Page 129 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“So that’s why I’m here,” Dean said. “To tell you the truth, to apologize. To tell you I was wrong about you. You’re not your mother. You look like her, you’re kind like her, but you’re not her. And if you have half the feelings for my nephew that he has for you, then you have my blessing.”

His blessing? What was she supposed to do with that? “You’ve just confessed murder to me, Dean. Am I supposed to forget?”

“I told Deborah this morning. My dad passed a couple years ago, but I’ll have to tell my mom. It’ll break her heart, but… I’m gonna tell Cote right after I leave here. It’s time I pay for my sins. I’m sick, and I feel about a million years old. Who knows? Maybe they’ll go easy on me. I figure I’ll end up in prison. But I’ve had thirty years of a life I wasn’t entitled to. Thirty years with the woman I love, twenty raising a young man whose respect I earned but never deserved. I’ve had a good life. If it ends in prison?” He shrugged. “Maybe I can do some good there.”

“What about Brent?”

His expression darkened. “He’s gonna have to pay for his crimes too. He’ll hate me. He’d probably try to stop me if he knew what I was up to. But it’s time we both face what we did.”

She scooted closer to Dean and took his hand. “I’m sorry that woman died. I know it wasn’t your plan.”

His eyes filled with tears, but this time he didn’t turn away or try to hide them. “I knew her. Everybody knew everybody in town back then. She was a sweet lady who’d been dealt a hard hand when she married that husband of hers. She was kindand…” His words were choked off by a sob. “I never meant for anybody to get hurt.”

Aspen squeezed his hand. “I know that. I know.”

“And your mother.” He squeezed Aspen’s hand. “I cared for her. I wish I knew what happened to her. I’m sure it’s torture not knowing.”

“I’m pretty sure I know where she is. I’ll probably never really know what happened, but at least I can lay her to rest. I need to talk to Cote. I think he’ll be able to confirm it. I’m just glad to know that you didn’t hurt her.”

“I never would have.” He sniffed the tears away. The sniff turned into a cough, which turned into a coughing fit.

“I’ll get you some water.” She hurried through the door and around the corner into her kitchen and filled a glass with ice from the dispenser, all the information Dean had given her clamoring for attention in her mind. He’d confessed. He’d tell Cote everything,

Poor Garrett would be heartbroken.

But his feelings for Aspen were real.

Another thought urged its way forward. If Dean hadn’t tried to kill her, then who had?

Brent Salcito. He was the only other option, except he’d been out of town. They’d confirmed his alibi. But who else could it have been?

Filling the glass with water, she considered her next move. Once Dean told Cote, both Dean and Brent would be arrested. And then she’d be safe.

Maybe she wouldn’t have to leave Coventry. Maybe she wouldn’t have to leave Garrett.

The thought had her smiling for the first time all day. She was turning to take the water to the living room when a shadow crossed over her.

She barely registered the form of a man before something smashed into the back of her head.

The water slipped from her grip. The glass fell and shattered on the floor.

She reached for the counter to keep from falling but missed. She collapsed in a pool of water and ice and glass.

The man was on top of her. She would have screamed if she could’ve found her voice, but it must have shattered with the glass.

A hand groped her midsection. She tried to push him away, but she felt weak and disoriented. She could hardly see through the pain in her head.

The man stepped away almost as fast as he’d come. Only then did she realize what he’d been doing.

He’d taken the gun.

She was unarmed and injured.

She scrambled on hands and knees across the kitchen floor, but once she bumped into the cabinets, there was nowhere to go. She turned and looked up at the man who’d attacked her.

Brent Salcito aimed the pistol at her chest.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

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