Page 122 of Juniper Hill (The Edens 2)

“Do you think Averie was really after his DNA? Or was she going to take Drake?”

“My hunch is DNA,” Winn said. “I asked Jill if she was under the impression that Averie intended to take Drake away. She said all she wanted was his saliva and a hair sample. That she hardly spared him a glance.”

“Because he wasn’t the endgame.” Knox huffed. “She was after the money.”

Winn nodded. “It’s a lot of speculation at this point, but most of the time, our speculation turns out to be close to the truth.”

My mind was spinning again. Though it hadn’t really stopped since Friday.

“What’s next?” Knox asked.

“Because this is a case of child abduction, I’ve reached out to the FBI. They’ve got the resources we don’t to examine Averie’s life in New York. I want the investigation to be as thorough as possible in the hopes that she spends a long while in prison.”

“Good.” The air rushed from my lungs. “What about Oliver? Will they speak to him?”

“I expect they will. And, I expect, after everything you’ve told me, he will deny knowing you.”

“Fine by me.”

I had no intention of mentioning his name again, even if the FBI came knocking on my door. If Oliver’s wife found out that he was an unfaithful bastard, that was his problem. It wasn’t coming from my lips.

“They will take over and bring in federal prosecutors,” Winn said. “I’ll keep in touch with the lead agent on the case. Hopefully they’ll keep us apprised as to what’s going on. But mostly, we wait. You do your best to get on with your lives.”

It didn’t feel like enough. There wasn’t enough closure.

But I suspected it would be all the closure we’d get.

“Thank you for coming out here today,” I told Winn.

“I’m sorry I don’t have more for you.” She stood and we followed, walking her to the door. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yep.” Knox nodded. “Merry Christmas Eve.”

“Merry Christmas Eve.” She pulled me into a hug. “You’re a good mother, Memphis. Never doubt that.”

“Thank you.” I hugged her tighter, hoping that one day I’d believe those words. Maybe in time, when Jill and Averie Flannagan were just a dim nightmare from the past.

Winn waved and slipped outside. It had been snowing all day in fluffy, white flakes that dusted her dark hair. When her taillights were a blur down the lane, Knox closed the door.

“This feels . . .”

“Unfinished.” He wrapped his arms around me. “I doubt she’ll confess, tell us everything, but damn it, I want answers.”

That was exactly how I felt too. “How do we get past this? How do we get past the worst days?”

“By making more of the best.” He kissed the top of my hair and let me go, shifting to dig something from his pocket. “I was going to wait until tomorrow. Give it to you when we opened gifts. But after everything that’s happened, waiting feels like wasting time.”

I shifted, trying to spy what he had in his fist. But he’d closed it in his palm.

It was only after he dropped to a knee that he loosened his hand, revealing a perfect diamond ring.

“Marry—”

“Yes.” I dropped to my knees, not letting him finish, and smashed my lips to his.

He swept me up, not missing a beat as his tongue swept against mine, and carried me to the couch, trapping me beneath his broad frame. Then he kissed me like I needed him to kiss me. Like there were no unanswered questions. Like there was no evil in this world. Like all we needed was right here, in this house and in this town.

Knox kissed me and made today my fourth-best day.