Page 92 of Billionaire Protector

Cole bit back consoling words. The man might be harsh and overbearing, but he wasn’t a criminal. Still, for now he would stand back. This was Sarah’s career andlife. She deserved the chance to clear her name.

When it was clear Cole wasn’t going to respond, a sliver of hurt crossed Donovan’s expression, so quick it seemed a mirage. A moment later, he glared pure animosity. “So this is your strategy – find the nearest person to put the blame on? Sorry, but it’s not going to work. I’m not guilty, and no one is going to believe I am.”

Sarah matched his glare. “Well, I’m not guilty, and everyone believes I am.”

“What a surprise.” Donovan barked a humorless laugh. “The town criminal proclaims her innocence, and no one believes her.”

“That’s enough.” Cole stepped in. “Let’s calm down.”

“What about you?” Donovan snarled. “Do you believe I’m guilty, too? We’ve been friends for years.” Pure disgust twisted his features. “And what’s with you two, anyways? Has she already roped you back in? It’s just like when we were kids. Didn’t a decade in the military harden you to her schemes?”

Cole bit back a growl. His friend didn’t understand Sarah’s true upbringing. Like he hadn’t.

“I guess not,” Donovan blustered. “I thought you finally got it at the station today, but one look at that pretty face, and she’s got you fooled all over again.”

“No one is fooling me.” Cole placed himself between Donovan and Sarah. “I don’t believe she’s guilty, but not because of some misplaced loyalty. There’s evidence pointing to her being framed.” He hesitated. If they wanted to catch the criminal, they had to work together. “I saw the guy at the Renaissance fair, the one trying to light a fire.”

“You only think– wait, what?” Donovan stepped back. “Earlier you said you didn’t see anything.”

“I was lying.” Cole pulled up his sleeves. “I wanted the arsonist to think he’d gotten away with it.”

“It was a ruse,” Sarah broke in. “Someone is framing me, and I believe it’s you. You keep saying I don’t deserve my job, that someone else should have it. You’re the one who found the earring.”

Donovan scoffed. “The earring you lost at the crime scene, you mean?”

“The earring someoneplantedat the crime scene,” she retorted. “I lost it somewhere, and the arsonist took advantage. It was the perfect scheme to place me at the scene. You have an obvious motive to get rid of me. If I’m fired, you’ll be up for promotion. It makes sense that the criminal works for the sheriff’s office.”

Donovan clenched his fists. “I can’t believe this. And most of all, I can’t believe you, Cole. You know what happened to me. You know I don’t light candles, much less buildings, on fire.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes. “What does that mean?”

Donovan turned to her, his face scarlet with fury. “Except for Cole, I’ve never told anyone what happened to my family beforeI came to Harmony Creek. They died – in a fire. If I was going to set you up, which I sure as hell wouldn’t, it wouldn’t be with fire. Cole knows that.”

Cole looked down as Donovan revealed his past. He would’ve told Sarah earlier, but he’d promised to protect the secret a lifetime ago. Yet now they had to move on. They were wasting their time on the wrong suspect. “It’s true, he wouldn’t. Even when we were camping, I lit all the fires. He didn’t do it, Sarah. I’d stake my life on it.” He turned to Donovan. “Just like I’d stake my life it wasn’t her.”

Sarah and Donovan exchanged suspicious gazes, yet uncertainty lurked, with less anger and less challenge. Donovan spoke first, “Even if it wasn’t for my aversion to fire, I still wouldn’t have framed you. I became a cop because I believe in law and order. Even Cole isn’t as stern as me.”

“He’s right,” Cole corroborated. “Remember when I told you I covered for someone in high school? Donovan begged me not to do it. I had to convince him to give the guy a second chance. But Sarah isn’t the arsonist, either. She has nothing to gain and everything to lose.”

Donovan lifted his hands. “What about the evidence? The earring? Her history?”

“She has no history,” Cole growled. Sarah didn’t deserve the blame for something she didn’t do. He wouldn’t let her sacrifice herself any longer. He looked to her, and she gave a slight nod. It was all the permission he needed. “It was all fabricated. She was innocent the whole time.”

Donovan’s lips formed a thin slash. “I guess she told you that?”

“Actually, no. My father told me.”

Donovan stared. And stared and stared some more. Seconds passed, before he said in a quiet voice, “Jack Carter said she was innocent?”

“That’s right,” Cole confirmed. “You can call him if you don’t believe me. She’s been covering for someone this entire time.”

“Impossible.” Donovan raked a hand through his hair. He stood silent for another moment. “But who? Why?” Suddenly understanding dawned. “Your dad?”

Sarah stood frozen. When she looked up, her eyes shone in the moonlight. “Yeah.”

Like a deflating balloon, the anger drained out of Donovan. He rubbed his forehead. “It can’t be.”

“It’s true.” Cole’s tone left no room for denial. “All this time, we’ve been accusing her, and all she’s guilty of is protecting the man who raised her.”

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