Thirty-nine #2
“It’s actually not the Dempseys. I promise.” I take him through how I left Alex, grabbed what I could, and weeks later found the drive tucked in a pocket of his jeans. I explain how they’ve been harassing me about taking something, and I believe it’s this.
“Let’s see what we’re working with.”
I show him the files, the names, the coded bets. He leans in, nodding slowly. “You weren’t kidding. This is organized, methodical…and stupidly sloppy to leave in a pocket.”
“Sloppy’s kind of Alex’s thing,” I mutter.
“Okay, let’s get Jonas and Elijah here, and we’ll give it to them. I’ll do all the talking. They’ll probably have questions for you.”
A chill runs through me. “What if they don’t believe me?”
“Did you know about the sports betting before you left Alex?”
“I’d heard him say he put money on a game, but I always thought it was a bet with a friend. I have no idea how he got this drive or if it even belongs to them.”
He nods. “That’s very believable.”
Beckett makes the call to the police, and we chat politely while we wait for them to arrive.
It doesn’t take long before the knock comes. Beckett opens the door for officers Goodwin and Fallwell, both dressed in plain clothes but carrying the weight of authority in the way they move. They nod to Derrick, then to me, their expressions serious but…a little excited?
Derrick tells them everything, and they listen carefully, glancing over at me. They don’t interrupt.
When Derrick’s done, Elijah steps forward and grins, eyes locked on the screen. “That’s the smoking gun we’ve been looking for.”
Beckett lets out a slow breath beside me. I hadn’t realized how tense he was.
I clear my throat. “There’s more. Julia Tremblay approached me after the memorial today and delivered what I’d call a threat. She said I shouldn’t make enemies out of Alex and Simon. She also thinks I took something from them.”
Jonas and Elijah trade a look, one of those cop silent-communication things that makes my skin prickle.
“Did you know she was involved?” I ask.
Jonas shakes his head. “We knew the family had some money floating around that didn’t make sense, but not her.”
Derrick crosses his arms, his tone firm. “Sadie only just figured this out. When she left Alex, she didn’t know she had the drive. That’s a critical piece. She didn’t lie or withhold information. She didn’t know.”
Elijah opens another file. “Sadie, I need you to take a look at some surveillance photos. See if anyone stands out.”
He flips through a few images on his tablet, and I pause on one. This isn’t the same guy they showed me before. He’s scarier. My stomach twists. “Him. I’ve seen him. He was at Alex’s once. I thought he was just one of his buddies.”
Derrick steps closer. “How dangerous is he?”
Jonas’s jaw ticks. “That’s Pierre Bouchard.
We believe Alex and Simon are enforcers.
This guy? He’s part of the Rizzuto crime family based in Calgary.
They run illegal betting rings, money laundering, and some low-level trafficking.
But if Alex had this drive, it means he’s more involved than we thought.
And this…” He gestures to the computer. “This is a big break.”
I grip the counter to steady myself. “So what now?”
“We’ll assign a car out front,” Elijah says. “And you’ll have an escort—visible and invisible—for at least a few weeks. We’re treating this as a potential threat. Until we wrap this up, you’re not going anywhere alone.”
I nod, surprised by the overwhelming relief that floods through me. I hadn’t really acknowledged how much this was weighing on me. Leaving Alex and losing Rosie were awful enough. I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But now, the police are on my side. Beckett is standing right here with me. Ginny is back in my life. I don’t feel so alone .
“Thank you,” I whisper. “Really.”
Jonas smiles. “You did the right thing. And we’re going to make sure you’re safe.”
I nod and thank them until the door closes behind the last of them, and silence settles over the house. My nerves are frayed, my brain is fried, and my heart is still hammering from everything that’s happened.
I turn around and Beckett’s already there, pulling me into his arms like he’s been waiting to do it. I bury my face in his chest and breathe him in—warmth, comfort, safety.
“I’m glad you’re back,” he whispers into my hair.
I close my eyes and press closer, holding on like the world might try to take him from me too.
“I need to say something,” he murmurs.
I tilt my head back to look up at him.
“I’m sorry,” he says, voice quiet but sure. “I didn’t believe in you. I didn’t communicate effectively. I let my fear screw things up. And that’s on me.”
Tears well up again. “I’m sorry too,” I whisper. “I ran. I didn’t fight for us. I didn’t trust that you’d see the real me and stay.”
He brushes his thumb along my cheek. “Sadie…”
“I didn’t want you to see how messed up I am,” I admit. “How I panic and spiral and make dumb decisions when I’m scared.”
“No one’s perfect,” he says gently. “And I love you. No matter what.”
I blink, stunned. “Wait. Did you just say you love me?”
He grins. “You think I would’ve called Caleb and confessed to wanting to be with you and messing up our friendship if I didn’t love you?”
A laugh bubbles out of me—half joy, half disbelief. I throw my arms around him and hold on tight. “I love you too,” I whisper against his neck.
He presses a kiss to the side of my head, then takes my hand.
“Come on,” he says softly. “Let’s go to bed. ”
We climb into his bed like it’s the most natural thing in the world. No expectations. No tension. Just us. He pulls me against him and wraps his arms around me, his chest to my back, his breath warm on my neck.
And I feel safe.
He falls asleep first, holding me like he’ll never let go.
And maybe he won’t.