to lean forward again, she found the figure was still watching the house. The figure stared straight at the cabin. She couldn't be sure it was a man, but she had a sense that it was. And it felt as if he knew her. Her body begin to shiver despite the warmth of the fire in the living room. She wished Roy would come home.

Even after the figure disappeared from sight, she could sense that she was being watched.

Jenny closed all the curtains in the cabin and locked the doors and windows. She stopped in to check on Isabelle and the dog, finding them both soundly asleep. Not much of a watch dog, she thought to herself.

She sat at attention in the front room wishing like hell that Roy would come through the door before someone else did.

Chapter 23

Roy cursed each bump and dip along the road, the pain from his fall growing worse with each passing mile.

He almost forgot to drop the key back to Chief Miller and turned the truck around and up the stretch of road that led to the small house beyond the fire station. He couldn’t wait for this night to be over.

He was dying to get back to the cabin so he could show Jenny the badge. In the morning, they could talk strategy.

Adam was still up when Roy dropped down from his beaten up truck with a heavy sigh and half limped his way to the front door of the home. He knocked twice and waited.

Chief Miller was dressed in a red shirt and boxer shorts when he opened the door. His television remote was still in his hand, and the sounds of a hockey game came from his living room.

“Evening, Roy.”

He raised his brow at the sight of Roy's disheveled appearance.

“Had a bad night, did you?”

“I had a great night,” Roy replied sarcastically.

“I did find something interesting the master bedroom, though.”

Chief Miller gave a curt nod of agreement.

“I don’t wanna know,” Adam said shaking his head, “but I’m glad it was worth your while.”

“I hope it’s all I need to prove Dale’s innocence.”

“He was a rough nut, looking for attention any way he could get it, that’s for sure, but I don't think he’s a killer., Adam said. “But I’m not the one you have to convince. You have your work cut out for you changing that pig head Cartright’s mind. He doesn’t like to be wrong.”

“I think what I have might change his mind,” Roy told him honestly. “If I have it my way, he’ll hightail it out of town when I’m through with him.”

“Good riddance, if you ask me.”

Chief Miller stepped out onto the porch and nodded his head toward the busted up window on Roy's truck.

“I've always said you've got to carry a spare key, Roy.”

“I'll make sure the next guy that breaks into my truck is carrying one. It will save me the repair bill.”

Chief Miller let out a hearty laugh.

“Well, I'm glad you found what you were looking for, anyway. If whatever it is gets Chief Cartright out of our hair, even better.”

The two men said goodnight and Roy went back to his truck. It was two in the morning. Jenny must be worried sick. The police badge would make her feel better, he was sure of it.

Finally, they were getting somewhere. Joey Dale would be a free man before he knew it.

* * *

Jenny had fallen asleep on the couch and awoke to Roy shaking her gently.

She almost jumped out of her skin, remembering the stranger who had been creeping around earlier in the evening. Even though the curtains were still drawn, she still sensed that someone was watching.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Roy said to settle her.,“I didn't mean to startle you.”

Jenny relaxed as Roy caressed her back.

“Oh, it’s okay. You just scared me a little,” she said. “I’m just glad you are finally home. I have been worried about you.”

Jenny sat up, yawning and stretching her arms out over her head. A little more awake now, she noticed the state of Roy’s clothes.

“Jeepers, Roy, what happened out there,” Jenny gasped.

“I'm fine, really.” Roy brushed off the concern with a wave of his hand. He was obviously hurt, but he was beaming.

Jenny watched as Roy went to the kitchen to get the black windbreaker he had draped over a kitchen chair. He was digging around in the pockets.

She was happy to see him in a good mood and was excited to see what he had turned up at the house.

“Just wait until you see this, Jen. You won't believe it.”

He retrieved the white fabric package and brought it to her.

“I found this underneath the bed in the master bedroom. I hadn't even thought to check under the bed when I was in there the other day.”

“Hurry, Roy. I’ dying to know what it is.”

His excitement was wearing off on her. Jenny took the small, white package from his hands and unwrapped it carefully. She didn't know what to expect, but she knew it had to be something pretty good to have him acting like this.

“It's big, believe me.”

Jenny glanced up at his smiling face before she pulled back the final piece of fabric. She was confused to find a police badge.

“Each badge has an individual number. When we find out who this badge was issued to, we will have our man,” he said, filled with optimism.

“This is... unbelievable.”

She shook her head in disbelief.

“How are we going to find out who it belongs to?”

“See the number I was talking about?”

Roy leaned forward to get a better look at the object.

“It's not Joey's police number. I was his partner long enough to remember his as well as I know my own. I think the one we have here belongs to Chief Cartright.”

“Oh my gosh! If that's true then what happens next?” she asked as she wrapped the evidence up in the handkerchief and returned it to Roy.

“Do we tell him we have it?”

“In the morning, we call the police commissioner for the district and explain everything to him.”

“What are the chances he’ll actually believe us?”

“Finding the badge right there at the crime scene will help. If Chief Cartright can’t produce his badge, it’s going to add up, believe me.”

Roy tucked the police badge away in the drawer of the living room dresser.

“But you have to be the one to call him.”

“What?” Jenny said as she sat forward in surprise. “Why me?”

“We can't tell him that Chief Miller gave us a key so we could snoop around the house,” Roy explained as he took a seat on the couch opposite her. “We’re going to tell him you found it when you were cleaning up the house.”

“It's really going to be that easy?” Jenny asked. She wasn’t sure she could pull it off. “Won't he start asking even more questions?-”

“Even if he does, it doesn't matter. All he has to know is that it casts doubt over your brother's guilt. You just look like a concerned sister.”

“I am a concerned sister,” Jenny reminded him.

“Right, I'm sorry.”

He leaned forward and touched a hand to her knee.

“I didn't mean anything by it.”

“It's okay. I'm just tired. It's just been a long night.”

She knew he must have sensed something in her face because he suddenly looked concerned.

“What happened tonight while I was gone?”

Jenny closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I thought I saw a figure on the property,” she said as she reopened her eyes. “In fact, I did see someone on the beach, and he saw me too.”

“Who? Who was out there?” he said, leaning so far forward he was almost off the couch.

“I couldn’t make out who it was, but it was a man for sure. I could tell from his movements that he didn’t want to be seen. When he spotted my face in the window, he stood still and stared back at me. Then after a few minutes, he disappeared back into the trees. When he was out of sight, I went around the house to secure windows and pull the drapes.”

Roy took her hand.

“I'm sorry I left you alone, Jen. No one is going to be coming around again now that my truck is back.”

She nodded, giving him the benefit of a smile for his effort to make her feel better.

“I think I saw someone out in the woods tonight, too.”

“What? Who?”

“Someone broke into the back of my truck and took a look around while I was searching the house.”

“You're kidding me?”

Roy shrugged. “I had nothing worth stealing from the truck. I think they were checking for anything we might have to help prove Joey’s innocence. We must be making someone nervous.”

“And what about the person you saw in the woods?”

“He was attempting a quick getaway when I was about to head out,” Roy explained. “I took off on foot after him and I was close to catching up with him when a root took me down. I had to pop a couple pills in the truck so my back pain would ease up.”

“So that's why you look like you rolled around in mud.”

Jenny shook her head, smiling.

“You need a hot shower, mister.”

Jenny watched as he stood back up. He put out a hand, and she gratefully accepted it. He pulled her up against him, and she pressed herself against his chest. It was the only place she wanted to be.

He tilted up her chin and kissed her softly on the lips.

“You care to join me?”

Jenny hadn’t heard such a good offer in a long time.

Chapter 24

Roy couldn't believe his luck as Jenny took his hand and led him in the direction of the bathroom. He felt his cock stiffening as he watched her walking in front of him, her delicious ass swaying from side to side.

Once inside the small room, she closed the door softly behind him, turning the lock to avoid any unexpected and awkward encounters.

He pulled his shirt off over his head in that way only men can do. He couldn't help but laugh when she bit her bottom lip at the sight of his svelte body. She wasn't the first woman to find it appealing, but he certainly hoped she could be the last.

She reached out and ran her hands over his chiseled chest, and the bumps of his abs.

He wanted to feel the creamy softness of her skin beneath his touch. He needed to feel her warm, hungry body pressed against him. He waited eagerly as she pulled at the halter neck of her dress. He would rather have just ripped it off of her than to wait much longer.

Eventually, the fabric gave way, and he watched with baited breath as she pulled it unhurried down past her breasts and over her stomach. He could feel his manhood reacting as the dress caught on her hips, the lacy line of her thong already coming into view. This game of striptease was doing everything it possibly could to destroy him completely.

His cock pressed hard against the tightness of his jeans, begging to be let loose.

Jenny's smile gave him butterflies. She truly was beautiful. He reached over and pushed a mess of her curly, blonde hair off her shoulder, delighting in how the simplest of touches made her shiver. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the small crook between her neck and shoulder. She moaned in response. He bit her ever so gently, just enough to make a statement.

The low moan that escaped her lips made him harder than he had ever been before. At this rate, they may not even make it into the shower.

Roy slid his hand up the front of her thigh. He brushed gently against her pussy lips, smiling when another delightful moan left her lips. He went up a little higher to where the remnants of the dress still sat propped up on her hips.

He peeled the yellow fabric down with slow intent, careful to barely brush his knuckles in all the right places as he did. She stepped her feet side to side until the dress was nothing more than a distant memory in a crumpled heap on the floor.

“I've got to set the water running,” he heard her murmur as he dipped his head down her chest toward her hardened nipples. He heard her sigh as his hands came up behind her back to release her breasts from their confines. The lacy, black bra dropped to the bathroom floor in an instant.

“Just give me another minute,” he responded softly. He wasn't ready to give her up just yet, not even for a minute.

With nothing to restrict him now, he went for her chest again. This time, he cupped her plump breasts tenderly, his thumbs working their magic across her erect pebbles. She moaned at the delicious sensations.

“You're killing me here,” she whispered as he leaned forward to take one in his mouth. His tongue circled her pink peaks. He enjoyed the way her hips moved against him as she reacted to the pleasure he was giving her. It was clear she no longer wanted him to stop. The shower would just have to wait.

She pressed her pussy hard against his jeans and his cock was begging to be let loose.

He moved on to the other nipple, this time teasing and tugging with his teeth. Even the lightest of touches were sending her spiraling. He could feel her body respond to his touch, could hear her moans from above. Both urged him on to go even further.

His jeans were no longer a suitable choice. He ran a hand down her back and pulled her closer. He pressed his lips to her own, letting his tongue do all the work while his free hand unbuttoned his jeans and brought down his fly. Once they were gone he kicked them aside.

She made light work of his boxers. She slipped a hand inside and worked her hand around his shaft, pulling and massaging gently at first and then with a little more power. Now, it was his turn to react. He could see that his heavy groans were turning her on even more. The playful look in her blue eyes told him that there was more to come.

She was stroking his cock perfectly, her tiny hand gripping it’s massive girth and sliding up and down along it. With each stroke, his pleasure grew and his cock throbbed and stiffened more and more.

Jenny turned her back on him and stepped inside the shower. He laughed when she winced as a spray of cold water came tumbling out of the shower head. In a minute or two the water had warmed to a decent temperature and he joined her in there, relishing the way the water droplets ran in rivulets over the flesh of her breasts.

To his surprise, she turned her back to him to place her palms flat on the glass shower wall. She edged back her hips and spread her legs giving him ample access. This was an entirely new experience for him, but he was eager to give her what she wanted.

Roy stepped up behind her. He reached around her and placed his hands on her breasts, coaxing her nipples into play once again with the deft touch of his fingertips. She tilted her head back and he claimed her mouth with his own, relishing the wetness as he sucked the excess droplets from her pliant lips. Her hips arching against his groin nearly killed him on the spot.

He pressed his cock against her quivering pussy lips.

“Enter me,” she moaned.

He entered her slowly at first, making sure her pussy was nice and wet, and once the head of his cock was inside her, he thrust forward, sliding all the way inside her, right to the hilt of his cock.

She cried out in pleasure.

He felt a rush of emotion that nearly dropped him to his knees. Jenny was everything to him. She was his friend, his partner, and his lover. He couldn't imagine feeling this free with anyone else.

Although he would never forget Natalie and would love his wife forever, Jenny was in a league entirely her own. She tested his limits and often brought him to the breaking point. He had never imagined he would feel like this again. He wanted more.

