And now, she understood how Alex had felt. She understood his actions during the school shooting. The only thought in her head, the only goal in her mind when the guy had aimed his gun at Cas, was to save him at all costs. To not let him die.
She drew in a shaky breath, but when she exhaled, it came out slow and steady, and a calm washed over her. “I couldn’t let anything happen to you. I just couldn’t, and that thug was too far from my reach, so I did what I had to because I can’t lose you, Cas. I just can’t.”
“You’ve got me, Harper. I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed away her tears, one by one, and when they finally stopped falling, his mouth found hers.
His kiss was tender and full of so much feeling her heart swelled and nearly burst from her chest. She clung to him, returning the kiss, showing him just how much he meant to her. By the time he broke the kiss, she was shaking again, but this time it was for a much better reason.
Her body was on fire, and she discovered his was too when she slipped a hand under his shirt. Just when she was about to push it up over his incredible body, a knock sounded at the door.
She jumped, and he gripped her hip to steady her.
“That’ll be the sheriff,” he said, studying her face. “You ready to give your statement?”
She nodded. “Yes.” She just wanted to get it over with.
Cas grabbed her hand as they both walked to the door. Harper’s steps were a little shaky, but she steadied herself, knowing they needed to see this through.
When Cas opened the door, Gabe stepped inside, his expression serious but tinged with a hint of satisfaction. “How are you two holding up?” he asked, removing his hat and setting it on the back of a chair.
“We’re managing,” Harper said, offering a small smile. “I’m just glad Cas and Dale showed up when they did.”
Gabe nodded, moving further into the living room. “Dale’s got good instincts. He’s going to make a hell of a deputy. He was watching the monitors when that guy came up the driveway. Sounds like he got to the garage just in time.”
Cas’ grip on her hand tightened. “My brother always had impeccable timing,” he said, his tone even and sure. “So what happens now?”
The sheriff pulled out a notepad and turned his attention to Harper. “Why don’t we sit down, then I need both of yourstatements. You first, Harper. Just go over what happened, every detail you can remember. We need to make sure we’ve got everything covered.”
She sat on the couch next to Cas, who immediately entwined their fingers, while Gabe settled in the armchair.
After taking a deep breath, she recounted the confrontation in the garage, the thug’s threats, the scuffle, the moment he pulled the gun, and how she’d tackled Cas when the weapon was turned on him. Gabe listened carefully, his pen moving steadily across the page as she spoke. Cas added his perspective, describing how he’d walked in just as things took a dangerous turn.
When they finished, Gabe closed his notepad and leveled a gaze at them. “That’s good. With what you’ve told me and what Dale got from the guy downstairs, we have enough to bring in George Anderson.”
“Really?” Cas raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise mixed with satisfaction crossing his face. “Did the bastard downstairs give him up?”
The sheriff nodded, a small, approving smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Yes, he did. Your brother’s got a way of making people talk without them realizing it. Dale didn’t even have to push that hard. The guy spilled enough to connect George Anderson directly to the threats and the attack.”
Relief surged through her, but it was tempered with a simmering anger. George Anderson had been lurking in the shadows, orchestrating these threats, and for what? To protect his family’s secrets at any cost? She clenched her jaw. With George in their sights, they had a real chance to get justice for Mary and the man she referred to as P.
Cas cocked his head. “So what’s next? Do you think George will talk once you bring him in?”
The sheriff shrugged, slipping his notepad back into his pocket. “We’ll see. He’s got a lot to lose, but he’s also not as invincible as he thinks. If we can get him talking, or even just rattled enough, we might get what we need to bring down the whole house of cards.”
There had been three families living large for too long. Granted, it was safe to say not all the relatives were shady and shouldn’t be punished for what their ancestors had done all those decades ago, but the truth needed to come out just the same.
Harper nodded, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “It’s about time they face what they’ve done. Mary, P, all those people—they deserve justice.”
“Speaking of P,” Gabe said. “Carter came through with the list of Andersons. Turns out Nevil’s grandson was Phillip Anderson. That would make George his great nephew.”
“Phillip,” she said with a smile. “Thanks. It’s good to have an actual name.”
Her great-grandmother had been in love with Phillip Anderson before she’d met Jonathan Quinn, a new pastor who’d built a new church.
Harper had been blessed with another gift when she’d finally got back to working on Mary’s desk. She’d discovered another secret compartment and inside was a diary about the second love of her life, Harper and Sadie’s great-grandfather.
“We’re not stopping until this is finished,” Gabe said, recapturing her attention.
Cas squeezed her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “You’ve got that right, Sheriff.”
