Page 67 of Holding Out For A Holiday Hero

“What was it that you said to me?” Jake never lowered his gun. “Ho, ho, ho, bastard.”

“You’re gonna need a new tree,” Harris informed Jake as he swept a critical gaze over the mess that had once been Jake’s Christmas tree.

Correction, True’s tree. I wanted the tree for True. A True who was outside, talking to uniformed cops.

“I’ve got to say, the Christmas lights were a nice touch. Guessing you didn’t have any handcuffs at the ready?”

“They were in my bedroom.”

“Sure. And the Christmas lights were just right there, so…why not use them to secure the perp? Makes total sense to me.”

Jake leaned to the left so he could see around Harris’s body. He wanted to put his gaze on True.

“That guy was confessing left and right. Begging for a deal as he was hauled out,” Harris added. “Criminals aren’t usually so quick to confess. What in the world would make him want to do that?”

Me. I scared him to death. “Who knows?”

“Uh, huh.” Harris rocked back on his heels. “His vehicle was hidden around the block. Uniforms searched it and found a big key ring—kinda looks like the one that Robert Moss is always hauling around at the museum. I’m thinking Braden made copies of any keys he needed—he must have swiped the originals from either Robert or True. And he helped himself to whatever he wanted in that place. No one knew about his thefts.”

“Until True came along.” Jake couldn’t see her. He really needed to see her. He felt as if he couldn’t pull in a deep enough breath until he saw her again. “Bastard had a gun on her.”

“I’m pretty sure that will turn out to be the same gun he used to kill Dylan Dunn. Ballistics will let us know for sure.”

Jake edged toward the front of his house. “He said Dylan went crazy. That he was after True.”

“Yeah, that’s what the perp was telling me, too. Trying to spin it like he had to shoot Dylan in order to protect True. Not sure I buy that story.”

Jake didn’t buy it, either. “Braden was probably trying to cover his own ass. When he stopped being able to control Dylan, the guy became a liability for him.”

“A liability that Braden couldn’t afford.” Harris brushed off a green needle that had tried to cling to his jacket. “Robert told Braden that you had taken the computer. That you could fix it. Dude panicked and came here.”

He’d wanted the perp to come after him. What he had never, ever wanted? For a gun to be pointed at True. “I made a mistake.”

“Do tell.”

“True was put in jeopardy because of me.”

Harris hummed. “Sure about that? I thought you were the hero who saved the day.”

True appeared in the doorway. Just as the first time she’d come to him, snowflakes were in the darkness of her hair. Jake pulled in a deep breath. Slowly exhaled. “She saved herself. Broke his pinky finger?—”

“Actually, the EMTs said two of his fingers were broken. He also had bruised ribs, a shattered wrist, and a bloody nose.” A delicate pause. “Is True responsible for all of his injuries? Because your bruised knuckles would say otherwise.”

True’s gaze collided with Jake’s. He swallowed down the lump in his throat. “Braden pulled a gun on her. He had to learn that was something you never, ever should do.”

“Important life lesson, totally understand.” Harris edged a bit closer. “What’s gonna happen now?” Low. His voice only carried to Jake. “Gonna get to live happily ever after with the woman of your dreams?”

If she’ll have me.

Snowflakes blew in the open doorway.

“Hate to tell you, buddy,” Harris said as he clapped a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “But this place is gonna be a crime scene for a while. You should find a new place to stay.”

Jake barely heard him. True was walking toward him. Her eyes were on his.

That creep had a gun on her. I came in and there was a gun on True, and I could feel my whole world shattering around me.

So, yeah, he loved her. Might as well get that right out in the open. The love he felt for her had nearly ripped him apart. He’d been so afraid. More afraid than he’d ever been on any battlefield in any place in the world.

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