As he thrust, he felt all coherent thoughts leave his mind. Her appreciative moans spurred him on until he thought his knees would buckle beneath him. He wanted to let go, but he held on. He wanted her to finish first. He always wanted to be the one to make her come undone.

Her heavy panting told him she was close. She turned her head, catching his tongue with her own. Her cry of joy a moment later told him she was sliding into an orgasm, and he felt her inner muscles tighten around him, convulsing in sweet, breathtaking spasms. It was an exhilarating feeling to know he had brought her there.

He kept sliding in and out of her, pumping her mercilessly, and as her orgasm continued to overwhelm her, he felt her begin to lose her balance.

He reached down under her ass and hoisted her up off her feet in his powerful arms. She kicked forward, resting her feet against the shower wall, and used them to push her ass and pussy tighter against his crotch.

With her body braced against the wall in that position, he was able to thrust into her even harder. Even deeper.

He went so hard and so deep that he brought on another wave of orgasm through her. She screamed this time as the pleasure ripped through her like a wildfire.

He felt the pleasure surging through his cock with each powerful thrust forward. The passion grew and became almost a rage as he thrust forcefully into her. No matter how hard he pushed, she held her position, her feet firmly braced against the shower wall, and when he came, the force of his orgasm almost knocked him unconscious.

“Oh my God,” he cried, as his cock exploded, sending powerful jets of semen deep into her pussy.

“Oh, Roy,” she cried out.

“Fuck,” he cried.

He let himself go completely, having let the build-up overtake him in an earth-shattering release, as though he was sharing the very essence of him and giving it to her freely.

“You’re a fucking angel,” he cried out as his semen continued pouring into her.

“You’re a fucking God,” she cried, the pleasure of his cum inside her driving her wild.

* * *

Jenny pulled her towel tightly around her frame before she unlocked the bathroom door.

Roy was still in the shower, the water having run so long it was now cold. Roy didn't mind. He needed the cool-down after their hot water adventure.

Jenny’s body still shivered every time she thought about it. It had been perfect. Roy was sex. He was the only man she had ever known who had brought out these feelings in her, the only man who had ever given her those sensations.

She’d had sex before, countless times actually. There had been first dates, one night stands, and long-term relationships. None compared to Roy. He was passionate, but most of all, he was loving. She could sense it in his tender touch, his sensual caresses, and his lingering kisses. Roy had been telling her he loved her with his sexy, well-built, talented body.

Jenny paused in the hallway to check in on Isabelle who was still slumbering away. The dog looked up briefly when she pushed on the door, but dropped his head back down on the comforter.

She closed the door. It was still far too early for both child and dog to be up. She would let them sleep a little longer.

Jenny entered the master bedroom and eased the door closed behind her with a soft click. She toweled herself dry as she surveyed Roy's room.

It was rather plain. He hadn't hung any photos or art. The wooden walls were gorgeous. The old, battered copy of To Kill a Mockingbird still sat on the nightstand.

She took a seat on the edge of the bed and picked it up. She flipped through the pages, imagining what kind of woman Roy Peters would have married. She hadn't seen a wedding photograph or any image for that matter of his late wife. It was as if Roy was determined to forget.

Her curiosity getting the best of her, she pulled open the top drawer of his bedside cabinet. It was about three-quarters full with numerous items, some of them seeming to have come from Roy's childhood. There was a photo of what looked like his parents, an old team photo from Little League, and tucked in under an assortment of memories was a little, navy box.

Jenny glanced at the door. She lifted the lid of the jewelry box. Inside was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. A blue stone sat in amongst six diamonds, each one catching and reflecting the light in multi-faceted brilliance. The setting was attached to a silver band. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Jenny felt a touch of sadness. Whoever Roy's wife had been, it was clear he had loved her. This ring stood as a symbol of that. It had been lovingly selected. Jenny was sure the woman that wore it had thought it just as beautiful as she did.

The sound of the shower shutting off made her shut it away again. She tucked the box back inside the drawer and drew a handful of papers on top to mask that she had been snooping. She closed the drawer softly just as his footsteps sounded in the hall.

“Hey.”

Roy looked a little sheepish when he entered the room. She had the impression this was a somewhat new experience for him. She liked that he hadn't experimented a lot with other women. It made her feel special.

“Ready to finally get some sleep?” she asked as she pulled back the covers and slipped inside. She moved across to the left-hand side of the bed as Roy toweled himself dry at the end of the bed. She thought it best if he slept beside his bedside table. It didn't feel right to lay between him and the memories of his wife.

“I am.”

He smiled mischievously as he crawled in beside her. He wrapped an arm under her shoulders and smiled when she curled up against his body.

“Between the investigation, the chase, and the shower, I'm worn out.”

“Not to mention a lot cleaner,” she teased.

I could get used to showers like that.

Jenny smiled contently as she rested an arm across his well-defined chest. It felt like heaven on earth. She wished this feeling could last forever, but they had work to do.

Chapter 25

Jenny woke with a start a few hours later.

She had been dreaming. Chloe was there with Isabelle. Jenny was trying to catch up with the two of them, but they always seemed to be a few too many steps ahead, just out of her reach. She had just managed to grasp a good hold of Chloe when she had been startled awake.

She lay there dazed and confused for a second or two. Roy was still slumbering beside her, his chest rising and falling with each breath he took. His snores were gentle and soft.

Jenny realized with a start that what had woken her was coming from the hall. The shrill sound of a telephone was muffled but determined through the bedroom door. Cursing under her breath, she climbed out of bed and grabbed Roy's housecoat from the back of the door. The fleece felt warm against her skin as she walked out into the cold hallway.

The caller was not letting up. The phone continued to ring as she trudged down the hall toward it. She picked it up, her voice still slurred by sleep.

“Yes?”

The liquor store owner, Lawrence, was on the other end of the line. His voice crackled. He sounded distressed.

“Miss Dale? It's Lawrence from the store in town. I think I made a terrible mistake yesterday.”

Jenny placed the phone against her other ear, using her free hand to tighten the housecoat belt.

“What do you mean?”

“I gave you the wrong information when you asked about the wine bottles.”

“Well, what did you mean to tell me instead?” she asked. “You can tell me anything, Lawrence.”

“I'm not going to say it all over the phone. It isn't safe. Can you and Roy come down to the shop this afternoon around five p.m. I'll be closing then, and we’ll be able to talk freely.”

“Okay. We'll be there.”

Jenny couldn't wait to hear what Roy would make of this. She went back to the bedroom to wake him up in her own special way.

She saw him lying there, looking as sexy as ever. His muscular chest, its tattoos, rising up and down with his breath.

She climbed quietly onto the bed, got under the blankets, and crawled up along his body, careful not to wake him. She stopped when she reached his boxer shorts and carefully pulled them down, letting his long cock fall out.

He moved slightly in his sleep but didn’t wake up.

Leaning close over him, she ran her tongue along the length of his cock. He moved again but still didn’t wake up. She was surprised to see that his cock was stiffening and growing, even though he was still asleep.

She ran her tongue all the way along it, from the base to the head, tracing the line of the vein on its underside. Roy moved but still didn’t wake up.

She felt very naughty and mischievous as she took the head of his cock into her mouth and began sucking on it gently. As it grew in her mouth, she brought it further and further into her throat, taking his full shaft into her throat.

“Oh, god,” she heard him groan up above the sheets.

He was beginning to wake up.

She ran her tongue in circles around his head, and then massaged the head of his cock with her tongue as her hand reached up to cup his balls.

He began to thrust very slowly and gently toward her, and she paused to see if he was awake. Miraculously he was still fast asleep.

She smiled and continued sucking, working the head of his cock skillfully, thinking about how much fun it would be to make him cum without even waking him. Would he even know it had happened?

She wasn’t sure.

She let his cock slide all the way into her throat and she could feel the early pulses and throbs of his orgasm getting ready to explode. She didn’t stop, she kept sucking and rising her mouth up and then back down on his shaft.

In a few more seconds, she tasted the first pulse of his semen flowing into her mouth. She swallowed it as another load throbbed out of his cock and into her mouth. His orgasm was gentler than when he was awake, but the thought of having coaxed it out of him without his knowledge gave her a strange thrill. It was naughty, like something she’d stolen, and it also gave her a feeling of control and power over him. She could do this to him any time she wanted, and he’d never know any better.

He’d love her more and more, need her more and more, and never know where it came from!

She waited for his orgasm to finish and licked him clean. Then she crawled up and snuggled in against his chest. He was still only half awake and she wasn’t sure if he knew what she’d just done to him.

“I love you, Jenny,” he mumbled.

Her heart jumped with joy.

“What?” she whispered.

But he was back asleep. He pulled her close against his chest and breathed deeply in his satisfied slumber.

Jenny had never felt so safe in a man’s arms.

* * *

Roy was eager to call the police commissioner straight after breakfast. He had dug through his old files in the study the night before and located the phone number on an old sheet of foolscap. He hoped it was still operational.

It took him by surprise when Jenny told him they should wait. He listened to her account of the curious phone call early that morning and agreed with her to meet Lawrence later that afternoon.

“I don't like holding off on this,” he told her as they collected up the breakfast dishes together. I feel like we should act fast. The longer we leave it, the longer Chief Cartright has to get his ducks in a row.”

“I agree, but Lawrence’s information may make our case even stronger.”

Roy shrugged as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

“What if his information turns out to be not so helpful after all? The police badge is enough to put Chief Cartright at the scene of Chloe's murder. It won’t matter how hard he's worked to keep their relationship a secret across town.”

“But what if Lawrence can give us more information on the blue wine bottle? If Chief Cartright orders it into the liquor store, then it also can place him at the scene of the fire. It could prove he tried to kill me.”

Roy put his head into his hands with a sigh.

“Fine. You're right.”

“Wouldn't be the first time.”

“We’ll wait it out until tomorrow morning.”

He held up a finger.

“But then we have to act. I hate the idea of that smug bastard sitting in his office thinking he's king of the heap when Joey is confined to a metal box.”

When is the last time you saw Cartright? Jenny asked

“Not for a couple days, now that I think about it. Not that I’m complaining. That guy has a knack for ruining a man’s day.” Roy said. “It’s possible he was the mysterious stranger in the woods the other day. If so, I think I hate him even more than I did before for what he did to my ankle.”

Jenny laughed.

“Then you must not have seen what he's been sporting on his face lately.”

“A soul patch? A new tattoo across his forehead that reads I'm a giant prick?”

“A black eye.”

He had to chuckle at how clearly overjoyed Jenny was about it.

“Joey took a pot shot at his face.”

“What makes you think it was Joey who took the shot? I can think of a few people who’d love to punch the smirk off that asshole’s face..”

“Joey had bruises on the knuckles of his right hand when I visited him at the station. I never thought to ask him about it, but it was as clear as day. I got a kick out of it.”

“Well, good on Joey.” Roy sat back in his chair, impressed with his friend’s guts. “He is my new hero.”

Jenny smiled sweetly across at him.

“Damn, and I thought it was going to be me.”

“You make a very close second.” he said as he reached across and squeezed her hand.

“I would have thought this morning’s interaction would have made me top-dog.”

“Ah, but you’ve never taken a shot at Cartright. You go see to that, and I’ll be waiting here with your crown.”

She raised an eyebrow with a laugh.

“I think if I did that I’d be sharing a cell with Joey. ”

“Not for long,” Roy reminded her. “When the police commissioner hears all of our evidence, Joey won't be staring at those four, stone walls much longer. He will be a free man and Isabelle will have her daddy back.”

Jenny nodded in response, but he noticed she had grown quiet.

“What's the matter?” he asked.

“It just doesn't seem real,” she admitted. “A week ago, I was offered the job of a lifetime. In a flash, it all disappeared, and I was forced to return to Ombrea to care for some young kid I had barely even met before. Now I'm trying to prove my brother's innocence, so I can get him out of jail. I'm a genuine aunt, I have you as a friend, and Ombrea doesn’t seem as bad as I had made it out to be in my mind. It's like my life took a U-turn. I'm in upside-down mode.”

“It's not so bad, is it”

Roy had been wondering what Jenny would do when the case was over and Joey had his freedom back. It filled him with dread.

“I miss what I had, yet I like what I’ve found here, too. I wish I could have both”

Jenny and Roy sighed deeply in unison, regarding each other fondly.

