Chapter 24
The coffee machine hissing in the distance and the hum of conversation in University Grounds tried to penetrate Savannah’s
thoughts, but nothing made it past the lurid pictures still residing there. She swallowed down the lump that kept trying to
form in her throat. She hadn’t slept much last night.
Nora reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Try not to jump to conclusions, Savannah. Hez brought the pictures to
you as soon as he got them. He didn’t try to hide them and hope you wouldn’t find out. That speaks to his integrity. And I’m
sure he wasn’t thinking straight when you were kidnapped. He’s a smart guy. Under any other circumstances, he wouldn’t have
gone to the motel.”
Savannah bobbed her head and picked up her cup, inhaling the aroma of her peppermint mocha.
It did nothing for her agitation. She and her counselor had decided she’d progressed enough to stop appointments for now, but Nora had always been her best confidant.
“That’s one thing I’m clinging to. But Nora, that birthmark!
If the picture was faked, how did they know about his birthmark?
” Nausea churned in her stomach, and she set her coffee down without taking a sip.
She wished she’d never seen that particular set of pictures.
She raised her gaze to Nora’s. “Michael is ruthless about pushing us out of Simon’s life, but I won’t let him keep us away.
He’s my nephew, and Jess wanted me to raise him. Michael doesn’t even have kids—what does he know about raising a child?”
She rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry—I know he’s your uncle, but you’re the only one I can talk to.”
Now that Jess is gone.
The unspoken thought made her tear up. Jess wouldn’t be as kind toward Hez as Nora was, but she had always been there for
Savannah. Jess would let her rant and would get angry at Hez with her. Nora’s calm presence was probably better for Savannah’s
peace of mind even if she’d rather pace and rage about it.
“Uncle Michael is no angel. But he loves Simon.”
“His kind of love is one that gobbles up the recipient. Kids can’t have too many people who love them. It’s Michael’s desire
for revenge that’s made him so determined to push us out.”
“You have to find a way to resolve this with Hez.”
Nora clearly didn’t want to talk about her uncle, and Savannah decided to let it go. She’d already put her in an awkward position.
“I’m trying not to jump to conclusions like I did with the wine bottle, but even if the pictures were staged, how could he
be so stupid about Martine? It makes me so mad he walked right into her trap! I knew immediately what kind of person she is.”
“His obsession with finding Hornbrook probably blinded him to the danger she posed.”
Savannah rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Maybe. While Hornbrook was out there, Hez knew we were all in danger. He was determined to get Hornbrook behind bars.”
Nora stared down into her cup. “And sometimes it can be hard to do a complete one-eighty in how you deal with someone you’ve
known for a long time, even if you know you should.”
Savannah realized what she needed to do. “Then it’s high time I dealt with her on my own since he can’t.”
Nora looked up. “What do you mean?”
“I’m going to confront her right now.” Savannah pulled out her phone and searched for Martine. “I thought so. Her law office
is down the street. Will you come with me?”
“You go, girl! I wouldn’t miss the fireworks.” Nora rose and grabbed her coffee. “Lead the way.”
Savannah shoved back from the table and dropped her coffee cup in the trash on the way out. She didn’t need to be more jittery.
Her ire rose as they walked down the street toward a block of old Victorian buildings that housed several professional offices.
They passed a diner wafting out the aroma of bacon before they reached Martine’s block.
Martine’s office was the last one, and Savannah marched toward the cute Victorian building painted creamy white with navy
shutters. She’d make the woman admit what she’d done to Hez. But what if Martine offered up further proof? Savannah’s nausea
intensified. How had her bright hope for the future turned so dark?
Nora put her hand on Savannah’s arm. “Wait up. Something’s wrong.” She pointed at the front of the building.
Savannah gasped at the police tape across the broken door hanging open several inches. The wood casing around the entry was splintered where someone had forced their way in. Had Martine been injured?
Savannah took a few steps closer and found red spray paint on the big front window. Dead Man Walking. Was that a warning for Hez? Maybe Martine would know.
She fumbled for her phone from her purse and pulled up Martine’s number, but the call wouldn’t go through. “Her phone isn’t
working. Can you find out anything from the office?”
“I’m on it.” Nora pulled out her phone and turned away to talk to her office.
Savannah hesitated to call Hez. Police might think she assumed he’d tried to hurt Martine.
