Wyatt swallowed hard and forced himself to review the article as if he were a subjective reader. He scanned the bits he knew all too well, searching for the exact location of the crime. But the journalist only named the Blue Ridge Mountains as the police hadn’t released many details at that point. He moved on to the article in the next day’s paper.
A fist tightened around his chest at the sight of his mother’s beautiful picture.
It was a full five seconds before he could tear his gaze away long enough to read the article. It contained a few more details. The suspect was still at large. More background about his mother. Wyatt was also mentioned, but not by name, as he’d been a minor at the time.
Finally, in an edition a couple weeks out from the crime, an article declared that the culprit had been apprehended in Florida. A regurgitation of the crime turned up a few new details, but nothing regarding its location.
He kept going, searching for other articles, but the subsequent ones focused on the trial and prosecution of Gordon Kimball.
Wyatt turned off the machine. He’d learned nothing helpful, and the search had come at a cost. Sweat beaded his forehead, and his palms were cold and clammy. But the worst of it was the memories that had been stirred up. A necessary evil, he knew. He would have to dig it all up—feel it all—if he wanted to reach the other side of this and finally reclaim his life.
Chapter Seven
Molly smiled as she pulled the door shut, feeling rather smug about the way she’d set up her sister on a walk to town with the hunky guest. She stowed the dirty towels in the cart, pushed it into the laundry room, then started a load of sheets and towels. That done, she grabbed the bag of garbage and hauled it downstairs.
At the front desk Levi looked up from the computer. “Hey, you got a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Robin sent the pictures this morning. Did you see them?”
“Yeah, they turned out great.”
“Did you get the listing written up yet?”
“It’s only been a day, Levi.”
“I know, but the sooner we get it online, the sooner we’ll have a buyer.”
“Somebody’s eager to get out to LA.”
“I have a prospective job—a commercial construction company. They want to interview me about a position that’ll be opening up soon.”
“Hey, that’s great.” The thought of Levi leaving for good weighted her chest. This was happening so fast. But it was the plan. She was leaving too. They’d all be going their separate ways. “I’ll get the listing written up today.”
“Thanks.”
Molly picked up the bag of trash and headed toward the back door.
“Hey, one more thing,” Levi said. “What’s up with that Wyatt guy?”
“What do you mean?”
“It seemed like there was something strange going on between him and Grace earlier.”
Molly lifted a brow. “That was just tension, Levi. Good ol’ sexual tension.”
He flinched, the thought of his baby sister experiencing attraction no doubt making his stomach heave.
“I was glad to see it going both directions,” she said. “I haven’t seen anyone turn her head like that before. That’s some stare he has, huh?”
“What stare?”
“Never mind. You wouldn’t understand. I’m taking this out, then heading home.” She started down the hall.
“Wait. What do we know about him?”
Molly paused again. “We know he’s a guest. And his name is Wyatt.”
