Page 91 of The Deputy's Secret Double

But, it had been Elle Ortiz who had been the one to lead them to it.

Josiah’s adoptive parents hadn’t simply been strangers that had wound up with him. Instead, his adoptive mother had been a nurse at a scared Elle Ortiz’s hospital bedside as her health declined. In the little time she had left, she had convinced the young couple to not only adopt her son, but to keep his origins a secret. Then, with the money given to her in guilt by Lawson Cole’s father, she had orchestrated an airtight paper trail that would purposely throw off anyone who might come looking.

But, her last and most heartfelt request had been kept in a small wooden box with a few keepsakes she was promised would stay with her son.

The first had been Able Ortiz’s wedding band.

The second had been Elle Ortiz’s engagement ring.

The third had been Lydia Ortiz’s earring.

The fourth had been a key. She hadn’t known what it belonged to but had believed it was important.

And it had been, but only one person had been able to figure out where it led.

Riker Shaw hadn’t been able to save his best friend or his wife, but he had been the one to figure out Able Ortiz’s makeshift hiding place for all the evidence against the Coles’ organization. It had taken a month to track down, but he had done it. Not only was the group being dismantled, the growth that had happened after Able’s passing had been halted by the fact that Lawson was giving everyone’s secrets away for his attempt at a lighter sentence.

JJ had mused one night that, in the end, he had become the most destructive evidence against himself.

She wasn’t wrong.

The investigation was still ongoing but the fear that they would become targets had gone. That was largely thanks to a deal struck to keep the Ortiz family’s and Riker’s names out of everything attached to it. The last deal that Riker Shaw made for his best friend’s family.

JJ had admitted she was okay with keeping the name JJ instead of changing back to Lydia.

“As much as I love the name my parents gave me, I wouldn’t be where I am without JJ,” she’d said. “It feels more wrong than right to give her up.”

Price was wondering how she would feel becoming a Collins, but had decided to wait until after he proposed. Which he planned on doing in the near future. With the same ring that had belonged to her mother.

“I know I can’t remember her, but I feel like Mom would have wanted JJ to have this,” Josiah had told him when it had become evident to everyone just how much Price had fallen for JJ. He’d pulled him aside one Sunday dinner and handed the engagement ring over. “I’d like to keep Dad’s ring, though, if you don’t mind. Whether I wear it or pass it down to my kids, I’d like to hang on to him a bit longer.”

Price had thought that was an idea that the late Ortiz parents would enjoy.

It also gave Riker an opening to pull him aside and officially give the father-in-law speech to him.

“You’ve seen her fight, you’ve seen her think, so I don’t have to tell you that you’ll be sorry if you ever wrong her,” Riker had said. “But, on the off chance that isn’t enough, let me tell you that if you ever hurt that little girl of mine, you’ll have to deal with me right after.”

His words had been nothing but intimidating—and accepted.

Though, six months later when Riker would walk JJ down the aisle at their wedding, he’d be blubbering like a baby.

But now, sitting in his truck, Price’s wandering thoughts wandered right into the hand he took in his.

“If you think this is a dream, then let me show you it isn’t.”

Price leaned over and kissed the woman he loved. He felt her smile into it. When he broke the kiss, he was smiling too.

“Satisfied now?” he asked.

JJ surprised him with a laugh and a shrug.

“I guess,” she said. “Though, I wouldn’t say no to you trying to convince me a little more later tonight.”

Price let out a bite of laughter.

“That, I can do.”

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