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“But if Tessa had this all along,” Jake asked, “why wouldn’t she have shown it to Payne so he could be exonerated?”
No one knew.
“Maybe they never discussed it,” Ace said. “We can’t ask her and clearly Payne had no idea this tape existed.”
“I need to get that to the prosecutor immediately. We’ll request a meeting with the district attorney’s office.” Ainsley marched to the front of the room and extracted the videotape from the VCR.
“What if they don’t have anything to play it?” Fiona suggested. “I’d run it again, and this time, record the relevant part with your phone.”
“Good idea.” Ainsley smiled. Then she did exactly that.
Once she’d finished, she handed the tape to Jake. “Keep this safe, please.”
He nodded, absurdly pleased. “Will do.”
“This should be enough to get them to drop the charges,” she announced, smiling. “We’ll deal with the media once that’s done.” And then, to Jake’s complete and utter shock, she strode over and hugged him. When she finished, she hugged Fiona, too.
“This would never have come to light without you two,” she said, her voice breaking. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
Once Ainsley left, Ace came over and slung his arm over Jake’s shoulder. “Good job,” he said. From his seat, Grayson echoed the sentiment.
True to Ainsley’s prediction, once the video evidence had been reviewed, backing up Payne’s claim of self-defense, the DA refused to prosecute. And the media covered the story, the headlines stating Payne Colton had been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Payne, too relieved to mind that Jake and Fiona had been in Tessa’s room, took a particular delight in phoning Selina to let her know. He reported she told him to go to hell before ending the call.
The FBI wrapped up its investigation into Micheline and the AAG. The government would seize the property, which would soon be locked down until it was auctioned off. Jake figured Fiona would have to leave Mustang Valley—and Jake—soon. Part of him wanted to ask her to get a room at the Dales Inn there in town, just to stay close.
The DNA test came back. He’d had it sent to Payne, who phoned him with the results. The match proved beyond a shadow of a doubt what everyone already knew: Jake was a Colton.
Finally, Fiona called and asked him to meet. When he pulled up, he saw her suitcase in the back of her car, along with a few other belongings that she’d accumulated since arriving in town.
“We’re done,” she said simply. “After all this time, all this work, what happens next is out of our hands. I’m not sure when, but multiple indictments will soon be handed down. I don’t think Micheline will be getting out of prison in her lifetime.”
“Good.” He pulled her into his arms and held her, breathing in the scent of her hair. “Good job, Fiona.”
She tightened her arms around him, though she didn’t speak. “Where are you going to go now?” she asked, her voice muffled since she’d pressed her face against his chest. “Back to your ranch?”
“No. I’m staying here,” Jake said, pulling back a little so he could watch Fiona’s face for a hint of how that might make her feel. “At the Triple R, with my family.”
She nodded, her expression neutral. “What about your ranch? Are you going to sell it?”
“No. I worked too damn hard getting that ranch up and
running. I’m proud of it, especially since I did it on my own. I’ve got capable people taking care of it for me and keeping it going. I’ll just drop in and check on things from time to time.” He smiled. “Ace says once Nova and Clara are up to it, we’re going to have a big shindig, even if we have to have two parties. It’ll be huge, since I hear the Colton Oil branch of the family and the Colton triplets are all much closer now.”
Fiona nodded. “That’s a lot of people to get to know. It must be pretty awesome,” she commented. “Finding out you have an entire family you never even knew about.”
“It is,” he replied, still unable to tear his gaze away from her. “I consider myself lucky that they’re all so welcoming and generous with their love.”
His comment made her blink. Was that sheen in her dark eyes from unshed tears? “They’ve even asked me to consider changing my last name legally from Anderson to Colton.”
“Wow.” She smiled then, though her gaze remained serious. “Are you going to?”
“I think so. Yes.” He hadn’t been certain until that very moment. “Micheline and her fake last name never should have been a part of me. I’m a Colton by blood, and I’m honored that the entire family wants me to make that official.”
“How does Ace feel about that?” she asked. “It must be difficult for him, knowing he’s the interloper here.”
“He’s not, nor will he ever be.” Heart full, Jake couldn’t suppress a grin. “The family is throwing a big party for both Ace Coltons, as they call it. We’re both Coltons, no matter what.”
