Page 71 of One Last Promise

Axel moved into the kitchen, grabbed the coffeepot. “So, now what?” He poured the coffee.

Moose sat back. “I don’t know, Axel. Who puts their daughter in jeopardy like he did?”

“None of it adds up,” Shep said, reaching for a cookie. “Let’s just hope it’s over.”

“You know, you could just let Flynn and Daws handle it,” Axel said. “Flynn is pretty good at tracking people down. She could get to the bottom of this.”

Moose nodded, his arms folded over his chest. “Yeah. The police might at least know if he’s left town. Can you text her?”

Axel smiled, then picked up his coffee and headed to the door. “With pleasure.”

Moose laughed, then got up and looked at Shep. “You heading back to Anchorage this morning?”

“Yeah. Picking up London on the way.” Shep poured himself a cup of coffee.

“So . . . it’s none of my business, but . . . is there anything going on between you two?”

Shep stilled, then glanced at Moose. “Nope.” But he said it quickly and didn’t quite meet Moose’s eyes.

Moose sighed. “Okay.” But it put a fist in his gut. The whole night had, and he was just feeling dark.

“Listen,” Shep said quietly. “London and I have history. I should have told you that, but . . . anyway, we’re working through it. So no, nothing’s going on. Now.”

Moose had gotten up and stood by the stairs. “Thanks. Let me know if anything changes.”

Shep nodded. Gave him a grim smile.

He understood that expression. Had wornthe same smile for the better part of the last year, trying to figure out how to sort out his feelings for Tillie.

Maybe he shouldn’t have kissed her.

Maybe he shouldn’t have promised her that he’d keep her safe.

Maybe . . . well, maybe he’d gotten himself in over his head, again.

He showered and shaved, trying to figure out why his gut roiled inside him.

What he hated most was the feeling that he’d never quite catch up to all the promises in his life.

Like Grace Benton, the woman who’d died in a blizzard last spring after he’d made promises to her father.

Or like his promise to Boo not to drag her into the public eye.

And Axel, nearly dying twice this summer after Moose had made a lifelong promise to protect him.

And now Tillie, and Hazel . . .

He stared into the mirror, and for a moment, Pike Maguire stared back.“The only regret I have is that I didn’t try harder to keep my word.”

Yeah, he’d lived with that echo in his head for three years now. Kept him awake sometimes.

Sorry, Pike. Moose didn’t have a clue how to keep that promise.

He wiped his face, hung up his towel, and wished that he didn’t start every day with failure.

Then he headed downstairs to where Hazel and Tillie sat at the table. His mother stood at the stove, making pancakes, the smell of maple syrup spicing the air.

Axel had left, evidenced by the absence of his Yukon in the yard.

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