Page 88 of Protect My Heart

A tall broad frame filled the doorway at the bottom of the stairs.

“You’re awake.”

A deep gravel of a smoker filled her ears. Finden? No. She knew that voice, but from where?

With determined movements, the man crossed the room bringing him out of the shadows and into the thin sliver of light. His dark eyes were sad.

A flash of those same eyes zipped through her mind.

In one swift move, he ripped the tape from her mouth.

Pain stung her skin, but fled as fast as it came.

“It won’t do you any good to scream. No one can hear.”

“You’re the prison guard.”

His head dipped in a slow nod.

“You served with my father.” Liz took in his slightly slumped shoulders and downturned eyes. He didn’t want to do this. It was clear in his mannerisms. “Why? Is the warden blackmailing you?”

He shook his head. “Fucking Finden. I’ve been bailing him out for years. It’s a miracle he hadn’t ended up behind bars before now.”

“Then let him go to prison. Take his punishment.”

“That wouldn’t save me. I’ve had blood on my hands for decades.” He shook his head. Eyes downcast. When he looked up, straight into her eyes, she saw the killer inside. “Patty and his damn journal.”

She saw it then, a length of thin cable in his hand. A frigid wave of dread settled over her. He moved closer. She could smell the whiskey on his breath. “Wait.”

He kept moving.

“Why? What’s in the journal?”

That stopped him. “You don’t have it?”

She shook her head. Any hope of escape fled when his gaze met hers.

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“Please, I deserve to know.” She begged for a few more minutes. Maybe she could think of something. Anything.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”

She believed him. He didn’t want to harm her, but it was obvious he would.

His eyelids closed for the briefest of moments then he let out a sigh.

“Patty had to go. He would have made parole for sure this time. There isn’t a statute of limitations on murder.” He shook his head and the anger flared in his eyes. “But then he had to go and tell Rich about the damn journal. He had to know how he’d react. Your daddy threw you to the wolves when he mailed you the journal.”

“The warden had him killed.” Just saying the words caused shards of glass to slice at her throat. Each word cut as it fell from her lips.

“Yeah, but he couldn’t stop there.” His eyes canvased her face and body. “He’s a sick bastard.”

Shudders racked her. Thoughts of the warden sneaking in her window at Joy’s house made her physically ill.

“I don’t have his journal. It might not even exist.” She hated the panic in her voice. It wouldn’t help her. Swallowing it down, she pushed steel into her spine. She needed every ounce of strength and wit she had if she hoped to get out of this alive. “You could walk away. Start fresh.”

He shook his head again. “It doesn’t matter. Things have gotten way out of control. I have to clean up. Again.”