The Crushing Depths
Page 31
Sobbing, much as her mother had earlier that day, Kasey Scott fell into her father’s embrace and nestled there.
He rested his head atop her head. “It’s okay, darling. You’re safe now. That evil man is gone.”
“We got a lead on Gwyneth,” Caleb said, rushing over to Noah’s desk.
“Let’s go get her.”
Noah followed Caleb out to his car. “Where is she at?” he asked.
“Logan tracked her credit card under the name Gwyneth Hill to a new apartment rental out in Oak Island.”
“Near where Skip Malone died,” Noah said.
As they reached Caleb’s car, Austin pulled into the parking lot and strode toward them.
“What’s going on?” she said.
Noah grinned. “I think you’re going to want to come along for this.”
“You and I can handle this, can’t we?” Caleb asked.
Austin linked her arms across her chest. “I don’t think that’s your decision. Is it?” She shifted her gaze to Noah.
“You’re welcome to come,” Noah said.
Caleb’s jaw tensed, but he opened the car door for her and walked over to the driver’s side door. The lady irked him to no end, but his mom had raised a gentleman.
Close to an hour later, they approached the property. Noah took the front staircase, while Caleb covered the rear patio door.
Austin, unarmed, waited in the car per Noah’s instructions.
Seconds later, Gwyneth flew out the patio door, followed by Rick Carson. They both froze at the sight of Caleb’s gun aimed at Gwyneth’s center mass. “Got ’em,” he said into his radio.
Noah joined him around back.
He took tremendous pleasure in handcuffing Gwyneth and escorting her around the house to the car while Noah did the same with Carson.
Austin stepped out of the car door, her attention pinned on Gwyneth alone.
“You again?” Gwyneth hissed.
“Told you I wouldn’t go away until you were behind bars.”
Austin stepped to the side while Caleb put Gwyneth in the back seat, shutting the door with a satisfied smile. Noah did the same with Carson, putting him in on the other side. Gwyneth and Rick were knitted together in crime, now they’d be knitted together in jail. Emmy and Logan were uncovering even more crimes the two had committed, the cons they played on innocent men and women. The charges against them were piling up.
Caleb shifted his attention to Austin. “Feels good, doesn’t it,” he said, his arm draped along the roof of the car as Gwyneth and Rick argued inside.
“Justice always does.” Shielding her eyes from the sun with a cupped hand, she looked up the handful of inches separating them. “That was good work you did today.”
He shifted, linking his arms across his chest, trying not to smile. “Is that a compliment?”
She looked back at Gwyneth in cuffs, then to him. “It’s a thank-you.”
Epilogue
TWO WEEKS LATER
Rissi entered her house, dropping her purse and keys on the front table. She’d barely taken a step toward the kitchen when a knock sounded on her door.
She opened it to find Mason in a tux, holding a vibrant orange lily corsage in one hand and a dress bag in the other.
“You look incredible,” she said, never having seen him dressed up.
“Thanks.”
“Off to a party?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
He smiled, a mischievous twinge to it. What was he up to?
“This,” he said, extending the dress bag to her, “is for you.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t understand.”
“You will.”
She unzipped the bag. A gorgeous cobalt blue gown rested inside. Satin, spaghetti straps, a gentle V neck, and straight lines the rest of the way down. A solitary diamond necklace hung over the handle of the hanger, resting in the open neckline. “What’s this all about?”
He liked surprises, she knew that, but this had to be one of the most intriguing.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“Of course.” He was the first person she had truly trusted—and still did.
“Would you try it on?” he asked.
“Okay.” But not knowing what was going on was eating her up.
She climbed the stairs and quickly slid on the gorgeous gown. She pulled her hair out of the side braid, running a brush through the gentle waves. She added blush to her cheeks, mascara to her lashes, and finished with a soft rose lipstick. Not knowing where they were headed made it difficult to know what style of makeup to wear, but this would have to work. She slipped on a nice pair of open-toe heels and headed downstairs.
Mason waited at the bottom. His eyes landed on her and widened.
Her heart rate picked up. Was something wrong?
“You look amazing,” he said, not taking his stare off of her.
She held it, making her way down the steps.
“This is for you.” He offered her the corsage. “May I?” he asked, holding up a stick pin.
She nodded and held still as he fastened it to the upper right side of her gown.
“Can you help me with this?” she asked, holding up the necklace.
“Of course.”
She turned around and lifted her hair. He clasped it and then pressed a warm kiss to the nape of her neck.
Heat and love rushed through her. “Will you tell me where we’re going now?”
“No,” he said with an impish grin. “But I’ll show you.”
She frowned. What was he up to?
“Cover your eyes.”
“What?” She laughed.
He didn’t.
“You’re not joking.”
“Nope.”
She inhaled and covered her eyes as he asked.
