Page 45 of Silverstorm

“Oh, what…” She refocused her gaze, and pursed her lips. “Yes, I’m fine. You’re right, Dean, this is good news. I’m glad he’s dead. And I’m glad you finally found his body.” She nodded. It was true. She didn’t feel the slightest bit of remorse or conflict about that man’s death. Even if he was her uncle.

“It means you can move on with your life now. Right?” Naomi said softly.

“Exactly.” Aria straightened her spine, letting a smile play over her lips as the realization hit her. She no longer had to look over her shoulder. She couldn’t wait to tell Jude. He might be more ecstatic than her, because she knew he’d been worried about Parker coming back more than he liked to admit. Worrying that he’d been the one to let him get away.

“I thought you might feel that way. You’re made of tough stuff, Aria Cusack,” Dean said, smiling proudly, almost as if she might be his own daughter. “It means my cattle will be safe out in that pasture again,” Dean added with a wink.

Aria had almost forgotten that was how this whole saga had started, with a few missing cows. After much investigation, and using Levi’s superior tracking skills, it seemed that Parker and Rocky had been camping in the hills for weeks, using the time to scout out the town, and to plot and plan their horrific scheme to kill Tango and abduct Iliana. All while living off the land so as not to arouse suspicion, using Dean’s cattle as a fresh meat supply.

Not for the first time, Aria wondered how things might’ve turned out if she hadn’t stumbled back into town three weeks ago, just as Parker and Rocky were preparing to put their murderous plans into action. Would the two of them have gotten away with their killing spree? Then disappeared back to Colorado, leaving an unsolvable trail of crime and confusion behind them? Because if Jude hadn’t become personally involved with Aria, and been so determined to find her, this may well have remained an unsolved case.

True to her word, she’d requested a DNA test. The results had come back to show that Rocky wasn’t her brother. Even though she knew that’d be the result, a tiny part of her had been so relieved to have it confirmed. But then her hands had begun to shake when she thought about what Parker might’ve done to her if he’d had that same information at his fingertips. He’d decided she was his daughter entirely on her looks. The dark hair and dark eyes. While it wasn’t completely clear why he’d decided Iliana wasn’t his daughter, it probably had something to do with the fact she had blonde hair and a slightly Roman nose, instead of the ski-jump nose that ran in the Cusack family. He’d killed Iliana on the shallowest of whims, which was what hurt Aria the most.

Aria had asked for DNA tests to be done on Iliana, too, and she’d cried when her results showed she was the daughter of Dimitra and Tango, even though she hadn’t cried over her own results. It was so bittersweet. Parker had been right. Iliana hadn’t been his daughter, after all. But then, neither had she.

There was a tap on the door, and Tom’s face appeared around the edge. “The sheriff and Deputy Wilder are on their way out,” he confirmed to Dean. Then he tipped his hat to Naomi and Aria. “Sorry, Aria, I know this must be another shock for you.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “And I must admit that I’m sick of all these surprises. If I live my whole life without one more surprise, I’ll be a happy woman.” She stood, her fingertips pressing on the desktop. “But I’m strong enough to handle one more. Shall we go and wait for the sheriff?”

“Ata girl,” Dean said, patting her on the back as she walked past. “I always knew you were made of tough stuff.”

Many hours later, Aria sank into the couch with a sigh, her mug of hot tea held tight between her palms. She was still living in the cottage in Jude’s backyard, and it was beginning to feel a little like home. It’d been a long, cold afternoon, but she was home now and finally free of Parker Gaudin. Once Hank and Jude had arrived, Tom and Dean had escorted the whole group of them—Naomi and Aria had insisted on going, too—using the ranch’s ATV’s up to where the body lay near the fence. Aria needed to see him. Needed to make sure he was dead.

Tom had stationed one of the new ranch staff to guard the site, and the young man looked to be more than glad to hand over to the sheriff and his deputy. Jude had been wary about Aria wanting to see the scene with her own eyes, but when she’d declared that this was her right, he’d gently, but insistently, taken her hand to lead her over to the bundle of clothes lying this side of the fence. Then he held her shoulders, letting her lean into him as the sheriff bent down and, with latex-glove-clad hands, gingerly lifted the hair away from the man’s face.

It was Gaudin. His features were unmistakable, even through his gaunt death mask. She gasped and pulled back, suddenly grateful for Jude’s steadying presence behind her. Thankfully, the wild animals hadn’t found him yet. Or perhaps it was the pervasive aura of evil that’d kept the animals away. But the body was intact, and it was definitely Parker. Vaguely, Aria wondered what had eventually killed him. The cold? Or his wound? Not that it really mattered. He was dead.

Once she’d seen the body and confirmed that the bane of her life was gone forever, she’d turned away.