Savannah’s phone rang with Unknown Caller. She hit the silence button, then reconsidered. What if it was about Simon? She sighed and answered it. “Savannah Webster.”
“Ms. Webster, my name is Tim Kramer, and I work with inmates here at Baldwin County Correctional Facility. I’ve been counseling
Deke Willard, and he has become a Christian. He’s quite insistent he needs to ask forgiveness from you and Mr. Webster. Would
it be possible for you to come see him today? He’s distraught and wants to get it off his chest before he’s transferred.”
Savannah glanced at the gaping front door to Martine’s office. She might not be able to track Martine down today. “I think
we can do that. I’ll call Hez. What time?”
“Would later today work? Like maybe noon?”
It was only eight, so they had time to get there. “We can do that. If Hez can’t make it, I’ll have him text you.”
“Thank you so much. See you then.”
Nora dropped her phone back in her purse. “Martine has disappeared. Someone broke into her office, and it’s trashed. Her computer is missing as well as her files.”
Savannah’s gut clenched tighter. “Was she kidnapped?”
“I don’t think so. A security camera at her apartment building showed her leaving with a suitcase this morning. She seemed
to be in a hurry.”
“She fled?”
“That’s the suspicion.” Nora gestured to the phone still in Savannah’s hand. “The call upset you. Anything I can help with?”
Savannah told her about the Kramer call. “I’d better call Hez and see if he’s free, but we’re not driving up together. I’m
not ready to hear more lame excuses yet.”
Hez walked into the Bay Minette jail visiting room. Savannah was already there, perched on the edge of a vinyl chair, eyes
focused on the glass partition in front of her. She turned as he entered and gave him a perfunctory nod but no smile. He’d
forwarded her a message from Bruno stating the X-rated pictures with Martine were faked, but she hadn’t answered. He hadn’t
expected her to, not yet.
He sat beside her and shot her an apologetic glance, but she didn’t seem to notice. She was watching the door at the back
of the room on the other side of the partition. It opened and a few prisoners filed in under the watchful eyes of a pair of
guards.
Deke Willard appeared younger and less threatening than Hez remembered.
The last time Hez had seen him had been at Deke’s sentencing hearing.
Deke had stood next to his attorney while the judge read the plea bargain with the DA’s office and asked Deke if he agreed with it.
Deke had fumed, flexing massive muscles as the judge spoke and spitting out curt responses.
As one of Deke’s victims, Hez had been only too happy to see him sentenced to life without possibility of parole.
Deke still had gorilla arms, and his shaggy brown hair touched the collar of his orange prison uniform, but he was clean-shaven
and his eyes were clear and focused. He sat and reached for the phone on his side.
Hez nodded to Savannah as he brought the handset to his ear. She did the same, holding it in both hands.
“Hi, um, thanks for coming.” Deke’s voice was rough and nervous. “I think Pastor Tim told you I—I decided to become a Christian.”
“He did, yes. We’re glad for you,” Savannah said.
Deke’s gaze flicked between them. “Are you Christians too?”
Hez nodded. “We are.”
Deke relaxed a fraction. “So you know what Jesus says about the truth settin’ you free. Pastor Tim—he’s the preacher I been
talkin’ to—he says that a lot. He asked me to pray on it, so I done that and, uh—” He cleared his throat. “Uh, the Spirit
put on my heart that I should talk to you two.”
Hez leaned forward. “What do you want to say to us?”
Deke licked his lips and stared at the scarred Formica counter in front of him.
“Um, I did those things. I was there both times. That first night, I hit you in the head, Mr. Hez. And I’m the one that put the bag over your head, Ms. Savannah.
And . . . well, you know it was me on the boat.
You saw the cops pull off my mask. I feel really bad about it.
I-I’m sorry, and I hope you can forgive me someday.
” The last sentence came out in a rush, as if he couldn’t wait to get it over and done with.
The memories reached out from the shadows of Hez’s mind and grabbed him. He relived the blow crashing into the left side of
his skull as he had sat outside Beckett Harrison’s house listening to Savannah’s conversation with the former TGU provost.
He, Savannah, and Simon woke up in the cemetery the next morning—an unsubtle warning about what would happen if they didn’t
stay away from Harrison and his artifact-smuggling ring. They hadn’t, so Harrison and Deke kidnapped them again and took them
out to the Gulf to kill them—and make it look like a murder-suicide where Hez killed Savannah and Simon. Hez could still feel
the rough nonslip surface of the boat’s deck under his cheek as he lay zip-tied, waiting for the killing shots. He could still
see the helpless terror in Savannah’s eyes.
