Page 99 of Among the Innocent

“And you will.Wewill. Together, we’ll find him.”

Dalton winced and grabbed his stomach.

“The doctor says you’re going to be on leave for a while.”

When the waves of pain passed, he said, “Then I should have plenty of time to search for my brother.” He wouldn’t tell his parents—wouldn’t get their hopes up until he was certain.

Leah squeezed his hand again. Tears filled her eyes—rolled down her cheeks—and she brushed them away. “Thank you for helping me bring Aaron to justice. I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “You are an amazing woman, Leah Miller.”

He couldn’t wait to see where the future would take them. And with God’s help, he prayed his family could be reunited and Harrison’s name would finally be cleared.

Epilogue

FOUR WEEKS LATER...

Dalton had spent his first few days after being released going over every detail in Ellis’s journal. The anger and resentment he held inside weren’t healthy, and so he’d put the journal aside and focused on trying to find his brother. Though it might take months, if not years, he owed it to Harrison and his family to keep searching.

Someone knocked on the door, and he went to answer it. Dalton couldn’t believe his former commander, Mark Sorenson, stood before him.

“You’re alive. I’m glad to see it.”

Dalton snapped out of his shock. “Sorry. I meant to call. It’s been busy.”

“So I’ve heard. When I couldn’t reach you on the phone, I called the station. The acting chief filled me in.” Mark pushed past him and came inside. “Why didn’t you call? Leah told me your brother might still be alive?” What can I do to help?

Dalton carefully gave his friend a hug. His injuries still hurt if he made the wrong move. “Sorry, brother. It’s been a crazy few weeks.”

Mark looked him over. Didn’t miss the way he held his stomach. He shook his head. “So, tell me about Leah. She seems like quite a woman.”

Dalton understood exactly where his friend was going. “She is indeed.” And he loved her. She stopped by each day after her shift ended to tell him about the case that had changed both their lives.

But they hadn’t really discussedtheirfuture. Perhaps because it was hard to believe the past and all its darkness had finally passed. Hard to have hope again ... but he wanted to.

“I know how difficult it was for you after Allison passed. She wouldn’t want you to grieve forever. She’d want you to be happy.”

Dalton’s love for Leah grew stronger with every moment they spent together. “You’re right. She wouldn’t.” It just took hearing it from Mark to believe. No matter what the future held, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Leah. Did she feel the same way about him? He believed she did. Still, he had to know for certain and couldn’t wait another day. “Mark, I have to do something. Do you mind waiting for me here? Make yourself at home. There’s cold pizza in the fridge. I want to catch up, and I might take you up on the offer to help, but first—”

Mark’s face broke into a smile. “Go. Tell her how you feel. Go grab your future.”

Dalton hobbled out to the pickup and ignored the pain while he drove to the station. Just struggling out of the vehicle seemed to take forever. He felt as weak as a kitten.

“Well, if it isn’t our fearless chief.” Sugar spotted him and gave him a big hug. Dalton held in his pain until she released him.

“How are you doing?” he managed, a little embarrassed by her show of affection. “How’s Justine?”

“Healing. Ready to come back to work soon, believe it or not.”

“Tell her to take her time. When she’s ready, her job is waiting on her.”

Sugar smiled and kissed his cheek. “I sure will. She’ll be pleased to hear it.”

Dalton nodded. “Is Leah here?”

The dispatcher gave him a knowing wink. “I had a feeling that’s why you were here.”

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