Page 61 of Maverick Detective Dad
It was true, and that was yet something else they could be thankful for. River had tried his best to kill them, and Noah and she had escaped with only minor injuries. Of course, they’d have to also deal with the nightmare of memories the man had created, but Everly thought with time, those nightmares would go away. Especially since River wasn’t going to be able to claim any other victims.
It was over.
The danger was gone.
Her head had no trouble accepting that, but she still jolted when she saw the approaching headlights of the vehicle. Grayson reacted, too, and he drew the gun he’d just put back in his holster.
“I’m not expecting anyone,” Grayson said, and that caused Noah to step in front of her again.
Like Grayson, Noah took aim, and the EMTs scrambled to get Helen into the ambulance.
“Don’t shoot,” the man shouted as he barreled out of the car. He lifted his hands in the air, no doubt to show them that he wasn’t carrying a weapon. “It’s me.”
Bobby.
Thanks to the illumination from the headlights, Everly could see that he also had some cuts and scrapes on his face. “River’s the vigilante killer,” Bobby blurted out. “He asked me to meet him, and when I did, he drugged me and tied me up. I think he was planning on setting me up to take the blame for the murders.”
So, River had left another witness behind after all.
“You got away,” Grayson said, going to the man to frisk him. “No weapon,” he relayed to Noah.
“Yeah, once the drugs wore off, I managed to get untied.” Bobby’s gaze went to the SUV, and he groaned. “River said he was going to blow up Helen.” He swallowed hard as if he wasn’t sure he could handle the truth. “Did he?”
It was Grayson who answered. “No. She’s in the ambulance. She’s hurt, but I don’t think her injuries are bad.”
The breath seemed to swoosh out of Bobby, and he dropped to his knees, pressing his hands to the sides of his head. “Thank God.”
“The last time we saw you, you were very upset about Helen being alive,” Noah pointed out.
Bobby nodded. “I was, but I was more upset when I realized the SOB was going to kill her.” His groan was long and filled with both relief and regret. “River had no right to do that.”
“No,” Grayson agreed, “and now he’s dead. I’ll want to take your statement about how he took you captive, but for now, you can see your stepmother if you want.”
Bobby practically sprang to his feet, and he started toward the ambulance. However, he stopped just as fast as he started. “She might not want to see me after the things I said to her.”
“Bobby?” Helen called out before any of them could respond. “I want to see you. I love you.”
That got Bobby moving again, and he ran to the back of the ambulance for what Everly was certain would be a welcome reunion. It might take Bobby a while to forgive Helen for what she’d done, but it seemed to Everly that the forgiveness had already gotten started. It would probably help, too, once Bobby learned that Helen had risked her life to search for him.
“I’ll wait here for the CSIs and the morgue guys,” Grayson volunteered, glancing up at the sky that had finally stopped spitting rain. “If you’re okay enough to drive, you can go to the ranch and see Ainsley. She’s fine,” he quickly added. “I just thought it’d do you good to see her after you’ve cleaned up a bit.”
Everly knew that Noah and she would definitely need the cleaning up. They were soaked to the bone, and some of the small cuts on his face were bleeding. She suspected her own cuts were doing the same. But Grayson was right. It would do her plenty of good to see her daughter. She thought it might do the same for Noah.
Noah slipped his arm around her, though it wasn’t necessary for him to help her walk. She was plenty steady now, and she could feel her nerves leveling out even more with each step. She got into the front passenger’s seat of the cruiser, and Noah got behind the wheel. He didn’t start the engine though. He pulled her to him and kissed her.
Suddenly she didn’t feel so steady after all, but it had nothing to do with fear or nightmarish memories. It had to do with the intense need she felt in his kiss.
And the love.
Of course, the love might all be on her part, but Everly was going to take a risk and pour out her heart to him.
She pulled back, catching on to his face to frame it with her hands. “We can’t make the past go away, but there’s plenty we can do about right now. About the future.”
The corner of his mouth lifted, and then he winced a little because his lip was cut. Still, he chuckled. “I like the sound of that. What kind of future do you have in mind?” But he didn’t wait for her to answer. “Because I want a life with Ainsley and you. A life where we’re a family. Where I can tell you every day how much I love you.”
Everly didn’t mind one bit that Noah had beaten her to saying all of that. Because it was exactly what she’d intended to tell him.
Exactly what she wanted.
