by Rita Herron
Jaxon cut his eyes toward Avery as if to ask if she was okay, and she gave him a quick nod.
“We’ll explain what happened that night,” Avery said in a low voice. “You defended yourself.”
“But I let Hank be wrongly convicted,” Delia cried. “I...should have told.”
“Yes, you should have,” Jaxon barked. “But it’s not too late to do the right thing, Delia.”
Delia was sobbing openly now, her hand shaking, the gun wavering toward Jaxon.
Feelings of betrayed splintered through Avery. Jaxon had kept his reason for investigating the case a secret to protect his boss.
But she didn’t want him to die.
* * *
JAXON KEPT HIS hand steady as Delia backed up against the wall. “Delia, you don’t want to shoot me or Avery. When you killed Mulligan, it was self-defense. You were trying to save two children from a monster. A judge and jury will sympathize with that.” He lowered his voice. “But killing us is not the same thing. It’s murder.”
“I don’t want to hurt either of you,” Delia said, choking on more tears. “I just want this to be over.”
“It will be when you lower the gun,” Jaxon said. “We’ll talk to the judge and explain.”
But Delia shook her head back and forth, the panic on her face sending a chill through Jaxon.
“You’ve done good things for other children since that day,” he said, grasping for a way to stop her from further self-destruction.
Delia blinked, her hand bobbing up and down. “But it doesn’t make up for that night.” She glanced at Avery, sorrow wrenching her face. “I’m so sorry about Hank.”
Then she swung the gun up toward her head.
Avery screamed, “No!”
Jaxon fired a shot at the floor beside Delia. She startled at the sound, and he lunged toward her and knocked the weapon from her hand.
The gun skittered to the floor, and he kicked it away. Then Delia doubled over into a knot on the floor and began to wail.
He glanced at Avery. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, although tears were streaming down her face, as well.
Delia was a pitiful mess, but she’d also tried to kill herself and taken Avery at gunpoint, so he yanked his handcuffs from his pocket, knelt and cuffed her.
She didn’t fight him. Instead she crumbled, sobbing uncontrollably as he removed his phone and punched Deputy Kimball’s number. “I’m bringing Delia Hanover in for the murder of Wade Mulligan. Ask a judge to meet us at the jail.”
He went to Avery to help her up, but she waved his hands off and stood. Her breath was unsteady, pain still radiating from her eyes. “Can we get Hank out now?”
“That’s the reason I asked the judge to meet us. He’ll need to contact the governor and stop the execution. There will be a formal hearing, of course, and then hopefully Hank will be released.”
A smile of relief curved Avery’s mouth, but the sadness in her eyes remained.
She thought he’d betrayed her by withholding the truth about his initial reason for coming to Cherokee Crossing from her.
That secret had torn them apart and destroyed her trust in him.
And he didn’t know how to win it back.
* * *
AVERY FELT NUMB as Jaxon escorted a sobbing Delia out to his SUV.
She followed them, her heart aching for Delia, yet she couldn’t prevent the anger eating at her. Delia had deprived her brother of a life on the outside.
He was thirty-four now, not old, yet when he was freed, he’d have to start all over. He’d finished his GED in prison, but had no college or technical training. No job waiting or home or family.
Still, she couldn’t wait to tell him that he was really going to be free.
Jaxon shut the back door, closing Delia in. She buried her head in her hands, doubling over as she cried.
“I’ll call you when things are settled,” Jaxon said.
“No, I’ll follow you to the jail. I want to be there when Hank gets free.”
“It won’t happen today,” Jaxon said. “It’ll take time to set up the hearing.”
“I know, but I want to see him,” Avery said. “I have to let him know what’s happened.”
Jaxon hesitated. “Avery, go home and let me handle the arrangements. There’s a lot to do. We have to book Delia, and I need to talk to the judge. And I haven’t had time to tell you, but apparently Director Landers, my boss, knew what Delia did. He was a rookie back then, and he and Delia were dating. She told him what happened, but he covered it up. They both thought Hank was dangerous.”
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Jaxon said. “But we’re going to.”
His conviction warmed her. It must have been hard for him to admit that his boss had crossed the line. “Will you call and see if I can visit Hank and fill him in?”
Jaxon studied her for a long moment. “Of course. Hank deserves to know tonight.”
His gaze locked with hers, and Avery’s heart ached. Jaxon was the first man she’d ever really trusted.
And he’d let her down.
But in the end, he’d come through for her, and for her brother.
“I’m sorry about the director,” he said, his jaw hard. “I didn’t know, Avery. I swear I didn’t.”
She swallowed hard. She believed him. But her heart and her emotions were in shambles.
A sad look passed over his face; then he climbed into the SUV and started the engine.
Delia was still sobbing as he drove away.
Avery ignored the pang of sympathy tugging at her, jumped in her car and headed toward the prison.
Hank had waited twenty years for vindication.
She didn’t want him to have to wait another minute.
