Page 157 of Noel Secrets

Clay knew Darby would be glad to leave Suzanne behind if only the other woman would follow suit. Only knowing her behavior had nothing to do with these attacks against Darby meant her harassment would likely continue unless the chief could persuade Suzanne to be the one to back down.

He stood and turned to Dean on his way out. “And I hope you’ll remind your girlfriend of that too. Let’s end this rivalry now.”

Darby hadn’t had an easy life here in Sheraton, and Clay hoped she’d choose to leave this small town and all her troubles behind once this was over. She deserved better than Sheraton had ever given her.

Clay hopped into Cooper’s SUV and rode with him as they lead the team of Sheraton police officers to the Regency Hotel.

Once there, Clay led the group through the lobby then up the stairs as Chief Dean got a key from the front desk, in case Rushton had to be brought out by force. He didn’t. He opened the door at Clay’s knock then surrendered when Cooper showed him the warrant he’d obtained for his arrest on charges of conspiracy to commit abduction and murder.

Clay handcuffed him then led him downstairs and to the police cars waiting there. He maneuvered Rushton into the back of one of them while Cooper, Dean, and his team searched Rushton’s room and vehicle per the warrant.

“I want to call my lawyer,” was all Rushton said as Clay opened the car door and slid him into the back of a cruiser.

He nodded then closed the door. Rushton would have the opportunity to make that call at the station once he was booked and processed.

He turned as Cooper walked out with Rushton’s electronics—a laptop and cell phone. He would use those to gather further evidence against Rushton to corroborate the evidence he already had against him.

More evidence to make certain this man would never get out of prison. Never be able to harm Darby again.

He couldn’t wait to tell her.

He didn’t have to. She was waiting at the police station when Clay and Cooper walked Rushton in. She stood and watched as he was led inside in cuffs. Rushton didn’t acknowledge or even look her way. He held his head high like a man who felt justified in his wrongdoings.

Clay handed Rushton over to an officer for booking procedures then ordered him into an interview room. They would take another run at him to try to convince him to confess. It was doubtful he would. Because he’d asked for his lawyer, they couldn’t question him until the attorney arrived.

It would be a long day of deciding which jurisdiction would take precedence. Clay wanted the FBI to take prominence, only because he didn’t trust Chief Dean to put the full force of the department behind these attacks against Darby. Even if they didn’t, the FBI still had the conspiracy and abduction charges, since they’d crossed state lines.

Clay stopped to speak with Darby. “I’m going to be here a while.”

“It is true, Clay? Was it really him?”

He nodded. “Cooper found the evidence we needed to tie him to the threats against you. He was the one. It’s over, Darby.”

He saw her shoulders give and her head lower. When she lifted her eyes back to him, they were glistening with tears. Tears of relief.

He pulled her into a hug. “You’re safe, Darby. It’s over.”

She touched his face. “I’ll wait for you.”

“It’s going to be a long day. I’ll meet you back at the hotel.”

It would take hours to deal with this arrest at the police station, and he didn’t want her spending them on the station’s hard chairs. Plus, he didn’t want her to run into Suzanne again. She might show up at any moment.

Darby reluctantly agreed but they both felt something pulling them. Hope.

“It’s nearly over,” he whispered to her. “Just a few more hours to wrap this up.”

He walked her to her rental car and opened her door then watched her drive away.

A few more hours and she would no longer need his protection. She wouldn’t need him. But—dare he hope—she would still want him?

Dean walked to his office exhausted but hours from being able to go home. He rubbed his eyes. He’d spent four hours grilling Grant Rushton about his involvement in the attacks on Darby’s life. As far as he was concerned, he was the man behind the money, so he bore the blame. But Agents Walker and Cooper wanted more. They wanted all the names of the men who’d agreed to do the job, insisting that Darby wouldn’t be safe until all of them were in custody.

He walked into his office and found Suzanne sitting in a chair, flipping through a magazine. She’d propped her feet onhis desk, which irritated him. It was disrespectful and he’d asked her not to do it.

She noticed his glare and pulled her feet down then tossed the magazine aside as Dean slid into his chair behind the desk.

“You’ve been in there a long time. I’ve been waiting for over an hour. Are you finished?”