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She’d been happy to let them.
It was the way she’d wanted it. No contact with Cody. No contact with his parents. No contact with the past.
Too bad the past refused to let her go.
“Are you okay?” Jackson’s hand rested on her shoulder, his fingers warm through her borrowed T-shirt. Morgan wanted to tell him that she was fine. That hearing of Cody’s death wasn’t nearly as hard as hearing that he’d murdered his business partner had been. But the words stuck in her throat, and all she could do was nod.
“I’ve got a call into the warden. Hopefully by tomorrow we’ll have more information about what happened. Until then, I want to offer my sincere condolences,” Jake said, his grim expression never easing.
“Thank you.”
“Morgan, I’m so sorry.” Lacey’s eyes were filled with tears, and Morgan wanted to tell her to save them for something more tear-worthy, but she knew how harsh that would sound. How wrong.
The fact was, she’d loved Cody once. Might have continued to love him if he hadn’t betrayed her one too many times. In the nearly two years since he’d been in prison, Morgan hadn’t wasted time missing him and had rarely spent time thinking about him. But that didn’t mean she wanted him dead.
“It’s okay. I’m okay,” she offered, fighting tears she wouldn’t shed. There’d be a time to mourn the loss of life, but it wasn’t now. It wasn’t here. Later, when she was walking through the vivid green pasture behind her parents’ house, when she was staring up at the deep blue foothills of the Rocky Mountains, when she was all alone except for the grass and the sky and God, then she would cry. For Cody. For herself. For what they could have had, but had never managed to create.
“Can you think of anyone who would want your husband dead, Morgan?” Sheriff Reed asked.
“Ex-husband,” she said by rote. As if it mattered any longer.
“Sorry. Your ex. Is there anyone you can think of who had a grudge against him?”
“Not offhand. Cody could be charming when he wanted to be.”
“Did he always want to be?”
“If you’re asking if he had enemies, then you’ll have to ask someone else. Cody kept his business life separate from our life together.” He’d kept other things separate, too, but Morgan decided not to say as much. Not now with a roomful of people listening.
“If you think of anything…”
“I’ll let you know. Is there anything else you needed to ask? Because I’m exhausted, and I’d really like to go home.”
“Nothing that can’t wait for another time. I’ve got a cleaning crew getting your apartment and gallery in order. You may want to stay here for the night.”
“I’d rather not.”
“You can stay with me,” Lacey offered, but Morgan shook her head.
“I need to pack.”
“Pack?” Jake speared her with a hard gaze.
“I need to put some distance between myself and what happened tonight. I thought I’d go stay with my parents for a while.”
“And they’re where?”
“Washington.”
“That’s a long way from here.”
“I know.”
“Tell you what, write down what town you’re going to be in. Give me your parents’ address. I’ll call the local police and make sure they’re aware of what’s going on. They can keep an eye out on things on their end while I investigate here.”
“I appreciate it, Sheriff Reed.”
He eyed her for a moment and then nodded, handing her his notebook and a pen. “Write the information down for me. Then you can be on your way.”
She did as he asked, her hand shaking as she scribbled her parents’ address, her mind racing with memories. The day she’d met Cody. The day she’d brought him home to meet her parents. The soft, sweet scent of summer rain as they’d fished in the pond behind her parents’ house. The quiet joy of finally feeling accepted and loved.
The disappointment of knowing it was all a lie. The sweet words and tender touches. The whispered promises and deep, meaningful gazes. The vow to love forever.
Lies.
And now Cody was dead and it was too late to do it over. To try it again. To hope for something better.
A tear dropped onto the pad of paper, and Morgan brushed it away angrily.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with me, Morgan?” Lacey asked, and Morgan glanced up, saw that four pairs of eyes were watching her intently.
“I’m sure,” she said, forcing a smile as she handed the pad back to the sheriff. “But I wouldn’t mind a ride home if someone can give me one.”
“I’ll drop you off,” Sheriff Reed offered. “That way I can make sure you’re locked in tight before I leave you alone.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m going to lock and bolt every door.”
