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CARTER MADE THEM WAIT for an hour at the police station before giving their statements. More than once, Gertie and Ida Belle threatened Deputy Breaux with bodily injury if Carter didn’t move things along. Unfortunately, their affection for the young deputy was well known, and nobody took their threats seriously.
Finally, what seemed like hours later, Pepper was able to give her statement. Carter’s questioning felt relentless. At one point, Pepper burst out in frustration, “Jesus, Carter, you act like I’m the criminal here! All I did was happen to be there when the excitement happened. Do you think this is really how I wanted to spend my day off?”
Carter raised an eyebrow at her. “I know there is more to this story, because I can almost guarantee you’ve never been on that street before in your life.”
Pepper shrugged. “Like I said, I need a new place to live. Fortune and I were just walking around. And for your information, I have been on that street before today.”
“Fine. Just think about this, Pepper. By jumping the gun and going into that situation as a civilian, you could have been hurt. You also could have gotten someone else hurt. Next time, leave detective work to the police. That’s our job.”
“But—”
“And you may not believe this, but Wendy was my main suspect. She had the weakest alibi, which we both know. I would have gotten to the bottom of this today, and neither you nor Fortune would have been in danger.”
“And Gertie and Ida Belle may have died.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Pepper wished she could take them back.
Carter snorted. “I highly doubt it,” he said. He looked like he was going to say more, but instead he got up from the table and motioned Pepper to do the same, saying the interview was over and thanking her for giving her statement.
As they left the interview room, he stopped her and said, “You know my cousin Jaxson is a good man. He might have screwed up somehow, but you seem like the type of person who gives a fair chance after looking at all sides of the situation. Why don’t you talk to him?”
“That’s the problem, Carter. I don’t know all the sides, because he keeps lying to me.”
“Mmmhmm... welcome to my world, Pepper.” Carter’s tone made her blush, but she didn’t say anything. “Just talk to the guy, okay?”
Pepper heaved a sigh, neither agreeing nor refusing. Instead, she asked what would happen next with Owen and his tour group.
“Everyone except Wendy is free to go. We had some suspicions about Bruce, but he’s been cleared. He was trying to break up with Wendy and concentrate on making the whole band a better group, but she wouldn’t accept it. She insisted they could be superstars in their own right, and she took it upon herself to get rid of anything or anyone she thought was standing in her way.”
“I knew it. She did rig the explosion that killed Courtney!”
“No, actually she didn’t. There’s no evidence she had anything to do with that. She said she had started teaching Courtney about explosives and pyrotechnics because it was fun, but she didn’t have any evil intent behind it. The state crime lab came back and said it looks like someone—probably Courtney—set a small fire on the bus. They think it was just supposed to be a distraction, maybe slow the tour for a couple of days so she could disappear. Unfortunately, she set the fire near Joe’s private stash of explosives. She probably never even knew what hit her when the bus exploded.”
Pepper shook her head. “That is so sad. All she wanted was to stay hidden from her ex.”
Carter nodded. “It is sad. Now go home. I don’t need anyone else running around this town tonight spreading gossip.” He smiled as he said it. Pepper knew he was relieved to have this case wrapped up, and she figured he was looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep.
###
PEPPER DIDN’T REALIZE how tired she was until she walked up the steps to the back porch of her—she would have to stop thinking that way—house. She opened the door and went inside, looking around at the nearly finished rooms. If she could have designed her own home, this would be it. She sighed, thinking about how sad she would be to leave.
“I tried calling, but you didn’t answer.” Pepper jumped at the sound of the strong male voice. She knew it was Jaxson, but she didn’t turn to look at him. She couldn’t. Not yet. Instead, she continued to move through the house toward the stairs. She remembered that she had promised to be out of the house today, but she figured she could crash one more night on the air mattress, then get up early in the morning and throw everything into the Camaro before leaving for work at Francine’s.
Her attempt to avoid interacting with Jaxson was thwarted when he stepped in front of her, blocking her way to the steps. She wasn’t going to play games, and she wasn’t going to let him bully her. Straightening her spine and smoothing her face into a blank expression, she adopted a toneless voice and said, “Please let me pass. I don’t want to have to call Carter for a domestic issue.”
Jaxson sighed and ran both of his hands through his dark hair. His emerald eyes had lost their spark, and his forehead was a mass of wrinkles. “Pepper, please listen to me,” he pleaded, his voice sounding strained.
She finally looked him fully in the eyes. It was painful for both of them, if she could judge by what she saw. But could she? Was Jaxson being honest with her? She had enjoyed the days after they returned from the camping trip, but she could no longer ignore the fact that they were living in a fantasy world. What was really going on was some sort of web of dishonesty. She shook her head to clear it, and then she started talking.
“How dare you?”
Jaxson hung his head. “I know. I’m sorry. Can’t you please forgive me?”
“You don’t even know what I’m upset about. Stop playing the man card and spouting off a general apology in hopes that your gorgeousness will distract me from how I really feel.”
Jaxson lifted his head just enough to meet her eyes. She could almost see the hint of a smile on his beautiful lips, but he hid it well. This time, he was smart enough to stay silent.
