Page 51 of Protecting Salvation

“Her name?”

Peyton didn’t like giving this up but it seemed important. “Hilary Dawson.”

Lotus punched her hand. “Fuck.”

Warren put his hands on her shoulders. “Sugar, that’s Hilary Harkness, Trevor’s wife.”

Peyton felt her eyes widen. “No.”

“Yes. Watchdog saw her on the cameras because he always watches them when the team is out now.” Peyton heard what he wasn’t saying. That their friend had taken his role to the next level since his captivity. It was something she was working on with him but he was a long way from opening up.

“He traced it back and Dawson is an old family name.”

“I don’t think she’s lying about some of the stuff she told me.”

“Maybe not. Trevor is bad news and Lotus and Titan have uncovered a few things I think you need to hear.”

“Okay.”

Peyton sat at the table while Lotus told her about Trevor’s connection to Martin. How Hilary’s boyfriend went missing and then she got together with him. How Martin, her cousin, had been in juvie for arson and McCain had been his champion.

“Wow, I have no idea what to say. I had no clue Martin had been arrested, let alone gone to juvie. Although that shouldn’t be a surprise. His parents, my aunt and uncle, were always very secretive and protective of him. Probably why he reacted so badly when they died.”

“How did they die?”

“Car accident. A lorry jack-knifed on the motorway and they were killed instantly.” Peyton shivered, suddenly feeling cold and Warren cupped the back of her neck, standing behind her, his body heat instantly chasing the chills away. “So what does all this mean?”

Titan was nodding, small movements like he was having an internal conversation and things were making sense for him.

“Titan?”

“I think the missing boyfriend is the key. I think if we find him, we find out why Martin died and why you’re a target.”

“Well, I’d think that was obvious. I’m his wife’s therapist and he doesn’t like it.”

Lotus shook her head and paced her thumbnail between her teeth. “I don’t think so. I think he sent her there to get information from you.”

Peyton shook her head. “No way. That woman is terrified of him.”

“That may be true, but I think he sent her initially. Has she asked you anything that seemed off or unusual?”

Peyton thought back to all the conversations they’d had over the last few months. She’d been nervous at the start, but that wasn’t unusual. Then she’d relaxed but lately, she’d been more nervous again. “She asked me if I had family and I said I didn’t. Then she asked if I’d lived here long and I told her all my life. She asked if I was a farm girl. I laughed and said she’d guessed right and was it that obvious. She got nervy, and said it was a guess based on where we live and good odds.”

“Anything else about the farm?”

“Not then, but a few weeks later she did ask if I ever went back to see the farm or if I had any particular memories that stood out. I told her I had a lot but left it there because we were getting off track.”

“Anything else?”

Warren gave her nape a gentle squeeze and she looked up at him, his kind eyes warming her and reassuring her that she was safe. “Just that we seemed to be making progress but she got really squirrely last session and when she left, I saw the man I told you about watching the place. Or at least it felt that way. Then the break-in happened and here we are.”

“That’s good, sugar. Thank you for telling us.”

Peyton felt itchy inside talking about this stuff. It gave her anxiety and made her belly flip, causing her to feel sick.

“Titan and I will dig into it more and maybe see if we can do some snooping at the farm. Watchdog is looking for the ex-boyfriend, but if you see her again, you call one of us immediately. She might look like a victim, hell she might be one, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t dangerous to you.”

“Promise, Lotus.”

Titan squeezed her shoulder as he left and Lotus hip-checked her, making her laugh. Aoife and Bram showed Warren the scan pictures and he cooed and ahhed, even though she could see he didn’t have a clue what he was looking at even though he pretended to.

He locked the door and pulled her to stand between his legs, his arms looped around her back as she leaned into him.

“We’ll fix this, baby. I promise.”

“I know.” Blinking away her mopey thoughts she lifted her head and smiled. “How about pizza and Netflix?”

“Sounds perfect.”

They spent the day huddled on the couch, eating pizza and watching Cake Boss in between making out. She loved being with this man, he made everything better and she told him.

“I think that’s you, sugar. I’ve never been so happy. You make me happy.”

“You make me happy too.” She stroked his cheek and he kissed and showed her exactly how happy she made him three times.