“I’ll call you when I get home, okay?” Lacey said, her green eyes shadowed with worry as she and Jude walked to the door.
“We’ll talk tomorrow. At your reception. Or have you forgotten that you’re getting married in ten hours?”
“Twelve, but who’s counting?” Lacey smiled, some of the worry easing from her face.
“You. Now go home and get some sleep or everyone in Lakeview will blame me for the dark circles under your eyes tomorrow.”
“Be careful, okay?”
“I will.” Morgan offered a quick wave as Lacey stepped out of the room.
“You’re sure you want to go home?” Jake shoved the small notebook into his back pocket, and Morgan nodded.
“Yes.”
“All right. Let’s get out of here, then. You coming, Sharo?”
“I’m heading back to Jude’s place,” Jackson replied, following as Sheriff Reed led Morgan from the room.
Morgan could feel the heavy weight of his gaze as they made their way down the hall to the nurse’s station and then outside into the crisp fall night. Jackson was an attractive man. A very attractive one. He was also a liar. Morgan had watched him in action, heard the sincerity in his words as he’d offered to keep her safe.
A handsome, charming liar.
Just like Cody.
So why was she almost sorry to see him go when he climbed into his sporty black car and drove away?
“Because you’re an idiot. That’s why,” she muttered as she slid into Jake’s police cruiser.
“You say something?” he asked.
“Nothing important.”
He nodded and closed the door, leaving Morgan in silence as he rounded the car and got in. She wanted to break the quietness as they drove toward her house, but could think of nothing to say. There were too many thoughts and too many memories, none worth the effort it would take to put them into words.
She’d fallen in love with Cody. She’d married him. He’d broken her heart. Now he was dead.
What could she add to that?
“You sure you’re okay?” Jake asked as he pulled into Clay Treasures’ parking lot.
“I will be.”
“I’m not so sure you should be heading off to Washington, but I’m not going to tell you not to go. What I am going to tell you is to be careful. Your ex-husband is dead. I’d hate for you to be next.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Seems your ex might have been more than just a murderer.”
“What do you mean?”
“Two men came here tonight looking for something Cody said he gave you. Cody was killed three days ago. It could be someone has decided to go to a lot of trouble to make sure Cody never reveals what was on that disk.”
“You think he was murdered to keep him quiet?”
“I don’t know, but I plan to find out.” Jake got out of the car and opened the door for Morgan, waiting as she climbed out. “The apartment should be clean. I told the crew to take care of that first. It may be a while longer before they finish in the gallery.”
“That’s fine.”
“You go on up to your apartment. I’ll wait here until the cleaning crew is done, and then lock up. There’ll be a marked patrol car parked outside tonight, so don’t worry that you won’t be safe.”
“Thank you, Sheriff Reed. I really appreciate it.”
“No need to thank me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He held the gallery door open, and Morgan walked in, frowning as she saw the carnage. Clay vases and pots had been smashed. A slick, wet spot stained the tile floor. All Morgan’s hard work, all the time she’d spent creating a gallery that matched her dreams, and this is what it had come to.
“You’ll get it back the way it was,” the sheriff said quietly, and Morgan nodded.
Maybe she would. Or maybe she’d take the destruction of her gallery as a sign that it was time to move on.
A sign?
She didn’t believe in signs. She believed in well thought out plans and carefully considered options. At least, that was what she used to believe in.
She sighed, waving to two women who were sweeping up shards of pottery, and hurried up the stairs to the apartment. The door was cracked open, and she gave it a gentle push, bracing herself for whatever she might see on the other side.
The coffee table had been righted. Someone had thrown pillows over ragged tears in the sofa, and Morgan could barely see the slashed fabric. The kitchen had been scrubbed clean, all the evidence of the brutal attack swept away. The ugliness of it still seemed to hang in the air, the choking fear and vicious pain of the time she’d spent trapped in her apartment seeping into Morgan’s pores as she checked the den and the bedroom.
Maybe she should have stayed at Lacey’s place for the night.
Morgan made another circuit of the house, checking the locks on the window and pulling the bolt on the door. Since she’d come to Lakeview, she’d been lax about keeping the apartment door locked. Mostly because she always locked the gallery below.
