Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Gideon
I parked my SUV in front of Imogene’s townhouse and killed the engine, reaching into the glove box for the pistol I kept there. I turned to Imogene, her face a blend of uncertainty and determination in the dim light of the nearby streetlamp.
“Stay here. Keep the doors locked.” I handed her the gun, holding her gaze. “Do you remember how to use this?”
Her expression hardened as she wrapped her fingers around the handle, keeping the barrel pointed down.
“Yes.”
“Good.” I started to open the door, but her voice stopped me.
“What about you?”
“I don’t need a gun to defend myself, should it come to that.”
“But—”
“I’ll be fine. Like I said, it’s probably nothing.”
She forced a smile, but I sensed her reluctance to believe me.
My gut told me otherwise, too, especially now that I was here. The back of my neck tingled, a sense of premonition filling me. Which was why I wanted to make sure Imogene was armed.
“I’ll be right back.” With one last kiss on her forehead, I slipped out of the car and headed for the side gate that led to the back yard.
The ocean breeze was relatively calm, a strange contrast to the heavy pulse thrumming in my chest. I cautiously scanned my surroundings for anything that appeared out of place. I hadn’t been here in weeks, making it difficult to discern if anything had been disturbed.
I climbed the short flight of stairs leading to the deck and came to a stop when I saw the back door was slightly ajar. My heart rate increased as I examined the doorjamb for any sign of forced entry, but found none. Whoever had been here had to have known Imogene’s access code.
Slowly pushing the door open, I entered the townhouse with careful, measured steps. The dark silence pressed against me, amplifying every creak of the wood floors beneath my feet. I started my search in the downstairs bathroom, followed by Imogene’s office, but they were undisturbed. The same was true of the living area and kitchen.
But that didn’t push down my unease. Something still felt off.
On light feet, I made my way to the second floor, frowning when I noticed the door to Imogene’s bedroom was shut, a glow visible through the crack between the floor and the door.
Turning the knob, I pushed the door open and the room came into view. The light from a nearby street lamp cast long shadows across the space.
But just like downstairs, it was empty, apart from her belongings. As were the ensuite bathroom and closet. Yet there was a disturbance lingering in the air. Someone had left their mark on this room. I could feel it.
Not wanting to leave Imogene alone any longer than necessary, I headed down the stairs and back outside with a nagging feeling of unease hanging over me.
“Anything?” she asked when I opened her door, her voice laced with tension.
“Nothing I could see.” I took the gun from her and slipped it into the waistband of my jeans. “I want you to take a look around and see if anything stands out.”
“Of course.”
I helped her down from the car and guided her into the house. Over the next several minutes, Imogene floated from room to room, checking each space with quick, assessing glances.
“Anything missing?” I asked once she’d been through each and every room. “Even if you don’t notice anything, maybe something has been moved?”
She shook her head, her expression growing more perplexed by the second. “I can’t really remember where I left things. The last time I was here was before the accident. I’m not…” She trailed off, her gaze landing on something in her office.
“What is it?”
She crossed the room toward the bookshelf and picked up one of the black frames containing a photo I recognized of us that was taken years ago.
Before my life was turned upside down.
“I took all the photos out of these frames. They all had photos of, well…you.” Her lips curved into an apologetic smile. “Before I knew the truth, I came in here and got rid of them because I didn’t think I could move on with you — Gideon — when I was still clinging to Samuel’s ghost.”
“Did you put them back at some point?”
She vehemently shook her head. “I put them in a box and left it over there.” She pointed toward the desk before returning her attention to the bookcases. “But these… They’re all exactly where I had them before I took them down. Whoever did this has been here before.”
My mind raced as I tried to make sense of this.
Why would someone break in just to return old photos to her bookshelf? But as I studied them, I realized they weren’t old photos. Not exactly.
“I think it’s more than that,” I said, blinking repeatedly as I studied each photo.
And each one only proved my theory further.
“What do you mean?” Imogene asked.
“Take a closer look.” I gestured to a familiar photo of Imogene, Ollie, and me taken during one of our weekend getaways to Hilton Head.
But instead of seeing the man I used to be, the photo now contained me with my current appearance.
“How?” Imogene asked in a barely audible voice, her face wide in horror and disbelief. “Why?”
“To send a message,” I gritted out through clenched teeth.
This had to be Liam’s handiwork. But why go through the trouble? Why risk getting caught? It didn’t make sense.
Then Imogene inhaled a sharp breath, her eyes widening as she studied another framed photo.
“What is it?”
“This one,” she began, shaking her head before meeting my curious gaze. “This is recent.”
“Recent?” I echoed, my heart racing as I focused on the photo.
It wasn’t a picture from our past. It was taken as we walked along the beach. And not here in La Jolla, but up in Del Mar just outside our beach bungalow.
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, and anger surged through my veins. This wasn’t merely about our past.
It was about our present as well.
Yanking my phone out of my pocket, I punched Henry’s contact. He picked up almost immediately.
“What did you find?” he asked.
“Liam’s been here,” I seethed, my voice trembling with anger.
“How do you know?”
“He left fucking photos. Doctored ones where he switched out what I used to look like with my current appearance.”
“Why would he do that?”
“My guess is to fuck with me. To let me know that he knows exactly who I am. And that’s not all.”
“What else?”
“One of the photos is recent. Taken in Del Mar right outside of our house.” My eyes flicked toward the bookshelves, my stomach churning from the invasion of privacy. The bungalow was supposed to be our sanctuary, free from shadows and darkness.
But Liam found us anyway. How?
Rage simmered inside me, and for a moment, I fantasized about all the ways I could end him, erase him from our lives for good. Make him pay for this.
“Do you want me to come back to San Diego? We can track down Liam and finish this, once and for all.”
I hesitated, weighing his offer carefully. My agreement was on the tip of my tongue. The temptation to finally put an end to this was overwhelming, especially when I thought about how close he had been without either of us realizing it.
But then my gaze fell to Imogene. I promised her I’d leave my old life behind, start fresh with her. After everything she endured, she deserved that much.
“No,” I finally said, my voice tight.
“Are you sure?” Henry asked, obviously surprised by my response.
I was, too.
Mere weeks ago it wouldn’t have been a question of if I’d make Liam pay for this, but how.
Not anymore.
“He’ll slip up eventually,” I assured Henry, my words feeling hallow. “Someone will see him, and he’ll get what he deserves. But not by my hand. Never again,” I reiterated, unsure if it was more for his sake or mine.