Page 102 of Jael

“That’s got nothing to do with me. I will confess I’ve been snooping around.”

“For who?”

“No one. Gregory was a friend of mine, and I had my suspicions. I wanted to know for sure.”

“That’s a stupid thing to die for.”

“You don’t have to kill me.”

“I’m afraid we do.”

“Then at least tell me why you did it. Gregory was old. How could he interfere?”

“He was a bigger problem than you’d think,” Artus said. “Gregory took our friendship for granted and felt it was his place to step in where he wasn’t invited. We needed Heber Industries to carry some of the load that Jabin Enterprises has been carrying. My business profile has expanded, and there’s been too much money to filter through one company. Gregory told me in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t allow us to use his business for that. He had the gall to threaten me. Me of all people.” Artus shook his head as though he were hurt. “He deserved what he got. No one threatens me.”

“What would you do ifIdid?” Danny said.

“You?” He shoved Danny to the floor and took a gun from Christopher. “You want to see what I would do?”

There was a loud bang and a crack. Artus turned his weapon on the door as Christopher pulled another gun.

As the door splintered, Danny jumped on Christopher, who was closest, wrestling him to the floor. Christopher elbowed him in the face, then got free and jumped to his feet as agents shouted for him to drop his weapon, but he fired instead.

Danny crawled for cover as the agents returned fire and Christopher dropped to the ground, riddled with bullet holes.

His eyes drifted to meet Danny’s, and a sneer lifted his lip as the life drained from his face.

Danny stared for another second before drawing himself up.

“Where is he?” Danny said, searching the room. When no one responded, he grabbed the nearest agent. “Where’s Artus?”

“Went through that door.” The agent pointed across the room. “We’re on him.”

Danny didn’t wait to hear more. He sprinted toward Artus’s escape route. He wouldn’t let him get away.

Chapter 27

Jael leaned forwardin her chair and cradled her head in her hands, allowing relief to wash over her. Her future remained uncertain, but the hard part was over. It was difficult to comprehend what it meant.

She looked out the window into the dark. She’d dared to hope and pray. Was it possible that God was not only real but listening? She’d tested Him, asked Him for the strength to turn down Christopher’s advances, and she’d made it through. When Becca had hit a roadblock and they hadn’t known the best way to move forward, Jael had asked Him to show the way, and they’d found it. But what did that mean for her? Lucas McGregor had told her the way, but she still felt she didn’t deserve it.

She squeezed her eyes against the shame of her past until she heard the front door open, and she shot up out of her seat. Her heart was racing in expectation of what Danny’s arrival meant. She didn’t want to let him go, but everything he’d said made it clear they wouldn’t be together no matter how they both felt. But even as those thoughts flooded her mind, a silent warning sent goosebumps up her arms. She’d locked the door, and Danny didn’t have a key.

In the silence of the house, she heard heavy footsteps hurrying across the tiled entryway. She backed against the fireplace and wrapped her fingers around the poker.

“Jael?” Artus said when he opened the door. He looked down at her hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She looked at the poker, then set it back into place, keeping her hand close. He should be in custody by now.

“Is everything okay?” Jael said. “What are you doing here?”

He dropped into a chair. “Sorry. I didn’t know where else to go.”

She kept her focus on him but made note of her phone on the coffee table in her peripheral vision. She’d have to remain calm and act normal until she could send a text to Danny.

“That’s okay,” she said. “You know you’re always welcome here. I’m just surprised to see you is all. I didn’t know you had a key.”

“Gregory gave me one a long time ago. It was more a token of our friendship back then, but today, I’ve found a use for it.”

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