Page 24 of Resurrection
“Before what?” he asked.
“Before all these questions I have. Something doesn’t feel right.” Imogen glanced over her shoulder in the empty dining room before finishing. “I don’t feel like Keira’s dead.” She metNic’s thoughtful hazel gaze and continued, “Look, I know, it sounds insane. But … it’s not just the denial that comes with grief. There’s some part of me that says she’s still alive. I don’t feel like I can go back to normal life and ignore that.”
His thick fingers stroked the rim of his water glass.
“Look, I don’t know what the truth is, but I do trust my gut, so I’m not going to say your intuition is wrong. But have you considered that even if you are right, it might be something you need to leave alone?”
Imogen scrunched her brows together in confusion. “What do you mean?”
He glanced at the door, too, before he continued quietly, “You couldn’t have missed the news of the massive federal manhunt before the distillery exploded.”
“I don’t pay attention to that stuff, but, yeah, Jury and my parents definitely filled me in.”
“You don’t think maybe … the distillery was a convenient way to put an end to their searching for him?”
Imogen sucked in a breath. “No … oh my God. You’re right. I didn’t even think of that.” She covered her mouth with her hand as her mind went wild with the possibilities his words had just unleashed.
“Look, Imogen. I get it. If your sister is out there, you want to know. But do you really think her husband would go through all that if not to protect them so they could safely disappear?” He paused and took a sip of water. “Or it could all be exactly as it appears, and we’re both crazy and wrong.”
Imogen placed both hands on the table. “They didn’t find her little girl, Aurora. No remains. We buried an empty casket.”
He winced. “God, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s part of what makes me think … maybe you’re right.” Imogen paused. “The investigators wereso sure she was there and just unrecoverable. They closed the case so fast.”
“That happens when you grease palms well.”
“Exactly. And Jury said there was all sorts of weirdness at the federal level too.” She bit her lip. “I think you might be right. And I don’t know what to do.”
His big, tattooed hand covered one of hers on the table. “Sometimes, it’s wise to let sleeping dogs lie. If she’s out there and wants you to know and he thinks it’s safe … maybe it’ll happen someday.”
“And if not?”
“Only you can decide if you can live with that.”
Imogen blew out a breath as she considered it. If leaving it alone meant Keira and her family stayed safe and happy, Imogen could live with never knowing. But … could Jury? She didn’t know the answer to that question.
“I can. I just don’t know if my sister can.”
He squeezed her hand. “You can’t control other people. So, don’t worry about trying. What will be, will be.”
She met his hazel gaze. “How’d you get so wise?”
“Fuck up a lot, and you learn a lot—at least, if you’re smart.”
She smiled. “I like you. You’re different.”
“I like you too, Imogen. Now, about that memorial tattoo …”
CHAPTER TEN
Nic didn’t want their date to end, but he had been raised right, which meant he was walking her into the hotel lobby after dessert and conversation.
“I had a wonderful time tonight,” she said.
He lowered his head to brush a kiss across her lips. “I did too.”
Her cheeks took on a slightly pinker hue. So many women were bold and forward these days, and it was nice to be able to let his Southern gentleman upbringing out with someone who seemed to appreciate it.
