He should never have been arrested or convicted. The conviction had been a shock because he truly believed that they’d see the truth. Instead, they’d seen what the prosecution had wanted them to see.
But, after seeing Saige, his body was wrung out emotionally and the anger had left him for now. It would be back before too long, but all he felt was sadness for what could have been with Saige.
Regardless of her family status within the community, he knew deep in his heart that they’d have made it work, because he couldn’t think about anything else.
As he lay down on his bed, he prayed that she hadn’t been scared off and that she’d be back.
* * *
3:30pm
* * *
With his head down, minding his own business, Alex felt the eyes of the barbershop quartet watching his every move. He paused and glared back, but not one of the old guys flinched. Mr. Matheson, at the end, used to own the hardware store, which now belonged to his son and grandson. His left eye twitched when Alex turned to cross the street toward them.
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention as he stepped off the sidewalk. He turned and frowned when he realized it was Christina.
She was sitting in her car with her hands on the steering column and her head resting on top of them.
He was tempted to turn and ignore her. She’d gotten to him before, and more so now. Her confession had been a surprise and he knew, without having to ask, that Saige had no idea that her stepmom was anything but self-centered.
Alex should be running in the opposite direction, but he found his feet moving toward the woman in the car. The woman who looked like her world was being destroyed with every second that ticked by.
He didn’t wait for an invitation and opened her door to her shocked surprise. “What happened?”
Christina lifted her tear-stained face up to his. “Someone tried to run me off the road.” Her lips trembled and he could see by the way her body folded in on itself just how shaken she was.
“Come with me.” He didn’t give her a choice and helped her out of the car. “Are you hurt anywhere?” he thought to ask, perhaps a tad too late.
“Other than shaken, I’m fine.”
Alex wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her between two stores, away from prying eyes of the townsfolk. Once hidden, Alex tugged her into his arms and held her, letting her cry her shock out. “I have you,” he mumbled, and rolled his eyes when he realized how he sounded—as though he cared.
He let Christina pull away while she searched in her purse for a Kleenex. Seconds later, she met his gaze. “Thank you. You surprised me.”
He laughed. “I surprised myself.” He frowned. “You’re married and I’m an asshole.”
Christina shook her head. “Don’t say that. I know our previous meetings haven’t gone so well, but last night was...different.” Christina blushed. “I know even if I wasn’t married that you wouldn’t look at me as permanent. For what it’s worth, thank you. And thank you for today as well.”
Alex heard the words and then heard the vulnerability in her voice. He knew that she thought her words were the truth, but he wasn’t too sure anymore. There was certainly something about Christina that had held his interest over the years—something there that caused his heart to ache at her obvious distress.
He pulled her close. “Listen to me, okay. I want you to stay with me until I can get you home.”
“Alex, you’re worrying me.”
“I know.” He touched his forehead against hers and wondered whether or not she could handle the truth.
Deciding she was going to hear it one way or another, he briefly closed his eyes, and then held her gaze. “There have been murders.” Christina gasped and fear filled her eyes as he continued, “Jocelyn was the first to be discovered, but it appears that her death was not long after Quinten was sentenced.” He rubbed the nape of her neck with his thumb. “Since then, two other women have been killed...within hours of me being with them.”
She winced at his bluntness.
“I didn’t think last night and I should have. But this morning I did and realized that it was morning and you were still alive so I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Detective Robinson knows that I had something going with both women, but I didn’t admit that the last time had been hours before they’d been murdered. I don’t know what all this means, but I’m in town and I’m going to wait for Coulter to get back with Saige and then I’ll talk to him. I don’t trust anyone else not to lock me up first and ask questions later.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Christina quivered against him, and moved closer into his loose embrace, which tightened. “I guess I should count my lucky stars, huh?”
“I’m not sure what’s happening, but I’m wondering if there’s a reason why he didn’t come after you.”
Her eyes widened. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” She pointed toward her car.