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The ambulance drove away as Paul answered questions for the sheriff. He’d catch up with them at the hospital. They’d need a ride home.

When the sheriff took off in the squad car with Trevor Cain, Paul headed for his truck.

Melissa ducked into the driver’s side of Elise’s car. “Keys are here. I’ll take her car back by her house to pick up my truck. You’re going to the hospital, right?” Melissa grinned at Paul.

“Yeah. Thanks.” Now that he was free for the moment, he wondered if Elise would care to see him anymore. Had their one night of passion been a fluke? Adrenaline sex for tough times? Would she want anything to do with him after all that had happened?

Paul wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted to forget allabout North Dakota and Breuer. Heck, she’d probably want to pack up and leave as soon as she could. Start over once again.

His jaw tightened as he pulled out on the highway. Somehow, he had to convince her that she didn’t have to leave. That she could start over right here in Breuer. Maybe give their relationship more than a fighting chance. One thing was certain—he needed help.

CHAPTER 18

Elise satbeside Brandon in the waiting room of the emergency room at Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in San Antonio. Luke had a cold compress on his forehead and was sleeping, stretched across Elise’s lap. The doctor told her to wake him several times during the night in case of concussion, but that he should be all right.

Agent Melissa Bradley had called to tell her that someone would be there in a few minutes to take her home. She wouldn’t have to come into the police station to answer questions until tomorrow, when Trevor Cain was securely locked up in jail.

As she sat with one arm around Brandon and the other cradling Luke, she wondered if it was time to move on.

As if on cue, her cell phone rang. Hoping it would be Paul, she answered, her voice breathless. “Hello.”

“Alice!” Her sister’s voice shouted in her ear. “I just heard. Oh, my God, I can’t believe all this happened to you. I’m taking a leave of absence and getting on a plane in the morning. I would have been out tonight, but they’ve got some wind advisories keeping all planes from entering or leaving Minneapolis tonight.”

“It’s okay, Brenna. I’m fine, the boys are fine. It’s all over.”

“When I got the call from Fletcher, I couldn’t believe it. I should have been there with you.”

“Really, I’m okay.” Elise smiled, for what seemed the first time in a week. “You don’t need to come down here. You have to think of yourself and your baby. Flying at eight months pregnant probably isn’t a good idea. I’m sure you’d make the flight attendants nervous. Besides, they caught the guy.”

“That’s what I heard. I can’t believe it was another agent.” Her sister sighed. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’d feel better seeing you in person.”

Elise thought of the bruise on her cheek and Luke’s forehead and shook her head. The outward wounds would heal quickly. Getting Brandon and Luke over the trauma of the kidnapping might take a little longer. But they’d muddle through together. “No. We’ll be okay.”

“If you’re sure...”

“I’m sure.”

“I tried to call you earlier, but my cell phone reception stunk. I wanted to tell you that I’d spent the day onthe phone with a number of agencies and hospitals located along the Red River south of Riverton.”

Elise’s heart rate kicked up a notch. Although they’d captured the Breuer killer, they still didn’t have a definitive answer about her husband. For all she knew, he could still be out there, waiting for his chance to make her life hell. “Did they find anything?”

“Hospitals came up blank. But I found a small town along the river who’d recovered a John Doe skeleton just recently. They’d done a dental X-ray but couldn’t find a match locally. I had the North Dakota crime lab run a comparison against Stan’s dental records and guess what?”

Elise’s eyes filled with tears and her hand shook. “It matched?” she whispered, afraid voicing her heartfelt hopes, would jinx her yet again.

“It matched, sweetie. Stan Klaus is well and truly dead. You don’t have to run anymore.”

With her eyes blurred by tears, Elise didn’t see the group of people walking in the door. Brandon jumped up from his seat beside her, shouting, “Kenny! Alex!”

Elise brushed the moisture from her eyes and cheeks and looked up at a group of people walking toward her in the emergency room lobby. Principal Ford, Kendall and Alex.

“What’s going on?” Brenna asked in Elise’s ear.

“I have to go. I’ll call you back later.” Brenna kept talking, but Elise hit the off button and stood, hugging Luke’s sleeping body next to her. Had word gotten out?Had she been exposed for the serial killer’s wife? Was her entire world about to crash around her?

Principal Ford stepped forward. “Ms. Johnson...Elise.” She held out her arms and engulfed Elise in a giant hug, taking in Luke and her in the effort. Kendall and Alex crowded in, all trying to hug her, everyone talking at once.

The one face she didn’t see was Paul’s. When Melissa said someone would be there to pick her up, she'd thought it would be Paul. Throughout the outpouring of well-wishes, hugs and love, Elise tried to hide her disappointment.

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