Page 112 of Fortune's Control
My frown matched hers. “How are you today, Detective Moore? We’re both here,” I said.
“Is that a threat?”
Huh? “I’m confused how a statement from a man more than a hundred miles away is a threat unless you’re in town. We could chat face to face if you’d prefer.”
Lilah’s mouth dropped open as she frantically swung her head. I shrugged.
“Why are you talking to his lawyer?”
“How do you know about that?” I asked.
“He sent requests to multiple departments wanting to know about unsolved crimes. Do you know what you’ve done?”
“I’m trying to save an innocent man,” Lilah said. Her stubborn chin jutted out. “I tried telling you more than once. Whoever killed Sandy Cooper wasn’t her ex-boyfriend. Where’s Detective Davis? Could I talk to him, please? Isn’t this his phone?”
“It’s his work phone, and Davis is on personal leave, which puts me in charge. In the future, inform us before you go speak to his lawyer.”
“We’re on the phone now,” Lilah protested.
I butted in. “My wife has cooperated with your investigation from the beginning. You can listen to her now, or I hang up, and we speak through our lawyer.”
Lilah struck a softer note. “We can send you a photo of the man who broke into our house. He’s the one whoattacked me with his car, and he’s the one who killed Sandy Cooper. It’s him, I’m telling you. The other girls wore glasses and looked like her. It’s not her ex. He spoke with a soft, southern accent.”
“Send me his picture. Not to this number.”
“What?” she asked.
“Send me the entire video to my personal phone. You got a pen ready?”
I pulled out my phone. “Send it.” Moore provided the number, and I added the contact information. “You’ll have it as soon as we’re home.”
“To that number. Not this one, you got that? You’re still in that town? Treasure River?”
Lilah glared at the phone, horrified. “Fortune’s Creek.”
“Yeah, stay there,” Moore said, and the call ended.
“The absolute disrespect from that guy. How dare he speak of our town like that?” She threw her phone onto the sofa, where it landed with a soft plop. “That man is a pain in our ass.”
I laughed at her twist on my earlier words. “A big one. It’s convenient he isn’t nearby.”
“So you can yell in his face?”
“Something like that.”
“Shane, if there’s more I should do, please tell me. I don’t want to be afraid of him.”
I didn’t ask who she referred to. “You’ve reached out to everyone with the power to find him and pushed forward despite the risk. You felt alone, yet you kept going. That’s bravery, Lilah. That’s all you.” She raised her hands to protest. “I love you. Following you that day was the smartest decision I’ve ever made. You took my breath away from the beginning, and I’ve been falling deeper ever since.”
“Shane.”
“You aren’t returning to Atlanta or finding a new home when this ends. You’re staying here with me because this is where you belong, and I won’t give you up. We were destined to end up here, and I know what you’re thinking.” Lilah’s head tilted, proving me correct. “You think we’re here because Aiden played a prank, and I pitied you? Nope, I wanted you from the moment I saw you, so I took you. Our ending was determined before we ever met, and all I did was manipulate the situation for my benefit.”
The words were unplanned; hell, the entire speech was unplanned. Not because it wasn’t sincere, but because I pictured telling her in a more romantic way, perhaps after an evening out, or over a shared bottle of wine. Instead, they fell out of me in a jumble, because I couldn’t keep them in.
“I also recognize how that sounds, but I trust you know me by now. My only regret is that I didn’t see you coming when I should have. You were out in the world, and I didn’t know it. It took your coming to Fortune’s Creek for me to find you, but you’re here now, and I won’t let you leave. I love you.”
“Shane.” My name came out in a harsh whisper. She wiped her eyes, and her expression changed into one I knew would stay with me for the rest of my days. “I love you, too. It’s not sudden, nor is it because you told me. I have for a long time. How could I not? And if you think I’m brave, it’s because of your support. I found it with your help.”
