Anonymous(40)

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slow, the steam from my breath billowing into the wind. “Maybe Owen should bring me back home. If I talk to Bryan, it might help us.”

Owen shakes his head. “Bad idea, Ells.”

“I agree. I don’t want you anywhere near him. Hold on, someone’s calling in.” He shuffles the phone and hurries back on. “Babe, it’s the detective.”

“Go,” I say quickly. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

We hang up and I hand Owen back his phone. “Things are just getting crazier and crazier. The thought of someone else being involved makes my skin crawl. I don’t know who it could be.”

“Whoever it is, we’ll find them. In a couple of days, Jake will join us in Canada and we’ll keep you safe until that time comes.”

“And if this person finds us first?”

“I kind of hope that happens, because then we can deal with him and move on.” He sees my apprehension and he grabs my shoulder. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”





Nineteen





Jake





“Detective,” I say, switching the line over.

“Can you come to the hospital? Bryan wants to see you again. He told us some information that might just be what we need.”

I grab my keys off the kitchen counter. “What’d he say?”

“Well, for starters, my guys have been searching his home for evidence. Nothing has been found that could be linked to Ellie. But when I came in this morning to talk to him, he told me about a hidden camera he has placed at his front door.”

Hurrying out to my truck, I get in and start on my way. “What all does he think it’ll show?”

“The last thing he remembers is coming home from the PD, so he could get packed up to leave on his undercover case. I’m hoping we’ll see something in the video. Officer McGee is bringing Bryan’s laptop, so he can access the footage.”

I press on the gas. “I’ll be right there.”

When I pull up to the hospital, I rush inside. Kevin stands guard outside of Bryan’s room and he nods, stepping out of the way so I can enter. When I get inside, Terry is by Bryan’s bed, writing down notes.

The man on the bed yesterday was broken and upset, his face pale and eyes distant. Today, he’s more alert. There’s color to his cheeks, painted by his obvious anger. I recognize that look. It reminds me of the way I feel about everything going on with Ellie. I look over at Terry and he points to Bryan.

“There are some things he wants to say to you. I’m here to listen and stand witness.”

I move closer and Bryan looks up at me. “I know you don’t trust me; that you must hate everything about me. But I know for a fact, drugged or not, I would never harm you or Ellie. I don’t know what’s going to be on my camera footage, and to be honest, I’m fucking terrified. Someone killed the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and there’s a chance I could see who that person is in just a matter of minutes.”

He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. “If I can prove I’m innocent, I want to help you figure out who’s going after Ellie. Killing the fucker responsible is all I want.” His eyes open and feral tears fall down his face. “I need to figure out who killed Samantha, just as much as you want to keep Ellie safe.”

Blowing out a heavy sigh, I glance at Terry before settling my gaze on him. “Why don’t we wait to see what your camera footage has to show. I’m not trusting you with anything until I see what or if anything happened.”

Bryan’s jaw clenches. “Whether you want me to or not, I’m going to work on this case when I’m released. You need me. I’m the best there is.”

Terry agrees with a nod. “He’s right, Jake. I know you’re not going to like it, but he can help. I need him.”

Before I can say anything, the door opens and Officer Charles McGee marches in, holding a computer bag. Terry takes it and pulls out the laptop. “The password to get in is silverbird98, all lowercase.”

Terry types it in and sighs. “When it comes to computers, I’m not the best.”

Bryan beckons him closer. “Let me have it and you can look over my shoulder. I can’t wait any longer.”

Terry gives him the laptop and we both hover to the side, so we can see. Bryan’s fingers move like lightning over the keys. There’s a whole database of screens he goes through before I see any kind of video pop up. When it all becomes clear, the footage shows the front entrance of a door.

“Is that your house?” I ask.

Bryan nods. “My neighbors had some packages stolen off their front porches a few years ago, so I put the camera in to see if I could catch someone doing the same at my house. It never happened though. I’m guessing the thieves know who I am.”

He fast forwards through multiple videos, until he lands on one with him and Samantha, dated about six months ago. She was a beautiful woman. They walk up to the door and he kisses her. The way he looks at her is the way I look at Ellie. Bryan’s fingers freeze, and he clenches his hands into tight fists.

“I remember that night,” he growls low, voice thick with emotion. “We went to dinner at the Grove Park Inn, and afterward, we walked around the gardens. It’s the night I first told her I loved her. I was going to propose to her at the Biltmore House this spring.”