Even though Ben had pledged to be quiet, as soon as Julie made that statement, he exploded with a curse, then another one as coffee spilled onto his pants.

In the next second he was on his feet, six feet plus of steaming, furious manhood.

“What?” He swung back toward her. “Is he still here? Has he threatened you again?”

Julie gave Will a pointed look. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have Ben here after all. She’d thought it would help clear up a few things, answer some of his questions. But she hadn’t anticipated this kind of reaction.

Will reached for his brother and tugged him back to the couch. “Want me to kick you out of here, Ben? Because I will at this rate.”

Ben turned fierce eyes on him. “She just said the murderer threatened her and you’re worried about me?”

“I’m trying to get the story, for chrissake. Now sit down.”

Ben sat, but he didn’t look happy about it. He leaned forward, elbows on his thighs, hands gripped together. “Just tell me if you’ve gotten any more threats, and I’ll shut up.”

A sense of warmth bloomed in Julie’s heart. Maybe Ben still cared about her. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be freaking out like this.

“No more threats. Believe me, I wouldn’t still be here if there were. Especially with Felix.”

Ben scanned her face, and what he saw must have reassured him enough so he nodded at her. “Okay. I’m shutting up now. Trying, anyway. So, when did this happen?”

“You know, the next time I sit down in the pilot’s seat of the 206, feel free to slug me,” said Will, shaking his head. “Start at the beginning, Julie. What makes you think you saw the killer?”

She decided that the only way she was going to get through this was to focus on Will. If she watched Ben’s reactions, she might lose it.

“I was outside your house, late at night. I’d gotten a panicked call from Savannah, begging me to meet her. But I couldn’t reach Ben to let him know I had to cancel our camping trip, so I drove to your place to tell him in person. I didn’t want to wake everyone up, so I turned the headlights off and parked out of sight. I snuck over to the side porch. I used to climb up that post to reach Ben’s room. I mean, not very often…hardly ever, really. Just occasionally.”

“We know,” Will said dryly. “Wasn’t exactly a secret.”

Julie’s face heated and she dared a glance at Ben. He looked stunned, and maybe a little disbelieving. She dragged her gaze away from him and fixed it on Will again.

Will, with his stern manner and quiet gray eyes that somehow drew the secrets right out of you.

“Anyway, I never got to the post. A man grabbed me from behind and clamped his hand over my mouth. He said, ‘Get out of here or I’ll hurt you.’ It was more like a growl, like he didn’t want me to recognize his voice. He yanked my arm behind my back. It hurt, a lot. He demanded my phone, and I gave it to him. Then he said, ‘Now go, Julie. Run, before I change my mind. No telling anyone or you’ll pay.’”

“Those exact words?” Will asked.

“Exactly. I’ll never forget those words. I can still hear them. I was always good at hearing things and memorizing them, because of my singing.”

She flicked a glance at Ben. His face had gone blank, and she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“I was scared to death because he knew my name. I didn’t know if he knew it already, or maybe saw it on my phone. It was just an old-fashioned flip phone, nothing fancy. Definitely not worth stealing. I ran to my car and drove away as fast as I could. But I didn’t do what he said. I mean, there was a stranger lurking outside your house. I had to call the police. So I stopped at the Mobil gas station right outside of town and used their phone to call nine-one-one. I told them what had happened.”

“You took a big chance,” said Will softly.

“Well, I kept it anonymous because he knew my name. They had a cruiser already in the area. I waited on the phone until the dispatcher came back on and told me that they’d checked it out and seen no one. He made me feel stupid even for calling, like maybe I was pulling some prank. Anyway, I was glad the man was gone and figured maybe I’d scared off a burglar or something.”

She stole another glance at Ben. His head was lowered, gaze fixed on the floor, hands clasped together so tightly the tendons and veins stood out.

“I kept driving until I got to Benson. Savannah had a hotel room there, which she’d booked under a fake name. That was when I found out she was pregnant. Like, about six months pregnant, but she’d been hiding it really well. I hadn’t noticed because I was in such a funk over my mom. She was freaking out because she hadn’t told her parents and didn’t want them taking over her life the way they always did. She begged me to help her, at least until the baby was born. I couldn’t say no—I owed her so much. Her and the Reinhards.”

