Page 120 of Wood Riddance
“You forgot your ball,” Richard grumbled.
She spun on her heel and watched as he tossed it at her. With his left arm.
Jackpot.
“Have a good night, Richard,” she said sweetly before walking back toward the shop.
Chapter41
Adele
“Ineed to talk to him.” As the pieces clicked into place, I knew in my bones Richard had been involved. Not only because he was left-handed, either. The comment Parker had made about his fight with my dad had bothered me. It had also struck me as odd that he’d let his criminal nephew work off the books at our camp. In his position, he was expected to follow the letter of the law and set a good example for his subordinates. That was not the kind of behavior my father or Henri would have tolerated.
Henri and Paz may not have seen him for who he really was, but I did. And it was time for answers.
“No.” Finn’s voice was more firm than I’d ever heard it. “We’re going to the police.”
Oh, Finn. Sweet, naïve Finn. All tall and strong with his do-gooder military training. No amount of long hair and tattoos could hide his inherently good nature. He was a rule follower through and through. A man who respected the way things should be.
And while I loved those things about him, we were far past that stage.
“I’ve been to the cops,” I explained. “You know what their response was? They mansplained brakes to me and questioned my conclusions.”
His sharp intake of breath was reassuring. “Shit.”
“Yes. So if I could just talk to Richard—”
Finn held a hand up. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. Richard is left-handed, but we don’t know that he’s the one who tampered with the brakes. Wasn’t he your dad’s best friend?”
It was true. He had been Dad’s best friend for years, and he’d worked for our family for even longer. Even now, he held a position of authority. Henri and Paz trusted him. “Yes. But things have been different since Dad died.”
In my head, it was simple. I’d go over to his house and ask a few questions, and that would be it. Richard wasn’t a murderer. He had probably gotten caught up in illegal activity. His nephew had been trafficking opioids across the border from Canada, after all. But surely once he understood the ramifications and how serious the issue was, he would have untangled himself from that web.
“I need to talk to him. To see what he knows,” I reasoned.
But Finn wasn’t buying it. His jaw was clenched as tight as his fists. Shit. My gentle giant was getting upset. He was protective. I couldn’t deny I loved the security of being in his arms and in his heart, but I could handle this.
“No. Let’s review the evidence and talk to Parker before taking any more steps. Maybe she can put us in touch with the FBI team. Surely there’s something they can do.”
“No way.” I shouted, my anger taking over. “They won’t do shit. Two years, Finn. I’ve been staring at those brakes for two years.” I was shaking. Didn’t he understand?
From across the kitchen, he assessed me. Those icy eyes said everything his words could not.
“I swear. I’ve got this feeling that he knows something. If I can get to him, he will crack.” The urge to stomp my feet was overwhelming, but I held myself in check. My emotions were running wild and nausea was creeping up inside me again.
He crossed the kitchen and gently grasped me by the shoulders. “Adele, I need you to look at me and listen carefully.” Ducking his head, he waited until I obeyed. His brow was furrowed and his expression was so earnest. “You can’t do that. He could be dangerous. You cannot take those risks. You’re pregnant, for God’s sake. Please, please, can we sit with this information and work together to figure out the next steps?”
I scanned his handsome face. He was so worried and so scared. I’d truly never seen him like this.
And then it hit me.
This wasn’t about me. It wasn’t about him. It was about us. The two of us and our baby. He was right. We didn’t know if Richard was dangerous. And while I was almost certain he wasn’t, it didn’t matter. It was not a call I got to make on my own. Finn and I were a team now.
I loved him and respected him. And I wouldn’t put myself or our baby in danger.
“I’m sorry,” I said, tears welling in my eyes and blurring my vision. “I’m so sorry.”
Without a word, he pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on the top of my head.
