Page 10 of Deadly Past

It stood to reason he would have ditched the truck. The police were looking for it. “Maybe he rented a car. . .” If he did, there would be a record of it. But if he’d gone to the trouble to steal a license plate, then he probably wouldn’t have an issue stealing a car. “Sorry, I guess that’s silly.”

“No, that’s a good suggestion. We can check all the rental car places between here and your home. If we don’t dismiss any options, maybe we’ll find a name.” Declan’s attention went to something on the ground not far from where they were standing.

“What’s that?”

He went over and knelt beside the piece of paper. “It’s a menu from a fast-food restaurant on the mainland. It’s timestamped about an hour before you arrived at my house.”

All the blood left Wynona’s face. “Declan, I stopped at that same place around the same time. He was right there with me at the same time watching everything I did.”

Declan rose and went over to her and gathered her close. “I’m not going to let him get close to you again, Wynona. I’m not.”

She held onto him and wanted to believe this would all be over soon, but she had a feeling what had happened so far was just the jumping-off point to the nightmare she’d have to walk through to reach the truth.

Declan stuffed the menu into his pocket. “Come on, let’s go back to the house. It’s almost time to meet the team.”

Together they returned to the woods and hurried back to the house, but all Wynona could think about was the person who had been stalking her every move. What did he want with her? And what had he done with Lacey?

“If you’re ready, we can leave now?” Declan’s question interrupted her terrified thoughts. “I’ll just grab the files.” He hit the unlock button on his pickup truck parked next to her car and went around to the passenger side to open the door for her.

“Thank you,” Wynona murmured and slipped into the passenger seat.

“I’ll be right back,” he said and closed the door. Wynona watched him circle round the front of the house and slip inside.

Her nerves were shot. She’d worked a fourteen-hour shift before she’d gone to her old house and stepped back into the past’s nightmare. Then the attempted break-in and her panicked rush to reach Hope Island and find Declan. Deep down, she’d known if she could just get to him, everything would be okay. But she hadn’t expected the tsunami of emotions she’d run headlong into when she faced Declan again.

He stepped from the house, and Wynona did her best to gather her composure. She needed to know the truth once and for all after all these years, if she stood a chance at picking up the pieces of her life and moving on. To get through this, she couldn’t be reacting to every little thing Declan did. Theirs had been a troubled past, but it was in the past.

He opened the driver’s side door and slid in, his attention going to her. “Everything okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t seem nearly as convinced, but he placed the bag containing the files into the backseat of the truck and started the engine. After reversing, Declan drove along the narrow road she’d come down earlier. The snow had continued to fall. Off in the distance, the gray waves crashing against the rocky shoreline reflected the matching gray skies.

“Hope Island Securities office is just down Main Street.” He glanced her way as if waiting for a response.

“You’ve been with them since. . .” She couldn’t say divorce for some reason.

“Almost.” He focused ahead as they entered the small town she’d driven through in darkness. When she’d first arrived on Hope Island, she’d been so sure she made the right decision by coming, and yet the closer she got to Declan's home, the more her doubts returned. After all, they hadn’t spoken since the divorce, and then it had been angry words hurled at each other. Why should he help her?

“This is it.” Declan pointed to the last business at the end of the block. Hope Island Securities was emblazoned above the door of the quaint New England shop. It seemed strange that so many difficult stories were housed inside such a simple exterior. Declan killed the engine and grabbed the bag before getting out.

Wynona pulled in a breath and opened her door before Declan could. She slid out and stood beside him. Nervousness clung to her. Was it because she’d have to recount her sister’s story again to people she didn’t know, or was it because of the man who stood at her side watching every single reaction that crossed her face?

“Don’t worry, you’ll like everyone. We’re really like a family.”

His family. Not hers.

He held the door open for her, and she went inside. A woman who appeared to be around Wynona’s age rose as they entered. “Hi.” The raven-haired woman was clearly pregnant. She came around to the front of the desk where she’d been seated and offered a welcoming smile. “You must be Wynona. I’m Rachel Wyatt—JT’s wife.” Rachel looked past Wynona to Declan. “Everyone’s in the conference room already. Wynona, would you like some coffee or tea…water?”

Wynona liked Rachel right away. “Coffee would be great.”

“You got it. Why don’t you two go on in, and I’ll bring the coffee.”

Wynona smiled and looked to Declan.

He reached for her hand, and she was grateful for his strength. These were his people. They’d know his story. What would they think about her? Would they blame her for hurting Declan? She’d certainly played her part.

They entered a narrow room with several people sat around a conference table talking. The conversation stopped almost immediately. All eyes were on her. JT she'd met; the other three people she didn’t know.

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