Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,32

her a glance in the mirror, but thankfully she didn’t have to explain herself because Gunnar took the final turn to her place.

Ashlyn automatically moved closer to the window when her house came into view. Before the attack, there’d been only good memories here, but now she could hear the sounds of those gunmen. Feel the hit from the stun gun. And the terror. Most of all, she remembered the absolute terror of them taking Cora.

She jolted when Eli slipped his hand over hers. Obviously, she was past being just on edge. Ashlyn had never had a panic attack before, but she was worried that it might happen now.

“We don’t have to do this,” Eli said, his voice a soothing whisper. She wanted to latch onto it. Onto him. So she gripped his hand harder and steeled herself.

“I hate them,” she murmured. “The gunmen. Even though they’re dead, I hate them for bringing this to my home.” She shook her head to try to clear it. “I won’t let them take this away from me.”

“Good.” Eli’s voice wasn’t so soothing now. “Don’t let the SOBs take away anything from you. You’re tough. Hell, you survived getting shot. And you can get through this.”

She looked at him to see if it was lip service. But it wasn’t. She could tell that from his fierce expression and his eyes. Ashlyn was about to say he was wrong, that she wasn’t tough, but she rethought that. She would do anything—anything—to keep her daughter safe, so that meant she could get through this.

Gunnar pulled to a stop in front of her house and looked back at Eli and her. “Why don’t I check on the horses? I can make sure they’re fed and have water. Ashlyn, you can pack the things you need.”

Considering that Eli agreed so quickly, it meant Gunnar and he had likely already worked this out so that she’d be in the house and not out in the open. Ashlyn didn’t argue, but she hoped she got at least glimpses of the horses so she could see for herself that they were okay.

Just as they’d done the other times at Jack’s house, Eli moved her fast from the cruiser to her front door—after Gunnar had already opened it. She was outside for only a couple of seconds while both Eli and Gunnar protected her. Ashlyn hated that they had to put their lives on the line for her like that, but maybe they’d get answers soon so that Eli could make an arrest.

Gunnar did a quick check of the house, something that sent her heart pounding because it was a reminder that someone could have broken in. Someone who might be still be there and was lying in wait for them.

But nothing, thank goodness.

Once he’d finished his search, Gunnar went straight out the back door, hurrying, no doubt so he could finish the chores and get them out of there fast. Ashlyn headed to her bedroom and tried not to focus on the signs of what had been a struggle between her and the gunmen. A broken lamp and toppled furniture.

Eli stayed right next to her as she walked down the hall, but he stopped in the doorway of her bedroom when his phone dinged with a message.

“We got the approval we needed to exhume Marta’s body,” Eli relayed to her. “They’ll start digging soon.”

Which meant that it wouldn’t be long before they had answers. If Marta was truly alive, then that would start a whole new investigation.

She grabbed a suitcase from her closet and stuffed in some clothes and then went into the adjoining bathroom to do the same with her toiletries and meds. When she came back out, she saw Eli glancing at the books on her nightstand while he kept watch at the window.

“Parenting books,” she explained, though Eli could easily tell that from the titles. “I wanted to do everything right. I didn’t want to take a chance of messing it up. It’s the most important thing I’ve ever done.”

Eli didn’t seem surprised by that. Probably because even in high school she’d mentioned that someday she wanted kids.

“I’ve seen how you are with Cora, and you’re a great mom,” he said, his glance going to her this time.

Ashlyn wasn’t sure why that felt like such high praise coming from him. And then she remembered something else. “You wanted kids, too.” But the moment the words left her mouth, she winced. After that kiss, he might think she