Page 67 of Enigma (Pros and Cons Mysteries #6)
ONE WEEK LATER
T he small cemetery behind the old church in Indiana was peaceful in the late afternoon light. Ancient oak trees cast long shadows across weathered headstones, and a gentle breeze stirred the wildflowers that had grown up around the older graves.
Olive stood before three simple granite markers, her hand intertwined with Jason’s. The inscriptions were brief but heartfelt: James Sterling - Beloved Father , Margot Sterling - Beloved Mother , and Jessica and Julia Sterling - Our Angels .
“I never thought I’d find peace here,” Olive said, her voice just above a whisper. “But knowing the truth about what really happened that night . . . it changes everything.”
Jason’s arm was still in a sling, but he squeezed her hand with his good one. “I’m glad you finally have answers.”
“Me too.”
A moment of reverent silence passed.
Then Jason asked, “How’s Tevin doing? I haven’t heard any updates in the past couple of days.”
“Better. He lost a lot of blood, but the doctors say he’ll make a full recovery.
He’s already complaining about the hospital food and asking when he can get back to work.
” She smiled slightly. “Nova’s been bringing him crossword puzzles, and Trick smuggled in some of those terrible action movies he loves. ”
“And you?” Jason raised his eyebrows.
“I brought him some dill-pickle-flavored chips and some Chinese food.” Olive smiled as she remembered their time together. Things felt like they were like old times with no weirdness between them.
“I’m sure he appreciated that.”
Olive looked up at him. “And how about your dad? How is he doing?”
“Physically, he’s fine. Emotionally . . . it’s going to take time. Finding out Nancy had been undercover hit him hard, even though she was protecting him.”
“I can only imagine. But I’m glad he’s okay.”
“He’s cooperating with the authorities, so I’m hopeful that he won’t get any prison time. Only time will tell.”
Olive nodded, crossing her arms against the cool breeze that swept over the cemetery. “Speaking of which, you never told me exactly how you found me at the warehouse.”
Everything had been a whirlwind, and they hadn’t had much time to talk since the incident at the warehouse.
Jason shifted, wincing slightly as his shoulder protested. “When you didn’t check in, Mitzi and I moved closer to the house. We found a tripwire around the perimeter—motion sensors. We knew it was a trap, so we deliberately set it off to create a distraction.”
“That was risky.”
“By the time we did that, Rex had arrived with backup. He’d been coordinating with the FBI since you first called him about the trafficking operation. We followed you to the warehouse, but we had to wait for the federal teams to get into position before we could move.”
Olive nodded, piecing together the timeline. “And what really happened at the hospital with Lloyd and Nancy?”
“Nancy told us the whole story during debriefing. She left when visiting hours ended, just like they said. But Sarah was waiting in the parking garage. She grabbed Nancy first and used her to get Lloyd to come willingly. Sarah made him throw his phone out so he couldn’t be traced then took them both. ”
They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the sun sink lower toward the horizon.
“You know,” Olive said after a moment. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my dad lately. About the things Sarah told me about his change of heart in Oasis.”
“What about it?”
“From what she told me, he really was trying to do the right thing in the end. All those late-night arguments I heard, the way he seemed different in our last few months together . . . he was fighting to get out of his line of work. He’d found God and wanted to make amends for what he’d done.
” She touched the headstone with her father’s name.
“I spent so many years angry at him for the choices he made, but he was trying to change. He was on the right track.”
“It sounds like he was.”
“And knowing that . . . somehow it helps me too. I never knew if my dad really believed and had faith or if it was all an act. I transferred that hurt and frustration over my dad to frustration about God.” She paused.
“But not anymore. I’ve been considering the idea of God and faith for a long time, wanting to believe.
And I think I’m finally ready. I’ve come to terms with what happened all those years ago, and I can finally move on. ”
Jason’s expression softened as he listened to her. “Nothing makes me happier than hearing you say that.”
“What do you mean?”
“The way you talk about faith, about redemption, about people being able to change . . . it gives me hope. For us, for everyone.” He paused, studying her face in the golden light. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
Jason turned to face her fully, his expression serious but warm. “Do you think we can make this work? You and me as a couple? Working together at Aegis? After everything that’s happened, all the secrets and mistakes we’ve both made?”
Olive looked into his eyes—the same warm brown eyes that had captured her heart when she was sixteen. But now she saw something deeper there: maturity, understanding, and a love that had weathered storms and survived despite everything that had tried to tear them apart.
“I think we can,” she said, her smile genuine and full of hope. “I think we’re both different people than we were eight years ago. Better people. And I think we’re finally ready to be honest with each other about everything.”
“No more secrets?”
“No more secrets,” she promised.
Jason leaned down and kissed her then, soft and sweet in the gathering twilight. When they broke apart, Olive felt something she hadn’t experienced in years: complete peace.
Her family’s story had finally found its ending.
Her parents had tried to do the right thing, her sisters had been innocent victims, and Olive had survived to bring their killers to justice.
The network that had destroyed so many lives was dismantled, the victims were safe, and the people she loved were alive and healing.
As they walked back toward Jason’s car, hand in hand, Olive allowed herself to believe that maybe—just maybe—the future held more promise than pain.
And for the first time since that terrible night eight years ago, she was ready to find out.
~~
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