“Hey, you okay?” Chief Morgan Wright asked, kneeling beside the woman.

His instincts piqued when the female whipped around the corner and raced for the opposite end of the ferry. They went on red alert when he spotted a strange man make that same turn and start searching between cars.

“Ma’am?” he asked again. She didn’t answer at first. He’d seen her go down, flat on her stomach.

“Don’t hurt me,” she gasped.

“You’re okay. I’m a police officer.”

She sat up and the air ripped from his chest. No, it couldn’t be. He’d never forget the face of his first love. Julie Burns, the girl who’d taken a piece of his heart with her when she’d left ten years ago.

Dear Reader,

How many of us have made a decision in our lives that seemed like a good one at the time, but as the years passed we wondered if it had been the right one? Living with regret can be frustrating and can hold us back from reaching our full potential.

Julie’s story is about making a decision based on guilt, and discovering the beauty of self-forgiveness. It’s also about believing in the grace of God, and opening your heart to His love.

This book holds a special place in my heart since it’s about putting the past where it belongs—in the past—and embracing the possibilities and the wonders of love, friendship and God. As Julie and her high-school sweetheart, Morgan, evade danger, they make peace with their past and learn that through forgiveness anything is possible.

Thanks for giving me the chance to share this story with you.

Blessings,

Hope White

Do not judge, and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

—Luke 6:37

Christmas Haven

Hope White

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To Drex—Dream a little dream, my friend.

ONE

Julie Burns had planned to visit her family for Christmas, but not like this, not running from danger.

She dug her fingernails into the strap of her backpack and quickened her step. Heart pounding in her chest, she crossed Sunset, eyeing the ferry terminal ahead.

She was close, a block away from hopping the ferry and escaping the threat.

She hoped.

“Don’t be paranoid,” she told herself as she shot a quick glance over her shoulder.

The last thing she wanted was to draw attention by acting nervous. She’d tucked her blond hair into a knit hat, put on her glasses, which she rarely wore, and hopped the bus to the Edmonds ferry terminal from downtown. She did everything she could to look average, nondescript. Invisible.

The police hadn’t been able to help her. Not when she’d reported Andy missing, or when she reported the kidnapping of Dane Simms, another teenage street kid that she worked with at Teen Life. When Julie’s office had been broken into, the cops had investigated, but chalked it up to a random burglary. She sensed there was more to it.

Then she started getting anonymous calls and felt as if someone was watching her, waiting for an opportunity to…

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a dark sedan cruising slowly past. She focused on the doors to the ferry terminal, closing in, nearly there.

“Excuse me?” a man called out from the car.

She ignored him at first, hoping he was speaking to someone else.

“Miss? Is this the ferry to Kingston?”

Breathe. It’s okay. He’s just asking a question.

She turned to the driver, a clean-cut-looking man in his thirties. “Yes, it is.”

“Great. Do you know where they line up? It’s my first time on a ferry.”

“I think back on the main street, there.” She pointed.

“Thanks very much.” He smiled and pulled away to get in line.

With a slight shake of her head, she refocused on buying her ticket. Relax, don’t be so paranoid. She’d taken precautions to make sure no one had followed her and had removed all her personal information from files at work, which wasn’t easy with Helen spying over her shoulder. The woman was always looking for an opportunity to point out Julie’s shortcomings to their boss. She’d probably lead the rally to fire Julie when she didn’t show up for work tomorrow.

Julie couldn’t worry about office drama. She’d packed a bag this morning so she wouldn’t have to go back to her apartment after her dinner meeting, and instead came straight to the ferry terminal.

To escape, back to her hometown of Port Whisper. Morgan’s smile flashed across her thoughts and regret sliced through her chest. It surprised her. She didn’t think it would still hurt. Not after all this time.

But Morgan Wright had been her first true love.

Her only true love.

Now, with her work schedule counseling homeless teens, she had little time for romance, but didn’t miss it. She wondered if that was because she’d had her chance at love with Morgan and blew it.

“Don’t think about it,” she hushed.

It only added to her anxiety. To calm herself, she pictured her hometown, the safe, predictable, boring world in which she grew up.

And had left ten years ago. She’d had to leave. She’d needed to do more by helping underprivileged teens in Seattle.

It had seemed like a good plan, until last week, when it all fell apart.

She bought her ticket and headed up the ramp to board the ferry.

Heading home. Something she said she’d never do. Not because it was a bad place, but she couldn’t bring herself to go back and be that person again, a small-town girl living in a city where the biggest crisis was the Langford brothers breaking into Stuckey’s Hardware to steal supplies to make pipe bombs.

The teens she counseled dealt with homelessness and drug use, abusive parents and a bleak future. She wanted to help the people who really needed her.

She shifted into a booth by the window and pulled out her phone, feeling bad for having to abandon her team. They’d had no idea about her plans to leave when she’d smiled across the dinner table at them tonight. But there were no other options. She sensed the danger trailing her and had to get away. She figured the less they knew about her plans the safer they’d be.

Thinking of how she’d craft that email to her boss, Andrea, she noticed a text message alert. She clicked on it and the message opened:

I see you.

She gasped and whipped her head around, eyeing the passengers in the immediate area: a group of kids with a parent; a hippie-looking guy curled up and asleep on the bench; a mom with two kids, one in a stroller.

Should she get off the ferry and wait for the next one? Notify ferry personnel?

And say what? That she feared she was being stalked but couldn’t be sure?

She continued scanning other passengers as the ferry started across the water: a businessman in suit and tie, working on his laptop; a threesome of middle-aged folks laughing as one told a story.

Walking toward her was the man who’d asked for directions to the ferry line. He eyed his phone, stopped dead in his tracks and looked right at her. He smiled. Goose bumps pricked down her arms.

She got up and headed for the snack bar, bustling with passengers anxious to fill their stomachs. Look relaxed, casual. You don’t know he was the one who sent the text.

She wandered up to a pack of teenagers who eyed foil-wrapped burgers. The thought of food made her stomach twist into a tighter knot. The hair bristled on the back of her neck, instinct warning her to get away.

She grabbed a sandwich and lined up to check out. Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted the car guy in line a few people behind her.

“Seven eighty-seven,” the cashier said.

Julie fumbled in her pocket for cash. Her fingers trembled as she desperately strategized her next move. She handed the cashier a ten and took off, rushing toward the stairs, hoping to hide between the cars below.

Would he jump the line and follow her? She couldn’t think about that, she had to get away, had to—

She raced down the stairs and flung open the door. Rushing up the aisle, she used the cars as cover, ducking between them so as not to be seen. She crisscrossed the ferry and glanced over her shoulder. A tall figure headed toward her.

She stumbled on something and went down, dropping her sandwich and slamming her palms to the ground to brace her fall. But it was too late. She was down and he was close. She could feel his eyes boring into her back.

