Page 17 of Protected By the Lumberjack
We'll definitely be ordering something from town.
Right now, I'm more interested in making sure my woman knows I'm serious about putting a baby in her than I am in anything else in this kitchen.
Epilogue 1
Two Weeks Later
Honey
The news from the District Attorney's office is a little overwhelming and I'm glad I'm already sitting down as Deputy Hawkins fills us in.
"So that changes the game by a lot. Murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder... the prosecutor hasn't even finished writing out the full list of charges that Todd Olsen is facing."
Nathan Arnette--Todd's personal attorney, and accomplice-- bargained for a plea deal the minute he got his phone call. He still won't get off light, but he won't be facing life in prison like Todd will.
Turns out, the fire on the plane was planned. A minimal amount of technical knowledge and a lithium battery already known to be unstable, left on a charger inside a piece of luggage that was thrown in before the pilot and I boarded.
We were supposed to crash over the mountains. We were supposed to die. Both me and the pilot.
It was Todd's hail Mary attempt at getting the company and out of the lawsuit that had been draining us both dry.
The fact that there's no record of me being on the plane was a fluke. Just an honest mistake of someone who failed to write my name on a line on a piece of paper somewhere.
They thought they were home free when they heard the plane had been found with "no survivors" and immediately started working toward filing to take over the company.
That's a big problem for Todd's defense team, because it shows he knew I was on the plane. It's going to be tough for him to explain why he thought I was dead, when no one else even knew I was missing.
It was the internet that tipped him off, of course. Amateur sleuths poking around tipped off Arnette that I'd not only survived, but had amnesia.
The fiancé angle was their plan B; show up pretending to be my devoted fiancé, convince me we were in love, rush me to the altar-- or at least, just get the papers filed-- and with court-granted guardianship over me, due to my mental impairment from the amnesia, he'd be able to transfer the whole damn company into his control.
What they planned to do with me after that?
I shudder.
Carver's hand squeezes my shoulders to comfort me.
I assume my new husband would have played the grieving widow after he put me on another plane.
Todd and his buddy hadn't counted on Carver being in the picture. They found out about our relationship when Nathan contacted the Desperation County Sheriff's office to say he knew me.
That's how they knew to show up with the restraining order-- so they could get me away from Carver.
I reach for his hand and hold tightly.
He's been here to protect me since I collapsed in his camp. And I'm so grateful that he didn't give up when things looked bleak.
"The, um, legal team for the lawsuit is offering to turn over Olsen's interest in the company if you agree to cover the legal fees already incurred," Hawkins continues. "Apparently, they're keen to wash their hands of the guy."
"Yeah, my guys are already on that one. Thanks, Hawk." Carver stands, helping me to my feet like I'm a delicate little doll.
"You two coming up to the springs this weekend?" Hawkins asks as he follows us out of his office. "Finch is celebrating getting to name her pack. Alex and Marcia on the grill-- good chance for Honey to get to know everyone."
Finch Diaz is the deputy's sister-in-law, apparently the wolves I heard in the forest are a recently discovered pack and she's the one getting the credit for finding them, so the pack has been named for her.
I guess that's a big deal for a cryptozoologist. Even if they're just wolves and not the Bigfoot population that supposedly thrives in the mountains surrounding Moonshine Ridge.
Or the more recently reported "dogmen" that might just be the wolves-- or might be regular old humans that I'm lucky not to have run into before finding Carver, from what I've heard.
