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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

T he elevator doors opened, and Addie walked out onto the same floor where Jacob had been admitted after the stabbing.

Her phone started to ring in her pocket.

The screen said Zimmerman even though it was after one in the morning on the East Coast.

She swiped her thumb across. “Special Agent Franklin.”

“Word coming down the pipeline is a detective was apprehended. Friend of yours.”

“That was fast.”

“The mayor is all over it.” Zimmerman sighed. “Spinning the tale, so he looks like the hero who brought in the FBI. Now he’s going to bring in police reform in Benson.”

Addie winced. She didn’t have a lot of love for the police department here, but there were good cops everywhere, and Benson was no exception. “Anything else?”

She needed to see Jacob.

Mona was being treated, and she would hang with Russ after. The cops were cleaning up the scene. Addie would have to write all the reports when she got to the office tomorrow.

Tonight was about Jacob.

Zimmerman said, “William Benning told us where he buried all the missing girls.”

“Good.” She was glad the team had closed the case.

“You’re staying in Benson, aren’t you?”

Addie stopped outside the door to Jacob’s room. “Things aren’t going well with Ellie?”

He was quiet. “I miss you, okay?”

There was no way she was going back to Virginia. She just didn’t know if she was staying in Benson, either. Not until after she talked to Jacob. “I’ve got to go. Thanks for everything.”

He had helped her. Cared about her. Now it was time for a new chapter in Addie’s life.

She hung up the phone and stepped into Jacob’s room.

The sight of him stopped her dead. Pale skin, so pale. Purple lips. Mussed hair. Blankets and beeping monitors.

His voice croaked, “Do I look that bad?”

“Honestly?” She moved to the beside. “Yeah, it doesn’t look good.”

“Maybe you should kiss it better?”

“Are you on medication?”

“Yes.” His eyes fluttered open, and she saw the effects in his gaze. “A lot of that medical…stuff.”

Addie leaned down so slowly. She touched her forehead to his and closed her eye. “I love you.” She whispered the words on his skin. “You probably won’t remember this tomorrow, but I need you to know.”

“Love you, too.”

She smiled, shifted her face, and touched her lips to one corner of his mouth. Then the other. “I’m going to let you sleep now.”

“Don’t…go.”

Addie touched his cheek with her fingertips. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She’d been determined Benson would only be a short-term assignment. Even if Hank had orchestrated the whole thing, the fact was that Addie belonged here. If Kyle and Stella stayed, or not. If she was assigned to the Seattle office and had to commute, then fine.

Addie was going to do what it took to make a life here. With Jacob.

After fifteen years apart, they had the chance to make up for lost time and get to know each other again. Explore this big town trying to be a small city. Fall in love again, every day. See where things went.

Addie was going to go to church with Russ. Figure out her faith and the place it had in her life now.

Finally take hold of the life she was always supposed to have had.