toe to send the porch swing rocking. Christmas lights from the Knox house made colorful spots on the cement. Through the large living room window, the tree sparkled.
The door opened and Bennett’s family poured out. Liz ran up to Emilia. The little girl’s eyes were shining. “We’re going to see the Christmas lights in town and have hot cocoa. Are you coming?”
“No, honey.” Emilia wanted to join them, but the shooting incident stopped her. Being with Bennett’s family was risky. On the ranch, there was security. Beyond the fence, anything could happen. “But tomorrow, I want to hear about your adventure. Make sure you remember all the details.”
“Okay.” Liz grinned and then hugged Emilia. “See you later.”
Bennett and his dad approached. Zeke patted Emilia’s shoulder. “Call if you need us, darlin’. We won’t be far.”
The fatherly touch and simple term of endearment brought sudden tears to Emilia’s eyes. She blinked them back, embarrassed by her reaction. Her emotions were running too close to the surface today.
“We’ll be fine, Dad.” Bennett joined Emilia on the swing, handing her a cup of apple cider. “Have a good time.”
With a final wave from the vehicles, the rest of the family left.
Emilia took a sip of the warm apple cider and sighed. “This is amazing. I have to get your mom to give me the recipe.”
Bennett wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. His chest was hard, and faintly, through the fabric of his jacket, she could hear the steady beat of his heart. The scent of his cologne wrapped around her like a blanket. It was soothing.
He pushed with his leg and the swing rocked gently. “What were you thinking about out here by yourself?”
“The case. What else?” She sighed. “Specifically, I was thinking about Jackie. She was terrified but refused to tell me why. In the kitchen, I gave her my card and told her to call me if she wanted to talk. But it’s bugging me. I got the impression she was scared of someone. But who?”
“I know. We’ve got three suspects and no clear evidence pointing to anyone.”
She tapped her fingers against the mug. “We’re missing something. How does the crime tie into the killer’s history?”
“What do you mean?”
“The murders are very specific. The cuts on the victims, painting their nails, the poinsettia. It’s ritualistic. Why does the killer do it? Who does the victim represent? A girlfriend? A mother? That’s the missing element. And Alice is the key. She knew all the suspects. It started with that party and her disappearance.”
“Marcy Nelson, Alice’s grandmother, comes back from her trip tomorrow. We can ask her.”
Emilia nodded. She was tempted to curl up next to Bennett and forget about the world for a while, but there was something else they had to talk about. She gripped her cup. “Bennett, I need to tell you something. This morning, when we kissed….”
Heat flooded her cheeks. The words she’d practiced saying wouldn’t come out of her mouth as nerves tightened her chest.
“It meant something to me too.” He slipped a hand in hers. “I have strong feelings for you, Emilia.”
Inside, her heart soared to hear the words spoken aloud. It confirmed her instincts and made her long for more than she could have. She squeezed his hand. “The same. I care about you, Bennett. My feelings are stronger and deeper than I’d like to admit to.” Her chin trembled. “But I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Because you can’t live in Fulton County.”
“No, I can’t.”
Bennett pushed the swing with his foot, sending them into a gentle swaying motion. The Christmas lights on the house winked. Emilia never talked about what she’d been through after escaping from the cabin and returning home, but with Bennett, things were different.
She took a deep breath. “After the attack last year, I suffered from bad nightmares. It was hard to leave the house, go to work, attend church. I saw a therapist and spent time in prayer. Once the therapist cleared me to go back to work, I told myself it was over. I didn’t have to think about it anymore. And that’s what I did. I blocked everything out, dove back into my work, and tried to create a normal life.”
“Did it work?”
“I thought it did. Spending time with you, being around your family…it makes me realize how lonely I’ve been.”
For decades. She’d been alone for decades.
“Growing up wasn’t easy. My parents, well, they weren’t really parents. My mom was a drug addict from the