Page 80 of Seeking Evil

He pulled something from his pocket. A ring.

“I don’t want to wait a minute longer to make you my wife. Almost losing you made me see this clearly. I was letting my childhood garbage bleed into our lives. I won’t ever do that again.”

Zeke held up the sapphire engagement ring. “Sierra Parker, will you marry me?”

Tears continued to stream down her face. “Yes, oh, yes.” She waited for him to put the ring on her finger before she framed his face with her hands and kissed him with all the love she had in her heart. She couldn’t wait for them to be married. To start their life together.

She giggled as she looked around the crime scene.

“What’s so funny?” Zeke asked.

“Oh, I was just thinking this is the perfect place for your proposal.”

He joined in laughing before reaching for her. After planting the perfect kiss on her lips, Zeke pulled Sierra into his arms, and they began planning their future. Together.

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Ican’t believe Inez was the real killer all along.” Hannah had found out that Inez’s first name was Tillie. Which explained why Henry referred to her as T, no doubt a nickname.

Zeke half-listened to the details of the case while holding Sierra’s hand. So far, they’d chosen to wait to tell the team about their engagement. There were things that needed to be settled here. Maybe they’d spill the news on the flight home.

“How is Henry?” Zeke asked. “Will he make it?”

“Deb’s been keeping up with his status through her friend at the hospital,” Patrick told them. “He’s going to make it.”

“I’d like to speak to him once he wakes up.” Zeke wanted to get his side of the story down. “Cooper and I can go over there after he’s awake.”

“I’m going with you,” Sierra told him.

Zeke worried that seeing the man who had taken her might be too much for her, but he shouldn’t be concerned. Sierra was tough. Still, he remembered her sobbing after he’d set her free. He’d seen a different side of his fiancée then. She did have a vulnerable side after all.

Inez had succumbed to her injuries. Zeke would have to tell Henry about his cousin’s death. He wondered how he would take it.

During his surgery to repair the damage done by the bullets, the team had learned that Henry was suffering from stage four stomach cancer. His time here on earth would be short. Zeke doubted if he’d ever see the inside of a prison.

The bodies of the previous victims had been removed from Henry’s basement. The fire hadn’t reached them. From what Lindsey said, Zeke believed he’d deliberately preserved the basement and its evidence. There were trophies from each of the victims. The barrels at Inez’s place had confirmed Colleen’s remains were inside one and Inez’s husband, Terrance, was in the other.

They’d found out that it was Inez who called Terrance’s former employer and told them he was quitting. She’d probably killed him by then. Perhaps he’d discovered his wife’s secrets and she had no choice.

This case was unlike many of the ones they’d worked before because Henry appeared to be an unwilling partner in Inez’s crimes. All because of her jealousy.

Deb came into the room. “He’s awake.”

Patrick thanked her. “Shall we get his side of the story?”

Zeke rose with Sierra. Hannah noticed the ring on her finger and stopped them. “Hold on a second.” She came over and clasped Sierra’s ring finger. “What is this?” She looked from Sierra to her brother, waiting for an answer.

Megan squealed. “That’s an engagement ring. Are you two engaged?” She practically climbed over the table to get to them.

Sierra laughed. “Looks like our secret is out. Yes, we’re engaged. We didn’t want to say anything until the case was over.”

“Details.” Hannah ignored Zeke trying to pull Sierra from the room.

“Later. We’ll tell you everything later.”

Hannah’s face fell. “Alright. But I want everything.”

Zeke promised her.

---