Betraying Innocence (41 page)

Again, Drewer nodded. “But that doesn’t explain why he would kill his own son
and leave him in your basement.”

Ana shook her head. “Stress? I think knowing what he’d done all those years ago and the fact that I was so close to uncovering
it finally broke him. Maybe he got angry and thought he was killing Johnny over again.” She shrugged. “I really don’t know, Sheriff. I was too worried about my father to ask him all the proper questions. Everything I do know, I just told you.”

He rapped his hat against the side of his thigh as he seemed to gather himself before speaking. “That was some seriously impressive work you did, uncovering a thirty year old mystery like that. If you ever
consider law enforcement—”

Ana cringed. “No offense,
Sheriff, but I am done with mysteries. I just want to be as normal and boring as possible.”

Drewer inclined his head. “Fair enough. I’ll talk to your mom about digging up that pond
. We’ll see to getting Baits the burial he deserves.”

“Sheriff,” she called after him before he could leave. “Do you know if his parents are still around?”

He shook his head. “I don’t, but I can check.”

She nodded. “I think they’d like to know
when their son’s been found.”

Drewer
nodded. He inclined his head again and ambled away.

“So,
Nancy Drew
, no more mysteries for you?” Rafe regained his seat next to her.

“God, I am so done with mysteries and ghosts and murders…” She rubbed a frustrated hand over her face. “
I just want to sleep.”

Laughing, he kissed the side of her head. “Well you have two days before school starts again.”

Ana groaned, dropping her head onto his shoulder. “I think we deserve a month long break.”

He shook his head. “The school board has hired a new principle and she wants us back in school first thing Monday.”

She looked up at him. “Do you know who it is?”

“
Miss. Burk, believe it or not.”

Ana gasped. “
No way!”

He nodded. “They asked her and she accepted.”

“That’s fantastic. I thought she was such a great teacher. Any news on the new Mayor of Pleasantville?”

He shook his head. “I think there’ll be an election and we’ll see.”

She slowly rocked her head from side to side. “Wow, everything is just moving along like nothing ever happened.”

He kissed her. “Welcome to Chipawaha Creek, the town where
nothing ever happens. But I do have to say I’m grateful to Johnny for not killing Andrews in your basement. Something tells me the good sheriff would not have given you such a pat on the back if you’d told him the ghost killed the mayor. If anything, we’d be the ones in the nuthouse.”

Ana nodded. “I guess he wasn’t such a bad guy after all, huh?”

“I wouldn’t say that. He still killed Vinny without any reason. He almost killed you several times and he killed Finnegan.”

“He saved our lives,” she reminded him. “Andrews would have killed us if Johnny hadn’t done what he did.”

“So why didn’t he kill Andrews? I would think he’d have killed him for sure.”

Ana smiled. “I think he was trying to protect us.”

“You,” Rafe muttered. “I’m sure he’d have let me fry if he could.”

She shook her head. “
I don’t think so. He wasn’t ever after anyone but those responsible for his death.”

“I still think the guy was a total nutcase.”

Ana laughed, but it was short and died quickly when she spotted her mom hurrying towards them. Like Ana, she still wore the same clothes from the night before. Her face was streaked with tears, mascara and blood, but she still looked beautiful as she ran up to them, beaming so hugely, Ana feared it would tear her face.

“He’s
okay!” she exclaimed. “Lots of rest, but he’s going to make a full recovery.”

Ana threw her arms around her mother, squeezing her tight before hugging Rafe.

She pulled away. “Can I see him?”

“For a minute,” her mom said. “
He was given painkillers and sleeping medication so he’ll be out shortly.”

He was still awake and semi-alert when Ana barged into the room. His smile was as light and wonderful as ever as she ran to the bed and threw herself across his chest, holding him as close as humanly possible.

“There’s my turnip!” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

Ana didn’t even try to correct him. “I’m sorry,” she said again.
“I am so sorry.”

He shook his head. “You made the right call, baby.”

She pulled back, using the back of her hand to wipe away the tears and snot running down her face. “How can you say that? I got you stabbed.”

“Ana.” He took her face between his large, capable hands. “
You saved your mother’s life. If it hadn’t been me, it would have been her and a girl needs her mother.”

“A girl needs her father, too.” She forced a smile. “Who else is going to chase away the boys I like?”

Her father’s eyes lifted over her shoulder and focused on something by the door. They narrowed. “Yeah, well, that didn’t work so well the last time.”

Ana glanced back to find Rafe standing in the doorway, hands in his pockets.

“Glad to see you’re okay, sir,” he said, inclining his head.

Then her father did something that surprised her and Rafe. He raised his hand. Rafe hesitated. His gaze shot from the offering to Ana before he crossed the room and accepted it.

“This is still not my blessing,” her father muttered, giving the hand a shake. “This is an
I accept you in my daughter’s life, but I will still make you disappear if you hurt her.
”

Rafe grinned. “I can live with that.” The
y released hands. Rafe stuck his back into his pockets. “And for the record, sir. I would never hurt Ana.”

“Good to hear.” Dad patted Ana’s head. “Now give me a kiss and let me sleep. These painkillers they gave me …
whooo! They need to come with a warning. I’m starting to see six of you.”

Laughing, Ana pressed a kiss to his cheek and rose off the bed. “Love you,
Daddy.”

Eyes closed, her dad smiled. “Love you, too,
Turnip.”

“Turnip?” Rafe said as they left the room.

“Not a word, Ramirez. I just took on a ghost. I can take you.”

He pounced like a cobra, shoving her against the wall and pinning her arms over her head. He melded his delicious body into hers, pinning her in place.

“Who can take whom?” he challenged, smirking.

Accepting his challenge, Ana closed the shred of space between them
and kissed him, slipping her tongue out to toy with his. The slow flicks across his bottom lip elicited a guttural sound from him as his mouth parted to grant her access. His hands relinquished their hold on her wrists and traveled down to grip her hips.

Inwardly, she smirked as he all but melted in her arms.
She deepened the kiss, bowing her body into his, molding every inch together.

“
You win,” he panted. His fingers tightened on her hips as he shoved her back into the wall and kept her there with his body. “I’m yours. Be gentle.”

Ana grinned
, winding her arms around his neck. “You’re too easy.”

Huddled beneath a perpetual cloud of imagination, International Best-Selling author Airicka Phoenix lives with her husband and four gorgeous children in the beautiful province of British Columbia. When she's not busy playing with her imaginary friends, creating worlds and toying with fictional lives, she can be found reading, polishing her collection of daggers, or chilling with her kids
.

Airicka is the creator of
THE TOUCH SAGA
,
THE SONS OF JUDGMENT SAGA
,
THE LOST GIRL SERIES
, and
GAMES OF FIRE
. Her standalone novel,
BETRAYING INNOCENCE
will be published Oct 2013 and the conclusion of Finding Kia, book 2 of The Lost Girl Series,
REVEALING KIA
, will be out Nov 2013. She also has plans to release a Sci-Fi horror/romance,
WHEN NIGHT FALLS
, Dec 2013.

Airicka also writes adult paranormal & contemporary romance under her alter ego,
Morgana Phoenix
. She has a paranormal short coming out Dec 2013 in
SNOWED IN, An Anthology
and
CAPTURE ME
, Morgana's debut novel will be released Fall 2014.

For more about Airicka, visit her website at:
http://airickaphoenix.com/Author/