* * *
AVERY LET HERSELF into her house, disappointment dogging her. She hadn’t been able to see Hank.
Jaxon had phoned, but a brutal stabbing by another inmate had resulted in two dead guards and another dead inmate, and the prison was on twenty-four-hour lockdown.
Hank would have to go to bed tonight without knowing that he was going to be freed. She just prayed nothing happened to him until he was released.
But just to be on the safe side, she had phoned Ms. Ellis, the lawyer who’d initially been interested in Hank’s case. The lawyer promised to contact Jaxon and to represent Hank in court. Avery’s trust in the system was still shaky, and Avery felt better knowing she and Hank had another professional on their side.
Avery hesitated as she entered, remembering the pictures Delia had cut up and left on her bed. Remembering the words she’d written and that threatening phone call.
Delia had obviously been terrified of the truth being exposed.
Shaken by the day’s events, she showered and pulled on her pajamas, then poured herself a glass of wine and padded outside to her screened porch. She settled in the swing, pushing it back and forth with her foot as she sipped the wine.
Outside the wind tossed dead leaves around, and the trees swayed, the woods dark and desolate looking. She’d been afraid of the dark half her life.
She’d been afraid of so many things.
Afraid of getting close to anyone. Of letting a man touch her.
Just as she was afraid of owning her house. Of having a pet. It hurt too much to lose them.
Jaxon had changed all that. And he hadn’t abandoned the case, even though his boss had turned out to be dirty.
She closed her eyes and remembered his fingers roving over her body, his tongue touching her intimate places, his body coupling with hers, and heat suffused her.
She had practically begged Jaxon to make love to her.
And he had been gentle. Lov
ing.
He’d even promised to stop if she’d wanted him to.
How could she blame him for having sex with her when she’d wanted him so badly?
When she still did?
A lonely feeling washed over her as she studied the night sky.
Jaxon had never mentioned love or wanting a relationship. When the case was dismissed and Hank was set free, she would need to help Hank get on his feet and figure out what to do with his life. With his second chance.
Jaxon would move on to another case.
And she would have to let him.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Hank Tierney, you are hereby exonerated of the murder conviction against you for the death of Wade Mulligan.” The judge angled himself toward Hank. “It is a travesty that it took so long for justice to be served, but you do realize the part you played in impeding the investigation?”
Hank sat stoically, his face etched in disbelief. “Yes, sir.”
“That said, the court apologizes for the injustice done to you by the system and the failure of your attorney at the time to provide an adequate defense. In addition, the officer in charge of the investigation has admitted to omitting key evidence in the crime and faces charges himself.
“In the light of new evidence, you are free to go.”
He pounded the gavel, and everyone except Hank stood. He was still sitting in shock by Jaxon and Ms. Ellis, who patted him on the back. “Congratulations, Hank, you’ve been exonerated. Your name is clear now. And I’ll see what I can do about obtaining monetary restitution.”
Avery jumped up and hurried around to her brother. “Hank, did you hear, you’re free?”
Her brother slowly looked up at her, tears pooling in his eyes. “For real?”
“Yes, for real,” Avery said with a nervous laugh. “I tried to see you last night at the prison to give you a heads-up, but the prison was on lockdown and they wouldn’t let me visit.”
Hank looked at Jaxon, then the lawyer, then her. “Delia, our social worker, killed that bastard Mulligan?”
“Yes.” Avery drew him into a hug. “It’s over, Hank. It’s finally over and you can go home.”
“I don’t believe it,” Hank mumbled.
She pulled away, and Jaxon extended his hand to Hank. “Believe it, Hank. It was too long in coming, but justice finally prevailed.”
And not a minute too soon. Two more days and Hank would have been put to death.
A smile started on Hank’s face, and he shook Jaxon’s hand. But his frown returned when he faced Avery. “You said I can go home. But I don’t have a home or a job or anywhere to go.”
Avery’s heart swelled. “Yes, you do—you’re coming home with me. I’m even thinking of buying my little house.”
He looked at her with such relief that she hugged him again. “I know it’ll take time, brother, but we’ll work it out. The important thing is that you were exonerated. You’re not only free, but your name has been cleared.”
Not that it would replace the twenty years he’d lost.
Hank turned to Jaxon with a sheepish look. “Thank you, Sergeant Ward. I never trusted a cop before, but I appreciate what you did.”
Avery’s gaze met Jaxon’s, but he simply shrugged. “I was just doing my job.”
So that was it, Avery thought. He had just been doing his job. Nothing personal.
She should be so detached.
Her father appeared then, cutting off any further exchange. He looked old and weathered, but he had tried to do the right thing for Hank at his own expense.
Maybe it was time for forgiveness.
“Thank you, Dad,” Avery said. “Hank and I appreciate what you did for him.”
Hank rubbed a hand over his shaved head, his expression torn. “Yeah, thanks. I...never would have expected you to do something like that.”
Their father gave a self-deprecating laugh. “To tell you the truth, neither did I. But when I saw the news and thought about you dying when it was my fault you and your sister ended up with that family, I had to do something.”