No more. If she returned to Clay Treasures after her trip to Washington, she’d never again sleep with the apartment door unlocked.
If?
When.
She would return to Lakeview and her pottery gallery. Cody had caused her enough pain and heartache. No way would she allow him to take away the dream she’d worked so hard to achieve. She frowned and walked into her bedroom. A large window looked out over the parking lot, and she hurried to close the curtains, blocking out the darkness beyond.
She should grab her laptop and boot it up, buy a plane ticket and pack her bags. She should do a lot of things, but all she wanted to do was lie in bed, close her eyes and forget that she’d almost been killed, forget that it had taken a stranger to save her life.
Forget that Cody was dead.
She blinked back hot tears and closed her eyes, wishing she could forget. As much as Cody had hurt and betrayed her, as much as she’d resented him, there’d been a time when she’d truly believed she would love him forever.
She sighed.
Cody was dead, but she was alive. There had to be a reason for that, and she wouldn’t waste the second chance she’d been given.
She glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was midnight in Lakeview, but only nine in Spokane, Washington. Morgan took a deep breath, lifted the phone and dialed her parents’ number.
FOUR
Jackson loosened his tie as he stepped out of the sanctuary and joined the crowd lining up to offer Jude and Lacey congratulations. The wedding seemed to have gone off without a hitch, but it wasn’t the beautiful bride or peacock-proud groom that Jackson was anxious to speak with. Morgan was several guests ahead of him in line, her bruised jaw and swollen lip only partially camouflaged by makeup. Despite the obvious injuries, she walked with her head up and her shoulders back, her quick stride seeming to dare people to take a second look.
For his part, Jackson didn’t need a dare to want to look again. Glossy black hair, pale blue eyes, slender figure encased in a curve-hugging dress. Even without the bruises, she was an attention grabber. What man wouldn’t take a second look?
As he watched, Morgan offered Lacey a hug, said something to Jude and then hurried toward the exit. Jackson stepped out of line and followed. He and Jude had spoken at length before the wedding, and Jackson knew what his friend expected. Twenty-four-hour guard until the men who’d attacked Morgan were caught. Jackson didn’t have a problem with that, but he was pretty sure Morgan would.
The day had the crisp, cold feel of late fall, the clear blue sky and bright sunlight belying any danger that might lurk nearby. Jackson followed Morgan across the parking lot, wondering if she realized how vulnerable she was. Despite the nearly overflowing parking lot and the buzzing crowd of people exiting the church, Morgan made an easy target. Buildings, trees and even cars were perfect hiding places for a sniper, and she was doing nothing to escape notice, nothing to keep her out of the line of fire.
He picked up his pace, reaching Morgan’s side as she opened the door of a beat-up Chevy.
“Heading over to the reception?”
She jumped, whirling to face him. “Jackson, what are you doing here?”
“Same thing you are. Attending a friend’s wedding.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
“If you’re asking why I’m standing here talking to you, I’d think the answer was obvious. I’m following through on a promise to a friend.”
“You weren’t serious about that.”
“About making sure you stay safe until Jude and Lacey get back from France? Sure I am.”
For a moment she said nothing, then she shook her head, her eyes flashing with amusement. “I’ve got to admit, I’m surprised. I thought it was all just an elaborate scheme to put Lacey at ease.”
“I don’t lie and I rarely scheme. Especially not when it comes to people who trust me. Lacey and Jude are both concerned about you. If it helps them feel more at ease, helps them enjoy their wedding and honeymoon, I’ve got every intention of following through on my promise to keep you safe.”
“That’s going to be difficult to do, considering that I’m going to be in Washington.”
“Not so difficult if I’m in Washington with you.”
“But you won’t be. My plane leaves in an hour and a half, and I’ve got to get going or I’ll miss it,” she said, shifting in her seat and closing the door.
Jackson didn’t bother trying to stop her. No way did he think she’d change her mind and invite him along on the trip. Then again, there was no way he was going to break his word to Jude. He’d told his friend that he’d keep Morgan safe. That’s exactly what he planned to do. Whether she liked it or not.
