Page 72 of Hidden Shadows
“Do you know who he was?” Nixon asked, needing more information.
The policeman held out the man’s driver’s license. “Kevin Jones. We ran him through the system. He’s a thirty-three-year-old truck driver from Tacoma, Washington. He’s in the system for stalking and harassing before. He was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and has a health care regimen in place. We suspect he went off his medication.”
Finley blinked, staring hard at the driver’s license.
When she gasped, he looked down at her. “What is it, honey?”
“I remember where I’ve seen him before.”
Nixon’s brows flickered. She’d seen him somewhere? “Where?”
“On the plane as I was walking to my seat. He was coming from the other direction and bumped into my shoulder.”
The asshole had been on the same damn plane as them? “Did you announce to your followers when you were flying out?”
She swallowed and nodded, regret darkening her eyes. “Not the exact flight, just the day I was leaving. But he knew where I lived, so he probably also knew where I was flying from and found the information for the flight to Fallen Ridge.”
So the asshole had booked a last-minute seat on the same plane as her. Suddenly, Nixon wanted to kill him a second time. For harassing Finley. Scaring her. Presuming she was his just because he wanted her.
“That would have given him enough to figure it out,” the officer said with a nod. “But he won’t cause you any more trouble. I’ll need you both to come into the station for a more formal interview, I’m afraid.”
Nixon nodded, and the guy walked away. They’d long missed their flight anyway. Not that Nixon minded. It had been a long-ass day, and the last thing she needed was to get on a plane.
When Finley was quiet for a beat too long, he shifted in front of her and cupped her cheek. “What’s going on in your head?”
“I just made it so easy for him.”
She was blaming herself again. And fuck, he hated that. “Social media is your work, and he abused the access you gave him to your life because he was sick. If he hadn’t acted here in Fallen Ridge, he would have done it back in your hometown. Or wherever your next trip was. He would have found a way to get to you.”
At her shudder, he tugged her into his arms.
She lay her head on his shoulder. “Thank you for finding me in those woods and saving me.”
He shook his head. “No. Thank you for fighting the asshole off. If I’d lost you—”
“You didn’t. And I didn’t lose you. We’re both here and alive.”
And damn he was grateful for that. “God, I love you, Finley.”
Her gaze rose, eyes widening. “Love?”
“Yeah, honey. I love you.”
She smiled. “I love you too.”
He’d been craving those words.
His head dropped and he kissed her, letting the softness of her lips and the heat of her body soothe every little part of him that was still feeling the pain and torment of almost losing her today.
CHAPTER24
Finley’s heart thudded hard and loud in her chest as she handed the flight attendant her ticket.
It would be fine. A quick flight and she’d be home.
The woman handed it back, and Finley moved down the aisle, passing business class and stepping into economy. She breathed a sigh of relief when she took her middle seat in the front row. It wasn’t the aisle, but at least it wasn’t the window. A little win.
Quickly, she uncapped her small bottle of pills and slipped a Xanax between her lips before swallowing it down with water.