“How about we fish?” he suggested, rising to his feet. “It’ll help take your mind off things. Plus we have time to kill before we meet Lawrence.”

“It’s going to be worth the wait, believe me. He has to know something that will make our case even stronger.”

Roy hoped she was right.

Chapter 26

That evening, a little before five, Roy and Jenny drove into town.

They made a pit stop at Norma’s to leave Isabelle and the dog in her care. Isabelle seemed a little unsure when they dropped her off. Roy assured her that they would be there in a couple of hours to take her back to the cabin. It broke his heart that Isabelle was afraid of being abandoned. It was understandable for her to feel that way, having lost her mother, her father and nearly her aunt as well.

Their drive into the main part of town was mostly silent. Jenny was distracted. Roy didn't want to press her. He knew she had a lot to think about and that she would talk to him when she was ready.

He was very aware that the sight of him driving into town, Joey’s Dales’ sister in the cab of his truck beside him, would turn heads. He glanced in the rearview mirror and found a couple staring him down as he turned a corner.

Let them stare, he thought to himself.

“It's probably best that we don't park out front.”

Jenny had read his mind.

“We can pull into the library parking lot. It's behind the row of shops on Parson's Square.”

It was a great idea. Behind the shops, they had less chance of being seen. No one used the location after hours, and the library had been closed for a whole hour already.

They locked the truck, in spite of its missing window and turned down a path alongside the library. At this time of the evening, most stores had closed or were in the process of shutting down for the day. Only a few people remained on the once busy streets.

Roy led the way, making great strides, eager to hear what Lawrence had to tell them. Jenny hurried along beside him, her eyes to the ground to avoid the attention of strangers.

The bell above the shop door dinged as they entered. Jenny locked the door behind them to prevent anyone interrupting their meeting.

Lawrence came through the plastic curtain. Although he had called that morning to arrange the meeting, he appeared unhappy to see them. He ushered them in.

Roy stepped up to shake his hand.

“Hello there, Lawrence. Jenny said you remembered something you wanted to tell us.”

Lawrence nodded his head. He looked worriedly past them to the street, nervous that someone might see them.

“There's something that you should know.”

He wrung his hands together nervously. It was clear that he was uncomfortable about speaking to them.

“I can shut the blinds on the front window,” Jenny suggested. Perhaps eliminating the threat of being would help to put him at ease. She turned to fix the blinds, but Lawrence stopped her.

“No!” His voice softened. “Please. It's best we just go unnoticed in here.”

“How about we head into the back office? It's a little more private in there,” Roy suggested.

He was grateful when Lawrence agreed and led the way past the curtain. He glanced back to Jenny to make sure she was following behind.

“Any idea what we are about to hear?” he muttered to her as they passed through the blue curtain into the back of the shop.

“It has to have something to do with the wine bottle.” Jenny said quietly. “He started acting strange when I brought it up the last time. Maybe he’s changed his mind and is willing to talk.”

“Hopefully.” He held up crossed fingers.

He saw a smile pass across her lips. Each time he saw her smile, he felt as if the weight in his chest was slowly beginning to give way. Jenny had opened a door to something inside of him that he had been suppressing for a very long time. For the first time since Natalie had passed, he was able to be himself. No matter what happened between him and Jenny, he knew he would always be grateful to her for softening his heart.

Lawrence had to move aside some paperwork from the chairs in his office before they could all take a seat. Roy tried to help him out, but he waved him off impatiently. When the chairs were clear enough to take a seat, Roy gestured for Jenny to take a seat first and then he took his place beside her. Lawrence seemed a little unsteady as he took his own seat. When he finally settled into his chair, his hands still shook in his lap.

“Is everything okay, Lawrence?” Roy asked gently. “You look like you've been having a rough go of it.”

“Something has been going on through the shop lately that has made me rather uncomfortable.”

Lawrence bowed his head and averted their eyes in embarrassment.

“I feel like I've been taken advantage of.”

“Whatever you tell us won’t go past this office,” Jenny assured him, and Roy nodded his head in agreement. It seemed to settle Lawrence’s nerves some, but he still looked a little uneasy.

When Lawrence looked back up at them again, his eyes settled on Jenny.

“I'm sorry, Miss Dale.”

“Jenny, please.”

“Jenny, right.”

Lawrence took a deep breath.

“I'm afraid I lied to you when you were last in the shop. You asked about the blue wine bottle – the Rosaceae brand, to be specific. I've had it in the shop many times, but only on special order. Someone orders it here and picks it up the same day it comes in, two bottles at a time. I hate to admit it, but I get a good profit on it.”

“The brown paper bag Chief Cartright was carrying,” Jenny whispered in Roy’s ear. He nodded his head in agreement. She had to be right.

“Who orders it in?” he asked.

The old man shook his head in protest.

“I can't say who it is. He will know if I do.”

“He will never find out, I assure you,” Roy told him firmly. “This is all going to stay between us. The only other person it might reach is the police commissioner, and only so we can see to it that Joey Dale is released from prison where he is serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. The real murderer needs to take his spot in that dingy cell.”

“That's what you don't understand.”

Lawrence wasn’t convinced.

“He won’t ever go to jail for what he's done. He’s too smart for that. He has fooled everyone into believing he's an outstanding citizen, a dedicated authority figure in this town. No one is going to believe it if when we accuse him of Chloe Dale's murder.”

“They will if we can show them proof to back it up,” Roy countered. “And we have enough, so far, to at least cast reasonable doubt on Joey's guilt. What you tell us is just going to add to our case.”

“If he knows I've been involved in bringing him to ruin, he’ll come after me.”

“Does he have something to hold over you?”

It was Jenny who first realized what it was he feared. Lawrence’s hands shook as he reached for his desk drawer. He turned the old key wedged in the lock and pulled it open slowly.

“About three months ago, he came into the shop with this.”

He reached into the drawer and removed a manila folder. He passed it across to Roy as if it were full of explosives that might go off at any moment.

Roy could feel Jenny's eyes on the package as he cautiously pulled it open. Inside was a number of black and white, glossy photographs. Roy glanced over each one in turn before he passed them aside to Jenny. He hoped she would see more in them than he could. She took them silently. He watched her reaction to the content, but her face was expressionless.

The photographs were of a younger Lawrence. If she were to judge correctly, he was in his mid to late twenties. He wore an old-style waiter's uniform. The people in the background looked like they were well to do.

“I don't understand. What are these photos supposed to reveal?” Roy asked gently.

“That I'm still a wanted man.”

Lawrence took the photos back and carefully slid them into the manila folder. Then he locked it back away in the drawer.

“Forty years ago, a few friends and I were seniors in college. To make ends meet, we took jobs as waiters at the yacht club in town. It started as a little light thievery, but then it quickly became more advanced. Before long, we were six, cocky kids who just took whatever we wanted. We never got caught or charged for our crimes. I bought a nice house and made a life with a wife and kids with money I’d stolen. I took a gigantic step back from that risky business and bought this liquor store instead. I was determined to turn legit”

“But he threatened to turn you in if you didn't do what he said.” Roy nodded, finally understanding.

“He didn't want anyone to know he was having that special wine ordered here. He came in yesterday and reminded me that I had a shady past he was willing to expose if I dared to tell anyone that it was him who had the orders.”

“He was covering his tracks,” Roy said.

Lawrence nodded. “And he was doing a fine job of it, too. He has kept me on my toes these past few months. Every time he comes in the shop, I think it’s going to be the end of my life as I know it.”

“Well, it’s blackmail, and it’s all about to end, I promise you.”

Roy rose to his feet and gestured for Jenny to follow suit.

“Chief Cartright won't get away with what he's done. We found his police badge at the crime scene. With that and the evidence you provided today, we have enough to have him investigated.”

“I can't let this information get out.” Lawrence was at the door in an instant to stop them from leaving. “If any of it becomes public knowledge, I'll be arrested for what I've done. I can't go to jail now. I have spent far too long rebuilding my life.”

Roy patted the man on the shoulder.

“I'm going to make sure that never happens to you, Lawrence. I promise you that. As far as I'm concerned, you've made amends for your crimes in this community.”

“But you're not law enforcement anymore,” Lawrence pointed out.

He wasn’t convinced despite what Roy had told him.

“To those in a position of power, I'll just be another petty crook who got away with it. I'll be thrown in a jail cell for my crimes, regardless of how long ago I committed them.”

“We will make sure the people who matter see it our way.” Jenny stepped in, her voice reassuring and gentle. “We promise you, Lawrence, that we won’t let you go to jail for this. You’ve provided good information today that will help put Chloe Dale's killer in jail.”

“It feels like this nightmare will never end.”

Lawrence moved hesitantly aside let them pass to the front of the store. Everything was quiet on the street beyond the window, but Lawrence refused to leave the safety of his desk. “Thank you both for coming to hear me out. I'm relieved I got to tell my tale, no matter what the consequences will be.”

“Everything will be fine,” Roy reassured him again. “But if you need anything, you know where to find me.”

Everyone made bad decisions once in a while, and Roy believed that everyone should have the chance to make amends for them. He would make sure to talk to the police commissioner about letting Lawrence off with a warning for his help in solving the case.

Chapter 27

After returning home from the liquor store, Roy insisted that Jenny take a nap while he ran out to Norma’s in his truck to pick up Isabelle and the dog.

Jenny didn't know how Roy was managing to stand up straight, let alone keep his eyes open. He had gotten less sleep than her, yet he seemed energized. She imagined he was running on pure adrenaline. After all, they were getting so very close to freeing Joey from his horrible fate. In a matter of days, Joey would be free to step back out into his life and his name would be cleared.

Jenny couldn't have imagined a better ending. It was a far cry from the one she had envisioned when she first arrived in town. If the old Jenny had stuck around, Joey would be no closer to freedom. She didn't know how she could have lived with herself if she had never taken Roy up on the offer to explore other ideas.

Without Roy, she didn't know where she would be. He had a knack for surprising her. Often, he tested her limits, she found she enjoyed that. He gave her hope, especially when things were impossibly hard. He was her knight in shining armor.

She turned over in his double bed wishing he could have joined her. Their hot shower together still burned fresh in her mind, and she delighted in recalling the more passionate details of the experience. Roy had given her a new lease on life, not just in general, but in the bedroom as well. Before him, she hadn't been so cold when it came to lovemaking, but Roy drew out her deepest desires and passion. She couldn't imagine being intimate with anyone but him after that.

She was in a quandary. She wanted to be with Roy, but what would their future look like? And would they be on the same wavelength?

She had a career and a life back in New York. She had responsibilities to attend to there. Sooner or later, she would have to go back and face it, either to regain control or to begin packing up her things. As much as she found herself falling hard for Roy, the idea of moving back to Ombrea didn’t sit well with her. Instead, she felt dread. Dread for what her life would be like without a job or money.

It didn't seem fair that she would have to choose between love and money.

* * *

Roy was taking longer than planned, so Jenny assumed Norma had invited him in for dinner. Roy probably assumed she was still asleep and had taken her up on the offer. It had been a few days since Isabelle had seen her good friend, Norma, and so a little extra time would be just what the pair needed.

Jenny didn't feel like sleeping any longer. Instead, she preferred to keep busy. She had promised Roy she wouldn't call the police commissioner until he returned home, and she intended on keeping that promise.

She took a quick shower to wake herself up a little more. She wished he could have been in there with her. The memory of their last sexual encounter was still playing vividly in the back of her mind.

She fumbled through her duffel bag for something to wear. The pieces she had brought with her seemed foreign as she picked through the silk blouses and designer jeans. For the first in years, she just wanted to wear something simple, something that didn't make her stand out. She pulled on the most basic pair of jeans she had and turned to Roy's chest of drawers for her next bit of inspiration.

Finding an old army T-shirt of his that fit a little loose, she pulled it on. She didn't think he would mind. If he had a problem with it she would take it off for him. The thought brought an easy smile to her face. It had been far too long, she thought, since she’d had anything fun going on in her life.

Her work at the magazine had been enjoyable, but now that she had been away from it for a while, she found she didn't miss it quite as much as she’d thought she would. After her quick departure to Ombrea, she assumed the job offer had been voided, and wondered if she had a position at the magazine at all.

She didn’t mind. There were always other jobs and other positions in the fashion industry she could fall back on if she really had to. When she was out here in the cabin, the only thing she was really concerned about was a life with Roy. Having a big, fancy career and a closet full of designer clothes suddenly seemed much less of a priority.