And saw a shadow loom above her.

* * *

“Hey, you okay?” Morgan Wright asked, kneeling beside the frantic woman.

His instincts piqued when she dodged around the corner and raced for the opposite end of the ferry as if she was a sprinter in the Olympics. They went on red alert when he spotted a tall male make the same turn and search between cars.

“Ma’am?” he tried again. She didn’t answer at first. He’d seen her hit the ground and figured she was out of breath.

“Don’t hurt me,” she gasped.

“You’re okay,” he assured. “I’m a police officer.”

She sat up and the air ripped from his chest. No, it couldn’t be. He’d never forget the face of his first love, never forget her golden eyes or freckles that dotted her nose.

He’d never forgotten Julie Burns, the girl who’d taken a piece of his heart with her when she’d left ten years ago.

Lower lip trembling, she clutched her wrist to her stomach, rocking forward slightly. She still hadn’t looked at him.

A tornado of emotions whipped through his body, from anger to pain to concern. And he had so many questions.

“I… He was…” she choked.

“Take a deep breath,” Morgan said, touching her shoulder for support. That’s what he’d do if she were a stranger. He decided that was the best way to keep his perspective.

To treat her as if she were a stranger.

He spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. A tall man, thirties, with slicked-back hair, wearing an overcoat, froze ten feet away. Was it the man who’d been searching between cars? Morgan couldn’t be sure.

“Can I help you?” Morgan stood to his full six feet two inches.

“She forgot her change upstairs.” He hesitated and extended his hand to reveal a few bills and coins.

Morgan reached for it.

“Who are you?” The guy closed his fist.

“A cop.” He flashed his badge. “I’ll take it from here.”

The guy dropped the money into Morgan’s hand and eyed Julie. “Is she okay?”

“She tripped. She’ll be fine.” Morgan glanced at Julie, who still hadn’t looked up, then back at the stranger. “You a friend of hers?”

The guy backed off. “No, I just happened to be in line behind her.”

Uh-huh. Right.

“Good Samaritan type,” Morgan said. “Thought we’d lost all of those. Thanks again,” he said in dismissal.

With a nod the guy disappeared into the stairwell.

Morgan took a deep breath and kneeled beside Julie. She was white as a sheet, dazed and looked as if she was going into shock.

“Jules, hey, it’s really okay.”

She blinked, the sound of her nickname snapping her out of the trance. Glancing at Morgan, she gasped.

“Morgan…” She closed her eyes. “I’m dead, right? I’m dead and went to heaven.”

Interesting that she thought seeing Morgan equaled heaven.

“You’re not dead. Just shaken up.”

She eyed him, a tear trailing down her cheek.

He remembered the last time he’d seen her cry. He thought they were happy tears, but they’d been tears of goodbye.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“To see me in heaven I’d have to be dead and I’m very much alive, which means you’re very much alive.” He sounded like a dork, but finding the right words, any intelligent words, at this point was a challenge.

He was on the ferry headed back home. With Julie.

A scene that had filled his dreams more than once in the years after she’d left.

Shifting into police mode he asked, “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“I fell.”

“I gathered as much.”

She tipped her head slightly, a habit he’d found endearing years ago.

“Why are you on the ferry?” she asked.

“Coming home from seeing my dad in the hospital. Why are you on the ferry?”

“Mom needs help.”

Short sentences seemed to be all she could utter. He guessed the trauma still buzzed in her system.

“Huh, news to me,” he said. “I saw her yesterday and she looked fine.”

“Housecleaning.”

Now he knew she was half in shock. Edith Burns kept a tidy house, was the most organized person Morgan knew and baked a mean pecan-chocolate pie.

“Housecleaning?” he prodded.

She gave him a quick nod, looking like a little girl.

Don’t do it, Morgan. Don’t get sucked in.

“Did she send you to get me?” she asked.

She was up to seven-word sentences. That had to be a good thing, right?

“No, she didn’t send me. Take your hat off,” he said, changing the subject. He didn’t like seeing her like this, frightened and disoriented.

“What? Why?” she asked.

“I need to check for a head wound.”

She absently slipped the knit cap from her head and golden strands of sunlight fell across her shoulders. Clenching his jaw, he ran his hand gently across her scalp looking for a contusion. He struggled to ignore the feel of the soft-spun gold against his fingertips.

“I didn’t hit my head. I don’t think,” she said.

He removed his hands and leaned back on his heels. “Nope, doesn’t look like it. You wanna tell me what got you so spooked?”

“I—” her breath caught. “I was…” Her voice trailed off and she clasped her hands in her lap, he guessed to keep them from trembling.

Morgan touched her shoulder once again, hoping to ground her. “Come on.”

Gripping her upper arm, he coaxed her up. He’d forgotten how perfectly matched they were with her five-foot-eight-inch height to Morgan’s six foot two. She’d been teased in grade school for being a giant, but the teasing stopped when she turned into a beautiful teenage girl.

His girl.

“I can’t believe I tripped,” she said, avoiding his gaze.

He could. She was terrified, and eventually she was going to tell him why. But not now. Now he had to help her calm down.

Cupping her elbow, he guided her to his truck.

“I’m such a klutz,” she offered.

She was anything but a klutz. She’d been a star athlete at Greenwood High, center on the basketball team, track star, and she had looked breathtaking in a prom dress.

This was bad, very bad. He needed to take her to her mom’s and get as far away as possible from this woman. And his past.

He opened the truck door. She took off her backpack and climbed into the front seat. It suddenly hit him how surreal this was. Running into Julie on the ferry? Rescuing her?

Morgan glanced over his shoulder to see if the guy who’d brought her change was anywhere in the vicinity. A Good Samaritan? Perhaps. Yet the guy looked as if he’d been caught stealing when Morgan noticed him.

Morgan slid behind the wheel of his truck and locked the doors. They couldn’t dock fast enough. At least when he was driving he’d have to concentrate on the dark roads leading to Port Whisper. But sitting here on the ferry…he dreaded the awkward conversation.

“How have you been?” she asked.

“Good. You?” He didn’t look at her, fearing the resentment would rise up this throat against his will.

“Okay, I guess.”

Just okay? She’d fled Port Whisper, ran away from Morgan to save the world. She’d sacrificed true love and she was just okay?

Knock it off.

“I work with street kids,” she offered.

“Sounds like a worthy endeavor.”

“It is. It’s…fulfilling.”

Unlike staying in her hometown, marrying Morgan and raising a family.

Ancient history.

He thought he’d moved on. He’d been engaged once, thought he’d found love again. But Renee couldn’t turn down an offer to teach in the Midwest, and Morgan wouldn’t abandon his dad.

Sure, he’d recovered from Renee’s heartbreak, occasionally dating Anna, another hometown girl.

