Page 44 of Fortune's Control
“I saw the boyfriend a few times, and only from a distance.The killer looked like him, I think. Plus, Detective Davis said there was physical evidence. They arrested him, and he’ll go on trial, and that’s all I know.”
“There’s more.” I didn’t miss her peculiar phrasing regarding Detective Davis. “You aren’t so sure, are you? That’s why you left Atlanta. That’s what brought you here.”
Her expression answered my question. “Maybe. I don’t know. Have you ever bought light bulbs only to come home and find that a lamp had burned out? Or, you’re shoe shopping, and you think about someone you haven’t seen in ten years, and then they appear? It’s like that. Detective Davis said they have the right guy, but it feels wrong.” Lilah drew out the final two words, adding a soft quiver to her voice.
“Did you tell the police this?”
“No.” She shook her head. “All I have is a feeling, that’s it, and I don’t trust those because they lead to disaster. Plus, I saw her parents at the police station, and her mom was crying. My stupid feeling is no match for actual detective work. I saw his face, Shane. Even in the dark, I recognized her boyfriend, and it was him. I saw him over her body.”
Fortune’s Creek was her new start, or at least her respite. A place she had heard of, but never visited, with the potential for more family, without the problems left behind. It’s not that different from the way I returned home again. “Why were you afraid when we first met?”
“What do you mean?”
I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t her visible anxiety or the way she lingered over her dinner. Lilah sat on that bench alone, like a person about to give up. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Lilah pulled away from me as her shoulders slumped forward. “I told you I’m a mess. He doesn’t know I’m here, and Detective Davis said they would know if he left town because he has an ankle monitor on him. You aren’t indanger, Shane.”
“My physical safety is the least of your problems. Don’t worry about that.” An amputation didn’t erase my training, even though I chose not to linger on that part of my life. “That sounds like reassurance, and now I want to know, so let’s try again. What aren’t you telling me?”
“I’ll leave, Shane. I didn’t intend to drag you into this, so I said nothing.” Her lower lip quivered. “It won’t happen, I promise.”
I kept her pinned against me, hoping some of my strength would bleed into her. Lilah’s promise put her disparaging self-assessments and description of her mother in a different light. Something ugly filled me, a slow burn in my stomach, at Wilson Skane and Sarah Jane Mayberry. One killed a woman, and the other emotionally battered her own child. I wanted to thrash them both, but settled for comforting the woman in my arms.
“You aren’t leaving, especially not now.” Maybe never, certainly not until I decided she could. I saw her through the gallery window for a reason, and this was it. “There’s no safer place than here.”
My friends needed a quick reminder about my background search. Lilah shared everything on her own, without me giving that up, and it’d stay that way.
“Emma knows about this, and now you.” Lilah pulled away, stood, and dragged her suitcase to the bed. I tossed it on the bed, where it landed with a soft thud. “It’s in here. This is what no one knows about.”
Lilah pulled a plain white envelope from under the mound of clothes and other items and handed it to me. I opened the unsealed envelope, finding half a dozen photos inside. The grainy images provided little detail, but I recognized the person in them. “These are you.”
“Those were taken the next morning, when I first camehome to my apartment. I wore those clothes that night. He was arrested a week later and then let out on bail. I received them the next morning. He wants me to know he can get to me whenever he wants.”
“Does anyone else know about these?”
“No, only you and Emma. I called her right after it happened. She told me to pack a bag and leave, so I did.”
“Did you tell anyone else about coming here?”
“Like I said, only you and Emma. Is this what you wanted to talk about?”
Someone threatened Lilah. I pondered my next move. All evidence pointed to the boyfriend, Wilson Skane, who could not reach her. I understood her decision to leave town because I had the same terrifying question as Lilah. What if it wasn’t him?
“You’re staying in the house from now on, closer to me. I also want to know your whereabouts at all times. No more unplanned bike rides before checking with me.”
“Shane, that’s ridiculous. I came here because it’s safe.”
“Yes, and following my instructions will keep it that way.” I pushed her suitcase onto the floor, causing some of its contents to spill. We both ignored it. “Sit next to me.”
“I told you I’m a mess.”
“Yes, you did, and damn if I don’t enjoy it.” Lilah’s short cover-up revealed more of her green bikini top than it hid. I stroked from one shoulder strap to her neck, so our eyes met. “Aiden enjoys reminding me I owe him a thank you. I’m going to kiss you now.”
Lilah’s eyes widened as she leaned in, as eager as I was. I kissed her, keeping it tender, contrasting to our first time against a brick wall. Her hands splayed across my chest as I found her bikiniclosure.
I had locked the bedroom door for a reason.
“Are you in there?” Aiden asked. He pounded on the door. “Lainey is here. Also, I think Jack plans to kidnap your sister.” More knocking. “What are you two doing?”