Ben made a sound somewhere between a scoff and a snort.

She ignored him and went on. “Savannah and I holed up in that hotel for two nights, ordering room service and trying to figure out how to make it work. She didn’t want her parents involved, but I convinced her she had to tell them. She was going to need financial support no matter what she did, and she still hadn’t finished high school. I was still only seventeen, how much help could I really be?”

Ben dug his hands into his hair, as if it were physically painful to listen to her story.

“Anyway, when we finally left the hotel, I saw a note on my car. It was addressed to me, by name. And it said that if I made any more calls or came back to Jupiter Point, all hell would break loose.”

“Did you save that note?” Will asked sharply.

“I did.” She reached into her bag and pulled out the Ziploc bag in which she’d kept the note all these years. The ink had faded, and the paper looked soft and worn. “But it probably won’t tell you much. Block letters, ordinary notebook paper. I’m sure my fingerprints are all over it, so if you need to take mine, that’s fine.” She handed it to Will.

“Pretty good thinking to save this.”

She shook her head, the familiar guilt flooding her. “I should have done something before this. But I kept thinking, how did he know I called the police? What if he was the police? So who should I tell? And his threats sounded real. He knew how to find me. He knew my car, knew my name. He had my phone. I completely freaked out.”

“So, what happened next?”

“We took my car to a junkyard.”

“Your mom’s Beetle? You junked it?” Ben raised his head to look at her. A quick memory of making out in the front seat of the Beetle flooded her brain. Ben had kissed the inside of her arm for hours, until it felt made of liquid fire.

“We didn’t know what else to do. The man knew how to track it. Savannah and I decided Los Angeles would be a good place to go. We figured it was a big city with everything we needed. Jobs, hospitals, apartments. She called her parents and told them she was pregnant. I got on the phone with them, and they begged me to stay with her until the baby was born. They promised to pay for everything, even pay me a salary. They didn’t want her to be alone. So I agreed.” She looked at Ben, who was still watching her steadily. “But I asked them to give you a message, since I didn’t feel safe calling myself.”

“What was the message?” he asked slowly, as if he was afraid of the answer.

She flushed. “I asked them to tell you about Savannah, and that I planned to stay with her until the baby was born. I asked them to tell you that I loved you. And I asked them to tell you to meet me on my birthday at the place where I first told you I loved you. I figured even if that bad guy was listening, he wouldn’t know what I was talking about.”

For a long, agonizing moment, he stared at her blankly. Did he not remember that moment? Could he really have forgotten something that was indelibly printed on her heart for eternity?

“Neptune’s Oasis,” he finally said.

“Yes.” She made a little face. “Water parks aren’t nearly as fun alone.”

“You went. On your birthday.”

“Yes. It’s not in Jupiter Point, so I figured I wouldn’t be angering the man, if he was still paying attention. My birthday was after Savannah’s due date, so I thought I’d be at loose ends by then.”

“I was at the Air Force Academy by then.”

She licked her lips, dry from all her talking. “It was a stupid plan, anyway. I just couldn’t think of anything better. That was before Facebook and all that.”

Will cleared his throat. “I’d like to get back to that first encounter, when he grabbed you outside our house. Maybe there’s a detail that might help us identify him.”

But she barely heard him. She was still captured by the intensity of Ben’s gaze. “I’m sorry, Ben,” she whispered to him. “I probably should have done something different, or more. But when you didn’t show up at Neptune’s Oasis, I thought maybe you were done with me. After a while, I called the Reinhards again and asked if they’d seen you. That was when they told me your dad had been murdered, and that you’d joined the military.”

Ben looked as ashen and horrified as if he’d seen a ghost. He jerked to his feet. Hung his head. Then said something in a strangled voice and pushed his cup of coffee at Will. “Do your thing,” he said. Then strode from the house without another word.

Tears started in Julie’s eyes. So much for explaining herself. If Ben still hated her now, there was nothing she could do or say.

“Don’t worry,” Will said, touching her briefly on the knee. “He just needs to readjust his entire world view, that’s all. He’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? He seems pretty upset.”

