Page 153 of I'm Watching You

Pete had traveled to Hanover searching for Lindsay. When he’d discovered she’d run away he’d gone to the Hines house and burned it to the ground. From then on, Pete’s mental health never fully recovered. All outward appearances suggested he was fine, but video journals found by the police revealed that he had a very troubled mind.

In the video diaries, Pete had ranted about his dead brother-in-law, about his own rage and his need forrevenge. In fact, arson investigators were able to link several unsolved fires to Pete.

Seeing Lindsay’s picture in the May article inInside Richmondhad snapped Pete’s hold on reality. He had believed the article had been a sign from God for him to become Lindsay’s Guardian. He had planted the cameras in Lindsay’s town house and had obsessively followed her. His surveillance had alerted him to Sam Begley. Pete had surreptitiously known of Sam’s obsession with gambling and it had been easy to lure him into a couple of bets on boxing fights. Pete had seen to it that Sam had lost. And then he’d used the doctor’s debts to force him to supply confidential information about patients. Police later found Sam’s body in the back of Pete’s van.

In the end, Pete’s obsession with Lindsay had destroyed Sanctuary Women’s Shelter, the haven Lindsay had created as a tribute to her mother. But ironically, she’d not have been alive today to rebuild another shelter if not for Pete’s fixation on her. If he had not been following her that hot day in July and figured out where Richard had taken her and called Jacob, Zack would never have found her alive. Richard would have brutally killed her, as he’d killed Claire, and Nicole and her baby would be back in California suffering under Richard’s iron hand.

Even the loss of Sanctuary was only temporary. A month ago, Dana and Sanctuary’s board of directors had given Lindsay the go-ahead to find a new location for another women’s shelter.

Lindsay stared down at her ring, and despite her best efforts to remain positive, thoughts of the teenage boy who had died because of Pete haunted her.

Zack detected her shift in mood. ‘What’s bothering you? Is it the ring?’

‘No, it’s perfect.’ She blew out a breath. ‘I still think of those boys my uncle shot.’ One had survived his wounds but the other had been buried. The wrenching funeral had attracted more than 500 mourners including Lindsay, Zack, and Jacob. ‘I just wish I could have stopped Pete from going over the edge.’

He tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. ‘You hadn’t seen the guy in over twenty years. How could you be responsible?’

‘Intellectually, I get that. Emotionally, I feel awful about what happened.’ When she was close to Zack, she felt as if she could get through anything. ‘I saw Jacob yesterday. He opened up a little about his feelings, but I can see the guy is a wreck.’

‘I’m glad he at least talked to you. He’s gone to the department shrink but I don’t think he’s saying anything more than he has to. He needs someone to trust.’

‘Trust is a tall order for him to fill right now. His mother left him scarred and Pete shattered what little trust he’d regained.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s odd. If my uncle had found me right after Mom’s death, Jacob would have been a kind of foster brother to me.’

Zack laid his hands on her shoulders. You’re good at getting people to open up. Keep talking to him. He’s going to need you.’

‘We’ve pieced together some of his life but not all of it. Peter Henry Myers was a complicated man.’

‘He cared about you both.’

‘Yeah.’ Lindsay felt the need to talk about something cheerier. ‘Enough sadness. Today is a happy day. Let’s get those burgers on the grill. I’m starving.’

He smiled warmly. ‘And after that, I vote we bag the boxes for today and try out that new bed.’

She glanced out the kitchen window onto the deck to the only splash of color in the backyard. He mother’s clay planters that Zack had rescued were filled with pansies and ivy. ‘Sounds good.’

Zack collected the burgers from the refrigerator. ‘Mom called this morning.’

Lindsay grabbed the hamburger buns from the bread basket. She and Audrey had shared a pleasant lunch last week. It felt good to be back in the Kier fold. Even Malcolm was warming to her. ‘And?’

‘She’d like to throw us a wedding.’ He shrugged. ‘She doesn’t want to put any pressure on us, but she’d like to see us married in a real church. She even wants to throw a reception at Zola’s.’

‘That’s very generous. I’d love to renew our vows, Zack, but finding the time to plan a big event is going to be kind of hard now. We have the house and we’re both busy with work.’

‘Mom wants to do the whole thing for us. It’s her gift to us. She’d wanted to do it after we first eloped but …’

‘We didn’t last long enough.’ Lindsay felt touched by her mother-in-law’s offer. ‘That’s really sweet of her.’

Zack grinned. The smile softened his normally serious features and gave them a boyish quality that had her heart skipping. ‘So that’s a yes?’

A soft breeze blew through the kitchen window and cooled her skin. ‘To remarrying you in front of all our friends and family?’ She nodded. ‘That’s a definite yes.’

‘And the party?’

‘It sounds fabulous. I’m ready for a whole new start.’