Page 60 of Dead Man's Alibi

Who hadlovedher, in Nate’s case.And made her believe in something beyond just… one goal.Onething.

“Well, thanks so much for bending your impeccable moral code that holds me, oh and my friends, accountable for my father’s crimes,” Sam said bitterly.“But I’m good.”

Lisa’s expression soured even more, but she didn’t leave, and Sam thought… they had both been operating under the old Price impression that you just stayed away, didn’t express your needs, and things would be okay.

Things would never be okay between them.“I used to think I was good because you taught me to be self-sufficient.To be better on my own than depend on anyone else.And I held that tight when everyone turned away from me.Hell, maybe I even thank you for all that because it got me through a lot of hard times.”

Lisa sniffed.“The only one you can depend on—”

“Is yourself.I know.But it’s a lot nicer to depend onlove.People who actually love you don’t make sure you know how much you owe them.How much they’reoverlookingto take care of you.”

Aunt Lisa’s expression was angry now.“He loved you, and you turned your back on him.”

Sam thought of her father, waited for the usual wave of guilt to come.But it didn’t.Because she just kept hearing Landon’s words in her head.You were a fifteen-year-old girl.Alone.No one believed you except maybe your aunt.You had no agency, no power, and no one.Everything and everyone you should have had to rely on and take care of you was taken away from you.

She’d done everything—everything—she’d been able.Maybe it hadn’t been enough, but it had been her all.And she’d beenalonein that.

“I love him.”Couldn’t Lisa see that’s why it allhurt?“I love both of you.I probably always will, but that doesn’t mean I have to think what either of you has done is right or good or worth forgiving.”

Lisa looked at her.Nothing changed in her expression.There was no softening.No understanding.“I hope choosing them is worth it.”Then she turned on a heel and walked out.

Leaving Sam alone.

She let out a shaky breath, ran an equally shaky hand through her hair.“You know, I could take agentlelesson every now and again,” she muttered.

She glanced up, not sure exactlywhoshe was talking to.God.The Universe.Some bigger power.

Then she collected her things.

She would stop by the house, pick up a few items she needed, then head up to the ranch.She’d eat with Aly.Work on Nate’s case.Maybe harass Cal for some details.

Because family didn’t have to be who you shared blood with.

When she parked in the driveway of her and Nate’s house, she pressed her forehead to the steering wheel and tried to breathe.Just breathe.

Life was a shitshow, but it washershitshow.And she had a real family now.The kind that rallied around.That cared and apologized and changed and learned andgrew.Not perfect, God knew.

But good.With the foundation ofunconditionallove at its core.

She looked up at the house she shared with Nate, though the sight was blurry from the tears in her eyes.“We’re going to bring you home,” she whispered.

A promise she’d made and broken to someone else before, but she’d been alone then.Depending only on herself then.

She wasn’t alone now.

*

Jake Hayes wasn’tsure he fully knew what he was doing.It certainly wasn’t professional.To be here.To do this.

He wouldn’t be welcome.

But he’d seen Sam’s car parked in the driveway of Bennet’s house and he couldn’t seem to talk himself out of this.

He respected Sam as an investigator.He liked her as a person.It wasn’t any of his business if she was misguided about her boyfriend.

But he thought she should besmarterthan all that.Was it really so bad if he tried to get her there?They were—or had been—friends of a sort.They’d worked together on Glenda’s case last month.Surely, with some time to really think about it, she’d have to come to the same conclusion he had.

Nate Bennet was a murderer.