But she wasn’t Julie.

Unbelievable. Why did they have to be on the same boat?

“You said your dad was in the hospital,” Julie said. “What’s wrong?”

“Cancer.”

“I’m sorry.” She leaned back against the headrest and sighed.

Seconds stretched like hours between them. Fine. Silence was better than talking about their past.

Her cell vibrated and she pulled it out. “Hey, Mom. Yeah… okay. You’ll never believe who I ran into on the ferry. Morgan Wright.” She glanced at him and smiled.

He ripped his gaze from hers and focused on the Camry in front of them. It was dangerous to look too long at that gentle smile, the whir of emotions building in his chest.

“I don’t know, hang on.” She glanced at Morgan.

“Can you give me a ride to my mom’s?”

“Absolutely.” Great, now he was down to one-word sentences. Shock did that to a person, and he was still in shock after running into her tonight.

“Sure, Mom, he’ll drop me off. Okay, I’ll tell him. Love you, too.”

She pocketed her phone and glanced at Morgan. “She wants you to come in and say hi.”

“Can’t tonight.”

Or tomorrow. Or ever.

The Burnses’ house brought back too many memories. It had been a safe place, a nurturing place for Morgan to hide out when his dad was in one of his moods. He’d had a lot of those after Morgan’s mom left.

Morgan never understood how Julie could have traded such a safe, loving home for the threat of working with street kids. He’d kept up with her life through the town grapevine, not intentionally, of course, but the news always made its way to him through one source or another: Did you hear that Julie got her master’s degree? Julie was honored by the city of Seattle? Julie is saving runaway teenagers?

“So, I heard you went into the family business,” she said.

“Yep. I’m police chief.”

“How are things in Port Whisper?” she asked.

“Busy. Developers have discovered us. A new resort is under construction. Don’t you talk to your sister?”

“I do,” she said defensively.

“Seems like her snack shop and tourist business has picked up.”

“Never pegged Lana for a tour guide in a small town.”

“Right, it’s not as exciting as saving street kids,” he let slip.

She pinned him with her golden eyes. “What I meant was, she was always so shy.”

“How long will you be in Port Whisper?” He hoped not long.

“Not sure. Depends on how long it takes to help Mom.”

He’d managed to avoid Julie the other times she’d visited. He’d thrown himself into a home-improvement project at Dad’s, or taken a few days off to go fishing with the guys, anything but come face-to-face with heartbreak. He’d been a fool to think she’d choose Morgan over her career. But back then he was young and hopeful.

Buddy, you have so not gotten over this woman.

“I feel like we need to talk about something,” she started.

“What’s that?”

“You know.”

He glanced at her, casual, aloof. “No, I really don’t.” He hesitated. “Oh, you mean why you were terrified a few minutes ago?”

With a disappointed frown, she glanced out the passenger window to study the side-view mirror.

“Did you know that guy?” he pressed.

“No. He was just a guy I gave directions to.”

“Which is why you were freaked when you rushed around the corner?”

She rested her forehead against the window and closed her eyes, indicating the conversation was over.

Good. He’d successfully avoided the gut-wrenching subject of their failed relationship. Why did she want to go there, anyway?

He clicked on the radio to a country station. A song about lost love and regret filled the car. He punched the radio off.

During his tour in Iraq he’d faced off against insurgents, been shot at and nearly blown up a handful of times. But nothing made him feel as threatened as sitting next to Jules.

For some reason, being near her exposed his vulnerability like nothing else could. He felt as if he was going into battle without a flak jacket, weapons or common sense.

And he didn’t believe in coincidences.

What’s the message, Lord? What am I supposed to do with this situation?

He wished he could trust his heart to guide him.

Unfortunately, the woman sitting inches away had destroyed his heart. That’s probably why he couldn’t get close to Anna, and why he used his charming smile and jokes to keep people at a distance. He never let anyone inside. It wasn’t worth the risk.

Maybe running into Julie was his final test, his last challenge before being able to move on.

And he was so ready to move on.

TWO

The warmth of Morgan’s hand holding hers shot a sense of peace across her body as they lay in the grass overlooking Puget Sound. She closed her eyes, savoring this moment, wanting it to last forever.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

She turned to look into his blue-green eyes, filled with love and adoration.

“No, I’m perfect,” she whispered.

“That you are.” He leaned over and kissed her, his lips soft and gentle. Her heart tapped against her chest.

Love. This is what love feels like, she thought. She wanted to hang on to it. Forever.

Then it was gone, her lips suddenly chilled, her hands frigid.

She opened her eyes to an empty spot where Morgan had just been beside her.

“Morgan?”

A gunshot echoed across the water. She jumped to her feet and spun around to see Morgan fall to his knees, clutching his chest.

“Morgan!”

She rushed to him, gripping his shoulders, searching his eyes. They were coal-black, dead. He fell to the ground, blood staining his shirt.

“No!” A sob wracked her chest.

“Yes,” a voice said. Through tear-filled eyes she glanced up, struggling to focus on the man standing a few feet away. “And now it’s your turn.” BANG!

“No!” she screamed.

“Julie, wake up.”

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see past the shooter’s black eyes…Morgan’s lifeless eyes. Heartbreak ripped through her.

“Jules.” He pulled her against his chest. “Wake up.”

A choke-sob escaped her lips as she clung to his leather jacket, willing the images away.

“It’s okay. You’re home,” Morgan said.

Boy, did she feel home as she leaned into his solid chest and inhaled the scent of pine mixed with aftershave.

For a few seconds she basked in the feeling of security…of love. Then the flash of Morgan being shot, the life dimming from his eyes and the blood covering his shirt, shot a new wave of panic through her body.

“I shouldn’t have fallen asleep,” she said, breaking the embrace and casting a worried glance out the back window. They were at her mom’s.

“No one followed us,” Morgan offered as if reading her mind.

She whipped the car door open and charged up the driveway, needing to get away from him. The front door swung open and Mom opened her arms. Julie welcomed the gesture and held on tight.

“Hey, what’s all this?” her mom asked.

Julie couldn’t form words past the terror of her nightmare.

Morgan had been killed. Because of her.

It had only been a dream, but it felt real. She wouldn’t be responsible for the death of someone she cared about, especially not Morgan. Hadn’t she hurt him enough?

“Jules, what is it?” Mom pushed.

“I missed you.”

“Hey, Morgan,” Mom said over Julie’s shoulder.

“Mrs. Burns,” he greeted with concern in his voice.

“What did you do to my daughter?” she joked.

“She fell asleep in the truck and had a bad dream.”

Mom stroked Julie’s back. “Probably about work. Let’s get you some tea. Morgan, will you join us?”

“No,” Julie said, breaking the embrace, but keeping her eyes on her mom. “He’s got someplace to be.”

