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FOURTEEN
It was late, but Faith was too jittery to sleep.
Moonlight swept into the room through the cracks in the blinds, illuminating her bedroom. She threw the covers to one side and stood. Anna was nestled in the playpen, sleeping soundly. She’d taken a bottle less than forty-five minutes ago and would sleep for another two hours or so, at least. Faith gently swept a hand across the baby’s downy hair. The wisps immediately bounced back to their original position, refusing to be tamed. Was that how Anna would be? Wild and fearless? She’d survived more in her young life than anyone should. Already she was tough. She deserved to be cherished and loved. It was a mission Faith was ready to accept.
God, you’ve brought this child to me. Am I supposed to adopt her? I want to. I have so much love to give.
But was it fair? Faith didn’t have a husband. Didn’t Anna deserve to have a father who loved her just as much as her mother?
Maybe she already had one. They still didn’t know the identity of Hillary’s secret boyfriend. Faith couldn’t be sure the man was even aware he had a child. There were a lot of unanswered questions. They swirled in her mind, running rampant despite her best intentions to take things one day at a time. A quick glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand confirmed it was midnight. Maybe some warm milk would ease her mind and body to slumber. Better yet, Marsha’s special hot chocolate blend was sitting untouched on the counter.
Faith tucked a blanket around Anna and made sure the baby monitor was on before leaving the bedroom. Her bare feet sank into the carpet. The half-decorated Christmas tree sparkled in the corner of the living room. Light seeped across the floor from the kitchen. Chase sat at the table, laptop open in front of him. He’d changed from his police uniform into a long-sleeved T-shirt and sweatpants. Scamper, her dog, was curled up at his feet.
The sight of Chase in her home was familiar, even in casual clothing, and yet…and yet everything between them felt different now. Every atom in her body was attuned to him in a way Faith had never experienced before. The memory of his kiss was burned into her mind and the echo of that touch imprinted on her lips.
How was she ever going to go back to being just friends with him? What a foolish, foolish woman she was. Their kiss had unlocked a truth buried deep inside her heart. She was in love with Chase. Had been for a lot longer than she wanted to admit to.
And he didn’t feel the same way. Or at least…she didn’t think he did. But just then, Chase glanced up and caught sight of her. The exhaustion creating deep lines in his forehead eased, and a smile lifted the corners of his lips. He looked at her as if she were the sunshine appearing after a thunderstorm. Fresh hope sprang anew in her heart. The question was on the tip of her tongue, but a sudden wave of fear and nerves trapped the words in her throat. How would she feel if Chase rejected her?
Devastated. And there was still a chance he would. It was better to talk later. There was so much going on with the murder investigation. Until the killer was safely behind bars, the case had to be their focus.
Faith forced a smile. “I couldn’t sleep. I thought I’d make some hot chocolate. Do you want any?”
Chase rose from the chair. “I’d love some.” He gently snagged her hand and steered her into his empty seat. The wood was still warm from his body. “Sit. I’ll make it for us.”
She debated arguing with him but decided against it. Scamper rested his head on her leg. She absently stroked his fur and studied the computer screen in front of her. Chase had been making notes about the case. She scanned them. “This is a good summary of the suspects.”
He poured milk into a saucepan. “Anything to add?”
Faith read the document more carefully. “I don’t know. It’s been days since Hillary’s murder, but we don’t have much to go on.” She leaned back in the chair. “Let’s take the suspects one by one.”
“Fair enough.”
“Dr. Whitcomb was in a relationship with Hillary, and their breakup was contentious, but he has an alibi for the night of her murder. Is there any way he could’ve faked his presence at the hospital? Have you been able to verify the time he arrived and left?”
“Not exactly. The computer system shows he logged in at four for his shift, and the staff verifies he was there, but I don’t have a firm timeline of his entire evening. Due to the hectic nature of the ER, doctors and nurses are in and out. It’s unlikely Dr. Whitcomb killed Hillary, but it’s not impossible.” Chase spooned hot chocolate mixture into two cups. “I know you think he looked at Anna strangely—”
“Not to mention the ski mask that fell out of his pocket while we were talking to him.”
“Yes, but Dr. Whitcomb drives an SUV, not a silver truck. He wasn’t the man who attacked you in the grocery store parking lot or who shot at us while coming home from your parents’ house.”
Faith frowned and then nodded. Those were valid arguments. She focused back on the list of suspects. “Which brings us to Silas. He had access to Hillary’s vehicle, which closely resembles the one used in the attacks against us. No alibi for the night of the murder. And he was in close contact with his sister on the night she disappeared, mere hours before her death.”
Faith accepted the steaming mug of hot chocolate from Chase. The comforting scents of vanilla and cinnamon teased her nose. “What do you think about what he said today? About dropping Hillary off in town?”
Chase lowered himself to a kitchen chair and scraped a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure what to think. It’s an unlikely story, but that doesn’t make it untrue. Officers questioned shops in the center of town, but no one remembers seeing Hillary there. Of course, it’s a busy time of year with everyone doing their Christmas shopping.”
“So it’s possible she was in town but didn’t stick out enough for anyone to remember seeing her.”
“Exactly.” He glowered. “I’m not happy we were forced to release Silas after questioning him. It would make me feel better to know he was behind bars for the night. At the very least, it would give us more time to investigate his story.”
Faith shared Chase’s sentiment, but Silas hadn’t committed a crime. At least, not one that could be proven. The police had no reason to hold him. But Aiden had ordered extra patrols around Faith’s property again tonight. It was a kind gesture, and one she appreciated deeply, especially since the police department had limited resources and manpower.
She blew on her hot chocolate and then took a sip. The sweet favors burst across her tongue. She sighed with contentment. Chase drank as well and gave a grunt of surprise. “You weren’t lying. This is amazing.”
“Isn’t it?” She tapped her finger against the warm mug, her thoughts once again turning to the case. If Silas was telling the truth, it left only one other suspect. “What about Tom Bradley? Did you question Hillary’s friends again about her relationship with the Bradley family?”
“Yes, and we uncovered something very interesting. According to one of Hillary’s friends, she mentioned Tom was flirting with her. Hillary found it uncomfortable and wanted advice on how to handle it. The friend urged her to be direct and then if things didn’t stop, to quit.”
