Page 146 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

She was utterly powerless.

“I’ll come up with a story about how your father found us together,” Brent said. “How, in a fit of jealousy, he attacked me and killed his wife. How I didn’t tell the truth because I wasafraid I’d be implicated in the bombing. You’re right, Aspen. If they find your mother, I’ll figure a way out of it. I always do.”

He bent lower, low enough to whisper in her ear. “I always hated you. I know it’s wrong to hate a baby, but I loathed you. You were the reason she married Michael. You were the only thing keeping Jane from me. I know it’s too late to get Jane back, but I’m not one bit sorry to kill you.” His fingers tightened, clamping over Aspen’s windpipe. “In fact, I think I’ll enjoy it.”

Blackness crept from the edges of her vision until all she could see was the face of the man who would end her life.

So she closed her eyes.Father, expose all this man’s evil deeds.

Protect Jaslynn. She’ll grieve for me. Wrap her in Your arms and comfort her.

Protect Garrett. Please, let him know I would never hurt his uncle. Bless him. Give him a good life.

If only she could have known his love. If only she could have experienced life with him. Slept beside him. Seen the faces of their children. Held his hand and walked with him into old age.

If only everything could have been different.

Suddenly, she felt free.

Free of pain.

Free of the weight of her murderer.

It was over.

She gasped in a deep, full breath and opened her eyes.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Garrett crept in the direction of the sound. It had come from a neighboring property.

It took precious seconds to pick his way through the forest between the houses. Aspen wasn’t in the yard next door. Garrett hurried past, then into the woods again.

Where he saw a man on the ground, propped up on two arms. One hand was pressed into the ground.

The other was pressed into the neck of the woman Garrett loved.

He charged. Tackled the stranger.

Rolled him over and onto the ground, but he kept their momentum going until Garrett was on top. He landed a punch to the man’s face, only then getting a good look.

The mayor?

Brent Salcito, the man who’d claimed to love Jane Kincaid, had tried to kill her daughter.

Garrett punched him again.

Salcito was big enough to overpower a woman, but he had nothing on Garrett. Salcito landed a few blows against Garrett’s side, but Garrett hardly felt them as he punched the man a third time, then a fourth.

Salcito quit fighting and moved his hands to protect his head.

It took considerable effort not to punch him again.

But…Aspen.

He pushed up from the ground. Salcito had quit fighting. His eyes were closed.

He turned to find Aspen still lying on the ground. Eyes open. In a flash of panic, he feared she was dead. But he could see the vapor rising from her mouth as she exhaled.

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