“Nonsense. I made chocolate-chip-bacon cookies especially for you, Chief,” she enticed.

“How could I say no to that?” Morgan handed Julie her backpack.

“Thanks.” She grabbed it, not making eye contact. “I’m going to wash up.”

“Oh, okay,” Mom said.

Julie rushed up the stairs, away from the nightmare, away from Morgan.

“French Vanilla or Earl Grey?” Mom called after her.

“You pick,” Julie said, not looking back. She couldn’t. The sight of Morgan, alive and well, standing in her hallway, would only send another wave of panic through her body.

She tossed her backpack onto the bed and padded into the bathroom. A splash of cold water would shock her out of the fright of the nightmare. Whenever she’d been awakened by a nightmare as a child, Mom would have her splash water on her cheeks. After a few seconds she and Mom would end up giggling at the mess she’d made, essentially blasting the nightmare’s effects to smithereens.

She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and splashed away. Two, three, four times. Studying her reflection in the mirror she whispered, “What am I doing here?”

The nightmare made her realize she could have brought trouble to her hometown, perhaps putting innocent people in danger. Her mom. Her sister.

“Morgan,” she whispered.

She’d never forgive herself if anything happened to him because of Julie’s job. She’d left him years ago to give him the freedom to live his life and follow his own dreams. She knew if she’d committed to a life with him that he’d follow her to Seattle and attend college or find a job. But that wasn’t his path.

His path had been to follow in his dad’s footsteps and become a cop.

“Enough,” she scolded herself. She had to stop thinking about the past and figure out a way to stay safe. To keep her family safe.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have come home,” she whispered.

But she desperately needed some time with Mom and Lana before she disappeared off the grid for good. She’d been careful to cover her tracks to prevent anyone from following her, so she’d spend a day or two here, crack her brightest smile and enjoy time spent with Mom, Lana…and Morgan.

No, being with Morgan wasn’t enjoyable. It was torture.

She closed her eyes, remembering the first part of her nightmare, the feel of his hand warming hers, the kiss…

“Stop,” she hushed, trying to wipe the image, the feel of their kiss out of her mind.

It did no good to remember the feeling when it wasn’t real. Well, it had been real ten years ago, but she was pretty sure Morgan felt anything but love toward her right now.

Of course not. She’d broken his heart to follow her own dream. Fine, that’s what she’d use as her shield. She’d talk about her fulfilling work as a counselor, but not mention how dangerous it could be. That would only worry her mom and bring out Morgan’s protective instincts.

She didn’t want Morgan getting involved in her life, caring too much. The nightmare drove home the consequences of that possibility.

She brushed out her long, blond hair, applied lipgloss, only because her lips were dry, and headed downstairs.

Voices drifted into the hallway as she headed for the kitchen.

“No, she hasn’t mentioned anything unusually stressful at work. Why?” Mom said.

“Her nightmare made her cry out in her sleep. I’m wondering if something’s troubling her.”

Julie stepped into the kitchen. “Which tea did you pick?” she asked, changing the subject.

“I brewed us a white-pomegranate blend I’ve been wanting to try,” Mom said.

“Sounds great.” Julie didn’t look at Morgan. Couldn’t look at him for fear the image of a dead Morgan would send a shudder down her spine.

“I was asking your mother about your job,” Morgan said.

“I work at Teen Life. It’s great. Helping kids who really need it is so fulfilling,” she said, driving home that kids around Port Whisper had no worries compared to the homeless kids she counseled in the city.

“I’ll bet,” he said.

She didn’t expect that response. She figured he’d argue that kids in Port Whisper needed help, too. A memory of him confessing his home situation filled her with guilt. He’d opened up to her, told her that after his mom left, the revered police chief of Port Whisper had occasionally hit Morgan out of grief or frustration, and somehow Morgan felt as if it was his fault.

Julie pulled out the teacups and set them on the counter.

“What are some of your recent cases?” Morgan pressed.

Julie hesitated as she poured tea. He was fishing, trying to figure out what made her cry out in her sleep.

“Here, I’ll do that,” Mom said. “You sit with Morgan and catch up.”

Mom kissed Julie’s forehead and smiled. Mom had never given up on Morgan and Julie, especially since Morgan had never married. Julie heard he was engaged once, but it didn’t work out. She wondered why.

Julie sat down across from Morgan and forced a smile. He quirked a brow. Ugh. He knew her too well.

“Well,” she started, “we just had a kid placed in a really good foster home. That’s always exciting.”

“What about her parents?”

“His. They’re drug addicts. Gave up their rights to their two sons.”

“How sad,” Mom said.

Julie didn’t talk much about her work with her mom. She didn’t want to upset her. Or scare her. Julie had found herself in threatening situations from time to time, but she was prepared.

Except for what she saw earlier this week.

Mom served the tea and slid a plate of cookies between Julie and Morgan. She joined them at the table.

“Drug addicts,” Morgan said. “You deal with some pretty dangerous people.”

“Says the police chief,” Julie quipped.

“Police chief of a small, sleepy town.”

A small, sleepy town. Her words spoken to him during one of their last fights.

“So, Morgan, how’s your dad?” Mom interrupted the awkward moment.

“As well as can be expected,” he said. “He’s probably got only a few months.”

“I’m so sorry.” Julie’s mom glanced into her tea.

“Yeah, well, he led a productive life,” Morgan said. “Family, career, he had it all.”

Insinuating Julie had given up one for another.

“Bill is a good man,” Mom said.

Morgan shifted in his chair. His father appeared to be a good man to the outside world, and most of the time he was good. But Morgan and Julie knew there was another side to the chief, a dark, tortured side.

“How long are you staying around?” Morgan asked.

“A few days,” Julie said. That had been the original plan, although now she wondered if everyone would be better off if she got out of town sooner rather than later.

She still didn’t know how dangerous this situation was or what her pursuers wanted from her.

Sure you do. You witnessed a crime. They want you dead.

She shuddered.

“Honey, let me get you a sweater.” Mom jumped up and went to the front hall closet.

Morgan leaned across the table, narrowing his intense, blue-green eyes at her. “Are you going to tell me what’s really going on?”

She couldn’t rip her gaze from his. He knew something was wrong and he wasn’t going to back off. But she didn’t want to involve her family or Morgan in whatever danger was stalking her, and she surely didn’t need a lecture about the dangers of her job.

“It’s not your problem.” She got up and went to get a spoon to stir sugar into her tea.

“It is my problem if you’re in trouble and you’ve brought it to my town.”

She closed her eyes. Right. It was about Morgan protecting his citizens, not about him being worried about her.

Julie was about to tell him to mind his own business when Mom breezed into the kitchen.

“Here you go,” her mom said, hesitating. She glanced from Morgan to Julie. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, Mom. Everything’s fine,” Julie said.

