No One But You (Silver Springs #2)(115)
Sadie smiled to herself as Dawson told Angela they had another hour, forty-five minutes, half hour, etc. He possessed a gentle strength. Sadie had never been more proud of him. He always treated Angela with such kindness and patience.
“When will I get to see Jayden?” Angela asked.
This was another frequent question. “I’ll pick him up as soon as I drop you and Dawson off at the farm,” Sadie told her, but going to get Jayden proved unnecessary. When they pulled into the farm, it looked as though half the town was there to meet them. Petra and Jayden stood right out front, holding a Welcome Back sign. There were other signs as well, even a big one that read, We’re sorry, Dawson, mixed in with all the balloons and other greetings.
Once she got out, Sadie learned the church the Reeds had attended had organized the party. Not only did they have tables filled with food, they’d brought workers who were there to help Dawson finish weeding and planting before the weather could turn too warm to be good for his crops. A few were even fixing various things Dawson hadn’t been able to get around to on the house. Besides the church members, Aiyana and her sons were there. So were Maude and Vern and Lolita, as well as several of the waitresses from the restaurant. Chief Thomas had come, too, with Pete and George, Sly’s friends. They looked the most sheepish.
Dawson was clearly astounded by the crowd, especially when everyone began to greet him and Angela. A line quickly formed as folks came up to offer him an apology. I was wrong about you... I’m so sorry... We should’ve listened to Aiyana. She’s always right... I’m here to help...
Dawson would’ve been justified in rejecting their apologies. They’d been so judgmental. But he didn’t. He shook hands with anyone who approached him, even allowed some to give him half a hug on his uninjured side.
Sadie stood nearby, enjoying the spectacle while talking to Maude, who’d winked at her and said, “You followed your heart, and it was your heart and no one else’s that was right.”
When Maude drifted off to talk to other friends and Angela called out, trying to get Dawson to come over and help her with something, Sadie let them both go. Chief Thomas was approaching her. “Thanks for coming today,” she told him.
“No problem. Glad to be here.” He jerked his head to where Dawson was tying a balloon for his sister. “He deserves a party—and a lot more after what he’s been through. But you’ve had a rough time, too.”
“I’m just glad it’s over.” She’d noticed that Sly’s mother wasn’t in the crowd. She doubted his mother would ever have a kind word for her again, despite what he’d done.
“So am I. I’m also happy to give you a bit of good news.”
She expected him to tell her about some evidence they’d acquired that would help put Sly or Ronny Booker away. “You’ve heard from the fire investigator?”
“Yes. He’s confirmed our findings that an accelerant was used—probably gasoline. But that’s it so far. This is something else.”
“What?”
“We’ve found your pictures.”
“My pictures?” she echoed.
“Of your parents—and Jayden when he was a baby.”
She felt her jaw drop. “Where?”
“Under Sly’s bed. They were there when we went through his place yesterday—in the plastic container you told us they’d be in, which is a little melted on one side, from what I hear, but otherwise unharmed. One of my officers will bring them over tonight. I didn’t want to miss the moment you arrived here to see the surprise, or I would’ve picked them up for you myself.”
“Tomorrow’s fine, thank you. But...how did Sly get them?”
“He was there the night of the fire. Once it was out, I’m guessing he went in and poked around—or in the days immediately after. I still believed in him then, wasn’t watching him as closely as I should have.”
“I don’t understand why he’d ever take them in the first place. I mean, I can see him wanting Jayden’s baby pictures, but I’d already offered him the opportunity to make copies, and he never acted on it. I would’ve done it myself if I’d had the money.”
Thomas scratched his neck. “Maybe this was another attempt to hurt you.”
“I’m sure of it,” she muttered. No doubt Sly loved knowing he had what she wanted and could decide if or when he’d ever give it to her.
She chatted with the police chief for a few more minutes about what the fire inspector might find or the forensics specialist Dawson had hired to search for further evidence on his parents’ murder, and marveled that whatever they found would help but wouldn’t change the ultimate outcome for Sly or Ronny Booker.
Dawson returned to her side only a moment after Thomas walked over to get a cupcake. “What is it?”
Because she didn’t want to turn the focus away from him and what he was experiencing, she figured she’d tell him about the pictures later. “This.” She smiled up at him. “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”
“It is wonderful.” He leaned in for a kiss. “But having you and Jayden in my life, and Angela back home, is by far the best part.”
*
If you enjoyed NO ONE BUT YOU, don’t miss the next story in Brenda Novak’s SILVER SPRINGS series: