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What would it be like to stroll in through the door, have Claire rise from the couch, and brush a kiss across his mouth? Gavin’s breath stalled at the thought. He hadn’t realized until this moment how much he wanted that.
Lord, I know we’ve been speaking a lot about keeping Claire safe, but I need more help than that. These feelings I have for her…are they real? Am I ready to fall in love again? I don’t want to make a mistake with Claire or Jacob. I need Your guidance to find the right path.
Peace washed over him. It didn’t solve the problems Gavin was facing, but it reassured him that an answer was coming. He would keep his heart open and trust that God would lead him.
Gavin’s phone beeped. He checked the text message. His heart skipped a beat when he realized it was from Claire.
Can you talk? I found something of interest.
Gavin jogged up the path to Claire’s house. He knocked on the back door and she appeared a moment later. Her hair was floating around her shoulders in golden waves, face clear of makeup, dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt. She was so beautiful, it took his breath away.
Claire disarmed the alarm and opened the door. She waved him inside. “I didn’t realize how late it was before I texted you. Did I wake you?”
“Nope. I was doing a final perimeter check. What’s going on?”
She led him into the living room and sat on the sofa, pulling her computer back onto her lap. Claire patted the couch next to her. Gavin obliged her silent request. The scent of her perfume tickled his nose as she drew closer to show him the laptop screen.
“The county has a social media page for event announcements and news.” Claire clicked on a page and scrolled down. “As you can see, citizens post photographs they’ve taken while attending these events. I searched back two years ago, around the time of the mayor’s reelection campaign and Stephanie’s disappearance, and found this.”
She enlarged a photograph. It’d been taken at an outside event. People were holding drinks, in small groups, talking. Gavin spotted Ian standing with Stephanie. He had his hand on her shoulder, his head tipped toward hers as if he was whispering something in her ear. Or kissing her cheek. Either way, the pose appeared intimate. In the shadows, Heather and the mayor stood by, watching. Both had scowls on their faces.
Gavin's stomach clenched. “Are there any more like this?”
“No. But this picture supports my instincts.” Her expression darkened. “I suspect there was more than a flirtation between Ian and Stephanie.”
Gavin’s mind whirled with the possibilities. “They were dating.”
“Secretly. Or, at least, they thought so. Alex was incredibly jealous. If he found out Stephanie and Ian were having a relationship, it would've enraged him. Unfortunately, all we have at the moment is a theory. Have you heard from Luke? Was he able to verify Alex’s alibi?”
“Not yet. He called Alex’s friend half a dozen times today, but no one answered. Luke will knock on the guy’s door first thing tomorrow morning.” Gavin couldn’t resist reaching out to take her hand. “We’re getting closer, Claire.”
“I know.” She squeezed his hand. “Thank you for supporting me today at Faye’s memorial service. I knew it would be hard, but I wasn’t prepared for how much. Having you there made it easier.”
Her words sent warmth flooding through him. He lifted his hand to brush a strand of hair away from her forehead. Her skin was silky under the pads of his fingers. “I’m here anytime you need me, Claire. All you have to do is ask.”
“I’m not good at that. The asking part.”
She leaned closer, her gaze dropping to his mouth. His heart took off like a rocket, even as he stilled. Kissing her was a bad idea. A terrible idea. They didn’t know where things were going and getting closer might only end in heartbreak, but for the life of him, Gavin couldn’t get one muscle to move away from her.
Claire’s mouth brushed against his, featherlight and sweet. Molten heat spread through Gavin. He pulled her closer, and when their lips met again, his heart opened. It felt like he was tumbling into an abyss without a safety harness. He lost himself, letting the world fade into the background as the kiss deepened. Nothing had ever come close to this.
He pulled back, breathless. It took everything inside Gavin not to lean forward and kiss her again. He ran a thumb over her bottom lip as fear niggled its way through his runaway emotions. They needed to have a conversation.
“Claire, there’s something I need—”
The sound of breaking glass reached Gavin’s ears half a heartbeat before Claire’s security alarm blared. Ice flooded his veins. In an instant, he was on his feet, weapon in hand.
Twelve
Someone was breaking into her home.
Claire grabbed her gun from the side table. She normally kept it locked in a safe, high in her closet, to keep it far from Jacob’s reach. But he was with her parents. Since the attacks on her life, Claire kept her gun close by.
Gavin was already racing for the back door, his own weapon in his hand, determination etched on his face. Claire started to follow and realized she had no shoes on. With a frustrated growl, she wrestled a pair of boots onto her feet, losing precious seconds in the process. She didn’t want Gavin intercepting the killer by himself. It was too dangerous.
The cold air stung her lungs as she slipped out of the house into the night. Gavin was halfway across the yard. Another shadowy figure dressed in black and a ski mask ran toward the lake. Claire leapt off the porch to join the pursuit.
“Police,” Gavin shouted. “Freeze.”
