Page 75 of One Kind Soul

Did they say where they were going? he texted back. Maybe they could lead the cops to Lynda. Christian wished he’d paid more attention to them now. Perhaps if he’d spent a few more minutes with them, he would have picked up something suspicious. He’d been too much in a hurry to shut them down.

Jared replied next. Said they had to go home.

And who the hell knew where that was?

Let me know if you see them again, Christian texted. Might be linked to store damage.

But they’re too pretty to be criminals, Ben messaged.

Or does pretty make them the perfect criminals? Jared added.

Either way, let me know if they pop up anywhere.

He got a thumbs up from each of them then stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

“Ben and Jared didn’t get lucky with the twins,” he told Donovan. “They don’t know where they are now either.”

“We’ll add these crumbs to the trail.” Donovan held up the photos. He looked at Nicole, a compassionate expression on his face. “We’ll find her.”

Nicole walked away a bit then paced back. “Maybe we should focus on drawing her out instead of hunting her.”

“No,” Christian said right away. “We’re not using you as bait.”

“But hear me out, Christian. She wants to get back at me for putting her and Tim in jail. She’s going about it by targeting you.” Nicole arrowed her arm toward the store. “Your property.” She pointed to the pictures Donovan still held. “Your honor.” She frowned. “I’m afraid what she’ll try next. I’m afraid you’ll get hurt and it will be because of me.”

“It’s not your fault your sister is a psycho,” Christian said.

“Maybe not, but she’s here because I’m here. You wouldn’t be in any danger if you hadn’t welcomed me into your life.”

“I have no regrets about welcoming you into my life,” he said. “My life is only beginning because you’re here now.”

“Aww . . .” Donovan and Landon said at the same time.

“Bite me,” Christian said to both of them before turning back to Nicole. “Your sister will slip up and the police will get her. In the meantime, you’re sticking with me.”

“And we can up the surveillance around here,” Donovan said. “Now that we know Lynda’s employing the help of others, we need to be on the lookout for more than her face.”

Nicole chewed on her bottom lip and Christian knew she didn’t like sitting around waiting for Lynda’s next move. No one liked that, but he’d do it to make sure she didn’t put herself in harm’s way on purpose.

“Fine,” she finally said. “It’s not liking sticking with you will be any real hardship.”

“That’s the right way to look at it,” he said.

“But if she’s not caught by the end of next week,” Nicole said, “I still have to go back to Kauai. I owe the resort a final week of work, need to get my stuff, and let the beach house owner know I won’t be renting anymore.”

“We’ll get her before then,” Donovan said, sounding like his usual confident detective self. “We have the FBI involved for God’s sake. She can only hide for so long.”

“In the meantime,” Christian said, “now that Nicole doesn’t think I’m a cheating son of a bitch who would get involved with redheaded twins . . . ” He dodged the punch she aimed at him and grabbed her around the waist, thankful they’d sorted that misunderstanding out. “Let’s get to work on this porch.”

His brothers unloaded the materials they’d purchased while Nicole removed her sweatshirt and picked up a paintbrush.

“Where should I start, boss?”

He dropped a kiss on her nose then got her started on the porch railings he’d sanded. Landon joined in on the painting while Donovan helped Christian finish the banisters. It was a nice, productive afternoon.

Except for the periodic scans each Henley brother did of the property as they worked.

Chapter Thirteen