Page 117 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Garrett said. “I didn’t know he’d been a suspect back then. I had no idea… My uncle would never try to hurt you. I’m sure, when the police finish their investigation, they’ll find the real culprit.”

And there it was. He might care for her. Maybe. But his loyalty rested with Dean, and it always would.

She tried to yank her hand away, but Garrett held on.

“I know you’re angry. I need you to hear me. I didn’t spy on you. What my uncle did or didn’t do… What happened back then with your mom and him and…all of it. It’s not you and me. I’m not my uncle any more than you’re your mother. We can’t let them do this to us.”

“Who isthem?”

“Dean and…I don’t know. Whoever else is involved. Whoever actually ran you off the road. I care about you. I don’t want to lose you.”

It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter what Garrett said. Because he would always side with Dean and Deborah and Brent and Coventry. It would always be them against her.

Always.

She yanked her hand again, and this time, he let her go.

“Aspen, I care about you. I’m falling in love with you.”

She’d dreamed of the first time she’d hear those words from a man.

The reality was nothing like the fantasy.

“I wasn’t supposed to tell you that your aunt and uncle were questioned, so don’t tell anybody. Can I trust you to do that?”

“Of course, you can trust?—”

“Tell your uncle I’m selling the house and leaving town. Tell him tonight. I’m done digging. I’m letting it go. I’ll be gone by tomorrow. Maybe that’ll make him back off.”

“Don’t do that. Please. Just…just wait.”

Wait. Until someone actually succeeded in killing her? Maybe she’d end up in a grave right beside her mother.

That would be one way to find her.

There was nothing to wait for. There was nothing else for her in Coventry. And there was nothing between her and this man. She took a step back. There were so many things she wanted to say, feelings she wanted to share. Truth was, none of them mattered. She settled for one final remark so there’d be no misunderstanding. “You’re fired.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Hoping Aspen would come back out, would change her mind, Garrett stared at Grace’s front door a long time. Then it opened again, and his hope soared.

To crash and burn when Andrew appeared with a pitying look.

Garrett stormed away.

Andrew caught up and walked beside him back to Garrett’s condo.

He opened his door, tempted to step inside and slam it in Andrew’s face. He didn’t turn when he said, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“We don’t have to talk.”

Much as Garrett wanted to be alone, he stepped in and left the door open.

Andrew followed and closed the door behind himself. “I would like to point out, though, that when Grace and I broke up, you peppered me with questions until I wanted to slug you.”

That was different.

“Insightful questions,” Andrew said. “Really personal, probing questions. I thought I’d return the favor.”

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