With a shake of his head, Morgan downed his tea and stood. “Thanks for the tea and cookies, Mrs. Burns.”

“You’re very welcome,” Mom said with a questioning frown.

“Good night.” With a nod Morgan left, shutting the front door with a resounding click.

Julie sighed and closed her eyes.

“Jules, sweetie, talk to me.” Mom placed her hand on Julie’s shoulder.

“I’m just burned out at work.”

“Julie?”

She glanced at her mom.

“I love you with all my heart,” Mom said. “I think a part of Morgan’s heart still loves you, too. We’re worried—”

“I’m fine,” Julie snapped, sitting at the kitchen table.

Mom walked up to her and rubbed her shoulders. “Whatever it is, we can work it out together.”

Julie wasn’t so sure. If the police couldn’t help Julie, Mom and Morgan surely couldn’t. Nor did she want to get them involved with whatever criminal element was stalking her.

She loved her mom too much.

Which would make it that much harder to leave again. But she had to. She couldn’t risk trouble following her here, to her mom’s house, to Morgan’s town.

“Honey, please,” her mother pleaded.

“Something happened at work.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Julie shook her head. “I can’t. Not yet.”

Mom frowned. “Well, you’ll tell me when you’re ready. But, sweetie, you can’t run from your problems. You should know that.”

Was she referring to Suzy’s death? Or to Morgan?

Sadness washed over her. So much loss.

Mom stroked Julie’s hair. “It’s okay. You’re home now. And Lana can’t wait to see you.”

“I can’t wait to see her, either.”

“She’s coming for breakfast.”

“Awesome.” And it was. Julie kept so busy at work that she had little time to miss them. But right now, sitting in Mom’s floral kitchen, she remembered the joy and laughter they’d shared. An ache crawled through her chest.

“You look exhausted. How about I tuck you in?” Mom offered.

“That would be great.”

Morgan pulled out of the Burnses’ driveway, but didn’t go far. Parking a few houses down from the old Victorian, he eyed the upstairs window. Julie’s room.

He guessed whatever made her scream out in her sleep was the same thing that drove her back home to the safety of family and friends. And now she was having second thoughts.

He could read it in her eyes.

It still amazed him how connected they were after all these years. Why didn’t she trust him enough to ask for his help? Because he still wasn’t good enough? He was only a small-town cop and she needed…what?

He whipped out his cell phone and called Ethan Beck, an old friend who was a detective with the Seattle Police Department.

“Beck.”

“Hey, E, it’s Morgan Wright.”

“As in Chief Morgan Wright?”

“Knock it off.”

Morgan and Ethan had recently reconnected thanks to another old friend, Jake Walters.

“Good to hear from you, man,” Ethan said. “Jake told me you were chief pooh-bah out there in Port Whisper. How’s that goin’?”

“It has its good days and bad.” Like today. “Listen, I need a favor.”

“Name it.”

“An old friend’s returned to town and I think she’s in trouble.”

“Is she cute? Available?”

“Yes and no.”

“Really?” Ethan teased.

“Can you check your database for anything on Julie Burns, female, twenty-eight? Seattle social worker for Teen Life.”

“You mean the Julie Burns?”

“Yup.”

“What am I looking for?”

“I’m not sure.”

“You think she’s into something criminal?”

The terror in her golden eyes flashed across his mind. “No, but my gut tells me she’s in trouble.”

“I’ll see what I can find.”

“Thanks.”

“Sure. You hear about Jake and Robin? They’re engaged.”

Morgan took a deep breath. “No, I hadn’t heard. That’s great news.”

“How soon do you need this information about Julie?”

“As soon as you can get it.”

“Check. Take care, buddy.”

“You, too.”

Morgan ended the call and dropped the phone on the seat beside him. Staring up at Julie’s room, he leaned back and considered what could be going on with his fragile ex-girlfriend.

She was suffering from some kind of post-trauma issue, that’s for sure. Maybe her work had finally gotten to her, listening to the gut-wrenching stories of abused teenagers, counseling them, hoping they’d find a better life, only to have them return to an abusive living situation.

It had to get to her, haunt her dreams, trigger nightmares.

Yet she’d called out Morgan’s name when she’d awakened from the nightmare in his truck.

Maybe she’d been dreaming about one of their last fights, the harsh words he’d uttered out of sheer agony of losing the one person he’d trusted most.

He wondered what life would have looked like had he followed her to Seattle, left his father and chosen another line of work. But his life was here, making his father proud, earning his respect and protecting the citizens of Port Whisper.

It had been his destiny.

At one point he thought Julie had been a part of that destiny.

“Get over it already.” He thought he had. He’d fallen in love with Renee, at least he thought it was love, and he’d appreciated Anna’s company, her bright smile and sense of humor.

Seeing Jules again, rescuing her from whatever threat was stalking her, brought it all back to the surface.

Regret burned in his chest. No, he’d done the right thing by letting her go to follow her dream. The pit in his stomach said otherwise.

He clicked the radio on and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Something told him to stay close. He had tomorrow off. He could go the night without sleep.

Even if he went home and climbed into bed, he knew he wouldn’t sleep, not with the image of Julie’s frightened eyes haunting him.

“You’re going to tell me what’s going on,” he whispered, eyeing her bedroom.

The light went off. He took a deep breath and considered his next move. He’d see what Ethan turned up and he’d go from there.

Tomorrow he’d confront Julie about her situation, but under no uncertain terms would he discuss their past. This was business. He was the police chief sworn to protect the people of Port Whisper.

As long as Jules was here, she was under his protection just like everyone else.

A vibrating sound awakened her from a deep sleep. She opened her eyes and spotted her cell phone dancing across the nightstand. The bedside clock read four-thirty. She flipped on the lamp and grabbed her phone, recognizing the caller ID as William’s work number. William and Julie had consulted with one another on unusually complicated cases. But why call at such an odd time?

“William?” she answered.

Silence.

“William?”

“You can run, Blondie,” a gravelly voice said. “But we’re always right behind you.”

She jackknifed in bed. “Who is this?”

The line went dead and a surge of panic ripped through her. Fearing for William’s safety, she called his cell. She paced her room as it rang. Two, three times.

“Hello?” he answered groggily.

She sighed and shifted onto the bed.

“You’re okay,” she said.

“Julie? It’s—” he hesitated “—four in the morning.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“I just got a threatening phone call from your work number.”

“A threatening call? I don’t understand.”

“I’m in trouble, William. Ever since I witnessed Dane’s kidnapping, strange things have been happening: hang-ups, the office break-in, and I think someone’s been following me.”

“Call the police.”

“What can they do? Put a twenty-four-hour watch on my apartment? No, I have to disappear for a while.”

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know yet. I’ll be in touch.”

“Julie—”

She ended the call, and nervously paced to the window.

