Chapter 57
The house was quiet the next evening at Refuge Cove.
Grace had fallen asleep almost the moment Naomi had laid her in the bassinet. Naomi had stood over her for ten minutes just watching her breathe before she’d made herself step back.
Good Boy was sprawled across his bed in the corner, damp from the bath Kendra had given him, smelling like dog shampoo, and looking deeply satisfied with the bowl of food he’d demolished twenty minutes ago. He lifted his head when Naomi looked at him, thumped his tail twice, and then relaxed again.
Hadley had checked him out and declared he was healthy. She was so thankful for that.
Everything that happened felt like a bad dream.
Ten minutes later, Micah arrived, and she met him on the porch.
Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
He paused in front of her, hands tucked casually in his pockets. “Hey.”
Her voice sounded scratchy as she said, “Hey.”
They stood in front of each other a moment, the mountains quiet around them. She could feel the energy between them—as well as the unspoken conversations
So much had happened in such a short period of time.
Finally, she nodded behind her. “Come inside. Everyone else is gone. Luke just got back from vacation, and he invited everyone over for dinner. Max and Kendra are out to dinner too.”
“You didn’t go to Luke’s?”
She shook her head. “I thought about it, but a quiet night with Grace sounded good—plus, I figured someone should stay here.”
Micah followed her inside. She poured two glasses of water, and they sat at the kitchen table, close enough that the space between them felt intentional.
She waited for Micah to start. He’d said he was stopping by with an update—though part of her hoped he might want to see her also.
He drew in a deep breath before saying, “So . . . the people we arrested aren’t talking. They’re still running with the ransom story.”
Maybe she should be surprised, but she wasn’t. “You don’t believe them.”
“Nobody believes them—and we’re not letting this go until we find out the truth.” He turned the glass slowly in his hands. “I also questioned Dale this afternoon. He’s pointing the finger at Richard. Said if anyone orchestrated this, it was his brother. That he had nothing to do with it.”
Naomi studied Micah’s face. “Do you believe that?”
“I think Dale is smart enough to keep his hands clean and let other people take the risk. Whether that means Richard acted alone or Dale gave the order and made sure nothing pointed back to him . . .” He shook his head. “We’re still pulling on threads.”
Naomi had known this case wouldn’t be clean. She hadn’t let herself hope for clean—or for fast answers. People like Dale Harding didn’t get where they were by being careless.
“So it’s not over,” she said.
“Not entirely. We’ve arrested the people directly involved—the three men and one woman from the kidnapping.
They’re from the DC area, and they all have criminal pasts—one for bank robbery, another for breaking and entering, another for assault.
But none of them have ever been involved with a kidnapping before. ”
“I’m guessing someone from that group is probably the same one who watched me in the pediatrician’s office and left that note on my SUV.”
“Probably. Then there’s Gary Lee Foster. Turns out he’s done some work for Dale Harding.”
“That is interesting,” Naomi murmured. “That connection has to make Dale look a little guiltier.”
“For sure. What we know so far is that Gary—or someone he worked for—realized you had this dog and knew that taking Good Boy would be a good excuse to both get on your property and to take something from you that could be used as leverage. I’m still not sure what kind of leverage he was angling for. ”
“He could have been using the dog as a distraction,” Naomi offered.
“Exactly. That was probably the ultimate goal. We’re trying to turn Gary. Our suspicion is that Dale has leverage on him, and that’s why Gary is staying quiet.”
“So those guys did the grunt work, but someone else has been calling the shots.”
“Exactly.” Micah nodded.
“Are the Hendersons connected to any of this?”
Micah blew out another long breath. “We don’t think so.
But Travis Henderson is a problem all on his own, and he probably won’t be going away any time soon.
When he hit your SUV, that probably had nothing to do with this.
And he most likely set the snare on your property as a way of sending a silent message that he still thinks the land is his.
He was probably the one you saw in the hospital also. His cousin really did have surgery.”
She nodded slowly. “It sounds like you’re inching closer to answers. That’s good news.”
“It is.”
Silence stretched between them for a moment.
Finally, she drew in a deep breath before changing the subject. “By the way, Karen called this afternoon.”
Micah looked at her. “And?”
“She said that given everything that happened, that the Hardings won’t be getting their hands on Grace any time soon.
” Naomi looked down at her glass. “She said the court filing has been suspended pending the criminal investigation and that my position as Grace’s guardian is secure while everything is sorted out. ”
“That’s good news.”
“Yes.” She felt the truth of it settle in her chest. “It really is.”
Naomi observed Micah as he stared at his glass, turning it slowly between his hands.
She had a feeling he was working himself up to do or say something.
She waited.
She’d gotten good at waiting for Micah Sutherland to find his words, and she knew that whatever he finally said was usually worth hearing.
Micah didn’t know how to start.
Which wasn’t a problem he had often. He dealt in facts. Timelines. Evidence. Words that meant exactly what they said.
This felt different.
“So, the other day . . . when I was holding Grace,” he started, knowing he needed to explain himself—and also knowing that putting his heart out there was more terrifying than facing a gunman.
Naomi waited, her expression soft and compassionate in a way that silently encouraged him to keep going.
“In the nursery that night . . . I stood there holding her. Then I looked at you, and I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time.” He paused. “And it scared me. Terrified me, actually.”
“So you pulled away.”
“I pulled away.” He exhaled. “I’ve been telling myself for years that I’m better on my own. That I’m not meant to be in a relationship.” He turned the glass again then made himself stop. “I failed Caroline and our unborn child. I don’t want to do that again.”
“That’s understandable. What you went through was terrible.”
He held her gaze. “The feelings I have for you scare me, Naomi. They’re the wrong size for how long we’ve known each other, and they don’t leave room for careful, and I don’t know what to do with that.” He paused. “But I know that I don’t want to lose you. I know that much.”
She was quiet long enough that Micah started to wonder if he’d read everything wrong. If he’d miscalculated the one thing that actually mattered.
Then she stood, crossed the small distance between them, and stopped in front of him. He tilted his head to see her eyes.
“Can I tell you something?” she asked softly.
“Of course.”
“I don’t know how this ends either. I don’t know what’s coming with Dale or Gio or Grace or any of it. I’ve spent the last eighteen months being afraid of things I couldn’t control.” She paused. “But I’m done letting fear make my decisions.”
He looked at her, his throat burning with emotion.
“Relationships are a leap of faith, Micah. All of them. There are no promises. No guarantees that nobody gets hurt.” She held his gaze. “But I think love is worth the risk.”
He was quiet a moment.
Then something in him—something that had been locked down and carefully managed for longer than he wanted to admit—let go. She was absolutely right.
He suddenly didn’t want to live like he had been any more. And if he wasn’t careful, he would lose Naomi before they ever even had a chance together.
He couldn’t let that happen.
If Naomi was willing to take a risk, then so was he.
He stood also and reached up to tuck a strand of hair back from her face, careful of the bandaged gash at her temple. His hand stayed at her jaw.
She leaned into it.
He kissed her—slow and sure.
Naomi’s hand came up to rest against his chest, and she exhaled against him—the last of the day’s tension releasing.
When they finally pulled apart, her forehead rested against his.
From the corner of the room, Good Boy’s tail began to thump steadily against the floor.
Naomi laughed before saying, “I think Good Boy approves.”