Family also mattered. She decided to visit her brother in jail one more time.

She thought he must be lonely. If she were in his position, she knew she would be feeling that way. She felt a strong desire to tell him that this whole, horrible ordeal was almost over. They had enough evidence to go on and enough pin the murder on Chief Cartright.

Her stomach turned at the very thought of him. His stare still unsettled her. That was when the thought hit her. The stare of the stranger in the woods had the same effect.

But what would Chief Cartright be doing hanging around in the woods beside the cabin, she thought, as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. She remembered Roy had told her he had seen a stranger in the woods at the Dale property too.

Was Chief Cartright watching them, or was he looking for what he had left behind the day Chloe was killed?

After the attack on her at the Dale House with the Molotov cocktail, it was obvious he would do anything to keep his crime a secret, even going so far as to commit another murder. He had to be stopped before he tried anything else.

She was filled with an increased need to see her brother. She had to tell him everything that had happened since they last spoke. She checked out the kitchen window to see if Roy's truck had pulled back up the beach, but he was still nowhere in sight.

He didn't own a cell phone, recluses rarely do, so she penned him a note on a piece of scrap paper from his office and left it on the kitchen table for him to find. That way, he wouldn't be concerned if he came home to find the house empty. He would know that she was not in any danger.

Unless going to the Police Department were a dangerous place. Even if it were, it wouldn’t stop her from going to see Joey. Her little brother was stuck in that place feeling hopeless, and she wanted to put an end to it. He had to know that soon he would be a free man, and she wanted to be the one to tell him.

She grabbed her handbag and headed out to her car.

Chapter 28

The desk clerk looked up in surprise when Jenny entered the Ombrea police station that evening.

She didn't park in the lot. Instead, she chose to park downtown and make the walk up the hill to the station on foot. The idea of leaving her car in the lot like a sitting duck unsettled her. She didn't know what Chief Cartright might try and pull. Plus, it provided the added bonus of catching him by surprise.

“Miss Dale.”

Jenny forced a polite smile at the desk clerk's greeting.

“How may I help you today?”

“I'm here to see my brother again.”

Jenny stepped right up to the desk, this time not letting the older woman intimidate her. “Right away, please. It's important.”

The desk clerk raised her brow.

“You can't just walk in here and expect to see a prisoner whenever you want. This isn't a social club.”

“You can call whoever you need to call, but I have a right to see my brother. And I am not leaving until I do. He is still here, isn’t he?”

“He is. But he's being transferred in the morning.”

“Is that so?”

Jenny smiled at the very idea of it. So that was what Chief Cartright had in the works, was it? He was going to move her brother to a state penitentiary while he awaited trial. A trial, she reminded herself, that would never happen.

But what if something happened to Joey while he was in there? Her mind suddenly entertained all kinds of horrible scenarios, most of which she had seen on television late at night in her apartment. Joey could be injured or worse, killed in that kind of facility. Maybe that was what Chief Cartright had in mind when he planned to send Joey out there

“I need to see my brother. Now.”

The desk clerk reached for her phone. “I'll have to call through to Chief Cartright and make sure he agrees.”

“Forget it.”

Jenny pulled the strap of her purse higher onto her shoulder.

“I'll go speak to him myself.”

The desk clerk looked nervous. It was clear she didn't like protocol to be broken.

“But you can’t,” she said coming out from behind the desk. “That's not how we do it here.”

“It's how I’m doing it,” Jenny told her as she strode down the hallway.

The desk clerk hurried along at Jenny’s heels.

“If you think acting like this is how you are going to get your way, you are sadly mistaken. The Chief won’t stand for it. He will send you away without a second thought.”

The door to his office was closed, but Jenny knew Chief Cartright had to be in there. The desk clerk would have sent her away and told her he wasn't in if he weren’t there. She knocked once and then a second time a moment later. Not wasting any time, she turned the handle and pushed the office door open.

Chief Cartright was cleaning his service weapon when she entered. He dropped the gun in surprise. Luckily it was neither loaded nor in one piece or her entrance could have caused quite a tragic chain of events. He pushed it aside on the desk as he stood. Judging by his face, he did not liked to be interrupted and especially not by Jenny Dale.

“What’s the meaning of this?” he roared at the clerk. “We have an intercom system for a reason at this station. Visitors can't just walk around here doing what they damn well please!”

“That's what I told her, Chief,” his employee replied nervously, “but she demanded to see Joey Dale, and she wouldn't wait for me to page you.”

“That's enough.”

Chief Cartright waved her away with the back of his hand.

“Go back to your desk and get back to work. I'll take care of Miss Dale.”

Jenny glanced back to see the desk clerk nodding vigorously. Her face was white. She closed the door and left them alone together. Jenny could hear heels scurrying off down the hall.

“You've got some nerve, girl.”

Chief Cartright didn't sit back down. Instead, his steely blue eyes stared menacingly across the desk at her.

“You think this place is your own personal playground? In my police station, you respect my rules. You don’t just walk here unannounced.”

“I want to see my brother.”

“Why?”

Chief Cartright's lips tightened, his eyes squinting.

“I heard he is being transferred.”

His smile widened and she wanted to punch him in his idiot face. Just like Joey had done, she thought.

For the first time in her life, she realized she was proud of her younger brother. The bruise around Chief Cartright's right eye had faded, but it was still visible.

“I wanted to come and see him before you smuggled him away to another facility.”

“I'm not smuggling your brother away. He committed a crime. He has been arrested, and now he is awaiting trial. Our courthouse here is too small, so he has to go to the next town, one with a suitable facility.”

His smile didn’t fade as he spoke.

“It’s procedure, I assure you. It is all above board.”

Jenny laughed.

“Since when has your police work ever been above board?”

Chief Cartright's smile disappeared.

“Is that what you think, Miss Dale? Do you have some kind of complaint to file in regards to my police work?”

“I'm not here to discuss your shortcomings.”

“You're just here to see your younger brother.”

He nodded. It was clear to her that he was enjoying sparring with her.

“To say goodbye, or to talk about his shortcomings.”

At least he has never killed anyone, she wanted to say.

“I'm sure you are far too busy to stay here chatting with me.” Jenny smiled sweetly. “So why don't you just get that nice woman out there to fetch the key to the holding cell and I will get out of your hair.”

For a second, Jenny thought he would deny her request. He had the power to do so, after all. He could even have her forcibly removed from the police station if he really wanted to.

Instead, he reached for his desk phone and paged through to the clerk.

“Miss. Dale will be going through to see the prisoner. Make sure she’s in there no longer than a half hour.”

He placed the phone down forcibly in its cradle before he looked back up at Jenny.

“Will that be sufficient, Miss Dale? No one likes a long goodbye.”

Jenny didn't give him the benefit of a response. She turned for the door went back out into the hallway where the desk clerk would surely be waiting.

“Oh, by the way,” Chief Cartright's called out behind her, “I hope you didn't upset Lawrence too much when you went by the shop earlier. He is rather a sensitive man. Likes to keep to himself, you know.”

He was smirking when she glanced back at his face.

He was baiting her, and appeared to be waiting for another fight. He truly was making her uncomfortable, even though she fought to remain strong. She felt concern for Lawrence. They had visited him at closing time with the hope that they wouldn't be spotted. It seemed as if their best efforts had been for nothing. Chief Cartright had either seen them or been alerted by someone else.

“I don't know what you are talking about,” Jenny told him calmly. “We were there for a bottle of wine. Roy said Lawrence knew a good brand he thought I might like to try and was kind enough to let us in after hours to sample a glass. I hope that doesn't get him into any trouble, Chief.”

“What wine was that?” Chief Cartright asked.

“You might not know the brand since it's only sold in major cities. It's called Rosaceae. Comes in a neat, blue bottle.”

Jenny didn't give him a chance to respond as she closed the door firmly behind her. She knew her words had made an impact, even if she had not been there to witness it.

* * *

When Roy arrived back at the house with Isabelle and the dog in tow he found the cabin surprisingly empty.

It was Isabelle who found the note on the kitchen table and handed it to him. For one horrible moment, he had wondered if she had simply taken off for New York. He cursed himself for being so distrustful. He didn't want to doubt Jenny. He wanted to trust her completely. In the space of a few days, she had become everything that mattered to him.

He didn't like that she had thought to go to the police station without him. Chief Cartright clearly had it out for them, and it didn't seem right to send her into the lion's cage alone. They had planned on placing the call to the police commissioner as soon as he returned home. Now it looked like that would be delayed once again.

The note didn't state when she had left the cabin, so he had no clear idea of when she would return. He debated driving out to the station and to join her but he couldn't leave Isabelle. Jenny had already told him the dog had proven useless as a guard when the stranger had been creeping around outside. He slept right through it, in fact, more concerned with staying close to the girl than he was with keeping intruders at bay.

Roy sent Isabelle and her friend out onto the beach to play while he attempted to get his thoughts in order. He couldn't shake the idea that Jenny may be putting herself in danger. After all, Chief Cartright had to know by now that they were building a case against him. Roy had even come to the conclusion during the drive home that it had been the police chief he had chased through the woods the other night. He imagined Cartright had realized where he had dropped his badge and went back to retrieve it, only to find Roy had got there first.

Roy had originally left the badge locked away in a dresser drawer, but in the past two days, he had taken to carrying it around with him in the pocket of his windbreaker. He didn’t want Chief Cartright to break into his place in search of the badge. He had already done enough damage when he ransacked his truck. Roy had taped a piece of cardboard across the window until he could find the time to drive it down to the garage at the bottom of the hill and have the glass replaced.

He stood up from the kitchen table and looked out the window. He was hoping he would see Jenny's coming down the lane, but all was quiet.

He hoped she knew what she was doing.

Chapter 29

Jenny followed the desk clerk down to the holding cells.

Having been reprimanded by her boss, the clerk was reluctant to give Jenny her usual attitude. Instead, the walk was in silence. Jenny didn't mind. It gave her time to get her thoughts in order. She had, after all, only a half hour in which to tell Joey everything that had happened over the past couple of days.

She waited impatiently as the desk clerk unlocked the door and pulled it open. The clerk waved her inside and closed the door firmly behind her.

Joey stood up from his bunk when she entered. He looked surprised to see her there again but smiled. It was a welcome change from the distrust she had seen on his face at their last visit.

“You're back.”

He stepped up to the bars.

“I'm being moved in two days, Jenny. Chief Cartright wants to transfer me out to the medium security prison in the next town.”

He looked worried, and Jenny's heart went out to him. If she could have dragged him from this mess right this instant, she would have, but it would all be over soon, and he would once again be a free man.

“I don't think that's going to happen,” she told him. “I'm calling the police commissioner.”

“What?” Joey was wide-eyed as he looked through the bars at her. “Jenny, you don't understand. He's going to want solid evidence. He won't leave his office for less.”

“But we do have solid evidence, Joey.”

She reached through the space between the bars and squeezed his shoulder.

“You're going to be out of there soon, little brother. Just hold on a little while longer.”

Joey still didn't look entirely convinced by her claims.

“What evidence? What do you have?” he asked.

“Roy went back to your house.”

“I thought you said it had been damaged in the fire.”

“Only the ground floor. Fire Chief Miller gave him the key so he could go in and do a little investigating of his own.”

“Isn't that illegal?” he cut in suddenly. “They could get in big trouble for doing an unauthorized search like that.”

She waved off his question.

“I'll get back to that.”

She continued on with her story.

“Roy searched your bedroom to see if there was anything the police may have missed. He was looking for something that would pin the murder on someone else.”

“I doubt there was anything there.”

He studied her smile critically, as if he weren't sure he could entirely trust it.

“He found something under the bed. It was a police badge. Roy said that the number printed on the front isn’t yours.”

“No, it wouldn’t be,” Joey told her. “My uniform is here. It was confiscated when I was placed in here, because it had Chloe's blood on it. Chief Cartright has it locked away somewhere as evidence.”

“Roy wrapped it up in a handkerchief and has kept it with him ever since. He thinks Chief Cartright came back for it the night he was going through your room.”

“Chief Cartright?” Joey looked stunned to hear the news.

Jenny realized with horror that she had never actually told her brother that she and Roy had come to that conclusion. She felt a sinking feeling of guilt in the pit of her stomach. This wasn't the way he should have found out.

