we’re after—the perp we’re hunting—he left that message for Chloe.”
Reese gaped. “When? Where? What the hell are you even talking about?”
“The Bad Deeds killer.” His hands were clenching and releasing. “He told the witness who saw him…he told her to tell Hastings… ‘Come and get me.’”
Reese rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t like that. Chloe didn’t mention that part to me.”
“I thought he was taunting her. Like some kind of challenge. But maybe it’s more.” He turned away. Shuffled back toward the guest house.
“More like what, Joel? Don’t leave me hanging!”
“More like…” He looked over his shoulder. “He’s a crazed, out-of-his-head, psycho killer who can’t stop himself, and he needs her to do it.”
Reese flinched. “Do not leave her.” A rough warning.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“You were hired to protect her. No matter what happens—personally—between the two of you, swear to me that you’ll keep her safe.”
That was easy enough. “I swear, I will keep her safe.”
Reese’s head moved in a jerky nod. He turned and fumbled with the door handle.
Joel felt rooted to the spot. “You’re not her biological brother, are you?”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m her brother, and I would do anything for her.” He had the door open.
“And I’m not the enemy. If I’m supposed to protect her from every threat out there, don’t you think I shouldn’t be wasting time wandering around in the dark? Don’t you think you all need to trust me with the secrets you carry?”
Reese hadn’t stormed inside. He was lingering. Hesitating. So Joel pushed his point. “I can protect her better when I know everything. If you really want her safe, if you really love her—”
“Morgan Fletcher.”
“Who in the hell is that?”
“The man she almost married. Make sure he never, ever comes close to her again.” Reese rushed inside. Shut the door. A little too hard.
For a moment, Joel didn’t move at all.
The man she almost married. Tension knotted his muscles. His temples throbbed a little harder. Chloe had nearly married someone?
He stalked back to his place. Threw open the door. Started to head back to the bedroom. Stopped.
His laptop was still on the desk. It would take like…two minutes to do a quick search on Morgan Fletcher. He could spare two minutes.
He yanked open the laptop. His fingers flew over the keypad.
So, yes, this is what jealousy feels like. A hot, angry knot in his stomach.
There were probably lots of Morgan Fletchers in the world. Tons of them. What had he been thinking? It would probably take longer than two minutes to find Chloe’s Morgan.
Not her Morgan.
But…
It didn’t take long. Not long at all. Less than two minutes, in fact. Because the first result that popped up in his search…
Criminal defense lawyer Morgan Fletcher is presumed dead after his yacht capsized off the Boston coast.
Joel swallowed. Read a few more articles. Even managed to find…
Morgan Fletcher had been scheduled to sail with his fiancée, Chloe Hastings, but due to a family emergency, she was unable to venture out with him. Authorities believe an electrical malfunction caused the yacht to…
More articles and then…
After an exhaustive five-day search, the Coast Guard suspended the search for Morgan Fletcher. The family is asking for privacy at this time as…
There was a picture with that story. A photo of a handsome man with sun-streaked, blond hair. Dark eyes. Wide, charming smile. He had his arms around a dark-haired woman. She was staring up at him ever so solemnly even as he looked at the camera, so only her profile was available. But it was a profile that Joel would have recognized anywhere.
Chloe.
Chapter Nineteen
“You seem oddly quiet today.” Chloe climbed off the motorcycle and toyed with the helmet. “Is something wrong?”
Joel took the helmet from her. Rolled back his shoulders and stood at her side. “Hard to talk when we’re driving so fast.”
“Yes, certainly, but…” Something was off. She could see the tension in the tightness of his jaw. “What happened?”
Joel glanced toward the tidy, brick house that waited behind two oak trees. The giant trees were heavy with swaying Spanish moss. “Nothing happened. What was the librarian’s name again?”
“Judith Key.”
He advanced for the house.
She grabbed his arm. “If you regret what happened between us last night, then it will not happen again.” She spoke quickly, wanting to get this out fast. “You needn’t worry about—”
He spun toward her.
Oh.
That wasn’t regret in his stare. She hadn’t been able to see his eyes during their tense ride. But now that she was staring straight