“Probably upset to learn he’s had his head up his ass. He thought— Well, you two should work things out between yourselves. Can I ask you some questions now?”

She glanced at the door Ben had fled through. Part of her longed to go after him. “Go ahead. I’ll try to remember as much as I can.”

“Let’s start with that night outside our place, when you had physical contact with the man. Can you remember anything like how he smelled, other details like that?”

“It was twelve years ago,” she said dubiously. “And I was scared out of my mind. I remember his gloves were leather, and they smelled like diesel. I know he was really strong. I didn’t recognize his voice.”

“Did he have any kind accent or particular quirk in how he talked?”

“No, not that I remember.” She thought back to the terror of that moment, but nothing jumped out at her. Except… “This will sound strange, but he had a really good voice.”

Will cocked his head at her, a penetrating look in his gray eyes. “Explain.”

“Well, you know I’m kind of a singer. I mean, I like to sing, it’s always been something I was good at. Especially back then, I sang in the church chorus and every time there was a musical production, I auditioned. This man had a very resonant baritone. He was disguising it by growling, and he didn’t say much. But I did notice.” She laughed a little. “Not much of a clue.”

“You never know. It’s more than we had yesterday.”

She twisted her hands together. “I know I should have come forward earlier, as soon as I put it together that your dad was killed a few nights after that man grabbed me.”

He put up a hand to stop her. “You have nothing to apologize for. You took a chance calling the police, and that backfired on you. We don’t know for sure if this man was the killer, and it’s not as if you saw his face.” He shook his head. “No. I’m glad you didn’t try anything else. Staying away was the best choice. But I have to ask you, what made you come back now? Do you think the man who attacked you is gone?”

“I had a few different reasons,” she said. “The Reinhards are one. But the truth is, it’s been weighing on me. I really wanted to tell someone in case it wound up being important. I didn’t like feeling like a coward.”

“You are not a coward, Julie. You did your best with a tough situation, the way you always have.”

The respect in his voice sent a quiet thrill through her.

“And…Ben? Is he one of the reasons?” Will asked the question gently, with a hint of a smile. He was a few years older than Ben, and had been off at law school when she left. She’d always seen him as somewhat of an intimidating figure, not lighthearted and playful like Ben.

“Maybe,” she admitted. “But it looks like that’s a bust. I think he’d rather I just go back to LA.”

Will laughed and shook his head. “Don’t give up on him yet. Since you got back, he’s been acting like a prize jackass. And since we all know that Ben has the heart of a lion, or maybe a panda bear, it must be thanks to you.”

She shouldered her bag, preparing to leave. “I’m not sure ‘thanks’ is the right word.”

“It is. Ben needs a wake-up call. Believe me, we’re all glad you’re back. Now the question is whether you’ll stay.”

That drew a weak smile from her. Good question. Too bad she didn’t have a good answer. “I’ll be around at least long enough to answer any other questions you have. Are you going to analyze that note?”

“Yes, first thing. I have a law school buddy in the FBI, he does me favors now and then. I’ll let you know if he finds anything. Do you think you’d recognize the man’s voice?”

“I doubt it, but I’ll keep my ears open.” She rose to her feet, then hesitated. “Maybe I should go to the police station and just sit there and listen to everyone’s voices.”

Will stood as well and looped an arm over her shoulders. “Absolutely not. I’ll take it from here. You continue with life as usual. Just let me know if anything else comes to mind. I’ll want to interview you again soon, but right now, I have a feeling there’s a more important conversation awaiting you.”

He gestured at the sidewalk out front, where Ben was waiting, slouched against his truck, hands deep in his pockets.

She drew in a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”

“You got it.”

Outside, Ben glanced up as she came out the door, belting her sweater more tightly around her. She couldn’t read his expression, which made her nervous.

“Come for a ride?” he asked in an even tone.

That made her even more anxious. The old Ben never hid his emotions. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which was one of her favorite things about him.

But this conversation was a long time coming. It had to happen. “Sure.” As he opened the passenger door for her, she hesitated. “But maybe you shouldn’t be driving while we talk.”