She watched as he sunk down onto his cot with his head in his hands.

“Joey, I'm so sorry.”

Joey looked suddenly up at her. His face was drawn in pain, and she immediately wanted to step past the bars and go to him.

“He was the one having an affair with Chloe?” Joey asked.

He stared at her until she nodded her head slowly.

“Damn it,” he cursed under his breath.

“I'm so sorry I told you like that.”

Jenny felt tears welling up in her eyes. She had wasted so many long years not caring what her brother was doing with his life or how he was doing. Now, it was one of her highest concerns.

“Chief Cartright was sleeping with my wife.”

She knew Joey was barely listening to her. His head was so wrapped up in the news he had just heard.

“That bastard was with Chloe.”

“Joey.”

Her voice wavered as she looked in on his broken face. She didn't know what else to say.

“Damn it, Jenny. Why did it have to be him, of all people? I get that Chloe wasn't happy with me. We married young and had Isabelle. But why did she have to go out of her way to hurt me like that?”

He looked up at her, tears streaming down his face. “Was I that horrible?”

“No,” she told him gently. “Chloe should never have started an affair. She should have known better.”

There had been many conversations with Chloe where she told her best friend that Joey was the one who should have known better or Joey should be the one making sure Chloe knew he cared. It seemed strange to have the conversation in reverse now. She wished that her best friend had just been straight with her. She had never agreed with the concept of having an affair, but she thought Chloe could have told the truth.

“Did she ever tell you about it?”

Jenny had been expecting the question. She would have asked the same thing.

“No. Chloe never said a word to me about it. I think she knew what I would have told her.”

“To leave me, take Isabelle and head for the city?” Joey muttered.

“No, I never would have told her to leave you.”

“You hated me,” Joey reminded her. “So why didn't you?”

“Because.”

“Because what?” he demanded.

“Because that's not how you sort things out!” she yelled back at him. “You don't run and hide. You face things and make sure they get sorted out, or you just end up sad and alone with nothing to live for.”

She dropped back, her throat sore from raising her voice. Tears pricked at her eyes. She knew she was talking about herself when she made that statement. Running away had been exactly what she had done all those years ago. She could have stayed and made amends with her brother. Heck, she could have left and still made an effort to reconnect with him.

Instead, she had put more distance between herself and her brother. In light of the events of the past few days, she was becoming more unsure of why she had left Ombrea so many years ago. It was clear that if she had stayed and worked at building their relationship back up, she would have benefited greatly.

“Oh, Jenny, we’ve got the world's worst sibling relationship, don't we?”

“I think we got most people beat,” she said with a playful smirk.

He looked up at her cautiously.

“Think we could ever fix it?”

“Busting you out of this place is a start.”

He held up his hands like a man looking for salvation.

“Hallelujah! If you can get me out of this hell-hole, I’ll be the best little brother in the world.”

“I'd settle for my brother back.”

Chapter 30

Roy was relieved when Jenny's Neon rolled into view.

He had grown tired of pacing the cabin and had taken a beer out onto the front porch to wait. That one beer had quickly turned into two as he impatiently anticipated her return. Isabelle and the dog had been too distracted to notice that Jenny hadn't come home yet.

Jenny raised her hand, waving as she closed the driver's side door. He stood as she came to meet him and stepped up onto the wooden deck. He took her in his arms and held her there tightly.

“What kind of an idiot move was that?” he asked into her hair. “You think it was a good idea to walk into the lion's den alone like that?”

“Well, he didn't eat me,” she responded as she tilted her face up to meet his dreamy eyes. “He tried, but I put up a good fight.”

“I wasn't joking,” he cautioned her gently. “Chief Cartright is no fool. We've got to be smart about how we handle him.”

“It looks like we weren't smart enough.”

Jenny nodded toward his deck chair, and he sank back into it. She settled into the one beside him.

“He knows that we went to see Lawrence.”

“What?”

Roy sat forward, concerned. He looked across at her.

“What happened at the station?”

“Chief Cartright mentioned to me that he knew we had been. He made out like we were harassing Lawrence by going.”

“Because he's done the old man so many favors,” Roy muttered sarcastically. “He's been an absolute saint.”

Jenny nodded.

“He said Lawrence was a sensitive fellow who liked to keep to himself.”

“That's a threat if I've ever heard one,” Roy told her. “He thinks he has the upper hand because he could unleash Lawrence’s secret at any time.”

“Right.”

Jenny still felt horrible for what she had told her brother earlier. It wasn't any easier telling Roy what had happened. “There was something else, too. I accidentally told Joey that our prime suspect is Chief Cartright.”

He realized that he hadn't even considered what it would be like to share that news with Joey. He had been more focused on proving the guy’s innocence than he had been about keeping him in the loop. He had been to visit Joey before, last week, in fact, before Jenny got to town. Joey had told him everything he knew and not once had Cartright’s name come up. It was clear Joey didn’t have any idea his superior had been sleeping with his wife.

He suddenly felt guilty for not having at least mentioned that it was a possibility. After Roy had started trying to get the town on his side about Joey, Chief Cartright made it very clear he wasn't to show his face around the station anymore. Roy backed off, but his investigation continued, much to the Chief's annoyance.

Roy had never thought to tell Jenny to explain what their investigation had turned up to Joey, either. They had both been more concerned with letting him know he was soon to be a free man.

“Hey, now.”

He caught sight of Jenny's tears and reached out his hand. She took it gratefully and squeezed tightly.

“Where are those tears coming from? It's only going to get better from here, I promise you that, Jenny.”

“He looked so heartbroken. He knew she had been having an affair behind his back, but he hadn't known the traitor was someone so close to home.”

“If it was going to be anyone, it had to be someone in town.” Roy reminded her gently. “Whoever it turned out to be, Joey was going to know them to some degree. That's what a small town is all about. Everyone knows everyone else and a large amount of their business, too.”

“I worry he's going to do or say something while he's in there that gets him in even deeper trouble.”

“Joey is a pretty smart guy. You told him about the call to the police commissioner, I assume?”

She nodded her head.

“Then he already knows his time in there is about to come to an end. He wouldn't be so foolish as to risk it all now when he's so close to being free.”

“He might still act on it, regardless. He looked so hurt in there. He was like a caged animal.”

“But he has to be considering the bigger picture, too,” Roy pointed out. “He has Isabelle to think about. He wouldn't jeopardize returning home to her by acting like an idiot in there. You've got to give your brother a little more credit.”

“I guess I do.”

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

“I guess there has to be a first time for everything.”

“I have another first for you,” Roy told her as he dropped her hand to rise to his feet. “You, Jenny Dale, will soon have your first phone conversation with a police commissioner.”

“How dreadfully exciting.”

He was grateful to see her smiling again.

* * *

Bright and early the next morning, Jenny waited nervously on the line as the phone began to ring.

She knew what she had to say to the police commissioner. Roy had coached her through a basic story that would get them off the hook for one or two of the illegal aspects of their investigation, such as the circumstances surrounding the retrieval of the police badge. As much as she hated lying, but if they admitted to being in the house after the fire, it might give reason to suspect that they had planted the badge at the scene. The police had done an initial search, after all, and had not discovered it.

“Chief Cartright wouldn't have wanted them looking too hard. He probably hurried the search for clues, insisting that they had their man already. Joey had cradled Chloe's body in his arms when he found her, so he had her blood all over his uniform shirt. Joey was a sitting duck. ”

Jenny agreed he was probably right.

Just when she was ready to end the call, a woman came on the line. She sounded out of breath as if she had rushed to answer the call.

“Police Commissioner Gatrall's office, who, may I ask, is calling?”

“Uh, this is Jenny Dale.”

She was rattled. The commissioner’s name hadn't been the same one that Roy had found scribbled on a piece of paper in his office. She held the phone a little tighter.

“My brother is Officer Joey Dale of the Ombrea Police Department. I would like to speak to the police commissioner about how his case is being handled.”

“Your brother has been accused of a crime, ma'am?”

“Murder.” Jenny swallowed hard. Her mouth felt horribly dry. She thought she would have more confidence when it came to making this call, but even the receptionist was making her nervous.

“The Ombrea police department, did you say?” Jenny could hear computer keys clicking in the background.

“Yes, it's in West Virginia.”

“I know where it is, ma'am. Hold on one second.”

A burst of jazz suddenly replaced the receptionist's voice.

“Well?” Roy mouthed at her as she turned to him.

“I think she put me on hold.”

He gave her a thumbs-up.

“That's a good sign.”

She switched the phone to her other ear so she could rub her hand on her jeans. It was slick with sweat.

“I don't think I can do this.”

“Relax, you're doing great so far. Just stay calm.”

“Hello?” A male voice suddenly replaced the jazz music in her ear.

“Miss Jenny Dale?”

“Just Jenny, please.”

It was clear she had been taken by surprise. Roy hoped she could keep it together.

“Well, Just Jenny, what can I do for you? My receptionist says you’re calling in regards to your brother, Joey, who is an officer with the Ombrea Police Department.”

“He is. I mean, that's exactly why I'm calling. He's been arrested for the murder of his wife, Chloe.”

“I think I've heard about this case.”

The commissioner didn't let on to how much he knew.

“I've got the time to listen to whatever it is you want to tell me about it.”

“You see sir, he didn’t' do it.”

“No?”

“No, he was set up. I have the evidence to prove it, too, sir.”

“Set up by whom?”

The commissioner didn't seem confident in her claim.

“And what evidence is this?”

Jenny took a deep breath before she continued. “I believe he was set up by Chief Cartright, sir.”

“Chief James Cartright?”

She could hear the commissioner moving papers around on his desk.

“You're telling me that your brother was set up by his own supervising officer?”

“Indeed, I am, sir. Like I said, I have evidence to back up my claims.”

“Go on.”

“I'm the last surviving relative of my brother's daughter, Isabelle. I came to Ombrea to take care of her while her father is in jail,” Jenny explained.

She kept her eyes on Roy for strength as she continued.

“I was cleaning up the house. I didn't think Isabelle should have to see the bedroom where her mother had died in such a state. I found a badge tucked under the bed.”

“What kind of badge was this?”

“Sorry, a police badge sir. My brother's badge is still pinned on his uniform at the police station. There’s a rumor going around town that I had confirmed by my brother. His wife had been having an affair with someone in town. I know for a fact that the badge I found under his bed was not Joey's police number, so I feel confident enough to say that it must have belonged to Chloe's lover. ”

“Chloe being his wife?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is it an official police badge, though?”

The commissioner asked her the one question she hadn't been expecting.

“How can you be sure it's not a prop from part of a costume?”

“I know it's real, sir. I asked a veteran police officer in town to confirm it for me.”

She heard the creak of a desk chair. It was clear the commissioner was considering her claims.

“What is the name of this veteran police officer?”

“Roy Peters.”

Much to her surprise, the commissioner began to laugh.

“Roy Peters? Did he mention ever having been in the armed forces?”

“Uh, yeah, I think he was.”

She glanced down at the army shirt she had borrowed from Roy's drawer only this morning.

“He definitely was.”

“Then I know Roy Peters quite well,” the commissioner explained. “I was leading his group on my last tour of Afghanistan. He's definitely a good man. He even saved my life once, although he is too modest to admit to it.”

Jenny felt like jumping up in the air. This man knew Roy, and quite well, by the sound of it. It looked as if they might have an easier job of this than she had first thought.

“He has been a big help with my brother's case,” Jenny explained with new confidence. “He saved my life too, sir. That was what I was getting to. We think Chief Cartright may have caught on to what I had found, because he threw a Molotov cocktail through the living room window of my brother's home. I believe he had every intention of killing me and destroying any evidence left behind.”

“That's an awfully big claim, Miss Dale,” the commissioner told her. “You found the police badge in your brother's home. You think it may be Chief Cartright's police number. I fail to see how you now have connected him to the arson?”

“When I first came to the house, I noticed a blue wine bottle in the fridge. It's called Rosaceae. It's an expensive brand you usually only find on the shelves of specialty wine stores in the big cities.”

“It's in my fridge too, as a matter of fact.”

“Right. I'd seen it at my editor's party once before and gone to buy a bottle. Chloe enjoyed wine as much as the next person, but she was always going for the cheapest brand or the prettiest label. I couldn't see her spending that much on wine.”

“Go on.”

