Page 108 of Healed Heart

I spread the notes out on the coffee table.

He crouches down beside me.“They’re similar,” he agrees, running a hand over his stubbled chin.“There’s a consistency in the letter formation.”

“And with Lindsay’s note,” I say.“It looks like he made an effort to make the writing a little more feminine, but there are still similarities.”

He nods slowly, his gaze more intense than ever.“You’re right.The way the letters dip.But it’s still much more precise than the handwriting in that sample from Lindsay’s journal.”His voice trails off as realization dawns on his face.He stands and paces, ruffling his hands through his hair.“It was Ralph all along.”

“What are we going to do?”

He sighs.“I don’t know.Blake has his investigators on it, trying to find out who actually beat Ralph to a pulp.Plus, Ronny Burgundy’s fingerprints should be on file back in New Jersey from when he was arrested for stalking Lindsay.But he may have been a minor then, which means the documents are probably sealed.”He shakes his head.“Maybe he was arrested again.”

“Or maybe he wasn’t a minor.He could have been eighteen already.He and Lindsay were seniors together, right?”

“Yeah.”Jason nods.“Blake’s looking into all of it.Even if we can get Ronny’s fingerprints, we have to get Ralphs’s as well.”

I point to the notes.“They’re probably on there.”

“Along with both of ours and who knows who else’s,” he says.“Plus this is regular notebook paper.It’ll be hard to get prints from it.”

“Crap,” I say.Then a lightbulb in my head.“I’ll go see him in the hospital again.Grab something from his room.Like a cup or something.”

“No,” Jason says.“You’re not going near him.I’ll do it.”

“Or we could let Blake get someone to go in and grab something.He’ll be on alert with either of us.”

Jason sighs.“Yeah, you’re probably right.I’m paying this attorney a ridiculous amount of money?—”

“Don’t worry about the money,” I interrupt him.“I’ve got it covered.”

His brow wrinkles.“Fuck no, Angie.This isn’t your problem.It’s mine, and I’m taking care of it.I have the money.”

I want to push.Tell him that Blake’s fees are mere pennies to me.

But Jason is proud.

So instead, I say nothing.I let him keep his pride intact, knowing it’s one of the few things he has control over amidst the chaos.

One day, we’ll be married, and his debts will be mine.

AndthenI’ll pay off his bills.

My goodness.I can’t believe I just had that thought.

Marrying Jason.Living with him.Waking up every morning to his beautiful, sculpted face.

Having his babies, growing old with him.

The thought parts the storm clouds in my mind just a touch.

But as wonderful as they are, none of them will happen unless we get back down to business here.

“What do we do from here?”I ask.

“We’ll take it one step at a time,” Jason says, sounding like he’s trying to convince himself as much as me.“We’ll figure it out.”

But there’s a wariness in his eyes that wasn’t there before, a fearful recognition of the dangerous game we’re playing.Ralph isn’t just some minor antagonist anymore—he’s a threat, a potential murderer.And until we can prove it and put him behind bars, we’re both in danger.

Jason gives Blake a quick call, and we arrange to meet him in an hour.