Page 38 of Forgiving Chase


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“That’s my point,” Josh insisted.

“Jacquie, let me go see what happened. I’ll call you as soon as I can. I promise.” Chase waited for her to agree. It took her a minute, but she finally nodded her head.

“Josh, make sure you don’t let her out of your sight. Aiden could have lured me into the parking lot to separate us today. She might still be his real target.”

“Will do.”

“All the more reason for me to go with you,” she insisted.

“Not if it’s a trap.” Chase leaned down and kissed her cheek, then without waiting for a response, hurried to his car.

“Whoa. What was that little kiss about?” Chase heard Josh ask. He would have grinned if he wasn’t so worried about his mom and whether or not Jacquie was still in danger. Was the break-in at his mom’s house just another way to split them up?

Chase sped through town and ten minutes later pulled into her drive. She came running from the neighbor’s, her face white, worry lines etched deeply around her eyes and mouth.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Of course.” He pulled her into his embrace and felt the slight tremor in her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

She pulled back and looked up at him, a slight smile wavered on her lips. “Yes, just a little shook up. Who would do this? I don’t have anything valuable.”

“I don’t know, I’ll go check it out.”

“You don’t think Aiden…”

He shook his head. Sure, his brother had some problems, but there’s no way he would do this to his own mother, would he? “I hope not.”

Russel Long pulled up in a sheriff’s deputy SUV. He remembered Russel, and never thought he’d grow up to be a cop. Wonders never ceased.

“I need to talk to Russel. Go back to the neighbors until I come get you. Do you need anything else from the house?”

“A few more clothes.”

“Okay. We’ll get them after we secure the scene.”

She nodded and walked back to her friend. Chase approached Russel and shook his hand. “My mom said the house is trashed. I’m worried someone could still be in there.”

“Let’s go see.” They drew their guns and entered the house, clearing it room by room. What he saw knocked the air out of Chase’s chest. Every piece of furniture in each room was either turned over or broken. This wasn’t just a message, these people were looking for something.All pictures and wall art were pulled off the walls and shattered. He walked into his old room, moving the mattress that had been pulled off the bed, and righting the desk that had tipped over on the nightstand. Luckily, since the small piece had been buried under the desk and the corner of the mattress, it had been left untouched.

He opened the bottom drawer, dug under a pile of old athletic socks, and pulled out the engagement ring still sitting in its box. He blew out a relieved breath. Of everything in this house, this was the only thing that mattered to him. He shoved the ring in his pocket, then walked out the door.

The picture of him and Aiden that had always hung on the wall in the hallway outside his and Aiden’s rooms was missing. He looked around the floor to see if it had been knocked down like so many others but didn’t see it anywhere.

Why would someone want a high school picture of him and Aiden?

Aiden what have you gotten yourself into?

15

“Spill.What is going on with you and Chase?” Josh asked after she ordered them both a barbecue sandwich with coleslaw.

“Nothing,” Jacquie said, handing him his order, then dousing more of the vinegar sauce on her sandwich.

“Bull.”

She turned to her brother. “Okay, fine. I’m not sure.” She bit her lip wondering how much she wanted to explore what was happening between her and Chase. It was easier to focus on the case and not think about it, but easier wasn’t always better. “He finally confided in me what happened that night with his dad, and why he and Aiden had to leave town.”

“Care to share? According to the records, his dad died in a car accident.”

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