by Dani Pettrey
She smirked. “Where’s the fun in that?”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed that adorable smirk right off her beautiful face.
Griffin spent the drive to the hospital in prayer while Finley dealt with her overflowing inbox on her phone.
Father, I am in so far over my head. I desperately need you. Please guide me and Finley. Please help me to listen to you and not my gut. Maybe that’s been the problem after all. Or . . .
He felt the Lord stirring his heart, and a thought occurred to him he hadn’t considered.
Is your Holy Spirit that inner voice?
Had what he’d been calling instinct and his gut actually been the Lord’s leading?
But if that’s the case, why is Judith Connelly dead?
Because humans make mistakes.
Finley reveled in the feel of Griffin’s fingers intertwined with hers as they entered the hospital, praying for good news and the opportunity to see Declan. Griffin needed to see his friend. That much was clear.
They were instructed by the nurse manning the desk that they’d have to wait until Declan was moved from ICU to ward four.
They stepped into the waiting room and found Parker and Avery already there.
Griffin and Parker exchanged a nod.
“Morning,” Avery greeted them, her gaze dropping to their clutched hands.
“Morning.” Finley smiled.
“I’ll go grab us some coffee,” Griffin said. “Can I get either of you any?”
“I’d love one,” Avery said.
“How do you take it?”
“Black.”
“Park?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
Griffin nodded and stepped from the room.
Finley took a seat beside Avery, unable to stop smiling.
“Looks like you two had a nice night despite the circumstances,” Avery said, nudging her shoulder.
“Yeah, we did.” Hearing him share about Jenna, falling asleep with him close by. “He talked about his family.”
Parker leaned forward, his dark brows arched. “His family?”
“Yeah.”
Parker exhaled. “He told you about Jenna.”
Why did Parker look like he was about to pass out? “Yes. He told me she was murdered.”
“Oh, how awful,” Avery said.
“Awful doesn’t even come close,” Parker said, his gaze drifting right through them.
“Growing up together, you must have known her,” Finley said, choosing her words carefully. Griffin seemed to hold Parker responsible for some aspect of Jenna’s death, but she couldn’t fathom what. He certainly hadn’t murdered her.
“He knew her extremely well,” Griffin said, standing in the doorway, three coffees in hand. Liquid sloshed over the edge as he dropped the cups on a table next to him.
Parker swallowed.
Finley’s gaze darted between the two men. So Griffin’s sister was the source of the tension between them. But why?
“Jenna and I were in love,” Parker said, his voice softer than Finley had ever heard it.
Avery’s eyes widened, Finley sure hers were doing the same as shock surged through her and her mind struggled to put the pieces together.
“Jenna was seventeen.” The vein in Griffin’s temple flickered.
“She was about to turn eighteen.”
“You were twenty-one.”
“There’s no age requirement on love, and we both know the age difference isn’t really what has you riled, so let’s get to it if we’re really going to do this.”
Finley stood as Parker stepped in front of Griffin, mere inches between the men. Griffin’s posture poised for a fight. Parker’s one of vulnerable defiance. What had she started?
“Overlooking the fact that you were three years older than my kid sister and sneaking around like you had something to hide—which usually indicates you do—the fact is, you’re the reason Jenna’s dead.”
Parker’s hands coiled tight into fists at his side. “You think I don’t know that? That I don’t live with that agonizing regret every single breath of my life?”
“Then why’d you do it?”
“Because I was in love and we wanted to see each other. How could I have known she’d be in any danger?”
“Asking her to sneak out of the safety of her home at midnight to meet you at a park a quarter of a mile away? You didn’t stop to think she’d be walking alone—late at night in a secluded area?”
“We met there all the time.”
“And clearly the killer knew that.”
“We don’t know that. Police never determined if the killer had targeted her or if it was a completely random act.”
“Whether he targeted her or not doesn’t matter. The fact is, she’s dead because you weren’t man enough to tell me you were seeing her. Couldn’t court her the way she deserved.” Griffin’s vein throbbed in his left temple, his fists tight, his face red.
“I would give my life in her place a thousand times over, and you know it.”
Griffin’s fists unclenched, and he took a step back. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. I’m going to check on Declan.”
Finley followed him out of the room, her heart breaking for both men.
Parker lowered himself back into the chair, his hands shaking with anger or pain, Avery couldn’t tell.
She rested a hand on his knee. “Wanna talk about it?”
He looked at her like “What do you think?”
“I get it. I’ve never been accused of being the sharing type either.” It was much easier—or at least that’s what she kept trying to convince herself—to keep things close to the vest, heavy as that vest sometimes became. “But it’s painfully obvious you need to unload.”
“Griffin’s right.” He raked a shaky hand through his dark brown hair. “It’s my fault Jenna’s dead.”
“You could have never known someone would murder her on the way to the park.”
Parker released an agonizing exhale. “He didn’t murder her straight out.”
Avery’s stomach dropped. “What?”
