Page 38 of Operation: Discovery

“I still have the braces, but I don’t wear them. I don’t use them. I hate feeling unsure with every step when my chair is steady. I don’t like falling and feeling uncertain. This is my life. I’ve done everything I’ve set out to do.”

“Except get married,” she whispered, backing away from his touch.

He tightened his hold on her hand, so she didn’t leave. “You didn’t either.”

“I stopped wanting it. I poured myself into my patients. They appreciate me.”

“I feel the same. I found a career I enjoy, that I’m good at, and I poured everything I had into it.”

Having her in his arms momentarily when he’d caught her had reminded him of their past. He’d remembered all the times he’d pulled her onto his lap and kissed her when they were alone. He’d remembered how she’d laughed as he’d spun them both around in his chair. With her, he’d felt free to do that, to let himself be who he was. The military had required he put on a mask, a strength, a courage, every day. It was exhausting. But with her, he could be the man that centuries of men before him had fought for. Free.

“So, what do we do about it?” She looked up at him from her position on the ground. Seeing her that way was such a different perspective. He always found himself looking up to see her. Even when she’d sat on his lap, her eyes were slightly above his own, always forcing him to look up. He wouldn’t place her there, but he felt closer to her finally seeing her in the way that the majority of men saw women.

God had known what he was doing in that. The soft curves of a woman’s face were slightly more pronounced from above, making her smile all the more beautiful. He’d never noticed how the brown of her hair lightened closer to the roots where the sun kissed her head. She was beautiful in a whole new way.

He cupped her cheek again and she straightened on her knees, raising up to meet him as he leaned forward. For a few moments, nothing existed but her lips. Her softness and care surrounded him. Her hair brushed against his knuckles, fanning a flame he hadn’t felt in years. He wanted to know everything about Dee, to have her back in his life the way she once was.

She leaned closer, pulling herself to him with the front of his shirt. He caressed her shoulders, down her arms, then around her back. He wouldn’t be able to stay in that position for long, but he’d enjoy every second his body would afford him.

Heat spread through him, mingling with the cool air on his skin, reminding him they were sitting outside and there were people not far away. He pulled away just slightly and Dee sighed softly, either from contentment or disappointment that the moment was finished. He’d take either response and not question her about it.

Someone cleared their throat behind him, and he turned as Officer Blake headed toward him with yellow crime scene tape. “I’m sorry, but I need you both to move your car. We’re taping off this whole area since we don’t know if there’s any other evidence hidden in this long grass.” He tied one end of the plastic tape to a fencepost.

“Does that mean …?” Dee bit her lip.

Officer Blake slowly nodded. “Shallow grave. Barely two inches of dirt on top of a cardboard box.”

Dee’s breathing increased until he was worried she might hyperventilate. “The boy?”

Nixon nodded, his jaw firm. “We don’t have a cause of death yet, but his body looks sunken in.”

Dee gripped his hand tightly. Though she was a nurse, and he knew she could handle a lot of what life would throw at her, he wanted to protect her from this. The child wasn’t known to them, but she’d taken on the responsibility to find him safe and alive.

“Let’s not talk about this right now.” For once, he wished Nixon didn’t treat the men of Wayside like they were extensions of the police force. Police, military, including men and women who were in any sort of brotherhood often lost the filters that others had, making them say exactly what was on their minds.

Dee stood and headed back to the car without saying anything. The moment they’d just shared would now forever be clouded by what had happened directly after. One step forward, two steps back.

“Is there anything you’d like Connor to do?” Brendon waited for Nixon to tell him he could leave the scene.

“Not right now. We’ll want your statements, but I know you both aren’t going anywhere. Can I come out to Wayside to collect that bullet when we’re finished here?”

He nodded. “I’ll make sure that car stays at Wayside until you’ve gathered the evidence. We’ll be there when you want to talk.”

Nixon nodded in acceptance. “Thanks. And thanks for calling us in here. I never would’ve checked.”

In all honesty, neither would he. He glanced at the aging garage and wondered what in the world these people had hoped would happen. Was this building to become a trap or was there something else going on that had to be figured out? “Maybe. You might want to keep digging.”

Nixon flinched. “The thought had occurred to me.”

ChapterSixteen

There were multiple reasons Dee’s food was getting cold sitting in front of her. One of them was sitting right across from her at the table. She glanced over at Brendon and noted that he didn’t seem to be having any issues consuming his supper.

With a huff, she pushed her plate away. The food looked great, but nothing would fit past the lump in her throat, anyway. She’d spent a whole week working with Rebecca and taking her time when Jacob had been missing and needed someone to look for him. She’d failed him.

While she’d tried to convince herself that it wasn’t her fault, that she had nothing to do with that part of the investigation, her heart wasn’t listening. It wanted to blame someone, and she was the one at the top of the list.

Then there was that amazing kiss in the grass at the garage turned burial ground. Had Brendon kissed her to distract her from what was going on around them? She was ashamed to admit it had worked. For a few blessed seconds, she was not only safe and happy, but it was like the world had turned the way it was supposed to have been all along.

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