Page 89 of 5 Golden Flings

“She died when I was born. Daddy said they didn’t make it to the hospital in time. It was always just me and my dad.”

Oh, right. “I seem to remember my mama saying Mr. Asher was a widower.”

Brynn froze, as if afraid she’d given something important away. He twisted around to see her face but she started to shake her head. “I know this sounds weird, but please don’t tell anyone.”

He stepped closer, worried. Why would she react like this? “Why not? What’s the matter, Brynn?”

She covered her face with her hands, her breath coming so rapidly he was afraid she would pass out. He laid his hands on her shoulders, hoping to comfort her. Using his most soothing rescuer voice, he said, “It’s okay, Brynn. Whatever it is, I’ll keep you safe.”

She shook her head again, then let her hands drop away to look him in the eyes. Her hazel irises seemed almost swallowed up by her pupils. “I’m afraid of what they’ll do to me.”

“I don’t understand.” He wasn’t tracking this with anything she’d spoken about until now. Then again, she’d told him very little about who she was now.

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” She dragged in a couple of deep breaths. “Letting people close makes you vulnerable.”

He squeezed her shoulders for a second, hoping to reassure her. “For most people, it’s worth it. Yes, being vulnerable is scary, but it’s a good thing.”

“Why?”

“Then you’ve always got someone at your back.”

Her whole body went still. Her gaze lifted until she met Colby’s eyes once more. “But how do you know you can trust them?” she whispered.

He reached up to cup his warm palms against her cheeks, cradling her face with his lips inches from hers. Deep down inside he knew this moment was monumental, though he wasn’t sure why. What had happened to her and her father? He’d wondered since the first time she hadn’t shown up on the bus in elementary school. “Try me.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “My father was a photographer,” she whispered, her words slow but gaining speed. “I mean, he was a farmer. All this land is still his. But he was also incredibly creative, whether he was renovating a house, making me a costume for the school play, or taking pictures.”

She took a deep breath, shifting on her feet. Colby eased them both down to the rug so they could sit facing the fire. Maybe the telling would be a little easier as the flames mesmerized her, distracted her. But he couldn’t stop himself from curling his arm around her shoulders.

“He took photographs of all of the large city events, some of the churches too. One day he realized he was seeing a pattern of something that was wrong, something scary. He had pictures of something he shouldn’t have. He didn’t think anyone would notice.”

Colby felt her shuddering breath against his rib cage.

“But he couldn’t let people continue being hurt, so he got more pictures. This time, deliberate pictures. And someone found out. Then he worried I would be the next target. When we left here, my father dragged me out in the middle of the night, terrified someone would come after us.”

She went quiet for long moments, her gaze unfocused, before she went on. “It took years for me to piece the story together. He told me on his death bed that those pictures are somewhere in this house. He hid them because he couldn’t risk anyone finding them. So, I came back for them.”

“Why?” Colby whispered, not sure he was ready for her answer.

Brynn lifted her chin as if in defiance, giving him a perfect view of her silhouette against the icy window.

“Because I plan to make them pay.”

CHAPTER 9

Those poor girls...

Panic rose in Brynn’s throat. She’d never told another living soul. Even her daddy had only talked about it under the influence of pain meds. Why had she said anything?

More than anything, she’d needed to keep her mouth shut.

But all that talk about having someone at your back had drawn her in.

She’d thought she’d had that with her Daddy, but he hadn’t been vulnerable, had he? He’d kept his secrets, and here she was—all alone—trying to make his sacrifice worthwhile.

She rubbed her hands over her face. This was all so complicated, with no way out.

Suddenly Colby sucked in air. Dropping her hands, she quickly looked around. It took a moment to realize what was wrong. Though the fire they were facing still blazed, everything else had turned off. The overhead light, the side table lamp, the Christmas lights Colby had plugged in.

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