Page 69 of High Country Escape

Half an hour later, the Ames siblings, minus Bethany, stood on a patio outside the hall where the reception dinner was to be held. They held glasses of champagne and watched as,in the distance, the bride and groom and parents posed for photographs.

Aaron and Willa moved over to stand beside Dalton and Roxanne. “Some news today, about Debra Percy,” he said.

“Oh?” Dalton still wasn’t sure what to think about Debra. He knew she had recovered from her injuries and moved back to San Antonio. He expected they would see her again at William Ledger’s trial, though that had not yet been scheduled.

“What news?” Roxanne asked.

“She was right about her sister, Bettina,” Aaron said. “She was Ledger’s first victim—or at least, the first we know about. The owners of the house he lived in at the time decided to remodel and found her body buried in the crawl space.”

“That’s so sad,” Roxanne said. “Though at least now Debra and her family know. I hope that brings her the closure she was looking for.”

“Can we talk about something more cheerful?” Willa asked. “After all, we’re at a wedding.”

Carter and Mira joined them. “I saw Sarah Michaelson today,” Mira said. “She looks happy and her mother says she’s doing well.”

“I’m so glad to hear it,” Roxanne said. She nudged Dalton. “Dalton has some good news.”

“What is it?” Carter asked. “Are you coming back to work at the tour company?”

“No.” Dalton had stopped giving tours after Roxanne was found. He couldn’t face giving another cheerful spiel at the site where he had almost lost her. He looked into his empty champagne glass, then set it on a side table. “I’m starting my own software company.”

“He had big offers for both his first responder and resort reservation programs,” Roxanne said. “But he’ll do better marketing them on his own.”

“We’ll do better.” Dalton put his arm around her. “We’re starting the business together.”

“What are you going to call the business?” Carter asked.

“We’re thinking Ames Solutions,” Dalton said.

“I thought you said you were starting the business together,” Willa said. She turned to Roxanne, who was grinning. “Or does this mean you’re going to be changing your name?”

Dalton took her hand in his. “We don’t have a ring yet. We didn’t want to steal Bethany’s thunder at her wedding, so don’t go spreading this around. But yeah, we’re engaged.”

“I’m so happy for you.” Willa moved in for a hug, followed by Mira, and then Aaron and Carter.

“Mom’s going to be over the moon,” Carter said.

“So don’t tell her yet,” Dalton said. “We want to keep things low-key for a while longer.” He kissed Roxanne’s knuckles.

She lifted her glass in a toast. “To a wonderful future,” she said.

“To a wonderful future.” Dalton no longer had a glass of champagne, but he drank from hers. This was what he wanted for the future—them sharing in everything, good and bad. No matter what happened, they were both stronger together.