Page 91 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

She blinked, and was there the slightest lifting of her lips? He forged ahead.

“I’d like you to hang around. Maybe, you and I can see”—he lifted her hands and kissed her knuckles—“where God takes us. Because you weren’t on my list, either. But if you’re part of God’s future for me, Aspen, I don’t want to miss that.”

Her eyes widened.

Had he gone too far, too fast?

But that slight smile grew. “When I was in the woods, when I was convinced somebody was trying to kill me…”

Her words chased his happy thoughts about the future away.

“I called 9-1-1, because that’s what people do. And then I called you. I knew you’d be there. Which is to say…you’re not imagining this.” Squeezing his hand, she leaned closer, so close he could feel her breath on his cheek. “I’m right there with you.” Her smile slipped as she sat back. “There’s still the little problemof finding my mother. And the fact that somebody ran me off the road a few hours ago.”

Cold fear gripped him. He’d just counseled Aspen to turn her fears and her future over to God, but that was easier to say than do. “Nobody’s going to hurt you. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

THIRTY YEARS AGO.

Four days. It would all happen in four days, the Thursday night before spring break. The Planner’s father had been nagging him to transfer to a different college, preferably his alma mater, and the Planner had agreed to interview with them on Friday. Since his mother and sisters would be out of town, he and his dad would make a whole weekend out of it. They’d leave for Boston Thursday night. Not until they were out of the state would he tell his father what had happened.

At that point, his father would demand he transfer, probably in exchange for establishing the Planner’s alibi. He’d agree and then back out later, unless he could get the Crusader to transfer with him.

One step at a time.

They’d already moved the device into his car, so the Builder’s part was finished.

The Crusader’s gaze darted around the room as if evaluating threats. “I did what you asked. Michael?—”

“No names,” the Planner hissed.

“Sorry,” she said. “He likes the place. He calls it ‘our overlook.’ Isn’t that sweet? We’ve been back there a few times. He’ll know where to meet me when I call him.”

Squelching jealousy, the Planner slid his hand over her arm. “But you haven’t told him anything?”

“Of course not. Of course not. He’d stop us.”

“Okay then. Thursday night, you’ll pick me up. I’ll park near the new development. We’ll go to a pay phone, and you’ll call him and ask him to meet you at the overlook.” He couldn’t bring himself to call ittheiranything. “Then you and I will do it. It’ll only take a few minutes. You’ll drop me at my car, then go up to the overlook and meet him. He should already be there. If we do this right, he’ll have left the house right away. Will he have the baby with him?”

“Maybe. Depends. Sometimes, his parents stay with us, so they might be there to watch her.”

“Good. I hope they are. Then they’ll say he wasn’t home at the time of the bombing, lend credence to the idea that he could have done it.”

She nodded along. They’d gone over the plan a hundred times already, but her mental state worried him.

“I can do this by myself,” he said. “Maybe you should stay home?—”

“I have to be there.” She spoke with both vehemence and volume. “I have to see it happen. I have to!”

“Lower your voice.”

She leaned in and whispered, “We’re going to take them down. We’re going to protect our home, the earth. We’re going to protect the forest that gives us life for ourselves and for our children. For Aspen.”

He wasn’t sure he’d gothatfar, but he loved the forest too.

Mostly, he loved her. He’d do anything for her.

The Builder pushed back and stood. “You don’t need me.” A glare at their mutual friend prompted a low remark. “She’s going to blow the whole thing if she doesn’t keep quiet.”

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