Pepper continued, “You were there when I found out about Daniel. You saw what I went through, how his lies almost destroyed me and nearly got me killed. You acted like a protector then, and I trusted that you would never do anything like that to me. Yet here we are, dancing around this huge lie. I still don’t know the truth, you still won’t tell me, yet I have to believe I’m in danger because of what I found in that suitcase. The fact that you would lie to me then... and continue to lie... It’s a deal-breaker, Jaxson. Either you come clean, or we’re done. We may still be done even after you come clean, I’ll tell you that right now, but at least I’ll know what I’m dealing with.”
Jaxson looked down at the hardwood floor and thought before he spoke. “I have a lot to say, and I don’t want to piss you off, so will you promise to just listen without throwing a fit?”
Pepper raised her eyebrows. “Really? You know I can’t promise that.”
“Could you at least try?”
With a huff of frustration, Pepper agreed. “Fine, I’ll try. Start talking.”
“Come here. We should be sitting for this.” Jaxson took her hand and led her toward the kitchen island, where three work stools were tucked under the counter. They were the only seats on the first floor of the house.
After they settled onto the stools, facing each other, Jaxson started talking. “First of all, I really hope you don’t intend to blame all the dangerous situations you’ve been in on me. From what I heard, you got yourself doggone close to being killed today, and I had absolutely nothing to do with it.”
“Oh, yeah? Who did you hear that from?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah, it kinda does. Because you’re withholding information again.”
“Fine. I heard it from Fortune.”
“What exactly did she tell you?”
“The whole story, Pepper. I know you didn’t just happen to be near that house. But I want to say I’m incredibly proud of you for doing something to help your friends. I just wish you would leave that sort of thing to the professionals.”
Pepper snorted. “Like who?”
Jaxson looked uncomfortable, and Pepper suddenly had a glimpse of what was coming next. Jaxson paused, and then said, “I can’t tell you everything about my life because I’m not the only person who would be affected by your knowledge. In fact, right now I honestly can’t tell you anything at all because I’ve been ordered to stay quiet. Due to what happened with Irene during the camping trip, I have to go out of town this weekend for a meeting about my job, which I may not even have any longer when I return. But please believe me when I say that none of that has any bearings on my feeling for you and the future I hope we can have together.”
“What did Irene have to do with a job? I thought she was your crazy ex-girlfriend. And I thought you worked for yourself. Jaxson, you’re leaving me with more questions than answers here.”
“Irene was a crazy ex-girlfriend. But we met through work, and there are... ramifications because of our former relationship. And I have to deal with that this weekend.”
Pepper’s head was spinning. Feelings, their future, other people being affected by Jaxson’s job... it was a lot to take in, but she had learned how to handle situations like this. One topic at a time, and get to the main point instead of letting Jaxson distract her with emotions. Because he was really, really good at that.
She waited until he looked her in the eye before she said, “I have feelings for you too, but make no mistake—I will put them aside if you don’t tell me what’s going on. And if that happens, there’s no chance for any future for us. So spill it.”
“Pepper, I can’t.”
“Do you work for the government?” The fact that Jaxson didn’t reply was her confirmation, and her mind started flying to all the possibilities.
“Wait, do Gertie and Ida Belle work for the government too? And... holy crap... Fortune?”
Jaxson made a frustrated sound before jumping off his stool to pace around the empty house. “Pepper, please just trust me. When I get home in a few days, I’ll tell you what I can. Will you just give me that?”
“I can wait a few days to hear your explanation, but I won’t be in this house when you get back.”
“Why? There’s no reason for you to leave.”
“Jaxson, there’s every reason for me to leave. The house will be finished in a couple of days. You’ll be moving in here because there’s no reason not to. It is your house after all. I can’t just keep living here for free.”
“So pay me rent.”
Hope sparked in Pepper’s chest. “Really? Don’t you plan on moving in here?”
“There is a slight chance that I may have to, but I really like living out at the shooting range. It suits me. For now, I intend to stay there. Having you rent this place would be the perfect solution.”
Slowly, Pepper nodded. “I could do that. I was going to have to pay rent somewhere anyway, so that could work out. Unless you want to sell me this house,” she finished with a wink.
Jaxson looked surprised. “I take it that means you really are planning to stay in Sinful.”
Pepper shrugged. “You know I’ve made a home here. I have no reason to go anywhere else. Besides, I’ve learned how to cope with summer in the South and survive. I can only imagine how happy I will be to live here during the winter when Michigan and Wisconsin are buried under several feet of snow.”
Jaxson laughed. “That’s as good a reason as any, I suppose. Tell you what, how about if you rent for a while. If you still love the place in six months, we’ll talk about a purchase agreement.”
“Agreed.” They shook hands, and Pepper’s heart sank as she realized this talk was ending on a businesslike note. But that changed when Jaxson didn’t let go of her hand after they shook. Instead, he pulled her off the stool and toward him, not stopping until she was only a few inches away.
“Listen, Yankee lady, I want you to know that I’m in this for the long haul. We’ll talk when I get home Sunday, and after that I think you’ll understand where I’m coming from. But I don’t want to lose you because of some job. Hell, even my mother couldn’t break us up.”
Pepper smiled. “Wait until she hears I’m not moving out.”
Jaxson smiled back, lowering his head to touch his forehead to hers. “I can’t wait to tell her.” Then he kissed her, and she pushed her doubts away. She wanted to enjoy this for a while.