“I saw the Molotov cocktail right before the living room set alight. It was in a blue bottle exactly the same as the one that had been in Chloe's fridge. The fire chief here has even confirmed that.”

“Okay. You've got my interest.”

Jenny was on a roll now.

“I went to the liquor store in town on the off chance he may be stocking it. He said he had never seen it in his life, but he seemed on edge. He called me the next day and asked me to come back into the store with Roy.

“He admitted he had been forced to lie. He told us that Chief Cartright had been the one ordering in the Rosaceae wine. Lawrence, the shop owner, used to be a petty thief back in his college days. He's going on in years now, but Chief Cartright was holding his past crimes against him to get the man to do his bidding. He was terrified that if he didn't order the wine in each week and keep it an absolute secret from anyone who asked, he would be sent immediately to jail.”

“Will he repeat this to me if I ask?”

“I think he will, sir. But he's terrified of what may happen in regards to his petty theft. He's been out of that business for over twenty years. I don't think he even associates with the same people he ran around with back in the day.”

“I promise to be gentle with him, Miss Dale, if he cooperates, but I do need to hear this story from him.”

“I understand, sir.”

“I'll have to come into town and see what this is all about first hand. I'll head out there in the morning and touch base with you then. Is this the number I can reach you at?”

“Yes, sir, it's Roy Peters’s number.”

The commissioner started to chuckle again.

“Roy Peters. Who would have believed I would ever see him again? Okay, Jenny. I'll be in touch.”

Chapter 31

Roy couldn't believe how excited Jenny was as she said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.

“I'm assuming it all went well, then?” he asked, flinching as she jumped up on him.

She pulled him close before backing up just enough to plant a big kiss on his lips. He reacted quickly, his hand sliding up her lower back as he held her close.

“He's coming in the morning,” she explained when they finally released each other and he could catch his breath.

“He said he will call when gets to town. He wants to talk to Lawrence first.”

“What about Lawrence’s past? Do you think he's going to prosecute him?”

“He said he would go easy on him.”

She had a mischievous glint in her eye.

“But that's not even the best part.”

“What?”

Roy didn't know what it could be.

“Does he believe we have a case?”

“I think he does. He must be interested if he is coming into town. But listen, you’re not going to believe this.”

“He knows you. He said you did a tour in Afghanistan together.”

“Is that so?”

“The name on the paper you gave me was wrong. He must have retired. I spoke with a guy called Gatrall.”

“Gatrall?”

Roy couldn't believe it.

He knew Ben Gatrall well. Ben had been his commanding officer when he was in Afghanistan and he had been glad to be assigned to his platoon. Ben was a good soldier, and an good-natured one at that.

They had been sent one afternoon to deliver some basic supplies to a settlement about five miles off base. Everything went according to plan until about half way along the route. The truck needed to be stopped so that the supplies could be secured. The rough terrain often loosened the best of knots.

Even though he was in charge, Ben still jumped down from the cab to do it. He was whistling as he walked around to the back of the truck.

Roy followed along to help him, and that was when he saw a black sliver poking out of the sand. He tackled Ben to the ground seconds before he would have stepped on it and blown them all away.

Ben had been praising him ever since. To Roy, it was just a part of the job. They lost touch when Roy was ordered to retire. Roy couldn't recall having reconnected with any of his army buddies after he set up home in Ombrea. He knew he could never face that life again, not even in conversation. It was best for everyone, especially himself, if he put his army days behind him.

But Ben Gatrall would be coming into town the next morning. His connection to Roy might even be what had piqued his interest in Joey Dale's case.

For Joey, Roy was sure he could pull himself together and see Ben again.

* * *

“Jenny?”

“Speaking.”

“It's Ben Gatrall. I'm calling to say I made it into town.”

“Thank you again for coming out, sir. You can't imagine how much we appreciate you hearing us out.”

“Of course. I'm going to head to the liquor store now and speak to Lawrence. I was hoping to come out and see Roy after if he's available.”

“He should be.”

Jenny glanced down the hall to the bathroom door.

Roy had seemed quiet since she told him Ben Gatrall was the police commissioner who would be handling the case. She assumed he would be overjoyed. After all, it meant they had someone on their side who trusted them. All they had to do now was explain the aspects of the case to him and have it backed up by people like Lawrence and Joey. It seemed pretty straight forward. Joey could be a free man by the end of the day.

Yet, Roy wasn't showing the same level of excitement. He was moody and quiet, so she had left him to himself, only speaking to him when he started a conversation with her first. Once or twice, she thought she noticed his hands shaking, but he had quickly shoved them out of sight or left the room to avoid confronting it. She didn't dare ask him about it. She knew that when he was good and ready he would be straight with her.

“Great. I just need the address.”

Jenny gave him the directions he would need to reach the cabin and ended the call.

Finally, everything seemed to be going their way. She shot another nervous glance toward the bathroom. She wished Roy would tell her what was going on with him.

* * *

Roy had long ago finished washing. The once hot water was beginning to run cold, but he couldn't find it in himself to leave the shower just yet. He rested his forehead against the cold tile and closed his eyes.

Normally, he would have spent this alone time thinking about Jenny. Being with her felt so right. She had saved him.

But now he couldn't focus on that. His mind was swirling with memories he had long ago suppressed, sometimes with a few shots of whiskey. He couldn't get away from the thoughts no matter how hard he tried. He could hear the shouts of men in his head and the whirr of helicopter blades. He could smell the stench of congealed blood on his uniform. He could still feel a twinge of pain when he touched his right shoulder.

That was where the bullet had pierced him. He had broken his arm as a kid, but he had never experienced pain like this before. It tore through every inch of his body. The pain grew in intensity with each passing second. He could still feel his shoulder blade shifting when he moved his right arm too far back.

The men he had been with at the time had dragged him back to the convoy and got him to the closest medical unit. He could remember the face of the medical doctor who had helped to patch him back up as if he had just seen him yesterday. But it was the doctor's words that had haunted him ever since. You'll be back out there in no time, son.

Roy didn't want to be back out there. The shot to his shoulder shook him up. He was weak now, damaged goods. He couldn't go back out and face this all again. He wanted to run back to shelter. He knew he was a failure. He knew he was letting down his own country, his own friends, even, but he couldn't shake the fear.

A knock at the bathroom door startled him.

“Roy?”

Jenny wiggled the door knob.

“Roy, are you okay in there?”

“Yeah, I'll be out in a minute.”

Roy turned off the shower and stood there for a moment.

“I just have to get dressed.”

“Okay.”

He could hear the worry in her voice. He hated that she was concerned about him.

He stepped out of the shower and looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. He didn't like the man staring back at him.

Roy dressed quickly in his bedroom. He had shut the door in the hopes it would keep Jenny from walking in to talk to him. Luckily for him, it worked. She kept her distance.

He hated himself for keeping her at bay like this. A couple of days ago, he would have loved for her to walk in. He would have loved to take her in his arms and spend the next hour or so in bed with her.

Isabelle's girlish scream cut through the morning air, startling him.

Roy hurried to the bedroom window but it looked out over the woods and there wasn't anything to see. He opened the bedroom door and headed out into the hall.

Jenny was standing in the cabin doorway looking frantically out over the beach and the lake beyond. She was shaking her head. It appeared she didn't have a good sight of Isabelle, either.

“Where is she?” he asked frantically as he went for the only weapon he had within reach, his Swiss army knife.

“Jen, where is she?!”

“I don't see her.”

Jenny turned to him frightened, her eyes filled with tears.

“I don't see her, Roy.”

“Move aside.”

He pushed past her and ran onto the deck as another piercing scream filled the air. He couldn't waste any more time. He raced down the steps two at a time and onto the beach. His knife was out, ready for anything.

The war fresh on his mind, his instincts told him that danger could be lurking around any corner. Isabelle was all that mattered right now, PTSD or not. He could face any danger, as long as she was okay.

He rushed to the lake, but he couldn't see her out in the water. The dog was nowhere in sight, so he figured it had still to be with the child.

Roy circled around and headed for the woods. Maybe she had gone in a little too far and had lost her way. He was moving closer toward the tree line when he caught sight of her.

She had been playing near the woods, judging by the collection of pine cones at her feet. Her back was turned to him, her blue eyes wide and fixed on the tall figure moving toward her. The approaching figure had a handgun in one hand, although he didn't have it aimed at her. Isabelle was terrified.

Roy hurtled toward them at full speed. It was Chief Cartright. It had to be.

He yelled out to Isabelle that he was coming. He wanted her to know that she wasn't alone, that he was coming to rescue her.

Roy felt the sudden pain of a bullet ripping his shoulder. The jolt of the impact halted him in his tracks.

He brought a hand to the wound to slow the bleeding, but he could already feel the blood oozing through the cracks of his fingers.

He groaned in pain as he willed his legs to keep going. He had to get to Isabelle before the man could do her harm.

There was still a lot of ground to close between them. Isabelle had been backing up and was almost to the water's edge. Chief Cartright was just beyond her at the edge of the woods and dressed entirely in black. Roy was now certain it had been Cartright who he was chasing through the woods the night he went to the house.

Roy couldn't let the police chief get to Isabelle before he did.

“Cartright, stop this now,” he ordered loudly, his voice echoing across the beach.

Roy pushed on. His body threatened to give out beneath him as the pain consumed him. His shirt was warm and soaked with blood. He was beginning to feel woozy.

“Cartright, stop this madness!”

Roy’s face was dripping with sweat. He struggled to keep his eyes fixed on the police chief, but his vision was growing foggy. Cartright raised his gun a second time.

He heard Isabelle scream again, and the splash of water as she fell back into the lake. Everything else seemed to happen in a flash. He heard the angry bark of a dog, and then the crack of a pistol being fired. There were footsteps pounding down from the beach toward them. Two sets, if he wasn't mistaken. Jenny was the only one at the cabin. Who could be with her?.

Roy dropped to his knees as his legs gave way. No longer possessing the strength to hold himself up, he rolled onto his back in pain. Jenny's face hovered over him in a blur as he lay there dazed and exhausted. Something pressed against his wound. He yelled out in agony and squirmed until they retreated.

The sound of another shot a short distance away made him jump. He felt sure Isabelle was gone. You let her down, he told himself. You were supposed to keep her safe from harm, and you failed.

“Roy? Roy?”

It had to be Jenny, he decided as he felt hands pressing down on his chest. Another face appeared above his head and then a third, furrier one.

“Roy? Are you awake?” Isabelle was looking down at him, her face struck with worry. Strands of blonde curls dangled over his face, tickling his nose. He was so relieved to see her there. He’d thought she was shot. He wished he had the strength to embrace her.

“Roy, wake up!”

“I’m awake,” he murmured.

Someone pressed down on his wound again, and he cried out for mercy from the pain.

“I have to keep pressure on it so you don’t bleed out,” Jenny said, her voice firm. “I’m not going to let you die on me, Roy Peters.”

“How is he?” a male voice called from somewhere in the distance.

A figure approached, and a male face came into view.

“Good to see you, Roy. I've already called an ambulance, and they’re on their way now. You're going to be just fine.”

“What…,” Roy fumbled for words. The pain in his shoulder was relentless. His body felt numb, and his head was pounding.

“Save your strength,” Jenny whispered. “Help is on the way.”

“Cart...right,” he moaned. “What-”

“Dead, I'm afraid,” the male told him. “He turned the gun on the little girl, and I had to act fast. I had to take him down before he took the shot.”

“It's a good thing Ben came by when he did. He pushed back his interview with Lawrence so he could see you first,” Jenny explained. “A stroke of luck if ever there was one. It's a sure sign you’re going to be just fine, Roy.”

“Just fine,” Roy murmured.

His head felt muddled. His mouth was dry. He closed his eyes just to take the pressure off his head.

“Just fine,” he repeated as he let himself sink away into the black.

Chapter 32

Jenny had asked Ben if she could be the one to tell her brother he was free to go. They had only just met and already she owed him so much. He had saved not only Roy and Isabelle, but Joey too.

Jenny shuttered to think what would have happened if she’d had to come up against Chief Cartright by herself. Thank goodness, Ben arrived when he did.

The police station was quiet when she arrived. The officers who had been working under Chief Cartright had been ordered to give detailed interviews about their involvement. From what Ben had told her back at the cabin, there was going to be a complete change of leadership in the department.

