Presumed Dead. Angela Ruth Strong

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СКАЧАТЬ you.” He exhaled in relief. She may not be happy with the situation, but hey, neither was he. “Hopefully, they can figure out who set the bomb, and you won’t need me anymore.”

      She searched his eyes before twisting away to pull her sweatshirt over her head.

      “Tell the detective you passed a navy blue Jeep Cherokee with California plates as you pulled in. I didn’t get the full plate number, but it starts with a 5AO.”

      “5AO,” she repeated dutifully.

      This wasn’t how he’d imagined a reunion with her. But it wasn’t really a reunion. He was only there to keep her safe. He focused on the scene she’d be heading back to. Fire engines sprayed water onto smoldering log remains. Police questioned neighbors. An array of boats slowed so passengers could rubberneck. A silver Jaguar pulled down the drive.

      Preston’s stomach warmed. His gaze swiveled toward Holly to see if she’d noticed the vehicle.

      She scanned the beach as if in a daze, and he knew the moment her gaze hit the Jag. She dropped back down onto the seat behind him, but she didn’t say anything.

      If she didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t mention Caleb’s arrival, but he hadn’t forgotten the man’s presence. And there was no way he could let Holly spend time alone with her former fiancé on what should have been the weekend of their wedding. What if Caleb took her roller coaster of emotions for another ride?

      “After you talk to the police, I want you to go stay at that lodge where our parents used to take us for barbecue ribs. I will come check on you.”

      No response.

      Preston looked over his shoulder.

      Holly watched Caleb park. It hurt to think that she’d gone from trying to help Preston to focusing on the other man so quickly. Even though Preston hadn’t wanted her help in the first place. He’d wanted her to forget him so she could move on with her life. But the reality of it all stung like shrapnel.

      “Holly?”

      She blinked and turned to him, though her eyes remained distant.

      He shouldn’t blame her. She’d had quite a day. “Where are you going after you talk to the police?”

      She stared. Maybe she hadn’t heard him. Maybe she was going into shock. “Cedar Glen.”

      Good. He tilted his head toward the water, indicating it was time for her to dive in. The sooner she answered police questions, got rid of her ex and was safely at the lodge, the sooner he would be able to see her again. But that didn’t make letting her go any easier.

THREE

      Holly stumbled up the beach, her body trembling and dripping from the swim. She didn’t want to talk to anybody. Especially not Caleb.

      Preston’s return had hit her like the force of water from a fire hose. And his dismissal had left her feeling much like the crumbling remnants of the cabin. Not to mention the attempts on her life.

      “Holly.” Caleb’s brand-new, colorful hiking boots slipped in the gravel as he rushed to her with a fireman’s blanket. “You’re alive. Do you know what happened here? I was scared to death. How’d you escape?”

      Holly tensed at his attention. She wasn’t his to worry about anymore. “Calm down, Caleb. I’m fine.” Fine. Ha. Who was she kidding?

      “That is such a relief.” He wrapped the scratchy blanket around her shivering shoulders, which would have been nice if he hadn’t kept his arm around her, as well. “I’m just thankful you weren’t in the cabin. Did you go swimming as soon as you got here?”

      She shrugged out of his grip and ignored the question. But at least Caleb had been concerned for her welfare and was now acting thoughtful. She would have expected him to take off on their honeymoon with his new girlfriend.

      “Thanks for the blanket.” Her teeth chattered. It may be June, but the lake temperature only varied eight degrees from winter to summer.

      Caleb tried to wrap his arms around her again.

      She shook him off. Not happening. “What are you doing here?”

      “The neighbors called your parents when the cabin exploded, and they called me to see if I knew where you were.”

      Holly eyed him. Mom must have been really worried about her if she’d asked Caleb for help. Though how had he gotten to her cabin so fast?

      “I’m so thankful you weren’t injured. I never got the chance to tell you how horrible I feel about what happened between us, Holly. It was a mistake. And actually I was planning to stay on my boat in hopes you’d call me so I could drive over here, and we might work this out.” He gripped her hand. “Please.”

      She grimaced at his touch. There was nothing to work out. Particularly not now that the first man she’d ever loved had shown up alive again. As dishonest as Preston’s death was, his presence reminded her how good they’d had it once upon a time. And Caleb was not once-upon-a-time material. She pulled away.

      An officer with a receding hairline strode over. “You’re Holly Fontaine? This is your cabin?”

      “My parents own it.” Good, a distraction. Except now she would have to answer a bunch of questions in a way that would somehow leave out Preston’s existence. Maybe she should be the one asking the questions. She’d take on her attorney persona. “What happened?”

      “Ma’am, I’m glad to see you survived. My name is Officer Shaw, and I hate to tell you this, but a bomb went off in your cabin earlier today.”

      “A bomb?” The idea still shook her.

      “Yes, ma’am. Do you know of anyone who’d want to harm you?”

      She looked at Caleb. Pretty convenient he just happened to be in the area. The bomber had been talking to someone on the phone. Could it have been him? No. It was more likely the other woman wanted her dead, now that Caleb seemed to want to make things work with Holly.

      “What’s your girlfriend’s name?” she asked.

      Caleb reeled. “No. That’s ridiculous. She’s not my girlfriend. And she wouldn’t do this anyway.”

      Officer Shaw pulled his sunglasses lower on his pockmarked face to look at the other man. “I will check her alibi. What’s her name?”

      Caleb shifted his weight side to side. “Denise Amador. But make no mistake, she didn’t do this.”

      Holly lifted her chin. “She obviously wasn’t above having photos taken of you two together and sending them to me.”

      Caleb’s voice lowered. “You still think she did that?”

      The officer chewed at the fingernail on his thumb. “I’m going to need to interview you both separately.”

      Holly blew air into her cheeks. None of their old relationship stuff even mattered anymore now that Preston СКАЧАТЬ