Deadly Touch - Heather Graham Page 0,106

I never wanted to dirty my hands. To make a kill. Jordan and Tate couldn’t take it. Especially after they killed that Jennifer girl. Jordan—he loved her—he was going to ruin it all. You have to understand. It’s one of the most prestigious law firms in the state, in the country. I’m sorry.”

He took Loretta’s gun from where it lay beside her body, and he took aim. Axel jerked Raina back, raising his own gun.

Jefferson Fielding’s shot hit the tree.

And he didn’t get a chance to fire again.

Titan was on him like a mountain lion, snarling, his jaw clamped around the man’s forearm. The gun fell to the ground, and Jefferson was dragged to his knees by the animal.

Axel darted forward, covering Jefferson with his weapon, and shouted at him. “Don’t move!”

Raina stood, calling to the dog. With a final shake, Titan let go and came to her side.

Andrew reached them at last, his boat pulling up with another behind his, bearing Jon and Kylie and emergency medical technicians.

Axel shouted quick warnings and explanations.

Jon went to handcuff Jefferson Fielding while Andrew hurried with the EMTs back to Tate Fielding.

Loretta Oster was dead.

That much was clear.

And Jordan...

Raina was moving to his side again when Axel caught her arm.

“Wait,” he said softly.

Because the ghost of Jennifer Lowry was there again. She stood by the fallen form of Jordan Rivera, then knelt down beside him, laying her cheek against his back, weeping softly.

Then something happened.

Something Axel had never witnessed before, with all he had seen.

Jordan was dead; he couldn’t rise.

And yet he was rising. Some part of him—his soul. His spirit.

He stood as if confused for a moment. Then he saw the ghost of Jennifer Lowry down by his body.

He said her name softly.

She looked up and saw him, and a smile lit her face. He offered his hand to her. She took his hand and stood and went into his arms.

They were locked together in an embrace for all time.

Then they moved apart just a bit and Jordan turned and saw Axel and Raina.

He smiled.

“You died for me,” Raina whispered. “Oh, Jordan, I’m so sorry.”

Jordan smiled and managed to speak. “No, I died for me. Because I could not bear what was being done. Because I did not stop it.”

He turned back to Jennifer.

“We’re together,” he said with amazement.

She nodded, the love in her eyes obvious as they stared into his.

They locked hands, and started to move.

The airboats were providing light, but the sun was almost completely down.

And the moon was rising.

A strange, soft, yellow-gold light seemed to shine just between a few of the trees edging against an overgrown trail.

Together, the ghosts seemed to disappear into the light.

“Does that mean...?” Raina asked.

“I don’t know,” Axel told her. “It might mean they have moved on, together at last. Or it might mean they will now become another legend of haunting in the Everglades. I’m not sure. But I do know they really loved one another, and they’re together now.”

She nodded.

“I’ll have to believe that he’s happy.”

“I do believe he’s happy,” Axel said.

Andrew walked over to them. He hadn’t seen any of what had gone on with Jordan; he’d just seen to it that Tate Fielding was on his way to the hospital.

Jon had the other Fielding in custody. He was cuffed now, and a Miccosukee police escort had come to take him away.

“And so it’s over,” Andrew said. “And just beginning.”

Axel nodded.

“Just beginning?” Raina asked.

Andrew glanced at Axel and then explained, “There are going to be a lot of arrests in this case. Angela reached me again. They’ve made a money connection in the matter of Peter Scarborough’s murder. His widow will be going to prison—murder for hire. From what she’s gotten in the Jennifer Lowry case, Loretta managed to meet up with Roger Martinez while Frank was seeing the dentist. Martinez was the second killer in Jennifer’s murder. He wanted her gone because, in secret, he hated her and coveted her position. He hated the way the patients and the dentist loved her. Meanwhile, Loretta wanted Jennifer dead. She was a rather jealous person, it seems. Frank had wanted to buy Jennifer a drink. That had clinched the deal for Loretta. All she needed was a second so she could carry out her plans.”

He hesitated, looking at Raina. He cleared his throat and continued. “Angela has been talking to your brother, who is putting together dossiers that will have to do with the case. He isn’t going to be the prosecutor—he