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“We got a restraining order, and I told my lawyer I wanted to sign everything over to Ben. I didn’t take anything except for that single suitcase of clothes and the money I’d saved. I think Ben was so stunned that I would eventhinkof leaving him, he didn’t fight me on the divorce. Not until a week before the court date. He showed up at my Aunt Mary’s house and demanded to see me. She called the police while Ben stood on the front porch and put on one heck of a show. He begged me not to leave him. Said he would change, that he loved me.”
I shook my head. “He loved the power he had over me. When I told him no, I wasn’t taking him back, he looked stunned. Like it never occurred to him that I wouldn’t. Then he actually started tocry—and even then, I couldn’t feel sorry for him. The police came and he left without further incident. The next time I saw him was the day of our divorce. I left the courthouse, went directly to the airport, and flew to Colorado.”
“Emma,” Rose asked, “how did his brother know how to find you?”
“He’s in the FBI, and of course he knew my maiden name. I’m sure it didn’t take him long to find me. I changed my last name as soon as I left Ben.”
Turning back to Patty, I said, “I know I met Aiden by the grace of God. I know He had a hand in it. That’s what I meant when I said somebody must have prayed for me.”
With a nod, Patty reached for me and hugged me tightly. “Somebody prayed for both of you, my darling girl.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
AIDEN - HER TRUTH
I watchedwhen Emma walked out of the church, arm in arm with Tammy and my mother. But my smile faded when I studied Emma more closely. She looked exhausted. Like she’d been through an emotional roller coaster. I jumped out of the car and made my way toward them.
My mother held up her hand to stop me. “She’s fine. Everything’s fine.”
“Not really,” Tammy added. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to touch Shannon’s hands.”
I frowned in confusion as the three women burst out laughing.
“Why do you look like you’ve been crying?” I asked Emma.
She exhaled. “Can we head on back to your place? I’ll explain everything there.”
Nodding, I glanced over to my mother and Tammy. They both smiled.
Placing my hand on the small of Emma’s back, I guided her to my truck. Once inside, she turned to look at me. “I knowit’s cold, but is there somewhere else we can go and talk? Somewhere…” Her voice trailed off.
“Somewhere that isn’t my house?”
She nodded.
“How about we stop and get some lunch to go. I have the perfect place.”
After stopping by my cousin’s café to get some lunch for myself and Emma, I headed to the park.
“Are we going to your office?”
Smiling, I shook my head and turned down one of the service roads. “No. There’s a cabin down this road. We use it every now and then if we have someone from the upper ranks coming to stay for a few days. We’d thought about renting it out but decided to keep it for business use.”
“Will we get in trouble for using it?”
I looked at her. “ConsideringI’dbe the one arresting us for trespassing, I think we’re okay. I used to come here a lot when I needed to get away for a bit.”
She looked out the window as we drove down the road. I was glad the guys had already gotten around to plowing it. We always tried to keep it clear, just in case.
After parking, we grabbed the food and drinks and headed toward the wooden cabin. “Be careful, it might be icy.”
Emma walked carefully up the few steps and onto the porch. “How adorable is this place! It looks really old.”
“It is. The cabin was built in 1915 for Mary Belle King Sherman. She was one of the main people who fought for the creation of the park, as well as other parks like the Grand Canyon.”
“Really?”
“She and her husband lived in Estes Park, and they built the cabin as a place to get away from town and enjoy the wildlife.”
