Pain and grief twisted at Ginny. “No, she wouldn’t.”
“I think she’d want you to live your life and be happy. To show this bastard that he didn’t break you.”
“He has to be punished,” Ginny said.
“Yes, he does.” Griff took another step closer to her. “He deserves to rot in prison. To have to face the people he hurt and live with that every day.”
Emotions tore at Ginny, pulling her in different directions. Griff was right. But could she let Robert live? She’d wanted revenge for so long, she didn’t know what to do with herself without it.
She heaved a wary breath. “How did you get past the anger?”
“I still get angry,” Griff admitted. “But I have my brothers.”
“That’s just it,” Ginny said in a pained whisper. “I have no one.”
Griff placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re not alone, Ginny. You have me.”
His soothing words helped heal her battered soul, and her rage dissipated. Griff was right. Her sister would want her to live her life for her.
She lowered the gun, but just as she did, Robert lunged toward her.
“Very touching, you tramp,” he snarled.
Griff gripped Ginny’s arm to pull her out of the way, then a gunshot sounded.
Jacob. Robert went down with a loud shout of pain, hugging his leg. Griff eased the gun from Ginny and covered Jacob while Jacob handcuffed Bouldercrest. Then he pulled Ginny into his arms.
When the bastard was secure, Jacob hurried to the cot where Mitzi lay, tied and gagged, her eyes wide in shock. He quickly untied her, then phoned for an ambulance.
Ginny pulled away from Griff, ran over to Mitzi and sank onto the bed beside her. “I’m so sorry, Mitzi. So sorry,” Ginny whispered.
Mitzi was trembling, her cheeks red with tears, eyes swollen, her face pale. “He...was crazy.”
“I know.” She hugged Mitzi and held her, comforting her while they waited for the ambulance.
* * *
TWO HOURS LATER, after Mitzi was transported to the hospital, examined, and doctors reported that she was fine physically, she was released and sent home.
Bouldercrest underwent surgery to have the bullet removed from his leg and was moved to a prison facility with medical care to await his trial.
Jacob went home to his pregnant wife and stepdaughter, and Griff drove Ginny back to the inn. She’d been quiet and withdrawn ever since they left the hospital.
Griff walked her to her room and escorted her inside. “It’s over now, Ginny,” he murmured.
“I know. It’s hard to believe. Thinking about what he did and wanting to catch him has consumed me for three years.”
He feathered a strand of hair from her cheek. “Maybe you can start to heal now.”
She looked up into his eyes, but instead of peace, turmoil still streaked her face.
“I meant what I said back there,” Griff said. “You’re not alone. I’m here for you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I...appreciate you saying that, Griff. But you don’t have to protect me anymore.”
His pulse jumped. “What if I want to be part of your life?”
A wave of sadness tinged her eyes. “I need time.”
Emotions roughened his voice. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I need to figure out.”
He offered her a tender smile. “I could help you do that.”
She shook her head. “Thank you for everything you’ve done, Griff. But I need to be alone for a while.” She rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, then walked him to the door.
Griff left, his heart heavy. Why did he sense that Ginny had just said goodbye to him?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Two weeks later
Ginny laid a bundle of sunflowers on top of her sister’s grave and sank down beside it.
“It’s really over, Tess,” she whispered. “Robert Bouldercrest is in prison and according to the police, he’ll never be free again. They’ve charged him with four counts of murder, kidnapping, stalking and assault.” The gas can and the lighter Griff had found had Robert’s prints all over them. So did Ginny’s room at the inn. Robert confessed to setting the wildfires as a diversion.
Jade had called to report that the man who’d attacked her in the alley was a drifter who’d been passing through. They’d caught him assaulting another woman and trying to steal her purse outside a hotel on the edge of town and he was in jail.
As the news sank in, Ginny—Reese—had finally begun to relax again and had taken back her real identity. Although she’d probably always look over her shoulder and she fully intended to keep up her self-defense training, she’d started sleeping better and the nightmares were fewer and further between.
She’d stowed her gun in a safe and hoped she never felt the need to pull it out again.
“I’m so sorry I let you down.” Tears fell freely from her face, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. She pressed her hand over her mother’s grave. “I’m sorry I didn’t take care of her, Mother. I...wish I could turn back time. Be smarter.”
Forgive herself. She was still struggling with that.
Suddenly sunshine burst through the dark storm clouds, and a rainbow streaked the sky, the colors dancing across her sister’s grave.
Reese’s breath stuttered. Then she looked down at the ground and saw flower buds beginning to push through the ground.
Flower buds in all different colors.
Emotions overcame her, and she pressed a kiss to her fingers then to Tess’s tombstone.
Beloved Sister, Best Friend and Wonderful Artist.
Tess had brought so much life into the world, had loved and lived in the moment, had painted landscapes full of joy and beauty.
The rainbow, the flowers...was her sister trying to send her a message?
Looking up at the rainbow again, she felt a burst of hope for the future. She whispered that she’d be back, then hurried toward her car.
An hour later, she studied the mountains in the distance as she drove toward Whistler. She’d dreamed of Griff every night and wanted to talk to him again.
To see if a future for them might be possible.
The temperature warmed with each passing hour, and she noticed tiny flower buds on the trees dotting the mountainside.
Griff’s words about honoring her sister by living her life were going to be her new mantra. Now that she’d decided what that path would be, she wanted to tell Griff about it.