Regarding Lawrence, Ben had agreed not to press any charges. Lawrence was over the moon when Ben stopped in at the liquor store to tell him personally that he would remain a free man.

Ben now had a very expensive bottle of Scottish whiskey stored in the trunk of his car. As much as he protested that a gift wasn't necessary and that he was just doing his job, Lawrence refused to let him leave the shop without it.

Jenny parked her car in the lot. The station seemed less intimidating as the automatic doors swished open ahead of her. The desk clerk was deep in discussion with Ben on the far side of the lobby, so she hung back until their talk appeared to be finished.

When it was time to go through to see Joey, Ben motioned for her to follow him up the hall.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, a smile unfurling on his lips. “We could leave him in there another day or two. Make him sweat.”

“Very funny.”

Jenny waited nervously as Ben unlocked the holding cell door and led the way inside.

Joey stood up from his bunk at the sight of his visitors. He’d been expecting his transfer that day and was already on alert. He looked concerned when he saw Ben walking alongside her. It was clear to Jenny that her brother recognized his superior.

“Police Commissioner Gatrall.”

Joey extended his hand through the bars.

“I didn't expect to see you here. No one told me you were coming, he said as Ben shook his hand warmly”

“I didn't expect to be in Ombrea today, Officer Dale, but your sister was rather insistent I come take a look at your case.”

Jenny couldn't help but smile at his reaction when Joey glanced her way in surprise.

“Well, thank you, sir. It means a lot to me that you would even consider coming by.”

“You’re getting evicted, Dale.” Ben raised an eyebrow, “unless you’d prefer to stay.”

“No, sir,” Joey shook his head quickly, “not a bit.”

He waited with anticipation as Ben found the key on the chain and unlocked the sliding, metal door of his cell. Joey almost tripped in his rush to be free. He shook Ben's hand quickly again before he brought Jenny in for a long, strong hug.

“I can’t believe you did it.” he cried into her hair. “You got me out, Jen!”

“We don't like to keep innocent men in jail any longer than we have to,” Ben told him firmly. “The public frowns upon it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more interviews to conduct. Officer Dale,” he said, offering his hand to the younger officer one last time, “on behalf of the Ombrea Police Department, I apologize for the way you've been treated. You are now free to go.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Joey was ecstatic.

“Thank you so much for all you've done for me.”

“Thank your sister and Roy Peters. They were the ones who didn’t give up on you. You’ve got a good family there, son.”

“Yes, I do, sir,” Joey said proudly. “I really do.”

* * *

Roy didn’t think he had any friends in town. That was until he got shot.

His hospital nightstand was littered with gifts and well wishes sent to him from various folks around town. Most of them he barely knew, let alone had a friendship with. Still, everyone wanted to wish him a speedy recovery.

Even Isabelle had jumped on the bandwagon. He kept his vase of colorful wildflowers from the Dale property right beside his bed so he could see them all the time.

The last time he had seen Jenny was after he had come out of surgery.

After passing out on the sand, there was little he actually remembered about the incident. He must have lost a lot of blood.

Jenny and Isabelle had been allowed to come in while he regained consciousness from the anesthesia. Their faces were as blurry as they were when he was still lying out there at the cabin, but it was comforting to know they had stayed with him.

Jenny told him that when Chief Cartright had gone to deliver the shot that would most likely have killed him, the dog had rushed up and knocked the chief back. Chief Cartright had fumbled, but remained standing, choosing to point his weapon at the child instead. That was when Ben had stepped in and delivered the shot that left Chief Cartright dead in the sand.

Roy was glad it was all finally over. He hadn't expected it to end this way. He had thought that the police commissioner would arrest Chief Cartright and he would stand trial for his crimes. Joey would be free, and Isabelle would finally be reunited with her father. Jenny would stay with him at his cabin, and they would all live happily ever after. It seemed a pretty good ending in his eyes.

Chapter 33

As much as she wanted to, Jenny couldn't visit Roy for another hour due to hospital regulations.

Tired of his sister impatiently pacing the cabin, Joey had pulled her outside to the beach. Together, they had moved the chairs from the deck down onto the sand so they could enjoy the warm weather while it was still available. Before long summer would come to a close and fall would quickly set in its place.

Jenny couldn't imagine how beautiful the cabin must look in fall colors. She couldn't wait to see it, but that was what she needed to talk to Roy about.

She watched as Joey flopped easily into his chair. He looked a thousand times better than he had done when he had been in that dingy jail cell. He was cleaner and now, thankfully, well fed for a change. He had taken an old pair of clippers from Roy's bathroom to his hair and trimmed it so it was shorter than normal. The look suited him more than his longer hair ever had.

Jenny's mind couldn't help but slip back to the events of yesterday morning. It had been a horrible event that thankfully had come to a close rather quickly. Chief Cartright would no longer be causing any more damage in this town. Yet, there were some aspects of it that she found she couldn't quite wrap her head around.

“I keep thinking, why didn't he just wait until the commissioner wanted to speak to him? He could have tried to sway him to his case,” Jenny asked. “He could have called us liars, or at least prepared some kind of defense. Instead, he just made himself look even guiltier by coming after us.”

“He wasn't in his right mind. You've got to remember that,” Joey reminded her softly. “He was a smart criminal, but he was still a man somewhere deep underneath. He knew you were onto him when Roy discovered that badge at the house. He must have been monitoring the holding cell feed and determined you knew it was him for sure. That was why he acted. You were going to ruin him, and he wanted to ruin you first.”

“But it doesn't make much sense,” Jenny protested.

“Jen, he was a twisted individual. Can't you just be relieved that he got what was coming to him all along?” Joey closed his eyes as he leaned back into the deck chair. “He's finally been stopped.”

Jenny nodded her head. She watched as the summer breeze played across her younger brother's short hair. He didn't look like she remembered, but he hadn’t in the jail cell either. The boy she remembered had been scrawny and awkward. His shoulders had always been focused in as if he expected a fight around every corner.

The young man sat before her now was relaxed and calm. His face had aged, she noticed. There were lines around his eyes and a small scar on his cheek that she couldn't remember him ever receiving when they had been kids.

She felt a small churning of guilt at the very idea that she didn't really know him anymore. Over the course of the past seven years, she hadn't wanted anything to do with him. He had respected that and stayed away. The next few years, they had led completely individual lives with neither of them making the other aware of even one aspect of it.

It had been Chloe who sat in the middle of the siblings. She had complained about Joey on the odd occasion, and always ready to knock her brother for his actions, Jenny had been more than happy to listen to her vent. When it came to anything serious or important with regard to Joey, she realized that Chloe hadn't said a word.

She hadn't told her, for example, about the time Joey had received a service medal for quick thinking at a car accident up on the highway. Jenny had seen the plaque mounted on the wall of the hallway in the Dale house.

Chloe hadn't told her about the time Joey had helped sew Isabelle's lion costume together for her kindergarten play. Jenny had just found a photo of Joey asleep at the sewing machine tucked away in the spare room, Isabelle trying on the lion's awkwardly shaped head while he slept.

Joey's life had been a complete mystery to her. She knew what she had been expecting, more doom and gloom, but in reality, it had been a lot different. Joey had grown into a fine, young man and one she was proud to call her brother.

“Do you miss her?”

She didn't know how she had found the courage to ask, but she realized the question had been at the back of her mind for some time. Joey and Chloe had never had the perfect marriage. In fact, they had really only married to give Isabelle two stable parents. Yet throughout all the struggles, they had never truly let each other go. Chloe had cheated, with Chief Cartright of all people, but she hadn't entirely left Joey, either.

Joey opened one eye as he looked across at her.

“Did you really just ask me that?”

“I know. It was wrong of me.”

“Damn intrusive, too, I might add.”

“Horribly intrusive.”

He smiled gently. “It's alright, Jen. I do miss her. How could I not? She was the love of my life.” He sat forward and rested his elbows on his legs to look at her better. “Do you?”

“Miss Chloe?” She watched as he nodded. “Of course, she was my best friend.”

“I guess that is something we finally have in common then.”

He was beaming as he sat back in his deck chair again. It seemed as if Joey Dale was taking his freedom rather well.

“There’s another thing we have in common,” Jenny reminded him. She stretched out her feet until she could poke him with her big toe. He nudged her away good-naturedly.

“What's that, parents?”

“We both happen to love that little girl over there.”

She looked over. Isabelle was perched on the water's edge, her blue eyes intently peering down in the water as she looked for any flat and shiny pebbles she could use for skipping. The dog, never too far away from her side if he could help it, was sat close beside her. He just watched her, waiting for the moment he could chase the pebble out into the water and try to snap it up.

“That is true.” He followed her gaze to the pair. “That dog isn't returnable, is it?”

“Where are you going to return him to? The woods? He was a stray.”

“So what you’re saying is my daughter is basically a tamer of wild animals, like the kid out of the Jungle Book?”

“Yes,” Jenny nudged him with her toe again, “except she's the West Virginia version.”

* * *

Roy couldn't sleep.

He kept a close eye on the hospital clock on the wall, watching as the minutes ticked away. Hospital rules at the small, Ombrea hospital dictated only two hours a day be allotted for visitors. Roy was absolutely fine with that as long as those two hours hurried up and actually got here

He knew Jenny would come for visiting hours. In fact, he couldn't wait for her to get here and see him. She always seemed to find a way to make him feel better, and with the way his shoulder was throbbing, he needed a little of her charm.

“Hey, stranger,” she muttered softly as she finally appeared through the hospital room door. Her easy smile made him feel much better already. “How are you feeling today?”

He winced as he tried to sit up a little higher. “I feel like I maybe got shot yesterday.”

She chuckled at his joke. “That’s how bad it feels, is it? Sounds like you’re just being a little overly-dramatic there, Peters.”

He smiled as he patted the space on the sheets beside him. The chair at his bedside just wouldn't do. He needed her as close as possible. He was grateful when she climbed in on his good side. He awkwardly used his good arm to reach across her shoulders and held her tight. It wasn't the best way to embrace her but anything else would just have to wait until he healed.

They lay there in comfortable silence for a time. He tried not to think about how the minutes were ticking away on their visiting time. If he had his way, she could stay here with him while he recovered and there would be no time limit to consider.

“Isabelle really did a fine job picking all those wildflowers,” Jenny murmured at his side. She reached out a hand and gently touched a petal with her fingertip. “They're beautiful.”

“They’re my favorite gift. They do a grand job at brightening up this little space,” He responded. He took a moment as he watched her face.

Roy couldn't believe how beautiful Jenny truly was. He had to admit, when he had first seen her he had thought so, too, but her attitude toward Joey had quickly dashed any thoughts he’d had in that regard.

Since he had gotten to know her better and began working with her to free Joey, his opinions about her beauty had definitely returned. Except now, he knew the woman that lay beneath, and that made her even more appealing to him than he had first anticipated.

“I don't remember receiving a gift from you,” he teased gently. He liked how her lips curved into a smile when she looked back at him.

“I had a special one in mind for you.”

“Yeah?” he smirked. “What happened to it? Did it get lost in the post?”

He was concerned when her smile faded.

“What's up? Did I say the wrong thing?”

“You made a bad joke, but it's not the worst one I've ever heard you make.”

Her smile still hadn't brightened very much. He lifted his good arm so she had no choice but to roll over against him. Her face was mere inches from his. As much as he wanted to kiss her right then, he resisted for the time being until he could get to the bottom of this problem.

“What's going on, Jen?”

“Nothing.”

“It's not nothing. I know you too well by now to believe that. You've got something on your mind.”

He heard her sigh heavily. She curled in even closer to him if that were even possible. Her breath tickled his stubbled cheek.

“I wanted to ask you something. That was what my gift to you was going to be.” She squeezed her eyes tightly shut. He figured she was trying to come up with the right words. “Except it seems cheesy and rather dumb to be asking, now that I’m actually here.”

“Then, in that case, you really do have to ask.”

“Fine,” she drew out the word and he laughed.

“If you don't tell me, I can't force it out of you. You’ll just have to take pity on an injured man, and just tell me what this question is.”

“Fine,” she repeated. She took a big, deep breath and closed her eyes. A moment passed before she got her wits about her and looked back into his face. “Would you ever considering living with me?”

“No,” he told her in response.

Her face fell. “But I guess that means that it's about time I got round to asking you something.”

She stared up at him again.

“Okay,” she said in a small voice.