Deke licked his lips again and jiggled his right knee as he watched their faces. His muscles twitched and his eyes held a
mixture of fear and hope.
The career criminal sitting on the other side of that glass pane didn’t deserve forgiveness. He’d attacked the love of Hez’s
life. He’d twice kidnapped a child. He’d been prepared to murder Simon, Savannah, and Hez in cold blood. And he didn’t confess
his crimes or ask forgiveness until he had nothing left to lose.
But Deke had asked for forgiveness—and who was Hez to refuse it?
Ella’s glassy, dead eyes stared up at him out of the deep waters of memory.
He hadn’t deserved forgiveness for her death.
The boulder of guilt crushed him for years and nearly destroyed him.
Would he even be here today without God’s forgiveness—and Savannah’s?
Hez’s hand found Savannah’s, and he held her fingers in a tight grip. “I forgive you, Deke. I’ve done some bad things in my
life too.”
Savannah’s eyes filled and she gave a jerky nod. “I forgive you too, Deke.”
Deke leaned back and ran his fingers through his shaggy mop of hair. “Thank you.”
A detail from the first kidnapping popped into Hez’s memory. “What about the Justin’s peanut butter cups?”
Deke froze. “What do you mean?”
Hez’s brain switched into lawyer mode. The peanut butter cups had been mentioned in the police file on Ella’s death. That
detail must have come from a police department insider: the PHPD mole. Deke must know who that was.
“I think you know exactly what I mean, Deke. You left Justin’s peanut butter cups on Simon’s chest at the cemetery during
that first kidnapping. Why?”
The color drained from his face, leaving him a pasty white. “I—I don’t remember.” His gaze shifted away and revealed his lie.
Hez shook his head. “I can tell you’re lying. God can tell too.”
Deke’s knuckles were white on the receiver. “I was just trying to scare you. I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.” His voice shook
and he still didn’t look at them.
Hez raised his brows. “How did you know the candy would frighten us?”
A sob burst from Deke, and he covered his eyes with his free hand. “Because of her, the little girl.”
Savannah clutched Hez’s hand tighter. The trembling in her stomach moved up her back, and her vision dimmed. Ella? How did Deke know about their baby girl? Maybe he’d tell them the name of the mole inside the PHPD.
“Who told you about Ella and the peanut butter cups?” Hez’s voice took on his stern prosecutor tone.
Deke’s sobs grew louder. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. We didn’t want to kill her. We were just gonna keep her till we got the money.
All the money the Legares stole. We thought we could get it back, doubled. We didn’t mean to hurt your little girl.”
Ice ran through Savannah’s veins as his words penetrated. She forgot to breathe, forgot where she was in the horror that encased
her. Her baby had died because of revenge? It had never been Hez’s fault. Her father’s corruption had begun the cascade of
events that led to the loss of the most precious person in her life.
Hez didn’t speak either, but his fingers tightened around hers in a death grip. His blue eyes stared out of his shocked white
face.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen that way!” Deke wailed. “I watched the family awhile and knew she didn’t eat candy often, and
when she did, you guys gave her that Justin kind. So I lured her out with it. We only planned to keep her long enough to get
you guys to pay up. It all happened so fast—she slipped and fell in the pool. When she started screaming, the dog went crazy
with barking. I—I panicked.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I just ran. I’m sorry.”
Savannah started to rise, but Hez’s hand anchored her in place. “Y-you left her struggling in the water?”
Tears rolled down Deke’s face. “I—I thought Mr. Hez would hear and come running, that she would be fine.”
“Whose idea was it?” Hez asked in a wooden voice.
“Th-the man called my phone. He used somethin’ to make his voice sound like a robot, so I don’t know—”
Hez waved the answer away. “Never mind. Michael’s fingerprints are all over this.”
Deke stood and turned for the door. “Guard!” His shoulders shook with his sobs, and he glanced back one more time before the
guard took him away. “I didn’t mean for her to drown.”
Though she hadn’t been there, Savannah had imagined the scenario in graphic detail ever since her baby drowned. Over and over
she saw Ella falling into that pool, heard Marley’s barking, saw Hez’s panicked rescue that failed to revive her.
Numbness traveled down her face to her arms, and her vision darkened again. She heard Hez shout her name before the merciful
blackness moved in to claim her.