Page 401 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“It’ll look obvious when I put cuffs on the right guy.” She went quiet for a second. “Maybe I can help you.”

“How?”

“Let me worry about that.”

“Because you know for sure I didn’t do this?” Maybe she had proof he could pass to his lawyer. If she disclosed it to him.

Jacob was gauging the kind of special agent she was. He didn’t know how far Addie might go to uncover the truth. Did she follow the rules to the letter, or go renegade when it was necessary? Or did she fall somewhere between, depending on the circumstances?

“Jacob.” She said nothing else, as though everything he needed to know was contained there.

Maybe it was.

She sighed. “You probably want to get some sleep.”

“Are you still at work?”

“For a little longer. You turning in?”

Jacob frowned. “I’m at the store.”

“But we already…” There was a long moment of silence and then, “Ah. Pizza night?”

She knew what it meant. Jacob felt that connection buzz like a surge of power in an electricity line. He was a photographer, so he didn’t exactly know how that worked, but he’d seen the effects of excess energy that needed to be discharged.

He got two pizzas instead of one. Just in case.

“You had a rough day.”

Jacob pressed his lips together. He didn’t want to talk about it. That’s what pizza was for.

Addie said, “Pepperoni with the cheese in the crust?”

“Is there any other way?” He felt the curve of a smile on his lips and turned for the middle aisle so he could go check out.

“So it was bad, then. Talking to the cops?”

“Given the fact they found my print on her body?” Did she think he’d be able to just brush that off? “I have to be able to explain it. Someone is framing me, but I can’t even say as much because they probably hear that like once a week.”

“You kept your head. That’s good.” Addie said, “The truth will come out.”

“Hopefully not after I’ve served years of a sentence for a crime I did not commit.”

“I’m praying for you.” She paused. “I’m a little rusty on that front, but desperate times.”

He almost stopped in the middle aisle the memory hit him so hard. “Thank you.”

The two of them huddled in that cabin. They’d cried out to a God neither of them was sure they believed in back then—not in those dark hours when they’d felt abandoned. But what else did they have to do? It was either accept death or try anything they could think of to figure a way out.

Rescue had come.

Even if he didn’t understand why Becca died or why they were the saved kids. The killer had been put in prison—a place the police wanted to put him now as well. Life didn’t always make sense.

He just tried to minimize the surprises and disappointments. At least as much as he could.

With Addie here now, he wasn’t sure how to do that.

“Want to come over?” Maybe it wasn’t a good idea, but the question was out. “Share some late dinner.”

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