Chapter Seventeen
Bradly Retreat
Charly made herself a cup of chai tea and settled into a rocker on her front porch. She couldn’t remember when she’d last sat on the porch and enjoyed an afternoon. She also could not remember the last time she’d had to do her morning routine. Tuesday maybe?
A smile spread across her face. All because Billie had come into her life.
She drew in a deep, cleansing breath. She’d sent Shelly home this morning around four. The woman had refused to leave until Charly was showered and in bed.
She’d slept until noon. A call from Sheriff Malone had awakened her.
Laney Rogers and Paul Grant had confessed to working with a human trafficking ring to select certain women and some men to fill orders.
They watched their targets and then drugged and abducted them.
Held them as necessary until the time of delivery.
Laney used Kerrick to accompany her when watching the women.
He’d had no idea what his mother was doing.
His face was the one that would be found on cameras, not hers.
Some mother she had turned out to be. Her husband had helped as needed, like the night he drove the black SUV to deliver Briana and Martin to the cabin on their property for safekeeping until the delivery date.
Paul was the one who approached them with the offer nearly two decades ago and served as the contact with the buyer.
All for money. The Rogerses were always in trouble financially, it seemed. Which was also the reason Laney Rogers had murdered Charly’s mom and dad. Sheriff Malone said she had confessed at four-thirty this morning.
Charly’s parents had been talking about creating a retreat when he retired. Laney and her husband had started theirs two decades earlier and were struggling. Laney was convinced that she wouldn’t be able to survive the competition. So she literally killed the competition.
Except Charly had done exactly what her parents had dreamed of and Laney had been far too afraid to risk going after her. Getting away with murder once was one thing. She hadn’t dared attempt it twice—particularly with victims from the same family.
Charly drew in a deep breath and sipped her tea. So now she knew. She didn’t feel any better, but she didn’t have to keep looking back, which was a good thing.
Billie had called her at seven this morning, but she hadn’t heard the call.
She’d been in a deep coma, apparently. He’d said his parents and Martin’s were on the way and he would be staying at the hospital.
Briana would be released later today but Martin would be staying in the hospital for another day or so.
Since the buyer had decided he didn’t want Martin, he’d been ignored and suffered from serious dehydration.
Charly was so happy for Billie and the families.
Jen was coming home next weekend. She and Charly would have some time to absorb and analyze all this new information. To get right with it, so to speak. They planned to spend a private moment at their parents’ graves.
Charly exhaled a big breath. It was all working out.
She laughed, set her tea aside. Except the part about losing Billie. That one was going to hurt bad for a long time to come.
He’d never been hers, she reminded herself.
But it had felt like they belonged together.
The sound of a vehicle rolling up the long drive drew her attention there. She still needed to get those security cameras. As soon as the black SUV came into view, her heart started to race.
It was Billie. She bit her lip to hold back a smile.
He parked next to the white borrowed truck and got out.
As he approached the porch she noticed that he still wore the same clothes he’d had on last night. He looked like hell and somehow at the same time he looked exactly like she imagined heaven would.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” At the top of the steps he leaned against the railing and just looked at her.
“How are Briana and Martin?” The sheriff had told her already but asking was expected.
“Good. Really good. My parents and his are here now so they’re in good hands.”
“Great.” She managed a breath despite the pounding in her chest. “You need a shower and some sleep,” she suggested. “I can go over to the treehouse cabin and get your things for you.”
“Can we talk?” He nodded to the door. “Inside?”
“Sure.” She got up, decided to come back out for her cup. Right now the way her hands were shaking, she didn’t trust herself to pick it up.
When they were inside she turned back to him. “You want to sit?” She gestured to the couch.
He shook his head and then he moved closer to her. He pulled her into his arms. “I changed my mind. I just want to hold you.”
She fought back tears. Damn it. What was with all the waterworks lately? She rested her cheek against his shoulder. “Okay.”
He held her for a long time. She couldn’t be sure how long…didn’t care if she could stay exactly that way.
Then he drew away, held on to one of her hands and backed toward her bedroom, drawing her along with him. “I’m not going back to Chicago,” he told her.
Her lips trembled. “You’re not?”
He shook his head as he backed up against the foot of her bed.
“Do you mean now or are you saying ever?”
“I’ll visit, but I want to be here with you.” One by one, he slipped the buttons of his shirt free. “If that’s okay with you.”
She nodded. Couldn’t possibly speak.
“You’re the coolest, most incredible woman I’ve ever met, and I want you to be mine.”
His shirt hit the floor and the ability to breathe deserted her.
“We can visit my family and friends from time to time.” He reached for the hem of her tee and lifted it up and over her head, tossed it aside.
“I can still do research and that sort of thing for the agency from right here while I’m helping you.” He pulled her close, reached behind her and unfastened her bra. Somehow, he slid it free without her body losing contact with his.
“All that sound okay to you?”
“As long as you’re sure.” She moistened her lips, prayed her knees wouldn’t give out.
“Oh, I’m sure.” He lowered his head, brushed his lips across hers. “I watched my sister marry the man she loved last Friday and then almost lose him a few days later. I’m not taking that chance…on losing you.”
She searched his eyes. “Just so you know, I’m agreeing to all this because I don’t want to lose you, either. But what if after we get to know each other better, one of us changes our mind?”
He grinned. “Never going to happen.”
“You’re very confident, Mr. Jagger,” she said, grinning right back at him.
“Because I know what the rest of my life looks like,” he murmured between kisses.
“How do you know?” she whispered, her body starting to ache with need.
He drew back, stared at her for so long that she trembled. “Because I saw it in your eyes.”
That was all she needed to hear.