We’re always right behind you.

Which meant they were trailing her to Port Whisper? How? She’d taken her personal files with her mom’s contact information from the office. Morgan said no one had followed them from the ferry. She glanced at her phone. Were they tracking her through a GPS chip? Had they already found her?

She had no choice. She had to run. And destroy her phone along the way.

Julie packed up her things. There was a commuter bus that stopped in town around six. She’d catch it and head west to a larger town, like Port Angeles, where she could blend in.

She flipped off her bedroom light and padded across the hall to Mom’s room. As she peered inside, she realized if she woke Mom she’d only talk her out of leaving. But Julie had made up her mind. She didn’t want to risk bringing trouble to Port Whisper and put the townspeople in danger.

She tiptoed downstairs, glancing across the warm and welcoming living room. Sadness welled up in her chest as she remembered the many Christmases she’d enjoyed in this very room. She’d had a wonderful childhood, safe and happy, unlike the kids she counseled. Julie thought she’d been doing the honorable thing when she’d left for the city. She had the solid upbringing and faith in God that grounded her and gave her strength to help the kids at Teen Life. Faith that had been tested, ripped apart and destroyed as she watched one kid after another fail.

It was on those days that Julie missed the comfort and innocence of Port Whisper.

Innocence that would be destroyed if her stalker tracked her here. Andy Trotter was missing. She’d seen Dane Simms being shoved into a van. She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew witnessing the abduction had put her life at risk.

She placed a note on the hall table, opened the front door and slipped outside. The cool morning chill slapped her cheeks as she started down the porch steps. She’d catch the commuter bus and head to Port Angeles, find a safe place to hide and…

What? Get a job in a burger joint? Take a nanny job? She hadn’t thought past getting away and escaping the threat.

As she headed down Oak Street she thought about her childhood friends from the youth club, Carrie, Megan and Taylor.

And Suzy.

There wasn’t a day that passed when she didn’t think about Suzy.

“Don’t go there,” she muttered, flipping her collar up against the breeze. The hair on the back of her neck bristled.

She narrowed her eyes and focused ahead, looking for signs of danger.

Don’t be paranoid. It’s Port Whisper.

A small, sleepy little town, Morgan had said yesterday in the kitchen, repeating her words from their fight years ago.

She’d intentionally kept Morgan at a distance, yet somehow he was still able to sense her fear. Another reason to leave town. If she saw him again, he’d do his best to break down the wall she’d lodged between them.

The brisk walk to town brightened her spirits a bit, if that was possible. Watching the sunrise had always been a treat, especially when she’d shared it with Morgan, his arm around her, humming in her ear.

She could never watch a sunrise without thinking of him, or remembering the time they were questioned by a cop at Squamish Harbor. They’d fallen asleep while waiting for the sunrise.

Turning the corner to the Town Center, she eyed a spot behind the post office where she could wait until the bus came. The post office overlooked the water, so peaceful at this time of the morning.

She shook herself out of the false sense of peace. She had to plan her next move. Her phantom caller threatened to be right behind her. Even if he didn’t find Julie, chances were whoever was after her would keep abducting kids, kids who didn’t seem to matter to anyone but her.

The kids sometimes reminded her of Morgan before they’d started dating. He’d had his share of challenges—a learning disability, an absent mother—which had led to anger issues and fights in school. Somehow Julie had gotten through to him and they’d fallen in love.

After she left she’d worried that he’d slip into that dark place again. But the night he’d told her they would marry someday, he’d also said that he’d changed. Because of her.

That was the first time she felt she’d had a positive impact on someone’s life. She surely didn’t have one on Suzy’s.

She tossed her phone into the water, figuring that would destroy the GPS. All her contacts, photos and text messages… gone. But she had to get used to being alone. She eyed Sahalish Island across the water, uninhabited except for tourists who visited for the day or campers who sailed onto the small shore and pitched tents in the rugged terrain. The island reminded her of her baby sister, Lana, who ran Delightful Tours, a business that took visitors to the island, out of a snack shop called Stone Soup. Lana was never going to forgive Julie for leaving town without seeing her.

This is so messed up.

She wished she could pray to God to tell her she was doing the right thing, but she’d given up on prayer somewhere around the fourth year in her job. Where was God when horrible things were happening to these kids?

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a tall, male figure step around the corner. Glancing away, she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and wandered in the other direction. Calm, casual.

She climbed down the rocks to the shore, remembering a path she and Morgan used to take when strolling along the water to the main dock. They would hide out beneath the pier, steal a kiss, confess their fears and share their dreams for the future.

“Miss?” the man called after her.

She picked up her pace. She’d given directions to the guy at the ferry and he’d found her on the boat. But Morgan said no one had followed them from the ferry, right?

“Hey, wait!” the man called.

She broke into a full-blown sprint. Not easy considering the unstable rocks beneath her feet. She never should have come back here, should have known better. She shot a glance over her shoulder at the guy, who stood on the pier, watching, but not following her.

She turned and slammed into something hard and firm.

The man’s partner?

“Where do you think you’re going?”

THREE

“Let go of me!” She struggled against Morgan’s grip, as if fearing for her life.

“Julie, stop!” Morgan ordered. “It’s me, Morgan.”

She hesitated, still clutching his jacket, and glanced up. “Morgan? What are you doing here?”

“Apparently, stopping you from running away.” He hesitated. “Again.”

He couldn’t believe it. She didn’t have the decency to stay a few days and catch up with her family. She didn’t have the decency to say goodbye.

Some things never changed.

“What are you doing down here?” he said, but he had a pretty good idea.

“I’m… I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk.”

“Uh-huh. With your backpack?” He released her, but she clung to his jacket for a second longer than necessary.

Then she let go. “Are you stalking me?”

“That’s an odd way of putting it.”

“How did you know I was here?” She took a step back, then shot a nervous glance over her shoulder.

“I saw you leave the house.”

“You were watching me?”

“Hey, Chief! She okay?” the man called from the pier.

Morgan waved. “She’s fine, Ray, thanks.”

“Who’s that?” Julie asked.

“Don’t you remember Ray Carlisle? He owns Klinger Drugs?”

“I…I didn’t recognize him.”

More like she assumed he was out to hurt her.

“We need to talk.” Morgan glanced at his watch. “The Turnstyle staff is usually there by now. Let’s get some coffee.”

“No, I have to…”

“What? Catch a bus?”

She glanced at the water. With his forefinger and thumb to her chin, he turned her face to look him in the eye. “You were going where, exactly? And you were skipping out on your mom?”

Her golden eyes challenged him. “It’s none of your business.”

“You’re in my town. It’s my business. Now, come on.” He motioned for her to take the next set of stairs up to the street level.

Ethan had called Morgan with some interesting information. Jules had reported a missing teenager, a week later reported an abduction of a second boy and her office had been broken into.