Hank hesitated, but shook his father’s hand. Avery bit her lip to keep from crying.
Maybe she could put her family back together again.
The thought gave her hope, but Jaxon turned and headed out the door, and a dull ache rippled through her.
Only Jaxon wouldn’t be part of her future.
* * *
THE PAST TWENTY-FOUR hours had been hell. Jaxon hated that he’d been forced to make the director turn himself in. Everyone in the Texas Ranger Division was upset, and Landers was right—already the hounds were surfacing to question his other arrests.
Snyderman received sanctions, but the moment Landers had confided in him, hiring Snyderman as his attorney, client privilege kicked in.
Delia’s father had shown up, irate, and accused Jaxon of framing Delia, but the woman had confessed.
Now he watched Avery leave with her brother and father, grateful at last that she could have the family she deserved.
But as he walked outside to his vehicle, a sense of loss engulfed him. And when he made it to his ranch, the place he loved, the vast wide-open spaces and sprawling land suddenly looked empty and lonely.
Just like Avery, he’d guarded his heart all his life. Had allowed himself only a physical connection with a woman. Had focused on his job.
Because catching killers was a lot less scary than sharing your heart.
He climbed out, his boots crunching as he walked across the pasture to the barn. He hadn’t spent much time here lately. Things were looking run-down.
He needed help.
An idea struck him, and he returned to his SUV and headed back toward town.
Avery might not forgive him for Director Landers, but maybe he could make amends by offering her brother a job on his ranch.
It wouldn’t be easy for Hank to acclimate back into society. And if Hank didn’t want the job, that was fine.
But Jaxon wanted to give the man a second chance.
Then maybe Avery would give him a second chance, as well.
* * *
AVERY HAD JUST walked outside to plant some bulbs when Jaxon pulled up. She’d left Hank inside with Ms. Ellis—Lisa—giving them some privacy. Apparently something had sparked between them when they met, and Avery thought her brother might just have a lover in his future.
But the moment Avery saw Jaxon, nerves fluttered in her stomach. What if something had gone wrong and he was here to take Hank back to prison?
When he climbed from the driver’s side, tingles of desire danced down her spine, and she drank in his strong masculine presence.
She’d never met a man like him. She’d certainly never meet another.
“Jaxon,” she said, grappling for words. “Is everything all right? The judge. Hank—”
“Everything is fine. Don’t worry, your brother is free and clear.”
Relief made her sag against the shovel she was holding.
“You’re planting flowers?” Jaxon asked.
She nodded. “Hank has missed the seasons,” she said. “I want him to see the tulips come to life in the spring.”
“Nice.”
For a moment, they stood looking at each other, an awkward silence lingering between them. Finally he tipped his Stetson.
“I stopped by because of Hank. Him and your father.”
Avery’s stomach knotted again. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He threaded his fingers through his hair, then settled his hat back in place. “When you were at the ranch, I told you I’m busy, gone on cases, and need some help working the horses, repairing fences. If your father and brother want a job and don’t mind hard work, I could use them on the sp
read.”
Avery leaned the shovel against the side of the house. “You’re serious, Jaxon?”
“Yes.”
“That would be perfect. I know Hank would like to work outdoors.” She hesitated. “But are you sure you want to take my father on? He is an ex-con.”
“He redeemed himself at the end,” Jaxon said. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”
Love bloomed in Avery’s chest. Was he asking for one? “You are an amazing man, Jaxon.”
He shrugged. “It’s the least I can do.”
“You’ve already done enough. My goodness, you tracked down Delia and saved Hank.”
“When I pulled up at the house and heard gunfire last night, I thought I’d lost you,” Jaxon said in a gruff voice.
Avery licked her lips, touched. “I jumped Delia to keep her from committing suicide.”
“That’s even more admirable,” Jaxon said. “Especially considering the fact that she was responsible for Hank’s incarceration and partially responsible for your abuse by leaving you in that devil’s home.”
Avery softened at his possessive tone.
“I know it was difficult for you,” she said in a low murmur. “That you were in a tough spot with your boss.”
Jaxon shrugged, his rugged face set in a frown. But his eyes locked with hers, and something heady flickered there.
Need? Desire? Passion?
“You did it for me, didn’t you?” Avery whispered.
“Partly. And partly for your brother.” His voice cracked, and he reached for her. Circled his arms around her wrist and drew her to him. “But I did it mostly because it was the right thing to do. I couldn’t have lived with myself if I’d covered up the truth.”
“Well, whatever your reason, I appreciate it.” She thumbed a strand of his dark hair from his forehead, and her finger tingled. She wanted to touch him all over again.
His eyes flared with hunger. “I’m not here for your thanks.”
She smiled at the glint in his eyes. “Why are you here, then?”
A heartbeat passed. His thick arousal pressed against her belly. Her heart drummed so loud she could hear it roaring in her ears.
She ached to have him closer.