“No peeking,” he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her skin. He placed his hands gently on her upper arms, directing her toward the back of her house.
She heard the whir of the sliding door being opened.
“Watch your step,” he said.
She lifted her feet, stepping over the door’s metal track.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded, curiosity bubbling over.
“Okay.” He slid his hands over hers and pulled them away from her eyes.
Strings of white lights hung across the patio, attached to the trellises on either side. Luminarias outlined the twenty-by-twenty brick square.
“Find My Way Back” by Eric Arjes played in the cool night air.
She gazed around in wonder. “You did this for me?”
“I’d do anything for you. You must know that.” His expression held such gentle admiration that her eyes misted with tears. “But I can’t take all the credit. Emmy and Logan helped.”
She smiled at Emmy’s touches. Vases of flowers positioned on the long table lined with beautiful silver trays filled with finger food and a large punch bowl. “Is this . . . ?” He didn’t. . . . She held her hand to her mouth.
“Your prom,” he said.
More tears welled in her eyes. Only Mason would do this—restore one of her dreams that she thought had been lost.
He held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”
“Yes.” She couldn’t help but smile amidst the tears.
“Do you like it?” he asked, his voice low and incredibly sexy.
“I love it,” she managed to say despite the wealth of emotions churning through her.
He brushed his lips over hers. “And I love you.” Cupping the back of her neck, he pressed his lips to hers, deepening the kiss. After a moment, he pressed his forehead to hers, gazing into her eyes. “You literally steal the breath from me. All you have to do is walk into a room.”
“All you have to do is say you love me, and I melt,” she whispered back.
“Then prepare to melt a lot because a day won’t go by without me telling you how much I love you.”
She leaned into
his warmth. “And I love you.”
“Forever?” he asked.
“Forever,” she promised.
Acknowledgments
My Lord and Savior: Thank you for carrying me every day. Thank you for knowing the number of hairs on my head, for collecting my tears in your bottle, and for blessing me with a love for telling stories.
Mike: For your constant support, always showing me how much you love me, and for making me belly laugh nearly every day. I couldn’t have asked for a better life or a deeper love.
Kay: My sweet and sassy girl. Thanks so much for all you do, for your compassionate heart, your hilarious quips, and for raising the bear.
Ty: My brilliant, caring, sarcastic girl. Thanks for being my go-to medical research expert, being such a good mom to the boys who fill my heart with joy, and for always inadvertently wearing the same outfit. You’ve got great taste!
Joy: Thank you for daily check-ins, encouraging memes, and coffee quotes. You know me so well. Thank you for your surprise gifts that are always exactly what I need at that moment.
Crissy: Thank you for being my go-to reader, for our all-over-the-place FaceTime chats, and for your constant prayers.
Amy: Thank you for your generosity, our morning coffee chats, and your constant encouragement.
Dave: Thank you for always believing in me as an author, for caring about me and my family, for reining me in when I go off on one crazy story tangent after another, and for letting me stretch my story wings. It’s a privilege to work with you.
Kate: I feel so incredibly blessed to be working with you. Thank you for all your hard work, for your great eye, your support, your kindness, and for doing such an amazing job.
Karen: Thank you for all the hours you spend working to make my stories the best they can be, for your encouragement throughout this crazy writing journey, and most importantly for your friendship.
Janet: As you know, succinctness is not my forte, but I’m going to give it a try so I don’t ramble on for an entire page. I am so incredibly blessed by your friendship. Thank you for your prayers, for lifting me up when I’m sinking, and for knowing just the right thing to share when I need it most. You have a particular gift for that. You’re my anchor in the writing world with its ups and downs, calm seas and swift storms. Thank you for taking this journey with me. And, more often than not, guiding the way.
Katie: For your prayers, your check-in calls when I need them most, for our überfun getaways, and, of course, for loving llama pj’s as much as I do.
Dani’s Darlings: To the most wonderful, caring, creative, and hilarious group of ladies I get the privilege of spending time with every spring.
Praised by New York Times bestselling author Dee Henderson as “a name to look for in romantic suspense,” Dani Pettrey has sold more than half a million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance. Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent[s] of romance” (USA Today). Her ALASKAN COURAGE series and CHESAPEAKE VALOR series have received praise from readers and critics alike and spent multiple months topping the CBA bestseller lists.
From her early years eagerly reading Nancy Drew mysteries, Dani has always enjoyed mystery and suspense. She considers herself blessed to be able to write the kind of stories she loves—full of plot twists and peril, love, and longing for hope and redemption. Her greatest joy as an author is sharing the stories God lays on her heart. She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland, where she lives with her husband. Their two daughters, a son-in-law, and two adorable grandsons also reside in Maryland. For more information about her novels, visit www.danipettrey.com.
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Table of Contents
Cover
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Epigraph
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Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Back Ads
Cover Flaps
Back Cover
List of Pages
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