He crossed the parking lot and hopped into his Mustang, reaching for his cell phone as he pulled onto the road behind Morgan’s car. He’d planned on returning to New York on Sunday, but his plans had changed and his boss was going to have to be informed. He dialed quickly, waiting impatiently for Kane Dougherty to pick up. Owner of Information Unlimited, Kane had founded the business two years ago and pulled Jackson on board shortly after.
“Dougherty here.”
“It’s Jackson.”
“I thought you were at a friend’s wedding.”
“It’s over.”
“And you felt compelled to check in with me?”
“I ran into some trouble.”
“If you’re going to ask me to bail you out, forget it. I’ve got plans.”
“No need to post bail, but I’m not going to be back Monday like I’d planned. I’ve got some personal business to take care of.”
“When will you be back?” Kane asked, not demanding further detail. That was no surprise. Kane was a tenacious investigator but never stuck his nose into his employees’ business.
“A week or two.”
“You going to be able to work the cases you’ve been assigned, or should I call someone in to cover for you?”
“There’s nothing on my docket that I can’t work on long-distance,” Jackson responded as he pulled into the airport parking lot and followed Morgan to the long-term parking garage. If she knew he was following, she gave no indication of it, just drove slowly through the crowded lot until she found an empty spot.
“That’s fine then. I may have another case for you this week. You want it, or do you want me to pass it on to Skylar?”
“It depends on the case.”
“It’s another missing person case. A mother looking for a son she lost contact with a dozen years ago. Lady has just been diagnosed with cancer.”
“I should be able to handle things from Washington.”
“Washington?”
“I’m flying there in an hour.”
“Check in with me Tuesday. I’ll update you on the new case then.”
“Sounds good. Talk to you then.” Jackson hung up and pulled into a parking spot a half dozen yards away from Morgan. She seemed completely oblivious to his presence as she yanked a small rolling carry-on case from the trunk of her car and started walking toward the airport terminal.
Jackson had a feeling she wasn’t. She’d survived a brutal attack, escaped two armed men. There was no way she didn’t realize she’d been followed from the church.
He covered the distance between them quickly, saw her tense as he matched pace with her shorter stride.
“Need some help with the bag?”
“No. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop following me.” She didn’t bother looking his way, just kept focusing straight ahead, her silky hair swinging as she moved. It was touchable hair. The kind Jackson could imagine running his fingers through if he let himself.
“That would make it a little difficult for me to do my job.”
“You don’t have a job. At least not one that involves me.”
“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that,” he said, smiling as she glared in his direction.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re infuriating?”
“My sister used to.”
“She doesn’t anymore?”
“If she were still alive she probably would.” And after two and a half years, the truth of her death was as fresh and ugly as it had been the day Jackson had learned that his older sister had been murdered.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…”
“How could you have?”
She shrugged, her hair brushing against the slim column of her neck. Dark, oversize sunglasses hid her eyes but did little to draw attention away from her bruises. They were dark blue and green against her tan skin, and Jackson wanted to take her to the nearest hospital and make sure she stayed there until she recovered. “I’m still sorry. You must miss her a lot.”
“I do. Lindsey was a great person,” Jackson said, knowing that words could never adequately describe his oldest sister. Sweet, funny and intelligent, she’d loved passionately and without reservation. In the end, it was love that had been her undoing.
“Were the two of you close?”
“Not as much in the few years before her death, but when we were kids, we were.”
“I guess that makes it harder.”
“It does, but I realized a few months after she died that I could drown in regret or I could learn from my mistakes and move on.” Learning had been the easy part. It was the moving on that Jackson was still having trouble with.
“It takes two people to make a relationship strong, so I’m sure you weren’t the only one at fault for the distance between you and your sister,” Morgan said as she tried to maneuver her carry-on over a curb. She grimaced, releasing the case and grabbing her side.
Jackson put a hand on her shoulder, holding her steady as she caught her breath. He could feel delicate bones and tense muscles beneath her jacket, could feel her arm tremble as she shifted beneath his touch. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay, that he’d make sure of it, but he doubted she’d want to hear it. He grabbed her carry-on instead, ignoring her sputtered protest.