Morgan guessed whatever was going on had motivated her return to Port Whisper, and her escape number this morning.

Escape. That’s how she’d described leaving town ten years ago. She’d wanted to escape small-town life and do something important.

Whatever important work she was into had landed her in trouble. Ethan said the cops were looking into the abduction but it wasn’t easy tracking kids who didn’t want to be found. They also had no leads on the office break-in.

It wouldn’t be easy confronting Julie about her situation. He assumed she hadn’t shared the details with her mother. Jules tended to be like that, wanting to help others, but not being able to accept help in return.

They walked in silence the two blocks to the Turnstyle Coffee Shop. The sign read Closed, but he knew Anna and Lew, the owner, were prepping to open. They always opened for him if he needed a cup of caffeine. Today he needed more than just one. He wanted to be clearheaded so he could interrogate Julie and get answers.

“They’re not open yet,” she said, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets.

Morgan tapped on the window. Anna poked her head out of the kitchen, waved and headed for the door. She was a nice woman and Morgan enjoyed spending time with her, yet he’d been up front with Anna, told her he wasn’t ready for a serious relationship. He sensed she ignored his warning.

Anna swung open the door, her eyes brightening. “Hi, Morgan.” They hugged and he broke it off a little quicker than usual.

“Anna, this is Julie Burns. Julie, Anna.”

As the women shook hands, Anna narrowed her eyes. “Burns as in Edith’s daughter?”

“Yes,” Julie said.

Anna shot Morgan a quick glance. She knew, as did most everyone in town, about Morgan and Julie. Once upon a time they were in love, named the couple most likely to marry, settle down and raise a family in Port Whisper.

“Nice to meet you,” Anna said.

“Coffee ready?” Morgan asked.

“You bet. Come in.”

Morgan motioned for Julie to slide into a booth.

“You want coffee too, Julie?”

“Sure.”

With an odd curl of her lips, Anna headed back to the kitchen.

“You dated her, didn’t you?” Julie said.

“I’m the one asking the questions.”

“Morgan—”

“I spoke with the Seattle P.D.”

Julie leaned back in the booth and crossed her arms over her chest. “Why?”

“Because I need to know what’s going on if I’m going to protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection.” She glanced out the window.

“No? Then what do you need?”

“To catch the commuter bus and get out of town.”

“What will that accomplish?”

She shrugged.

“No more shrugging, silent treatment and crossing your arms over your chest. It’s time to be honest with me, Jules. I know you filed a police report about a missing boy, I know about the break-in at work and I know you reported an abduction. Fill me in here.”

She looked straight at him. “No.”

“No?”

“I can’t divulge that kind of information.”

“I’m not asking for personal information about the teenagers. I’m asking about what you reported to police. And why you ran.”

“Here you go,” Anna said, sliding two coffee mugs on the table. She poured Morgan’s coffee, then Julie’s. “So, you in town long?”

“No,” Jules answered.

“Yes,” Morgan countered.

“Okay, then.” Anna eyed them. “Just yell if you need a warmup.”

Julie’s gaze followed Anna into the back, as if making sure she was out of earshot.

“Spill it,” Morgan said.

“I don’t want to get you involved in this. I probably shouldn’t have come back. I realize that now.”

“But you did. Why?”

“I don’t know, I guess…I was scared. I felt threatened so I came home where it’s—”

“Boring?” he interrupted.

“Safe.”

Morgan sipped his coffee. Studied her. It surprised him that she still felt a connection to Port Whisper. He figured she’d put this quaint little town behind her when she’d moved to the city.

“Judging from your behavior, I’m assuming someone’s after you?” Morgan asked.

“I think so. After I reported the abduction I noticed someone following me on the way home from work. I’ve also been getting threatening calls. I got one this morning.”

“Where’s your cell? Maybe we can trace the call.”

“I threw it in the Sound in case they could trace the GPS signal.”

“Smart girl.” Thinking defensively would go a long way to keeping her safe.

“Then there was the break-in at work,” she said.

“What did they take when they broke into your office?”

“Files, mostly.”

“Your files?”

“Some, but I keep others at home, as well.”

“Continue.”

“I felt like I was being followed yesterday, so after a dinner meeting I hopped the ferry. Then I got a text—I see you. A guy I’d given directions to on the street was looking at his phone, then he looked at me and smiled.” She closed her eyes and shuddered.

Morgan wanted to slide into the booth next to her and put his arm around her. He took another swig of coffee.

“You were running away from him on the ferry. That’s when you tripped and fell?” Morgan said.

“Yes.” She glanced at him. “And you were there.” A content smile played at the corner of her lips.

He ignored it. “Do you think he’s a part of this?”

“I don’t know.”

Neither did Morgan, but as a precaution he’d kept a close watch on his rearview mirror last night to make sure no one had followed them from the ferry. “Supposing someone is after you, what do they want?” Morgan asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Jules,” he said, in a warning tone.

“I really don’t, Morgan. I don’t even know who these people are. I can only guess it’s related to the boys.”

“Tell me a little about them.”

“I can’t. It’s a confidentiality thing.”

“Tough. You need to confide in me so I can save your life.”

There, he said it. He knew the endgame in these types of situations was often murder. One of her clients was missing, perhaps dead, and another had been kidnapped right in front of her. What did she think was going to happen if the mysterious “they” found her?

“I really need to catch that bus,” she said.

“For where?”

“Port Angeles.”

“What happens when you get to Port Angeles?”

“I’ll get a job, I guess.”

“What about your counseling job?”

“I left town without telling anyone, so I’m sure I’ll be out of a job by the time I get back. If I ever get back.”

“You can’t run from your problems, Jules. They always find you.”

She stirred cream into her coffee, circling the edges of the cup with her spoon. Morgan opened three packets of sugar and poured them into her mug.

She cracked a smile. “You remembered.”

“I remember a lot of things.” Like her hurtful words when she’d tried to break it off with him. He’d thought he’d talked her out of it. He hadn’t.

“What do you remember about the night you witnessed the abduction?” he asked.

“I really don’t want to—”

“Look, you’ll never outrun these guys and they won’t stop until they get what they want. We need to figure out what that is.”

“I think they want me dead.”

Sure, he’d thought the same thing, but hearing her say it made it more real. He leaned back in the booth, fighting the panic knotting his gut. “Why do you say that?”

“I filed the missing-persons report for Andy. I witnessed Dane being abducted.”

“But the police hit a dead end. They’ve closed that file. No, there’s something more going on here. What is it?”

“I don’t know, okay!” She closed her eyes.

Anna poked her head around the corner. “Need a refill on those coffees?”

“We’re good, thanks,” Morgan said.

“I’m sorry,” Julie whispered.