“Babe, I was flying fighter jets eight months ago. I can handle a Dodge pickup.”

Right, she’d almost forgotten he’d had a whole different life for the past twelve years. A fighter pilot. Her Ben. Her sweet, tender, openhearted Ben.

She got into the truck and strapped herself in. Ben pulled away from the curb with a squeal of tires. They sped away from Will’s house.

She stole a sideways glance at his clenched jaw and white knuckles and decided to hold her tongue. The Dodge rattled down the streets until they hit the highway heading for the foothills.

“Where are we going?” she finally asked.

“To the Reinhards’.”

“What for? They aren’t even home. Ben, stop. Pull over.”

“Those fuckers!” Ben exploded. “I never got any message about your birthday.” This was a new side to her gentle ex-boyfriend. The muscles of his forearms tensed into corded bands of steel as he swung the steering wheel to the side. They’d reached the unincorporated area, where farmland replaced the cozy neighborhoods of Jupiter Point. He jerked the truck to a stop next to a field of alfalfa, now fallow. A plume of dust rose up around them, enveloping them in a cloud of sepia. “The Reinhards told me something completely different.”

Julie sucked in a breath and slumped against the passenger window. Her worst suspicions, confirmed. “So that’s what happened. What did they tell you?”

“That you’d decided to move to LA and you wanted some time to get your singing career going, so I shouldn’t bother you. They told me I’d been holding you back because you were afraid to hurt me. They told me they’d send me your address and phone number when they had it.”

The scope of their betrayal hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. “They lied. Every word of that is a lie. You weren’t holding me back.”

“I didn’t think so. But then I started to wonder. They made me doubt myself. They made me think I wasn’t doing it right, loving you the way I did.”

“Oh my God.” She wanted to wrap her arms around him but the air between them still vibrated with prickly energy. “That’s not true, Ben. You did everything right.”

“And you still left.” His voice sounded raw.

“I had to! I had to help Savannah. But I didn’t intend to leave you.”

He pushed his way out of the truck and stood in the road, hands clasped behind his head, looking skyward.

She dropped her head into her hands. An ache pounded at her temples. She felt as if a hundred years had passed since she’d arrived at Will’s office. In one way, she felt freer. The story she’d been keeping quiet for so many years was out. But she also had a bitter taste in her mouth, worse than any hangover. After all she’d done for the Reinhards, how could they betray her like that?

Of course, they probably thought they’d done everything for her. Because they were rich and she was penniless, and they were powerful while she was naive…so naive.

The passenger door opened. Ben braced one hand on top of the truck and leaned in.. She’d never seen his face so serious, so intense. This was Ben the man looking her in the eye, not Ben the boy.

“Julie, I need you to know that if I’d had any clue you were at our house that night, that some stranger had hurt you and threatened you, I would have…” He stopped, his jaw flexing, his Adam’s apple working. “I can’t believe I didn’t know he was out there. With you. My God, Julie. What if—” He kicked at the tire. “He almost got you, too.”

“Ben, no. No. It wasn’t like that. He was just trying to chase me off.” She unhooked her seatbelt and slid out of the passenger seat to stand next to him in the road. The wind swirled around them, causing a lazy drift of dust and debris. She smelled the cooling metal of the truck, the rubber of its tires. And closer, the wool of Ben’s sweater, the scent of his skin.

Everything shifted into sharp relief, as if nothing had been quite real until she wrapped her arms around him one more time.

She hugged him to her and whispered in his ear. “Nothing happened. He scared me, that’s all. Scared me so much, I made some stupid decisions after that.”

Against her shoulder, he shook his head. “No. You did the right thing. I’d take a broken heart any day if it’s a choice between that and some asshole threatening you.”

She wanted to cry from sheer, sweet relief. Ben didn’t hate her. He was touching her, holding her, whispering back in her ear, his heart beating so fast and loud it vibrated through her sweater.

This was her Ben, the Ben she knew and used to love so much.

And for the first time, she was one hundred percent glad she’d come back to Jupiter Point. How else could she find herself standing in the road wrapped in Ben Knight’s arms? And have it be exactly where she wanted to be?