Page 232 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“We’ll have to walk from here.” He cut the engine and swung his legs overboard. Jake and Wynne followed him.

“I’d forgotten how cold the water was,” Wynne gasped.

He dragged the boat more securely onto the sandbar, and they struck out for the land. Moments later they gained the sandy beach.

“Becca!” he shouted.

Jake and Wynne echoed his call. He tried not to think, tried not to face how ridiculous it was to think she might be here.

Then they heard an answering shout. Becca waved to them from down the beach.

“Becca!” Max felt a surge of joy and raced toward her. Jake and Wynne followed, but he reached her first and swept her into his arms.

Her hair hung in strands around her face, and she was shivering. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight. “Get a blanket from the boat,” he shouted back to Jake.

Her brother nodded and veered back the way he’d come. Max whipped off his jacket and slung it around Becca’s shoulders.

“You found me. I prayed and prayed,” Becca sobbed. She buried her face in his chest.

He clutched her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Becca, so sorry. I was wrong and pig-headed. I love you so much. Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

Wynne reached them, and Becca turned to embrace her. The sisters clung together, both sobbing.

Jake arrived with the blanket, and he slung it around his sister. “What happened? How did you get out here?”

Becca hiccoughed and pulled away from Wynne. “Nick and Shayna. They killed Mom and Dad.”

Shock radiated through Max. “Nick? But why?”

“They want Gram’s money. They plan to kill Tate once he has the lion’s share. Then they can marry and live the life they want.”

“They left you here?” Rage began to gather in Max’s chest.

Becca shook her head. “They threw me into Superior. I remembered this island and decided to try to swim for it. God kept me going long enough to make it.”

Max pulled her back against his chest, and his gaze met Jake’s. “Call the sheriff,” he said.

Becca helda cup of hot cocoa in her hands as she nestled against Max’s side. He didn’t want to let go of her. Molly curled against his other side, and Max had his arm around both his girls.

“Nick blabbed the whole plan when the sheriff arrested him,” Max told her. He pressed his lips against her hair.

“I think it was Shayna’s idea,” Becca said. She took sip of cocoa and sighed in contentment. “She was tired of living on the island, but she didn’t want to give up the chance of getting Gram’s money.

“What about Gram’s money that was missing?” Wynne asked.

“It was the backup plan since they hadn’t managed to dispose of me. They wanted to discredit me so Gram would leave the money to Tate. Then they could kill Tate and have it all.”

“And we have no way of getting it back for Gram,” Jake said. “They’ll never give us the account number.”

Becca smiled. “The account book is in the folly. We can transfer it back.”

“Are you going to be my mommy?” Molly asked, her hand patting Becca’s face.

Becca’s gaze grew shy, and she glanced up at Max then looked away.

Max’s throat grew tight. He didn’t deserve her after the way he’d treated her. “She is if I have any say in it.” He wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger.

“Ask her, Daddy,” Molly urged.

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