“Are you okay?” Jude had asked softly.

“Yes.” She’d nodded at him, but then been surprised when he’d wiped a stray tear from her face. “I’m not crying for him,” she’d exclaimed. Because she wasn’t, she really wasn’t. “I think they’re tears of relief,” she added.

“Maybe they are,” Jude said, the concerned look not leaving his face. “But it might be better if you went back to the lodge with Naomi now, while Hank and I sort this out.” He smiled, bending his knees so he could look directly into her face.

He was so good to her, sometimes she thought he was her miracle. She wanted to kiss him right there, to let him know how much he meant to her. But the fact that the sheriff, plus Tom, the young ranch hand, and Dean and Naomi were watching put a brake on her emotions. Later. There’d be time for that later.

So she’d gone back to the lodge and waited for Jude. But he’d been caught up with waiting for homicide to come out to the body, and eventually she’d driven home by herself with Jude assuring her that he’d be there as soon as was humanly possible.

Now, she took a sip of the warming liquid and laid her head on the backrest. It was nice to have time to just think. The last two weeks had been a whirlwind. True to her word, Naomi had helped her plan Tango’s funeral, which’d been a small affair, just her, Jude, Dean and Naomi, Penny and Clayton, Levi and Cat, and a few other Stargazer staff, there to support Aria, as no one from the town even bothered to come. But that was oaky, Aria understood their reasons.

Iliana’s funeral had been another thing altogether, as so many people wanted to farewell her sister, the church had been overflowing. It’d been a shock to discover that Iliana was well-liked in town, but really it shouldn’t have been. Aria had been gone for eight years and had lost all touch with what was going on in town, but Iliana had stayed and formed a network of friends around her. By all accounts, she’d married a good man in Craig and had become an integral part of the small community. Aria was strangely proud of Iliana. Craig’s parents had been in town for Iliana’s funeral; they’d come to collect their son’s body and take him home for a service surrounded by all their family. They’d been absolutely devastated by their son’s senseless death, but also devastated by the loss of what could’ve been; the potential of a young family growing up on the farm, grandchildren for them to visit. It was all terribly sad. Aria and Jude had spent many hours trying to explain the reasons behind Iliana’s and Craig’s deaths, but the parents were beyond logical thought at that moment and couldn’t really understand why they’d lost their son. Perhaps Aria would fly out and visit them later, when they were ready to hear the whole story.

The most surprising thing was that part of Skyridge Farm had been left to Aria in Iliana’s will. Seeing as how the couple had no children, Aria was listed as her next of kin. But even so, Aria was shocked and a little awed. It showed her sister was still thinking about her. Even if Aria had felt their connection was broken, it hadn’t been completely severed, like she’d first thought. The rest of the farm belonged to Craig’s parents, and they’d already mentioned they’d consider selling the place, which was fine by Aria. For about ten seconds, she’d contemplated perhaps buying out the farm from the Doncasters; the house had been so beautiful and it’d called to something inside her when she’d visited that day. But then she decided she knew nothing about farming, and had no wish to live on a ranch all by herself. But with the money from the farm, and the money from Tango’s place—she was selling the family house too, the memories were just too strong for her to think she could ever live there—then she’d have enough to buy just about any house her heart desired. Which was an interesting concept.

But for now, she was quite happy where she was. Especially because Jude was here with her.

The conversation they’d had on the day of the ice storm still bounced around in Aria’s head like a ping-pong ball. Back then, she hadn’t been able to commit to him, had told him she needed time. And he’d given her that time, as well as the space she needed. He was always there for her, quietly supporting her through the funerals, helping her negotiate all the paperwork that went along with wills and estates and deaths and taxes. He’d been her rock. Never once asking her what her plans were for the two of them, letting her come to the decision on her own. He’d asked all the right questions about her pregnancy and the baby, but never pushing if she didn’t want to answer, and so she’d told him all about Beau and his despicable behavior. The way she’d run from Portland and found herself back in her hometown.

They hadn’t slept together since her abduction. Jude had been the perfect gentleman, not once overstepping the mark, even though she knew he wanted her. Not that she hadn’t wanted to have sex with him, because she did. And his reaction every time he held her close was completely obvious, from the tender way he stroked her face right down to the bulge in his trousers. But she wanted to make sure her reasons for sleeping with him were the right ones.

He deserved an answer from her. And an answer was what he was going to get.

She wanted Jude Wilder. Wanted him with all her heart and soul. Now she just had to find the right time to tell him. Maybe even tonight.

Speak of the devil, she thought as the door opened, letting in a cold blast of air, followed by the man himself. “Hi,” he said as he noticed her on the couch, giving her a special smile that was for her alone.

“Hi, yourself,” she replied, tilting her head back so she could watch him walk toward her.

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