by C. J. Kyle
“You probably saved Simon’s life by running.”
Miranda shook her head. “No. He saved mine. The only reason I was able to get away was because Simon hadn’t been able to follow orders and kill me. Not even to save his own life.”
“Guess I owe Simon more than just my gratitude.” Tucker buried his face in her hair, then reached around her to pop open the passenger door. “I thought I lost you tonight.”
Miranda didn’t care how many people were close by or who might overhear. She smiled at him. “Why don’t you take me back to your place and show me how great it is to be alive?”
Epilogue
MIRANDA STOOD ON the steps outside the Dayton courthouse. It had been a long six weeks, but finally, Bobby’s release date had arrived. She’d been in the courtroom when Tucker, Finn, and Detective Langley had presented the case to the judge. Had openly cried when the judge ruled that Bobby was free to go.
Cameras flashed. Reporters shouted questions. And Bobby stood just outside the door beside his attorney. A huge smile spread onto his face as he took his first breath of air as a free man.
“Mr. Harley just wants to thank the courts, Chief Tucker Ambrose, and Detectives Finn Donavan and Ben Langley for working so diligently to get to the truth,” the lawyer declared, ushering Bobby slowly down the steps, pausing every now and again to answer another question being shouted from the crowd.
“A full statement will be released shortly,” he said. “Right now, Mr. Harley just wants to put this behind him. He and his family would appreciate it if you’d give them a little time, and a lot of privacy.”
Not able to wait another minute, Miranda sprinted up the steps. She could hear cameras clicking, but for once, she didn’t give two shits about appearing in the press or what they might say about her and her brother. She launched herself at Bobby. He caught her around the waist and squeezed the breath out of her.
“I can’t decide if I should spend the rest of my life thanking you for what you did or be so pissed off that we never speak again.”
“I knew you were innocent. I had to do something.”
Bobby set her on her feet. “You could have been killed.”
“I got lucky. I found someone who believed me.”
Tucker strolled up beside her and snaked his hand around her waist. “Take your time, babe. Have dinner, enjoy your brother, help him get settled. I’ll be by with the moving van in the morning.”
Bobby stuck out his hand. Tucker shook it. “You sure, Chief? You’re practically family now.”
Miranda smiled. “Hey, I haven’t moved in yet. There’s always a chance he’ll do something stupid before tomorrow and I’ll just take the moving van back to California instead of to Tennessee.”
“Like hell you will,” Tucker said. “Doc Sam is expecting you to start Monday.”
And Miranda couldn’t wait. It wasn’t exactly what she’d thought of when she’d gotten her nursing degree—helping a small-town coroner, dealing with death and dead bodies. But after what she’d lived through, she’d taken Sam Murray’s assistant position within twenty-four hours of it being offered. She’d gotten into this profession to help people, even if they were dead.
“So you guys are heading back to Tennessee in the morning?” Bobby asked.
Miranda shook her head. “Finn’s driving the moving van back for us. We have a detour to make.”
“You didn’t mention a detour.”
She cleared her throat. “I get to meet his family.”
Bobby laughed.
“Stop it. I’m looking forward to it. His dad just got out of the hospital and—”
“And I’ve already apologized in advance for the experience,” Tucker said. “My family can be a little much. But it’s time to put the past to rest.”
She smiled up at him. “Yes. It is.”
“Oh, almost forgot,” Tucker said. “Mind if I steal her for one sec?”
Bobby nodded, shook Tucker’s hand again, and followed the lawyer to the waiting car at the curb. Curious, Miranda followed Tucker to his truck and waited while he dug something out of the cab.
“A gift.”
She smiled, her heart full. Falling completely in love with Tucker over the last few weeks had been the most amazing thing she’d ever done. And to think she never would have met him if it hadn’t been for Father Anatole.
“What is it?”
“Well, for starters . . .” He pulled a black Stetson out of the bag and put it on, flashing her a grin. “You said—”
“I know what I said! I love it!” She laughed, her body purring at the sight of him dressed precisely the way she’d asked him on their first real date so many weeks ago. “I think it will look even better when it’s all you’re wearing.”
“Well, I’d say the same about these, but I’m not so sure.” He pulled out another box and held it out to her.
She lifted the lid and choked on another bubble of laughter. Inside the box lay a pristine, brand spanking new pair of Converse.
She looked up at him, curled her hands around his neck. “I love you, Tucker.”
“I love you, too, Miranda.”
They kissed again, and the explosion of lights and camera clicks began anew. Miranda ignored them, lost in the man nibbling her bottom lip. Let them take their pictures. Let the whole world know that Miranda Harley, pariah and outcast, finally had a family again.
About the Author
C.J. KYLE lives in Florida, where the weather is as bipolar as her characters sometimes turn out to be. Besides partaking in all things Jeep-related, she is an avid reader of most genres, loves cooking, watching sports, and thrives on being a wife and mother. She also classifies herself as a geek and nerd, enjoying gaming while thinking about the next scene she has to write. She loves to hear from her readers and can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and more. Check out CJKylebooks.com for more information.
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Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SILENT NIGHT. Copyright © 2014 by Heather Waters and Laura Barone. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition NOVEMBER 2014 ISBN: 9780062079688
Print Edition ISBN: 9780062079671
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