nothing on Demi’s true identity.
It made Charles nervous, but relieved, too. Maybe whoever had been causing problems decided to move on to something else.
The twist in his gut told him he could hope for that, but not to stop watching his—or Demi’s—back just yet.
And the DNA results still hadn’t come in.
Owen said that he and their father were nagging the lab, promising to leave them alone as soon as they passed on the results. So far there’d been no word. Charles refused to get his hopes up that they would come through any time soon.
He gathered his fishing equipment from his garage and turned to see Owen’s orange Ford Raptor pickup pull into the drive. Victoria and their nine-year-old daughter, Paige, were with him.
Demi rode up on her bike just then and Charles found his attention centered on her. With windblown hair and pink cheeks, she looked about eighteen years old. He gulped then caught the knowing glint in Owen’s eyes.
Feeling the heat creep up his neck he focused on loading the equipment into the back of his truck. “Morning,” he called over his shoulder.
Demi parked the bike and greeted his brother and Victoria. Paige hopped out and slammed the door. “Can I help get the twins ready?”
“They’re already in their car seats.” Charles offered his niece a grin. “It was the only way I could get stuff ready.”
Demi smiled. “I could have come a little early and helped.”
“I appreciate that, but they’re in a good mood this morning so I handled it.” He turned to Paige. “But you can entertain them.”
The girl gave an eager nod and climbed in the car where she was greeted with two-year-old squeals of glee.
Charles felt the hair on the back of his neck spike and he glanced around. All morning, he’d felt the presence of someone lurking, spying, and the feeling was getting old. He didn’t spook easily, but the thought of someone watching him and the children made him jumpy.
He stared toward the cliffs where Olivia had fallen to her death and shuddered.
“Something wrong?”
Owen’s perceptive question made Charles blink and he forced a smile. “Nope. Not a thing. Let’s go have some fun.”
“I called Dad and told him we needed an extra rod for Demi. He said he had one hanging in the storage building behind his house and to stop by and pick it up.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
Demi stashed the bike in the garage and climbed in the vehicle with him. Paige decided to ride buckled in between the twins.
Charles cranked the truck and headed to his dad’s house. The sun continued to creep higher in the morning sky and the day promised to be a warm one. They’d shed their jackets in a couple hours, relax and maybe catch a fish or two.
A perfect day made even better because of the woman sitting beside him. “I’m glad you wanted to come with us. It took a little longer to get this trip lined up, working around Owen’s schedule and Victoria’s need to find someone to cover the shop, but I’m glad you decided you’d come.”
Demi smiled. “Sure. I don’t know if I’ve ever gone fishing before, but the adventure sounded too good to pass up.”
He laughed. “Yes, I’m sure adventure is the right word for it.”
A few minutes later, they pulled into his father’s drive. “Sit tight. I’ll just go in and get the rod.”
Demi nodded and Charles climbed from the vehicle.
Owen met him. “I want to get some tackle, too.”
Together the brothers entered the building and Charles went for the rods hanging on the wall while Owen opened the steel cabinet attached to the back wall.
Charles found a rod he thought Demi could use and turned to find Owen holding something and frowning at it. “What’s wrong?”
“These.”
Curious, Charles walked over for a look.
Several pictures of a couple, one holding a baby, stared back at him. “Where’d you find those?”
“In Dad’s tackle box on the bottom under a bunch of fishing stuff.”
Owen flipped
It made Charles nervous, but relieved, too. Maybe whoever had been causing problems decided to move on to something else.
The twist in his gut told him he could hope for that, but not to stop watching his—or Demi’s—back just yet.
And the DNA results still hadn’t come in.
Owen said that he and their father were nagging the lab, promising to leave them alone as soon as they passed on the results. So far there’d been no word. Charles refused to get his hopes up that they would come through any time soon.
He gathered his fishing equipment from his garage and turned to see Owen’s orange Ford Raptor pickup pull into the drive. Victoria and their nine-year-old daughter, Paige, were with him.
Demi rode up on her bike just then and Charles found his attention centered on her. With windblown hair and pink cheeks, she looked about eighteen years old. He gulped then caught the knowing glint in Owen’s eyes.
Feeling the heat creep up his neck he focused on loading the equipment into the back of his truck. “Morning,” he called over his shoulder.
Demi parked the bike and greeted his brother and Victoria. Paige hopped out and slammed the door. “Can I help get the twins ready?”
“They’re already in their car seats.” Charles offered his niece a grin. “It was the only way I could get stuff ready.”
Demi smiled. “I could have come a little early and helped.”
“I appreciate that, but they’re in a good mood this morning so I handled it.” He turned to Paige. “But you can entertain them.”
The girl gave an eager nod and climbed in the car where she was greeted with two-year-old squeals of glee.
Charles felt the hair on the back of his neck spike and he glanced around. All morning, he’d felt the presence of someone lurking, spying, and the feeling was getting old. He didn’t spook easily, but the thought of someone watching him and the children made him jumpy.
He stared toward the cliffs where Olivia had fallen to her death and shuddered.
“Something wrong?”
Owen’s perceptive question made Charles blink and he forced a smile. “Nope. Not a thing. Let’s go have some fun.”
“I called Dad and told him we needed an extra rod for Demi. He said he had one hanging in the storage building behind his house and to stop by and pick it up.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
Demi stashed the bike in the garage and climbed in the vehicle with him. Paige decided to ride buckled in between the twins.
Charles cranked the truck and headed to his dad’s house. The sun continued to creep higher in the morning sky and the day promised to be a warm one. They’d shed their jackets in a couple hours, relax and maybe catch a fish or two.
A perfect day made even better because of the woman sitting beside him. “I’m glad you wanted to come with us. It took a little longer to get this trip lined up, working around Owen’s schedule and Victoria’s need to find someone to cover the shop, but I’m glad you decided you’d come.”
Demi smiled. “Sure. I don’t know if I’ve ever gone fishing before, but the adventure sounded too good to pass up.”
He laughed. “Yes, I’m sure adventure is the right word for it.”
A few minutes later, they pulled into his father’s drive. “Sit tight. I’ll just go in and get the rod.”
Demi nodded and Charles climbed from the vehicle.
Owen met him. “I want to get some tackle, too.”
Together the brothers entered the building and Charles went for the rods hanging on the wall while Owen opened the steel cabinet attached to the back wall.
Charles found a rod he thought Demi could use and turned to find Owen holding something and frowning at it. “What’s wrong?”
“These.”
Curious, Charles walked over for a look.
Several pictures of a couple, one holding a baby, stared back at him. “Where’d you find those?”
“In Dad’s tackle box on the bottom under a bunch of fishing stuff.”
Owen flipped
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