Chapter 3
Three
Charlotte barely had time to process Alex’s words before the sound of tires crunching over gravel reached her ears. She tensed, instinctively putting the Polaroid and knife away in a breakfront drawer as she turned toward the window.
Alex followed her gaze.
A red Waverly Junction Fire Department SUV pulled into the driveway, parking behind Alex’s car. The driver’s side door opened, and Olivia, her oldest daughter, stepped out, already moving with purpose, followed by her fiancé, Fire Captain Jackson Reynolds.
Charlotte swore under her breath.
Alex shot her a look. “You expecting them?”
“No.” She exhaled sharply, pressing her palms against the table before standing. “But that’s never stopped Liv before.” Charlotte didn’t have the energy for whatever this was about.
Alex leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, watching the door. “You want me to stay?”
Charlotte hesitated.
His brow arched. His smirk was slight, but there was a challenge behind it. “You thinking about hiding the break-in from your daughter?”
She shot him a look. “You have no idea what you’ve walked into.”
Before he could respond, Olivia knocked once before pushing open the door.
That was Olivia—never waiting for permission, never hesitating.
Her sharp eyes immediately scanned the room, taking in the one coffee mug, Alex’s presence, Charlotte’s posture.
Then she looked at Alex, her expression stoic. "Good morning," she said brightly.
Alex smirked, his voice amused. "Morning to you too, Detective."
Jackson followed her inside, closing the door behind him. "We didn’t realize we were interrupting. Didn’t expect to see you this morning, Alex. A day off for you?’
“Yeah,” he answered.
Olivia looked at the border collie. “Mom, what’s wrong with Bailey?” She bent down to pet him. The dog opened his eyes then fell back to sleep.
“The vet had me give him some meds to sedate him. You know how he gets when he has to get his nails trimmed and blood drawn.” Charlotte sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "What’s up, you two?”
Olivia frowned. "You forgot, didn’t you?"
Charlotte blinked. "Forgot what?"
Her daughter gave her a pointed look. "Wedding stuff, Mom. We told you last week we were coming over to go through potential venue details and other wedding stuff today."
Charlotte’s stomach dropped. Damn it. She had forgotten. In her defense, she woke up to a home invasion and a cryptic message from her past.
But Olivia didn’t miss much. Her sharp gaze flicked between Charlotte and Alex, her brow furrowing slightly. "Everything okay?"
Charlotte’s pulse ticked higher, the Polaroid and knife sitting in the drawer behind her. Alex, still leaning against the counter, arms crossed, watched Charlotte carefully. She realized he wasn’t going to bail her out.
She forced a smile. “All is fine.”
Olivia didn’t look convinced. “You sure?”
"Why wouldn't it be?" She wasn’t about to let her daughter get involved in this.
Jackson watched the exchange, his usual easy-going demeanor slightly more alert. Something about the way he looked between Alex and Charlotte made her want to change the subject as quickly as possible.
“Charlotte, what time is the vet appointment? We can take him. He’s so out. He’s dead weight. Very heavy to carry.”
"It’s in a few hours. Alex will help me,” Charlotte said. "Alright, let’s talk wedding."
Olivia eyed her suspiciously for another beat before finally relenting, dropping her bag on the table and pulling out a folder.
Jackson pulled up a chair, shooting Alex a smirk. "You sticking around for this?"
Alex smiled. "Wouldn’t miss it."
Charlotte gave him a pointed look, but he just winked at her. Damn him.
Olivia opened the folder. "Okay, so we’ve narrowed it down to two venues. The Hawthorne Hotel or the Waverly Arboretum. Both are available for our date, and both have indoor and outdoor options in case the weather sucks."
Charlotte focused, forcing herself into mother-of-the-bride mode. This was normal. This was good. This had nothing to do with the fact that someone had been inside her house last night, watching her sleep.
Jackson leaned back. “Personally, I’m leaning toward the Arboretum.”