Tears of rage flooded Parker’s soulful eyes. “He abducted her, tortur . . . ed her. Ra . . .” His voice choked, tears falling. He squeezed his eyes shut. “Raped her and then dumped her body in the bay days later.”
Dear God. She reached out and engulfed Parker in her arms. He resisted her embrace, but she refused to let go, and finally he gave in to her hold.
“Griffin,” Finley said.
“I’d rather not talk about it now.”
“The nurse said we needed to wait a few more minutes. Declan’s resting.”
“I’ll be quiet. I just want to see for myself he’s okay.”
He lifted his chin at the cop manning the door, knowing Barney from his days on the force.
He held the door open for Finley, and she slipped inside. They moved past the curtain and found a nurse at Declan’s side.
The nurse looked up with frightened eyes.
“Hey,” Finley said. “You’re the lady from campus.”
“All done in here,” she said, scurrying past them.
“Wait!” Griffin called, but she bolted from the room.
Was she Rachel Lester? He hadn’t gotten a good enough look. But it’d make sense if Perera sent his mole in to finish Declan off. “I’ll be back,” he hollered to Finley, bursting into the hall after the woman.
He caught sight of her as she raced through the ward’s double doors and took off in pursuit, pushing past the nursing cart in his way.
She wove around chairs, flying through the outer seating area.
Heading for the stairs.
She disappeared into the stairwell a fraction of a second before him.
Grasping the cold metal rail he frantically glanced up and down, finally spotting her rounding the landing below.
He swung around the rail, darting down the stairs, taking several with each stride.
She exited on the g
arage level, the chilly exhaust-filled air assailing him as he maintained pursuit.
She darted between vehicles and he lost visual. She’d dropped somewhere.
He moved along the car line, stepping back to glance under the row of vehicles, working to not compromise his position.
Nothing.
He followed the row, looking between each car. Two vehicles from the end, he caught a swipe of movement.
Gotcha.
He lunged around the front of the vehicle, snagging her around the waist as she attempted to dart past him.
“Let me go!” She struggled in his arms.
“Not until you tell me who you are and what you were doing in my friend’s room.”
A couple entered the garage and froze at the sight of them.
“It’s okay, folks. I’m a cop apprehending a suspect,” he said.
She fought his hold. “I’m hardly a suspect.”
“Then who are you?”
“My name is Tanner Shaw.”
32
Declan groaned, drawing Finley’s attention. She’d been anxiously pacing his room waiting for Griffin to return. Where was he, and who was that woman?
Declan’s eyes opened. He blinked and struggled to sit forward.
“Easy there.” She rushed to his side.
“Hey, Finley,” he said groggily.
“Hey, yourself.” She helped him to an upright position, propping pillows behind his back for support. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you awake.”
He stretched, his movements stiff and punctuated. “How long have I been out?”
“Just overnight.”
“Overnight?” He lurched forward, and she braced a restraining hand on his shoulder.
“Whoa there.”
“What happened with the man? What have I missed?”
Finley filled him in.
“Tanner Shaw?” Griffin released her and took a step back. “We were led to believe you were dead.”
She straightened the light blue scrubs she’d most likely pilfered. “That’s good. Hopefully the men hunting me believe that too.”
“Perera’s men?”
Relief eased the muscles pinched in her face. “So you know?”
“I have a feeling we only know the tip of the iceberg.”
“You’re working Marley’s case?”
“Yes.” He explained the circumstances.
“Then we need to talk.” She rubbed her arms, the long-sleeve white cotton shirt layered beneath her scrubs sliding up and down with the movement. “But not here.”
Finley sighed with relief when Griffin’s text finally came through. “Said he’s fine. Talking with the woman now. Be up soon.”
“Great.” Declan stretched out farther this time, his movements easing, the color returning to his face. “Sounds like we’ve got a bit of time. You’ve done a great job updating me on the case—now, tell me what else is going on?”
“Like what?”
“Something is bothering you outside of the case. I can read it on your face.”
She touched her cheek. Was she that obvious? Or was he simply that good?
He patted the bed and she sat down beside him. “I’m worried about Parker and Griffin.”
Declan exhaled. “I worry about them too, but they’ve been making some big strides lately.”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “I fear I may have undone all that and made it far worse.”
Declan frowned. “What happened?”
“They had a blowout about Jenna.”
“They actually talked about Jenna with each other?”
“Talk is probably not the most apt description.”
Declan pinched the bridge of his nose. “No. I’m sure it’s not. When it comes to Jenna, tensions run high.”
“That’s an understatement.” She stood up. “I realize Griffin’s devastated by the death of his sister, and if she hadn’t left her house that night, maybe it never would have happened, but what’s to say the killer wouldn’t have waited and grabbed her another time?”
“We’ll never know. Her murderer was never caught.”
Her lips gaped open. “What?”
“Jenna’s body was found washed up on shore at the edge of town a week after she disappeared. He’d done horrible things to her.”
Finley squeezed her eyes shut.