“You should be home in bed, Morgan. Not traveling to Washington.”
“You might be right, but I’m going anyway. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to visit my parents. Too long.”
“It won’t hurt to wait a few days, give yourself a chance to heal.”
“It will if…”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He let it go. She didn’t have to finish the thought for Jackson to know what she was thinking. If the men who’d attacked her got their hands on her again, she might be out of chances to visit family and reconnect with those she loved. “Do your parents know you’re going back home?”
“Know? I left a message on their answering machine, and they’ve called me ten times to make sure I haven’t changed my mind. If my father had his way, he’d be heading here to play escort.”
“That might not have been such a bad idea.”
“I’m about fifteen years too old to need an escort. Besides, by the time he returned my call, I’d already booked my flight. There was no way he could get here before I took off.” She smiled wanly, pulling off her sunglasses as they stepped into the airport. “Speaking of which, my plane boards in an hour, and I’m going to wait by the boarding gate until then.”
“Is that a subtle hint that this is good-bye?”
“I wouldn’t call it a hint, and I’m sure it wasn’t very subtle. But I didn’t sleep much last night, and I’d rather sit and be quiet than stand and chat,” she said, brushing a few strands of inky hair from her cheek, the sleeve of her jacket riding up to reveal blue-gray smudges circling her wrist.
An image flashed through Jackson’s mind. Lindsey the last time he’d seen her. The deep black bruises on her neck. The tubes that had snaked from her broken body. The pale, lifeless face that had once been vibrant and filled with humor. “Be careful, Morgan. The men who attacked you last night are still on the loose.”
“Believe me, I know it. It’s pretty much all I’ve thought about for the past twelve hours.”
“Did you speak with Jake this morning?”
“Briefly. He called me a few hours before the wedding to let me know that he contacted the Spokane Police Department. They know I’m on the way. Other than that, he didn’t have much to report.”
“No leads?”
“None that he was willing to share.”
“I’ll make some phone calls. See if any of my old pals in the New York City Police Department have information about your ex’s murder.”
“I’m sure that Jake is already taking care of that.”
“I’m sure he is, too, but I don’t think he’d frown on another set of eyes and ears. Besides, I’ve got some buddies on the force. They may be willing to share information with me that they wouldn’t with someone else.”
“Even if it’s information that can help break a case?”
“The information I’m talking about is more the speculative type.”
“You mean gossip,” she said, moving toward the Northwest Airlines gate.
“Gossiping wouldn’t be a very manly thing to do. I prefer to think of it as dispersal of unproven information.”
“Dispersal of unproven information, huh? I’ll have to remember that one.” They’d reached the gate, and Morgan stopped, turning to face Jackson. With the dark glasses off, Jackson could clearly see the fear and worry in her eyes. “I know it may seem like I’m not grateful to you for what you’ve done, but I am. You saved my life, and I don’t take that lightly.”
“You saved your own life, Morgan. I just happened to be there to help out.”
“That’s nice of you to say, but I think we both know the truth,” she said, reaching for his hand and squeezing it.
The jolt of awareness that shot through him was as unexpected as it was unwelcome.
Surprised, he met her eyes, saw his own shock reflected there.
She dropped his hand, took a quick step back. “Take care, Jackson.”
She hurried away before he could respond.
That was fine. He’d ignore what he’d felt. Chalk it up to fatigue and stress or too many months out of the dating game. What he wouldn’t do was let Morgan travel to Washington alone. She was in too vulnerable a condition. If she ran into her enemies again, she’d have no way to defend herself. No hope of escape.
He watched until she was through the security gate, and then he followed, trying to blend in with an older couple moving into the boarding area ahead of him. No sense in letting Morgan know he’d booked a flight to Spokane until it was too late for either of them to trade in their tickets.
Morgan was a hundred yards away, sitting with her back to the security gate. Not a good move. Anyone could walk through without her noticing. Jackson was tempted to tell her that, but figured it could wait. They’d have plenty of time to talk about safety measures on the flight to Spokane.