Olivia scoffed. “That’s because you want an outdoor wedding so you can make a dramatic entrance by skydiving in or something.”
Jackson grinned. “I mean, if you’re asking.”
“No one is asking,” Olivia muttered, flipping through a page.
“Jackson, what does your mom think?” Charlotte forced fun into her tone.
Jackson chuckled. “You’ve met my mom. She wants me to be happy. She’s sorry she couldn’t be here to help plan. She chipped a tooth and got an emergency appointment.”
“Oh. Jackson, tell her I’m so sorry to hear that.” Charlotte could feel Alex watching her. She didn’t look at him. If she did, she’d start thinking about the Polaroid again. About who left it. About why. And she wasn’t going to do that right now.
She took a deep breath, pushing the fear aside. Because Olivia and Jackson were here, and this was their moment. And for now, she was just Charlotte Everhart—mother of the bride.
Charlotte barely remembered the rest of the wedding discussion. She went through the motions, nodding at the right times, offering input when needed—but her mind was elsewhere.
She kept thinking about the Polaroid. The footprints. Bailey being drugged. The biggest draw on her brain was the fact that someone had been in her home, standing over her while she slept.
Alex hadn’t left yet. After pouring a mug of coffee, he sat back in his chair, watching her. He wasn’t pushing, but she knew him well enough to recognize that he wasn’t letting it go.
She was grateful Olivia had let things go, though it took her three times. Charlotte managed to get her daughter talking about catering options.
By the time Olivia and Jackson got ready to leave, Charlotte felt like she could finally breathe again. She walked them to the door, offering a rare smile when Jackson kissed her cheek.
“We’ll call you later,” Olivia said, glancing between her and Alex. There was something curious in her eyes, but she didn’t press.
Charlotte turned back to find Alex standing again, arms crossed, waiting. She sighed. "You’re not leaving, are you?"
"Nope."
She ran a hand down her face. "Alex…"
"You’re shaken, Charlotte," he said, voice quiet but firm. "I’ve never seen you like this. And before you try to tell me you’re fine, I already know you’re not."
Charlotte held his gaze. There was no use arguing. Not with Alex.
She moved back to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair and sinking into it. She pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to force her thoughts into something logical. “I should have awakened."
Alex sat across from her. "You didn’t. That’s not normal for you."
“I don’t think I was drugged.”
“We had dinner together. We ate the same food. Did you eat or drink anything after I left?” Alex frowned. “I’d like you to talk to Tristan—let him draw some blood.”
“No, and NO TRISTAN. I’m not letting my future son-in-law run tests on me.” She raised her voice. "I checked everything.”
Alex’s fingers drummed against the table. "Someone was inside the house before we locked up. They were waiting."
The idea made her stomach churn. She wasn’t the kind of woman who missed things. She had spent her entire life making sure she was one step ahead of everyone else. And yet, somehow, someone had gotten close enough to leave a message.
Alex reached in the drawer for the Polaroid again, flipping it along its edges. "This case… the man in the photo. It was your arrest?"
Charlotte hesitated. She had told herself she wouldn’t lie. But the truth? She still wasn’t sure if she was ready to say it out loud.
Alex exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I need you to let me in, Charlotte."
He wasn’t just talking about the case anymore. Charlotte looked at him—really looked at him.
Alex, since the moment they met, had always been steady, always been the one person in her life who never pushed too hard, never made her feel like she had to be anything other than herself. But now? Now she could see the cracks. He had spent so much time waiting for her. He wouldn’t wait forever.
She swallowed. "I…" Before she could finish, the house phone rang. She frowned. No one ever called the landline.
Alex grabbed it before she could, pressing it to his ear. "Hello?" Silence.
He went rigid as Charlotte’s blood turned to ice.
His grip tightened around the phone. "Who is this?"
The dial tone rang loud in the silence. Alex frowned. “A disjointed male voice. He wanted to know if you told me yet.”