Page 46 of Hero's Prize

“I know. As a matter of fact, objectively, you look better in the other two photos than you do in the one for today.”

Colton couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks.”

Callum gave a wry smile. “I just mean that those other two photos are you at your most picture-worthy best. You look like the superstar you are known for being.”

“It’s not like he looksbadin today’s picture,” Tony said.

Callum shook his head. “No, not at all. I’m sure you probably can’t take a bad picture of anyone in the Harrison family. But in this picture, Colton’s focus is different. Do you happen to know when this was taken?”

Colton took the evidence bag Callum was holding out and studied it with Tony. “You’re wearing a collared shirt. That doesn’t happen too often.”

Callum was right. The picture was not typical of the ones taken of Colton. “This was at the wedding. The one the night before the accident.”

Tony shook his head. “I don’t think so. You were wearing a suit. In this shot, it’s just a button-down shirt.”

“I took off my jacket. Toward the end of the night.”

All the pieces fell into place. Colton knew exactly when this picture had been taken, and he knew exactly why he had the slightly predatory look on his face that he did.

He’d been looking at Ella. Getting ready to make his move. He’d known what he wanted, and he’d been about to go after it.

But none of this was something he wanted to share with the other two men. It felt like it would be a betrayal of Ella’s trust and their night together.

He had no idea how the stalker had gotten this photo, but he understood now what Callum was talking about.

“In this picture, I’m looking at something real and important to me. In the other two pictures, I was just putting on a show.”

He looked up from the picture to find Callum watching him, nodding.

“I agree, and I think your stalker friend saw that too.” Callum held up the other bag with the knife. “And she definitely didn’t like it.”

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

Ella watched the kids leave her class through one of the open test kitchen windows. She shook her head at them. Still so orderly as they walked toward the vehicle they’d be piling into to head farther back on the Linear Tactical property.

No shoving. No goofing around. None of the obnoxious behavior normally expected from young teens. Just once, Ella would have liked to laugh with exasperation and tell them to calm down because they were acting up during a demonstration.

But she had to admit she saw more smiles now than she had four days ago when the kids arrived. They were loosening up, getting more comfortable. Finally starting to act a little more like kids.

She swallowed a yawn. One she felt like she’d been swallowing all week. She loved working with the kids; she truly did, but she also had a business to run in town. Fancy Pants seemed to be continuously growing. Ella loved her shop, loved coming up with new recipes and treats to surprise her customers. Plus, catering for parties and small events had really taken off in the past couple of years. It was exactly where she wanted to be as a small business owner, making it on her own.

But man, she was tired. She needed to finish cleaning up here,then hopefully, she could catch an hour-or-two nap before heading to the bakery to get more prep work and baking done tonight for what was needed tomorrow. Then make it back here for some more classes.

“Something smells pretty darn good in here.” Dr. Annie Mackay stuck her head into one of the open classroom windows.

Ella smiled at the older woman she’d known all her life. Dr. Annie was Becky’s mom and an emergency room doctor here in Oak Creek.

“Because I have some pretty fantastic students learning how to make naan bread. I wanted them to know that baking doesn’t need to be just about sweet food.”

Dr. Annie took another deep breath in. “Well, I think they definitely mastered that lesson.”

Ella took some of the pans out of the industrial washer in the back corner and put them over to dry on the counter. “Plus, this will be bread that they can make and use in their wilderness survival training next week. Naan packs very well.”

She looked around the classroom. She didn’t have as much left to do as she had thought. The kids had spent a lot of time cleaning and straightening before they left.

Ella shook her head. “I sure do appreciate how helpful these kids are, but…”

---