Page 76 of Nicole's Shelter

The intimate moments could hardly be tuned out in a place this small, but a chance to catch Clifton bragging had been worth the risk. “Wish we’d pulled a real confession.” Rick pushed his hand through his hair. It was over. Clifton was in custody now, that’s what mattered. “Has anyone figured out why he murdered Chan?”

“Not yet,” Bart said, shaking his head. “Eva’s still digging into it.”

If there were answers after all these years, Eva would find them for Nicole. “What about the bikers and the drugs from the Virginia gang house?”

“The dead leader of the stupid triplets had a phone that only called one number, but Clifton must have dumped that along the way. The drugs, however, are tucked in cozy with the spare tire in his government-issued vehicle.” Bart smiled, clearly pleased. “Not an evidence bag in sight.”

One more felony to tack onto a long prison sentence. It was a solid resolution, but it wouldn’t bring back Nicole’s family or her stolen childhood. He wanted to give her more, but he suddenly wasn’t sure she’d trust him after he kept Bart, the bugs, and the backup plan a secret from her.

“Is anyone else pursuing her?” He figured the gangs had bigger worries, but he needed to know.

“No one but you.” Bart said with a wink, clapping him on the back. “Go on. You should be the one to tell her justice is finally served.”

Both men jerked as gunfire erupted outside. Rick was through the door first and his heart stopped when he spotted Nicole crumpled on the ground behind a black SUV. Once more Bart tried to hold him back, but Rick threw him off and rushed to her side.

He gathered her close, relieved beyond measure when she responded immediately, clinging to him. “Are you hurt?”

“No. For the first time, I’m fine.” She made a noise somewhere between a sob and a laugh. “Just don’t let go.”

“Not a chance.” Rick blocked her view as a team of marshals checked a body for a pulse. He recognized the eel skin shoes, having had the misfortune of staring at them for the past twenty minutes. “Clifton’s dead.”

“Good.”

A cold chill gripped him. “Did you—”

“No.” She burst out with another sobbing hiccup. “Not me.” She burrowed closer to him. “He raised a gun at me and they mowed him down.”

“He opted for suicide by cop,” he muttered. Clifton wasn’t the sort to do the hard time coming his way. “At least it’s over.”

“It is. It really is.” She peered up at him. “Thank you.”

Chapter 14

Nicole raised her camera, eager to catch the clouds whispering across the horizon. The sunrise was glorious this morning and not just because Rick was by her side, two mugs of coffee on the blanket between them.

His new cell phone chimed with an incoming text. “Eva says your Fu dogs should be back to you by the New Year.”

“America’s or China’s?”

“Good question. Want me to ask?”

“No.” She zoomed in on what might be dolphins playing in the distant surf. “It doesn’t really matter.”

A few minutes later his phone chimed again. “Eva says the Fu dogs have been in Chan’s family for generations, handed down from grandfather to the eldest grandson, but in Chan’s case that kid was tied up with the Dragons. He’d been stirring up trouble, trying to get him out of the gang when Clifton shot him.”

“I never saw any family come to his house.” Her heart ached with sympathy for her old neighbor. “Is the grandson still alive?”

“Don’t know.” Rick shrugged. “Eva believes Chan’s execution sealed a deal between Clifton and the gang leader.”

“Does the woman ever quit?”

“Not that I’ve seen,” he muttered. “Kind of like someone else I know.”

She snapped a quick candid of his profile. Before he launched a complaint, she lowered her camera and planted a kiss on him that took them both under for a long, delicious moment. She really should tell him how she felt, what she wanted.

“They want us in Haleswood for Thanksgiving.”

“Mmm.” Nicole pretended to consider as she watched the waves drift into the beach.

---