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Colin was shocked. “That’s appalling. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now, but I think we both need to sleep on this a day or two. Give me a little time to get the background check we’re running on Fiona before we make any decisions, okay? We still don’t have a lick of proof that any of our theories are correct.”
Wolf sighed. “Yeah, okay, but only a day or two. I’ve lost twenty-seven years of my daughter’s life. Life is short and unpredictable. I don’t want to die with her thinking I didn’t want her.”
“Understood, and it’s always your call to break the news of your resurrection anytime you see fit. Just let us know in advance before you do.”
“Will do,” Wolf said. “Thanks.”
The call ended. Colin put his phone aside and reached for another slice. But even as he was eating it, he realized his appetite was gone. He couldn’t quit thinking about the tragedy, and how Wolf’s life had unfolded afterward, wondering if it was anger or grief that had driven him to become the man he was today.
After talking to Colin, Wolf went back to his personal site to reread Amalie’s letter again, and to his horror, it was gone.
Fiona!
Oh God, she’d read it! Deleted it like everything else, but she knew!
This changed everything!
Chapter 10
It became a time of sit and wait for all concerned.
The Miami police were still looking for Vincent Romo.
The feds investigating the crash were still sorting through evidence, although it appeared the bomb had been triggered by a phone call, which linked the info from Miami directly to their case.
Wolf Outen made a foray into a small nearby town for a larger supply of food and some hair dye and to pick up some warmer, more casual clothing and some cheap reader eyeglasses. His heart hurt for the daughter waiting for a reply to her email that hadn’t come. He could only imagine what she must be thinking, but he was about to put an end to her waiting and stop wallowing in his personal rage over what Shandy’s parents had done.
Back in Jubilee, the snow had melted on the mountain, and when it did, Sean came down. He was bringing Amalie a present—two boxes with bookshelves in needof assembly for the books she had yet to unpack. He had nothing on his agenda, and his mother was visiting family.
Amalie was excited Sean was coming and had spent yesterday cleaning house and cooking. Today they would not go out to eat. This time it would be her treat.
She’d put on her favorite sweats, a pair of thick fuzzy socks, and no shoes. She had the gas fireplace going in her living room, and after the day had turned out so windy, she’d upped the thermostat to seventy-four to keep the chill off the house.
She was switching laundry from washer to dryer when her doorbell rang. The church bell chimes had become the joke between them, and she was already smiling when she opened the door.
“Welcome to the Lincoln chapel. Come in out of the cold!” she said.
Sean scooped her up in his arms and gave her a quick hug and kiss, then stepped back.
“I have gifts,” he said, and pulled two large flat boxes into the house before closing the door.
“Sean! What in the world?”
“Bookshelves for your books. But they’re not put together. I brought tools,” Sean said, and watched her eyes light up as he hung his coat on a peg by the door, and then pulled a couple of screwdrivers, a wrench, and a pair of pliers from the coat pocket.
“I am so excited! Thank you! What a darling, thoughtful thing to do,” she said, and hugged him.
Sean grinned. “I can’t help it. I am a darling, thoughtful person.”
Amalie shook her head. “‘You’re welcome’ would have been sufficient. Want to do this now, or—?”
“Since it’s a little trashy to walk in the door and strip you naked, let’s do bookshelves and lunch, and work our way forward,” he said, and began opening the first box.
A little shiver of want rolled through her as she watched him tearing into the box and removing the contents. A sheet of instructions was taped to the bottom of one shelf.
“There are the instructions,” she said.
“I don’t need them,” Sean said, and opened the little bags with two sizes of screws and the pegs for the shelves.
