I guess I know where Mr. Allen got all his niceness.
Flint comes up beside me and wraps his arms around me. He whispers in my ear. “You did that. You got him out of that warehouse and put him in touch with his family. He reached out to the right person that night on the beltline.”
I glance up at him, thrilled that everything worked out for Daniel. I’m also grateful that Flint and I ended up together. All’swell that ends well, for everyone except Anthony Terrance and his sons. Anthony and his sons are in federal custody and the case keeps growing. Once the investigation got warmed up, all kinds of illegal skeletons began falling out of their closets.
When the whole family walks back into the house, Lauren hangs back. She rushes down the steps and right up to me, throwing her arms around me. “I am so sorry. I never should have doubted you, Jules.”
I pat her on the back and try to appease her worries. “You already apologized for that days ago.”
“I appreciate you not holding a grudge about that. Getting a new uncle is the best thing that’s ever happened to our family, and we have you to thank for it.”
“I was glad to help. But your uncle has an amazing story to tell about how he got here. You should go in and listen to it.”
“Really?”
I nod. “Yes. I wouldn’t lie about something like that. Your uncle has had a pretty interesting life. I’ll bet he’s got tons of interesting stories.”
She glances back at the door and gives me one last hug before running back inside the house.
Mr. Allen comes back down the walk, passing his daughter along the way.
“Jules, wait. I want to thank you,” he calls out.
Stopping in front of me, a little out of breath, he puts both his hands on my shoulders and looks at me with a warm smile on his face. Now that we’re standing face-to-face and I’vespent a couple of days with Daniel, I notice all the tiny details that distinguish the two of them. He has a tiny mole on his right temple that Daniel doesn’t. Their hairline is a tad different. And Daniel has a scar running through one eyebrow while his brother’s is smooth and flawless.
“I want to tell you that when I got the call that night that you saw someone who looked like me being shoved into the trunk of a car on the beltline, it never occurred to me that it was anything more than a case of mistaken identity.”
“Yeah, I was starting to think the same thing. But the similarity between the two of you was impossible to dismiss.”
His hands drop from my shoulders, and a pained expression jumps onto his face. One hand comes up to rest against his chest, his fingers digging into his body a bit. “I feel terrible for not taking you more seriously that night. I should have gone to the police station and helped you sort the situation out.”
“Look, I know that it must have sounded like an absurd story, and it came at you in the middle of the night. You were probably still half asleep.”
“I’m so grateful that you refused to let it go. That you cared enough about a total stranger to rally help and keep searching until you found him. You saved my brother for me when I didn’t even have the presence of mind to know I had one.”
“It was my pleasure.” Bringing one hand up to my mouth, I try not to let my emotions get the better of me.
He pulls me into another hug that lasts a beat or two too long. He pulls back and then reaches past me and grips Flint’s hand.
“You’re always welcome in my home as well. Take care of Jules.”
“I will, and remember, we’re always here for you and your family if you need anything as well.”
Robert nods once. “Thank you for saying that. Are you sure you won’t come in and visit for a while?”
“Sorry, we have other plans for today,” Flint responds. “Today should be about Daniel. Your family has a lot of catching up to do.”
“Very true,” he agrees before reaching out to give me another brief one-arm side hug.
Flint and I get back into the car feeling pretty good about ourselves. He starts the car and eases out onto the road.
“I’m so ready for some us time. Where is this beach house you booked for us?”
I punch the address into the navigation system, and it begins directing us to the rental.
“It looks like we are forty-eight minutes away. It should be a relaxing drive.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to get used to riding in a cage.”
