Summer felt around in her handbag, needing to feel the necklace in her fingers and some connection to Autumn. A thought came to her. “My sister would’ve known him well enough to realize he’d go through her stuff at the apartment complex.”
She pulled out the necklace and stared at it for a long moment.
Dawson’s cell buzzed. He fished it out of his pocket and stood up. “This is Dawson O’Connor.”
He paused for a long moment before saying a few uh-huhs into the phone. He thanked the caller and then ended the call. “The runner’s name is Mateus Hank.”
“Sounds a lot like Matt Shank.” The wheels started spinning in Summer’s head. “She left clues, Dawson. She wanted us to figure this out.”
The cold metal warmed in her hand and she traced the letters with her index finger. Holding the necklace in her hand gave her an idea.
“What if she wasn’t protecting me? What if my sister tucked this inside the box as a clue?” There was no need for coffee now with the way her mind clicked through theories.
“It’s possible.” He nodded. “But where does the clue lead?”
“I don’t know yet. My first thought is the place where we bought these. The fairgrounds.” She flattened out her palm and looked at the dull piece of metal. “I can’t let that bastard walk away scot-free.”
“Agreed.”
The door to the waiting room opened and a man in scrubs walked inside. He was average height with a runner’s build and a full head of gray hair. “Good afternoon, my name is Dr. Warner.”
Dawson stood and Summer followed suit. Each shook the doctor’s hand.
“Your witness is doing well. She’s out of surgery now and did great.” He went through the procedure using medical jargon that Summer couldn’t understand if she’d tried. But she got the gist of what he was saying.
“We gave her a transfusion because she lost a lot of blood. All in all, we’re expecting a full recovery. She’ll be resting for a little while. We’re keeping a close eye on her. No visitors for the next few hours until she gets out of ICU.” He put a hand up to reassure them. “Out of an abundance of caution.”
Dawson thanked the doctor. He reassured them, once again, that Marcy was expected to make a full recovery.
“I wish she had family here waiting for her,” Summer said after he left.
“Her parents are being notified. I’m sure they’ll be here soon.” He walked over to where they’d been seated and drained his coffee cup. “We have a couple of hours. Are you ready to hit the fairgrounds?”
“I’m ready to find evidence that will nail that bastard to the wall.”
“That’s my girl.” Dawson seemed to catch himself on those last words. Her heart performed a little flip at the term of endearment.
She walked over to him and pressed up on her tiptoes. He met her halfway and their lips touched so gently it robbed her breath.
This time, she linked their fingers.
WALKING ONTO THE empty fairgrounds brought on a rush of memories. The smell of funnel cake. Livestock. The bright lights and all those carnival rides.
Autumn’s favorite had been the Tilt-A-Whirl. Nothing said the fair like strapping themselves into a ride that spun so fast and hard they almost tossed up their candy apples.
Cotton candy. Autumn couldn’t get enough of it. She was terrible at games but never passed one she didn’t think she could win anyway. Her seven-year losing streak was always on the verge of being over, according to Autumn.
The fair was the one place they’d gone every year without fail. They laughed and played. They would feed llamas and pet baby pigs. For that one day, they weren’t poor or hungry.
Tears welled at the memories.
Walking hand in hand, she led him to where she remembered the necklace booth to have been. There wasn’t much there now but a patch of grass. She looked around for a hiding place.
There was a light pole with a metal plate screwed onto the base. “Maybe in there, Dawson.”
He’d brought a pair of gloves and a paper bag that he’d explained was used for collecting evidence. He’d grabbed a few other items that he explained were useful. Things like tongs.
Dawson moved over to the light pole and took a knee. He examined the plate. “There’s a screw missing.”
Her heart leaped in her throat at the possibility of this hunch panning out.
“It’s loose.” He jiggled the plate.
Chill bumps ran the length of her arms. Experience had taught her not to get too excited before she had something concrete but this was promising.
Somewhere deep in her gut, she knew that if her twin hid something anywhere that it would be here. She prayed someone else hadn’t gotten to the evidence first.
Dawson snapped a few pictures of the plate from different angles. He pulled a screwdriver from his pack and went to work loosening the screws. He set the plate down carefully and shone a light inside the six-by-four-inch opening.
A small smile crept across his lips. Summer knew. There was something inside.
Using the tongs, he pulled out a freezer bag through the opening. He set it down and then checked for more. A second freezer bag came and then a third.