A part of him wished she were apologizing for abandoning him instead of the outburst.

“Look, if I’m going to keep you safe, you need to be completely honest,” he said.

She glanced at him with fear in her eyes. Why? What else was she hiding?

“Do you have any files with you now?” he asked.

“Yes, in my backpack.”

“Good, we’ll start there.”

“Start what?”

“Trying to piece this together.”

“I don’t want to involve you in this.”

“Why, because you care about me?” He wanted to snap the words back the minute they left his lips. He wasn’t cruel by nature, but he was frustrated that he might not be able to protect her because she was fighting him every step of the way.

Silence stretched between them. He clenched his jaw and stared out the diner window.

“Morgan?” she said.

He glanced at her.

“I am sorry,” she said.

He knew she wasn’t referring to the current threat. Tough. He couldn’t deal with that right now. “Let’s focus on the present situation. Forget the past. Ready to go?” He slid out of the booth and waited.

“Sure.”

He dropped a ten-dollar bill on the table and started for the door. As he opened it for her, she hesitated and looked at him with those enchanting golden eyes. “If you figure out how to forget the past let me know, because I never have.”

She strolled past him onto the sidewalk.

As he watched her step to the curb and glance across town, he realized he needed to solve this case fast so he could put her on a ferry and send her to Seattle before he lost touch with reality and started dreaming again.

Dreaming of a charmed life with his high-school sweetheart.

Julie had wondered if leaving him would cause Morgan’s bad-boy tendencies to surface. When Mom told her Morgan had joined the service, earned his college degree and returned to become police chief, Julie figured he’d moved on and conquered the darkness.

Sitting across from his desk, she realized something else had changed: Morgan had become a master at closing himself off. It was as if he flipped a switch from charismatic chief to hardened detective. He was hyper-focused on solving the case the Seattle P.D. had been unable to get traction on. Not because Morgan was worried about Julie, but, she guessed, because he wanted to solve it so he could keep his citizens safe, and get Julie out of his life.

He hated her that much.

“Andy Trotter was a dealer? Of what?” he asked, leafing through a file.

She felt guilty showing him the boys’ personal files but she knew he was right: the more information he had, the better chance he had of piecing together some answers.

He glanced up, waiting for a response. His eyes grew dark blue and intense. Cold.

“Crack cocaine, mostly. Some heroin,” she said.

“Which means he worked for some pretty bad people. But the kid was homeless? Didn’t dealing give him enough money to live?”

“The kids get addicted themselves and end up spending their money on their habit.”

He fingered a sheet of paper. “I realize dealing drugs can be deadly, but why abduct a kid?”

“I didn’t see Andy being abducted. He just disappeared.”

“Tell me about Dane’s abduction.” He leaned back in his chair and tapped a pencil on his desk.

He was in cop mode, questioning her like any other witness.

“I was going to one of the flophouses Dane frequented. When I turned the corner, I spotted two men shoving him into the back of a van. I called out—”

“You what?” He leaned forward.

“Instinct, okay?”

“Did they see you?”

“I’m not sure. Anyway, I dialed 9-1-1 and watched the van tear off. I’ll never forget the sound of Dane’s voice screaming to let him go.”

“Did it sound like he knew them? Did he call them by name?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Think, Jules. Close your eyes and replay the scene in your head.”

With a sigh, she did as he asked. It had been a cool, blustery day in Seattle, and when she’d turned the corner she was fastening the top button on her coat.

Dane cried out, snapping her attention to the alley. She froze at the sight of two men practically ripping off Dane’s jacket to subdue him as he kicked and screamed.

Damn it, let me go! I didn’t do it, Henson. I didn’t do it!

Julie snapped her eyes open. “Henson, he called one of the guys Henson.”

“Good. It’s a start.” He picked up the phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Detective Beck. You remember Ethan? He’s a Seattle cop.”

“Oh, right.”

She wished she would have known that before. She always liked Ethan, one of the Three Musketeers, as they’d called themselves growing up. Ethan and his friend Jake would vacation in Port Whisper every summer, and Morgan always looked forward to seeing them. As teenagers Morgan and Julie saw less of the guys from the other side of the water. She was glad Morgan had kept in touch with Ethan.

“I’ve got a name,” Morgan said into the phone. “Henson. Yeah…no…” He glanced at Julie. “I doubt it. Sure, thanks.” He hung up and eyed Julie. “He’s going to look into it. In the meantime we need to figure out a way to keep you safe.”

“What about my mom?”

“Need to keep her safe, too.”

“She’ll want to lock me up and not let me go back to Seattle.”

“Is that so bad?”

“Look, I know you love it here, but—”

“All I’m saying is, a few weeks off or even a month away from your work could be a good thing. I can see it’s sucking the energy out of you.”

“I was fine until Andy disappeared and Dane was abducted.”

Morgan quirked a brow.

“What?” she said.

“How long have you been at this?”

“Six years.”

“When was the last time you took a vacation?”

“Last spring.”

“Really? Where’d you go?”

She hesitated and he smirked.

“Omaha,” she snapped.

“For a vacation?”

“Okay, fine. I went for a conference.”

“I rest my case.”

“I wish you’d get off my case.” Probably because he was right. Her job was sucking the life from her and she didn’t know what to do about it.

“Let’s talk about your safety,” Morgan said. “We should get you out of your mom’s house.”

“What? No.”

“It’s temporary. You can stay at Dad’s place. I’ve been working on it.”

“No, I couldn’t—”

“Sure you could.” He scribbled something on a piece of paper.

“Mom won’t agree.”

“She will when we explain the situation.”

Julie sighed. “I hate involving her in this.”

“Too late, you already have.”

Anger rose in her chest. “Stop doing that.”

“What?”

“Making me feel guilty for coming back and bringing my work baggage with me. I thought I’d covered my tracks.”

“That’s not what I’m trying to do.”

“No? You want me to feel bad about coming back, you’re punishing me for—”

“I’m stating the truth—you landed in trouble. You got scared and came back to the one place where you feel safe. That’s okay, Jules, but you have to forgive yourself for coming home.”

She was speechless, didn’t know how to respond to that one. “You’re right, I guess.”

Their eyes locked and she couldn’t bring herself to break the connection. He wasn’t trying to make her feel worse than she already did. He was trying to stop her from beating herself up.

As only Morgan could do.

His desk phone rang and he grabbed it, breaking the connection between them. She took a deep breath, realizing she’d been holding it.

“Chief Wright,” he said in a deep, clipped voice. “That was fast. What?” Morgan leaned back in his chair and ran his hand slowly down his face.

She knew that expression, one of utter frustration.

“Thanks for letting me know.” He dropped the receiver onto the cradle.

“What?” she pushed.

“The boy you reported missing, Andy Trotter?”

“Yeah.”

“They think they found his body in an alley.”

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