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His boss opened the passenger door, reached inside, and when he straightened, he had a baby in his arms.
Baby?
Then Hayley got out.
Shocked beyond belief, Brett waited to see if Dania emerged too, but she didn’t. Gabe carried the baby and led Hayley into the building.
What had gone on after he’d left the trailer?
Had Gabe pretended to let Brett try to work the cold case of Matt’s death with the hopes that Brett would lead him to Dania? So many questions flew at him, and he didn’t know what to do.
His skin tingled with numbness. No matter what he did or where he went, he couldn’t take his cell phone. Gabe could track him using it, so Brett dug in his pocket and pulled it out.
The letter from Gran fell to the ground. He’d forgotten all about the thing. He snatched it up. Then he dropped his cell and stomped on it, fracturing the screen into spiderweb lines, and tossed it into the garbage can at the curb.
Still holding Gran’s letter, he got into his car and unfolded the legal-sized, yellow-lined paper. An overwhelming feeling of gratitude and love fell upon him. Why, when so much had gone wrong, had this letter shown up?
But then, that was Gran. She had a way of finding him when the chips were down, when he needed her most.
Dear Brett,
If you’ve found this tucked inside my underwear drawer, there’s a good chance I’m either dead or incapacitated. Either way, I wanted to tell you how very much I love and admire you.
I don’t know anyone who has risen above their trials and made something of life like you have. You could have chosen a different path, been bitter about what happened to you and your mother, my sweet Lilyanne, but you didn’t. Though you don’t know it, you are so much like her. You see the good in others and are always trying to help the underdogs like she did. Like she wanted to do for your father. Be careful. Don’t let it be your downfall as it was for her.
You’ve grown into a man driven to make society a better place, a safer place, free from the ugliness that can sometimes take over. Don’t let your need to save the world steal your happiness. Your mother and I both only wanted you to be happy and to find joy in living.
Find your sweetheart. And when you do, protect the love you share. Make your family your priority. Love is precious, and when you are lucky enough to find it, don’t let it go. Don’t take it for granted. Cherish it. Know how very precious love is.
My dear boy, it has been my privilege to be part of your life. Continue to be brave, be strong, and trust yourself to make the right decision.
Love you to the moon and back.
Gran.
This was just what he needed. Gran, cheering him on and bolstering him up to face the fight that lay ahead. He’d certainly laid down the gauntlet at the Wheelers’ place. Vanessa and everyone in that room knew he was coming after her. But first, he had to find Dania and make sure she was all right. She was his priority. She was precious. He had to protect her. Where in the world could she be hiding?
With Gabe showing up at Hayley’s, she had to know it was only a matter of time before she’d be caught, and she’d have to tell them all she knew. He wished he could tell her that even if he were arrested, he had enough information now that his teammates would investigate his claims. In fact, BB might know something at this very moment that would help.
Maybe he should turn himself in.
It might give Dania more time.
Or less?
No, he couldn’t do that. Whatever he did, he needed to first find Dania and tell her what had happened at the Wheelers’.
* * *
Dania made it to the other side of town, dodging cars and blending in the best she could. Now she was only a few miles away from home. Was she doing the right thing, going there? She didn’t know for sure, but it felt right. She had to go, had to see the place where her heart had been broken, but also the place where she’d dreamed of spending the rest of her life.
A car pulled up beside her. She tried to ignore whoever it was.
“Dania? Is that you?” The familiar voice made her stop and check who drove the car.
Cynthia! Her red hair had been cut pixie short, and she’d put on a little weight, but there sat Dania’s freckle-faced friend beaming with joy. Dania had forgotten that she lived a mile or so down the road from her house.
She should tell her to get away and beg her to say nothing about seeing her, but instead, she went to the car and put her hand on top of her friend’s. “Yes, it’s me, all right.”