“I won't come live with you, especially not in that big, bright, hell-hole of a city you call home. But I need to ask you one thing. Would you come and live with me at the cabin?” he asked.

“Yes!” Jenny looked overjoyed by his question and he was glad for it.

His doubts had told him now that the case was over, she might have wanted to run back to the Big City and back to her fashion career. He had given it some thought while he had been waiting for her arrival, but he had been unwilling to give up his whole life for the bright lights of the city. He knew he could never grow to be comfortable in a place like that, even it did mean he might have to give up Jenny.

“So that's it then?” He asked before he planted a soft kiss on her lips. “We’re actually going to do this?”

“Yes.” She squirmed against him happily. “We’re going to live happily ever after. I'm sure of it.”

He smiled into her hair as Jenny shifted her position so that she could rest her head against his chest.

“This just feels so right,” he heard her murmur.

“You're telling me. I never thought anything like this would ever happen.” He raised his bad arm, wincing when the feeling of discomfort seemed to shoot right down to his hand. He used that hand to smooth her hair back from her face.

It just felt so right to have her there beside him. He never wanted to let her go again.

Chapter 34

A couple of days later, Ben Gatrall called to tell Jenny he would be returning to Ombrea again that afternoon.

She had been pleasantly surprised, considering how little time had passed since he had returned home. She offered him the use of one of the cabin's guest rooms, which he had gratefully accepted. She didn't think Joey would mind if Isabelle roomed in with him for just one night, especially when it was the police commissioner who was coming to stay.

Before he ended the phone call, Ben told her he would be holding a press conference at the bandstand in the Town Center, to ensure that the business surrounding Chloe Dale's death was put to rest once and for all. Jenny didn’t know what to say.

Joey's release had signified the end of the case, as far as she was concerned, but she could understand that the public needed to know the truth as well.

That afternoon, she drove Joey, Roy, and Isabelle into town for the press conference. They met Commissioner Gatrall just as he was about to head onto the stage. He shook each of their hands and directed them to a row of chairs marked reserved at the front of the bandstand.

The press conference had not been underway long when the police commissioner asked for Joey Dale to join him front and center. Jenny encouraged her nervous younger brother to take the stage, clapping along with the rest of the crowd as he headed up the bandstand steps and met the Commissioner on stage.

“Now having been cleared of all charges, I would like to present you with your badge and gun,” Ben said as he reached to a table beside him for the items. “You can report for active duty as soon as you are ready. I want to apologize for the actions of the Ombrea Police Department. You did not deserve the treatment you had to endure. I hope that the reactivation of your service helps to bridge the gap between you and the force.” Ben extended his hand to Joey one last time. “Officer Dale, the town of Ombrea needs good men like you.”

“I'd be honored,” Joey told him.

He was clearly thankful to the police commissioner for hearing out his case and agreeing to grant him his freedom. That he had his job back was just the icing on the cake.

As Jenny watched Joey accept his weapon and police badge, she couldn't help but feel proud. He had come such a long way. He had overcome his rough past and was turning his life around for good. She truly believed there was nothing Joey Dale couldn't do now.

She reached over and took Roy's hand tightly within her own. She was grateful he had been released from the hospital in time to make it to the ceremony. It wouldn't have felt right to be celebrating this special moment without him here.

She could feel his gorgeous eyes on her and raised her eyes to meet his. She could tell he loved her and she couldn't imagine a better feeling. She couldn't imagine her life without him anymore. That he had survived was a miracle, and one for which she would be forever thankful.

“I love you,” he murmured as he leaned in and softly kissed her lips.

“I love you too,” Jenny whispered.

Jenny already knew what was going to happen next. Ben had met with her at the cabin moments before she left to collect Roy from the hospital. She was eager to be on her way, but Ben told her it was important, so she had gave him her full attention.

What Ben was about to say was the best thing she had heard since she had been told Joey would be released from jail.

“Ombrea residents, there is one last piece of information I wish to share with you today. As you are aware, your town is now without a police chief. No police service should operate without a leader, and so I present to you today your new police chief.”

Jenny was beaming

“Roy Peters.”

Roy couldn't believe what he was hearing.

The crowd was cheering for him, calling him a hero. He was just happy to have it all behind him.

Jenny took his hand and helped him to his feet. He could barely feel his legs, but he knew they were moving as she helped him onto the bandstand. He swallowed hard to steady his nerves as he walked across the stage towards the police commissioner.

“Roy Peters, ladies and gentlemen.”

Roy could hardly believe the cheering. He had been hiding out in his cabin for so long he had forgotten how many friends he had in Ombrea.

“I know this must come as something of a surprise to you, Roy,” Ben began.

“It’s a surprise, all right,” Roy said. You sure you’re doing the right thing?”

“One hundred percent. I’ve always known the kind of man you are, Roy. There isn't a man here better suited for the position.”

Roy was honored, but daunted. He had been off the force for a very long time.

“Come on, son, say you’ll take the job.”

Roy held the older man's gaze, still unsure of himself.

“Roy! Roy! Roy! Roy!, the crowd chanted in unison.

He glanced down to Jenny. She was his family now, and he would do whatever she thought was best for him. She nodded, and her gentle smile gave him the confidence he needed to go on.

“Okay.”

Roy held up his hands and the crowd's roar dulled down to a murmur.

“I will accept the position. I would be honored to be your new police chief.”

* * *

Two weeks later, the dust had settled.

The whole town looked brighter as Jenny and Isabelle drove to the police station. People raised their arms to wave to them as they passed. The once disapproving faces were now warm and friendly. She finally felt like she belonged.

“We're here!”

Isabelle's excitement broke her train of thought.

Joey stood at the top of the stairs awaiting their arrival. He was dressed in full uniform, his short, blonde hair caught under a black police cap. He was no longer the scrawny, teenage boy with the permanent scowl. He was a respectable man with a solid career.

Isabelle raced up the steps and jumped into his arms. Joey was a single father now. It would be challenging, but he was up for the task.

“Hey, sis.” Joey said, beaming. “How do I look?”

He spun around in a full circle with Isabelle still in his arms.

“Meh. Not bad. You would look even better if you just...”

She lifted off his police hat and ruffled up his hair with her hand until it stuck up at odd angles.

“There. That's better.”

“Dad!” Isabelle giggled as she struggled free of his arms, “Aunt Jenny made you look like a hedgehog.”

* * *

Roy looked up when he heard a knock at his office door.

He was grateful to see Jenny there. It had felt like too much time had passed since he had left her in bed this morning.

He walked across the room and took her into his arms. He kissed her gently at first and then more passionately.

“Slow down there, Chief,” she said, giggling.

“I came to see if you needed any help sorting out your new office.”

Together, they looked over the room. He thought he had done a good job making it his own. He and Joey had thrown a new coat of white paint on the walls the night before. This morning, he had proudly hung up a few of his old service medals.

“It looks great in here.”

He pressed his lips to hers when she raised her head to meet his gaze.

“You belong here. The people of Ombrea are lucky to have you.”

“I sure hope so.”

Having this beautiful woman at his side was the best feeling in the world.

Roy pushed the office door closed with one hand.

His first line of duty would be to show Jenny Dale what it was like to have Roy Peters in charge.

Epilogue

Jenny looked at Roy in his handsome new uniform and felt a wave of desire wash over her.

"You look so official and confident,” she said, blushing.

“You think I look like a chief?”

“You look like my chief,” she said.

He took a step toward her and grabbed her in his arms, lifting her in his arms and spinning her around. Then he put her down on his office desk.

“Oh, officer,” she cooed, “am I under arrest?”

“That depends,” he teased. “Have you been naughty?”

She nodded coyly as he ran his finger along her lips.

He leaned in and crushed his lips against hers, kissing him with a passion that told her she was going to be with him forever. She had no doubt. There are certain things you can tell in a man’s kiss, and the way he was kissing her right then told her everything she needed to know.

She was going to be his woman, now and forever, and there was no longer any doubt of that.

“What if someone catches us,” she said, glancing toward the door.

Roy went and shut the blinds, giving them more privacy. Then he walked determinedly across the room and grabbed her again, pushing her back on his desk and lifting her legs up onto it.

“Now, I believe I was about to take you into protective custody,” he said.

“Is that what you call it?”

He smiled at her then, and began running his hands up over her thighs beneath her dress. He reached all the way to the pink lace panties she was wearing and ripped them off her.

“Officer, is this a strip search?” she giggled.

He laughed and leaned down between her legs, running his tongue along her calves, her thighs, all the way up to the bare lips of her pussy.

“Oh god,” she moaned, lifting her feet up off the table and resting them on the backs of Roy’s shoulders.

His tongue reached along her inner thighs and when she felt it reach her pussy, she stretched her legs open as wide as she could. He began to make out passionately with her pussy, kissing it as if he was kissing her mouth. His tongue slid over her clit, between every soft fold of her flesh, and then reached inside her.

She squirmed and cried in pleasure.

“Oh officer, please have mercy.”

As he made out with her pussy, Roy reached for his handcuffs and took them from his belt.

The thought of what he was going to do with them was too much for Jenny. She was overwhelmed with anticipation and excitement and began quivering in pleasure as the most excruciating orgasm of her left rushed through her body.

“Oh, Roy.”

“That’s officer Roy to you,” he said, smirking.

He got down from the desk and grabbed her wrists.

“What are you going to do to me?” she cooed.

He handcuffed one wrist, then brought the other cuff through a metal bar that was attached to the desk and then cuffed her other wrist.

She was firmly restrained, lying on her back on the desk. She wouldn’t have been able to escape even if she wanted.

“You’re mine now,” he said grinning.

She looked up at him, into his eyes, and he took out his taser.

“Eh, Roy, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Roy laughed and put the taser away. “I was just kidding.”

She flung her foot at him, kicking him playfully in the chest.

“That’s not fair.”

“Sorry,” he said, still laughing to himself.

“I suppose you think you’re very smart,” she said.

“Well, the truth is, I think I might need some help.”

“Help?” she said.

"You know, like a partner?”

“A police partner?”

He walked back around to her feet and climbed up on the desk, leaning close over her.

He opened his pants and pulled out that perfect, gorgeous cock. He pressed it against the wet lips of her pussy and she tried to thrust upward to make it slide in.

He didn’t let it, preferring to keep it just touching her, teasing her, taunting her.

“More like a life partner.”

“A life partner?” she said, louder than she’d intended.

She looked up at him, unsure what he was suggesting. Her heart pounded in her chest with excitement.

“Jenny, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

She nodded furiously and tried to throw her arms around her, until she remembered she was firmly restrained against the desk.

“Yes,” she squealed. “Yes, of course I will. A thousand times, YES.”

Roy kissed her passionately, his lips pressing firmly against hers, his tongue entering her mouth and playing with her tongue like they were dancing. As his passionate kiss made Jenny’s head spin with desire, she felt his cock press against the lips of her pussy and then slide deeply into her.

He slid in, further and further, making pleasure surge through every inch of her body. His cock was like magic, and every time he entered her, she felt so much love and happiness she didn’t know what to do with it.

“Oh, Roy,” she cried out, “you feel so good.”

She couldn’t believe how big he still felt, even after all the sex they’d already had together.

He continued kissing her as his cock thrust in and pulled out, in and out, over and over, bringing her closer and closer to ecstasy.

Eventually, when she thought she couldn’t bear it any longer, his cock exploded in orgasm.

“Oh, Jenny,” he moaned. “I fucking love you.”

His cock poured into her, pumping his semen into her pussy and the sensation of it brought her over the edge, sending wave after wave of orgasm through her body.

She cried out, louder than she’d intended, and there was no doubt that people outside the office would have heard them.

Roy laughed and covered her mouth with his hand tenderly.

“Shh,” he said.

“I can’t help it, Roy. I’m going to be your wife.”

“Yes you are,” he said, leaning over her so that he could unlock the handcuffs and release her wrists.

The two of them looked at each other and basked in the afterglow of their sex.

“That was amazing,” Roy said.

Jenny threw her arms around him and pulled him in close to her.

“I love you so much, Roy. I can’t believe we’re getting married.”

They straightened themselves out and cleaned up, and then Roy said, “I guess we should go out and announce the engagement.”

Jenny smiled at him and took his hand in hers.

Roy removed his hat and affectionately put it on Jenny’s head.

She laughed and together they left the office to announce their engagement to the rest of the police force.