One of the bags contained what looked like a journal. It was labeled My Story.
The second bag was labeled Cheryl. It contained some type of bloody clothing along with pictures that had been taken of her after she’d been strangled.
In the final bag, there were pictures with labels on the backs.
Dawson flipped over the bag with the journal in it. There was a folded-up sheet of paper tucked in the back with Summer’s name on it. He opened the bag carefully and, using the tongs, pulled out the note.
He set it down on the grass and smoothed it out for her to read.
Summer,
this is bad. I’ve gotten myself involved with a bad person and I don’t know how to get out without him hurting the people I love. He’s powerful and rich. And I just found evidence that he killed his last girlfriend, Cheryl. I put it in the bag with her name on it. I think he knows I’ve figured him out. He’s been threatening to dig into my past and find all the dirt if the cops show. He’s been to parties at the governor’s house. He took me as his date. He can cover up anything he wants. His name is Mateus Hank and he’s the CEO of some bank. Anyway, I think he has politicians in his pocket.
I can’t risk him finding you. So, I have to figure something else out. I wish I could tell you about all this. But, knowing you, you’d just come here and get yourself in the same hot water I’m in.
I tried to get out with Dawson O’Connor. I thought he could keep me safe and I cared about him. No one can hide from Mateus for long. He knows too many people and I saw one of his friends at the O’Connor ranch. I knew then I had to get away from there or risk him getting hurt.
I have a lot of regrets, sis. I thought I could come back to Austin and handle Mateus. He says he loves me but it’s not the good kind. Anyway, I have to go. Love you more than words.
Tears streamed down Summer’s face as she read the note from her sister.
“Now we know. She said it herself. She collected evidence against him and probably threatened him. He knew she had something but he didn’t know where,” Summer surmised.
“He kills her and then you show up. He knows you are trouble for him so he hires thugs to take care of you,” Dawson said. He glanced at the plastic bags. “These are proof. This is all we need to link him to the murders.”
Summer took the necklace out of her purse and held on to it. Her sister had been protecting her all along.
AN HOUR HAD passed by the time the last officer had left the fairground. Summer looked up at Dawson as he walked over to her and pulled her into an embrace.
“Where do we go from here?” She realized this was the end of the road for them. There would be justice for Autumn and Cheryl. Her sister was gone. There was no reason to stick around Texas, except that she’d never felt more at home than since she’d been back.
“Look into corruption at Austin P.D. for one,” he said. “Make sure the evidence is handled properly and justice is served.”
“Agreed.”
“I don’t make rash decisions.” Dawson looked into her eyes and her heart fluttered like a dozen butterflies were trapped inside her chest.
“Good. Neither do I.”
“So, I’ve given this a lot of thought. Over the past few days, we’ve had a crash course in getting to know each other. I feel like we skipped over all the formalities and dove straight in with both feet. I got to know the real you.”
She nodded. About the only thing she was certain of was that she didn’t want to walk away.
“I have to caution you right there, Dawson. This is my heart we’re talking about and I don’t normally do trust. But the thought of things ending right here—”
“Who said anything about ending what we have?”
“Weren’t you about to?” Her heart really worked overtime now.
“No. I was about to ask you to stay. I haven’t done a great job of expressing it but I’m in love with you, Summer Grayson. I’ve never been in love with anyone before you and I promise to love you for the rest of my life if you’ll have me.” He got down on one knee. “So, I’m asking you to stay. I’m asking you to consider making what we have permanent and official because I don’t want to spend another day without you in my life.”
Happy tears rolled down her cheeks now.
“I love you, Dawson O’Connor. You’re my family and the only home I’ve ever known. Of course, I’ll stay. And I’ll spend every day of the rest of my life loving you.”
Summer pressed a kiss to Dawson’s lips, tender but with the promise of passion. He pulled back enough to smile at her and her heart took another hit. She could look into those eyes forever.
“My beautiful Summer,” he said against her mouth. “Let’s check on Marcy and then go home.”
Summer couldn’t think of a better plan. She’d found home. And she was ready to get started on forever.
Look for the next book in USA TODAY
bestselling author Barb Han’s
An O’Connor Family Mystery series
when Texas Law goes on sale next month!
And don’t miss the previous title in the series:
Texas Kidnapping
Available now wherever Harlequin Intrigue books are sold!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Close Range Christmas by Nicole Helm.