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This was what it meant to feel free. Nicole held on as hermen tightened and then released, finding their pleasure. Free to love. Free tolive. Free to simply be who she was without worrying all the time if she wouldlose it all.
She couldn’t lose them. They loved her. They would fight tostay the family they wanted to be.
Josh fell on top of her, rolling them all into a soft warmpile of arms and limbs and lips as they kissed her. She couldn’t tell who wastouching what, but she knew the truth.
She was finally home.
* * * *
Grim sat beside Nicole, Josh on her other side,supporting her as they stared at the big monitor connecting them to KimberlyKent.
The night before had been everything he could have hopedfor. More. Even if it had been interrupted by Buddy waking up at the crack ofdawn and howling in his crate. Grim had rolled out of bed and opened the crate,easing the dog out and taking him outside to relieve himself.
Buddy was coming along nicely. He’d even forgiven them forthe nap he hadn’t meant to take. Sleep and not being in pain had worked wondersfor the pup. Normally it was weeks before a dog like Buddy would lie in his newmom’s lap, but he was curled up on Nicole’s.
“Could you explain to Nicole how you came to talk to LauraHolloway and why you think this is legitimate?” Josh began.
Kimberly Kent sat next to a handsome kid who couldn’t bepast twenty-three or so. Roman Kent was a serious-looking young man with deepblue eyes behind his glasses and a swath of brown hair. “When I realized therewas something wrong with the case, I decided it would be in the best interestsof everyone involved if I did some digging.”
A brow rose over Roman’s eyes, and he looked up from thenotes he’d been making. “You realized it?”
There was a deep snort from off camera. “Your son.”
Kimberly’s eyes rolled. “Sorry, guys. That’s my deeplysarcastic husband, and I have to admit when our daughter is super stubborn, Iblame it on him, so it’s fair. When my son convinced me something was wrong, Iwanted to talk to everyone in the family to get a sense of what forces mighthave caused the rift leading to Micah Holloway’s murder. I explained I neededeveryone’s input on who you are as a person to help direct me to where youmight flee. Ted and your in-laws were eager to speak to me.”
“I bet they were,” Nicole said. “I’m sure they talked aboutwhat a gold digger I was.”
Kim sighed. “Yeah. They weren’t exactly kind. They prettymuch blamed everything on you, and in my first interview, Laura toed the line.However, she called me four days ago and told a different story. She claims shehas evidence you didn’t commit the murder.”
“What kind of evidence?” Grim wanted it to be good. DNA.Something forensic no one could deny.
“I believe she’s been putting this together for a couple ofyears now,” Roman said. “Likely since the murder. She’s shown us several filescontaining security logs. Micah Holloway lived on the family estate grounds.”
Nicole nodded. “Yes. So did Ted. It’s kind of like the ranchexcept without the ranch part. They own a large swath of land outside of town,and there are several homes around the property. Micah and I lived in the oneclosest to the main road. I had to use a clicker thing to get in the gate.”
“Then the logs should show you got there after Micah’sdeath.” This could work. He wanted Nic out from under this cloud. Of coursethen the real danger would begin. If they couldn’t prove Nicole’s account ofthe incident, her brother-in-law would be walking around free and likelylooking to silence the only witness to his crime.
“Ted is good with a computer,” Nicole explained. “I assumedhe could fix those records or hire someone to do it for him. The whole placewas wired for security. Even inside the house there were cameras. I assumed heeither turned them off or came up with some kind of deep fake to show thepolice.”
“Can we prove he faked the logs?” Josh asked. “We know somepeople who are excellent with technology.”
“We have our own,” Kim promised. “But I think she’s going tooffer us something better. I think she has the original footage. Those wouldshow Ted killed his brother, and Nicole came on the scene long after. She’shedging on telling us exactly what it is, but I think she thinks she needsleverage. She’s not what I would call a trusting soul.”
“She’s been in the Holloway family for almost twenty years.I can’t believe she’s managed to work up the will to leave,” Nicole admitted.“I wasn’t exactly close to her. When I got married, she told me I should keepmy mouth shut and do as I was told. I probably should have listened to her.”
Grim brought her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers.“That’s all in the past.”
“Yes, now she knows how to punch,” a feminine voice said,reminding him they weren’t alone. Olivia was back from her trip to Bliss and ina super sour mood, though she’d hugged Nicole when she’d come in to breakfastthis morning.
“And kick a guy in the balls,” Harlow said from her place onthe couch beside Olivia.
“I think I should train more on that skill,” Olivia saidwith a nod.
He had no idea what had gone so wrong in Bliss, but it hadput his sister in a foul mood. She’d gotten in the night before and had beenfrowning ever since.
“Girls.” Dad, Pops, and Mom were seated on the oppositesofa, listening in.
“The last few years have been hard on Laura,” Roman chimedin. “I found some hospital records that indicate she’s been physically abused.A fractured arm, a concussion. No police reports were filed.”