“But they never caught the guy?”
No wonder they all hated the term cold case.
“Parker wasn’t trying to harm Jenna. He clearly loved her,” Finley said a moment later. It was painfully apparent in the crushing sorrow etched across his face at the mention of her name. “Surely Griffin sees that?”
“They way it was handled didn’t help.”
“What do you mean?”
“It was a secret.”
“Parker and Jenna?”
“They’d been seeing each other for months and managed to keep it from Griffin—who was Parker’s best friend.”
“Griffin and Parker were best friends?”
“Yeah. We all four hung out and were close, but Parker and Griffin were tight.”
“Why didn’t Parker tell him?”
“Because Jenna begged him not to.”
“He told you that?”
He shook his head. “Jenna did.”
Her eyes widened. “You knew?”
“I caught them at the park one night. Was there with a date and . . .” He shrugged. “Jenna begged me not to tell Griffin just as she’d begged Parker not to.”
“Why?”
“You see how protective Griffin is of those he loves.”
“Yes.”
“With Jenna . . . Maybe because it was just the two of them. Maybe because Jenna was sick when she was little.”
“Sick with what?”
“Guillain-Barre syndrome. She had a horrible reaction to a vaccination. Spent weeks in Kennedy Krieger. After that, Griffin became ultra-protective of her. She pulled through and had no real lasting repercussions, but I think nearly losing her forged a special protective bond between them.”
“Who else knew about them? Parker and Jenna?”
“Griff’s mom, Kay. And that was a huge point of contention between her, Griff, and Griffin’s dad after Jenna’s disappearance. Everything imploded that night.”
“And now?”
“It’s better.”
“But?” She could sense there was more in his hesitant tone.
“Some wounds time doesn’t heal.”
33
But you all went to the same college,” Finley said, still trying to put the pieces together.
“But we had Luke. He was always the peacekeeper. Somehow he was able to keep Parker and Griffin from coming to blows—until he disappeared.”
“Luke disappeared? Griffin mentioned he was gone, but I had no idea . . . what happened?”
“That remains a great source of debate and further fracture in Griffin and Parker’s relationship.”
“Why?”
“Because Parker’s convinced Luke left of his own accord. And I tend to agree, but I hope it was for a good reason we just don’t understand.”
“And Griffin?”
“Convinced that Luke would never abandon his friends.”
“Sounds like Griffin.” His loyalty ran deep.
“What about Kate? Griffin said she was Luke’s girlfriend?”
“Still very much in love with him.” He swallowed. “And dedicating most of her time between clients to figuring out what happened.”
“She thinks he’s still alive?”
“She’s convinced.”
“And you?”
“Try to help her out with resources when she thinks she’s found a lead.”
“Do you think he’s still alive?”
“I don’t know. If he is, I can’t fathom why he hasn’t been in touch.”
The door opened, and Griffin popped his head in the room.
“You’re awake.” He smiled
at Declan. “Your doctor is on the way in to check on you. Finley, could I grab you for a minute?”
“Sure.”
Declan frowned. “What’s going on?”
The doctor stepped around Griffin, entering.
“I’ll fill you all in when we return.”
Finley’s brows furrowed at the sight of the woman Griffin had chased from the room. She stood just behind him, her gaze darting warily up and down the hall.
“Let’s find someplace we can talk while Declan’s busy with the doc.”
Finley followed Griffin and the mysterious woman down the hall to an empty room where the woman explained who she was and how she’d gotten there. Her story was so amazing and insightful, nearly an hour passed before Finley bothered glancing at the clock. “We should head back to Declan’s room. I’m sure he and everyone else heading over will want to hear this.”
Parker watched Griffin, Finley, and a tall brunette enter Declan’s room a few strides in front of them.
“You look good,” Griffin said to Declan as Parker pushed the door open.
“Feeling much better.”
It was so good to hear Declan’s voice sounding strong.
“And,” Declan continued, “incredibly curious who this lovely lady is.”
Parker shifted his gaze to the brunette, equally curious.
“This is Tanner Shaw.”
“Tanner Shaw?” He said, drawing all eyes to the doorway. “I thought you were missing and presumed dead.”
“I was,” Tanner said.
“You look quite alive to me.” He stepped inside, allowing Avery and her balloon bouquet passage in.
Tanner dipped her head. “And you two are?”
“Parker Mitchell. This is Avery Tate, and this . . .” He looked back at the door. “Where did she get to? She wasn’t far behind.”
“Who?” Finley asked.
“Kate,” he said with a smile as she entered.
“Kate.” Declan sat up, smoothing his hair. “What are you doing here?”
“Parker called.” She strode over and kissed his forehead. “You doing okay?”
“Much better.” He smiled.
Of course. Parker sighed. Declan was always better when Kate was in the room. Poor, lovesick fool.
Griffin took point, explaining to Tanner who everyone was and how the team fit together—and managed to do so without ever making direct eye contact with him. So they were back to this.