Emma waited until he was out of hearing range. “I don’t get it. None of this is making any sense. It’s like one of those jigsaw puzzles you liked to do. I have a piece here and a piece there, but getting the whole picture is impossible. How did Bonnie’s bracelet get inside the shed? And what does Owen and Joshua’s fight have to do with anything?”
“One may have nothing to do with the other. Owen and Joshua used to run in the same crowd. The argument could be about any number of things.”
“Okay.” Emma took a deep breath. “Then we’ll deal with just the bracelet. Is it possible Bonnie lost it in there before she went missing?”
“I don’t think so. This bracelet originally belonged to my mother. Bonnie never took it off. I think it’s safe to assume she was wearing it the day she disappeared.”
“Then she was held in the shed.”
“Yes, but there’s no indication someone has been held there for an extended period of time.”
“So Bonnie was there, but only for a short while. Long enough to lose her bracelet.”
Reed’s gaze went from the shed to the lake. His jaw tightened. “There may be another explanation for why we can’t find Bonnie, her car or her suitcase.”
The water sparkled in the sunlight, but a cold finger of dread coursed down Emma’s spine as she followed his logic.
Everything they were looking for could be underwater.
THIRTEEN
The next several days melded into each other. Reed’s emotions vacillated between relief, frustration and a renewed sense of urgency. The lake was dredged, but nothing more sinister than an old kitchen sink lay at the bottom. Emma’s property was thoroughly searched—first by her and Sadie, then by cadaver dogs and law enforcement. Nothing new was uncovered.
Cases went like this. Reed had been in law enforcement long enough to know it was sometimes three steps forward and two back. Still, it was hard to be patient.
The front door to his house opened, and Emma stepped onto the porch. His breath hitched in his throat. She’d traded her normal jeans and T-shirt for a beautiful sundress. It swirled around her shapely legs and brought out the red highlights in her hair.
“Sorry,” she said breathlessly. “It’s so warm out, I almost forgot my sweater. The air-conditioning can be a bit cold.”
“No worries. Church service doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes. We have plenty of time.”
He held open the passenger side door to the SUV. Emma breezed by him, the scent of vanilla lingering even after she’d lifted herself into the seat. Reed’s hand tightened on the handle. Days of being together were adding up. Dinners at Aunt Bessie’s with Vivian and Lily, time spent searching Emma’s property, hours spent poring over every police report in Bonnie’s case.
Each moment had deepened Reed’s feelings for Emma, and it was becoming increasingly harder to ignore them.
“Thanks for arranging this,” Emma said, once they were on the road. “Church sets my whole week up right. I don’t feel the same when I miss it.”
“I know. It’s important to me, too.” Reed had debated the risk until this morning. Mike, it seemed, had gone underground. There hadn’t been any additional threats toward Emma. While Reed wasn’t convinced things were over, he felt comfortable enough to attend Sunday morning service.
Emma cast a glance at him from the corner of her eye. “You’ve changed. You always attended church, but it seems your faith has grown deeper.”
“I’ve gotten some bumps and bruises along the way. Hard times can push you toward your faith, if you let it.”
“I know what you mean. When Mark died, I was lost.” She smoothed a hand down her skirt. “He never even knew I was pregnant. I didn’t get the chance to tell him.”
“Ah, Em. I’m so sorry.”
“I was heartbroken and terrified. In an instant, I became a widow with a baby on the way. I’d just graduated from vet school but didn’t have job. We were living on a military base, so I had to move. Prayer helped pull me through.”
“Where did you go after you moved off base?”
“To live with Vivi. She had her own grief—Mark was her only sibling—and we didn’t know each other well, but Vivian jumped right in to help out. She changed her whole life for us.”
His respect for Emma’s sister-in-law deepened. The choices Vivian had made weren’t easy, and he’d seen lots of families that didn’t weather the storm together. “I’m glad you had her.”
“Me, too. She even supported the move to Heyworth. Vivian understood the need for community and family. I want Lily to have connections she can rely on for her whole life. Church is a big part of it, too.”
“There’s something special about worshiping together.”
“Yes.” She smiled, her entire face lighting up. “Exactly.”
The church was cool when they stepped inside. Aunt Bessie caught sight of them and waved. Vivian was holding Lily. The little girl bounced on her aunt’s hip and squealed for joy when she spotted her mom.
Emma scooped her up into her arms, planting several kisses on her face. “Good morning, baby girl.”
Reed kissed his aunt’s cheek and greeted Vivian. Austin said in a low voice, “No one followed us here. Deputy Irving reported everything has been quiet at Emma’s house, as well. I suspect Mike is sitting on a beach in Mexico somewhere.”
“Could be. Still, we don’t know who hired him.” Owen was still missing, and they hadn’t been able to link either him or Joshua to any of the hitmen. “If the person stalking Emma was willing to hire someone once, there’s no saying he won’t do it again. We have to stay vigilant.”
Austin nodded. His gaze flickered to Vivian before returning to Reed. “Agreed.”
They all settled into their seats. Lily crawled over to Reed’s lap halfway through the service and flashed him an adorable smile. He planted a kiss on her sweet head. Having Emma at his side and Lily in his arms
