The Black Sheep's Redemption. Lynette Eason

She looked up. “The twins are fine. Still sleeping. I told Officer Hughes he could take off.”

       “Demi’s going to give a statement,” Charles said. “Then I’m going to take her home. You said you were just getting ready to go off duty. Do you mind staying with the kids until I get back?”

       “I can do that.”

       Aiden stepped into the house. “I think we’ve done all we can do here. I’ll have a cruiser drive by on a regular basis tonight. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

       Charles nodded and Demi saw his jaw tighten. “Thanks, Dad.”

       As Aiden left, Owen flipped his notebook closed. “I’ll catch up to you later.”

       Demi followed Charles out to his car, her heart chugging with dread. Would he tell her that she no longer had a job?

       Then certainty filled her.

       No, he wouldn’t do that. He needed her. Just like she needed him. Or at least the job. She didn’t need him.

       When she’d arrived in town, she’d had a small bag packed with clothes and some money provided by the sweet nurses who had cared for her after her accident.

       Fortunately, she’d run into Fiona Fitzgerald Cobb who’d had a vacant apartment above her shop and was willing to take a chance on someone who didn’t have a job and couldn’t remember her name.

       Getting the nanny job had proven easier than remembering her name. Charles had been desperate. Careful who he hired, but still desperate.

       He started the vehicle but didn’t move to put it in gear. “I’m afraid I’ve allowed you to land in a hornet’s nest by hiring you. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to quit.”

       Charles’s words jerked her attention back to him as she buckled her seat belt. “Quit? Because there’s a jerk out there trying to intimidate you? Because someone’s accusing you of something for which no one has any proof? I don’t think so.”

       The relief on his face made her want to reach out to him, soothe his worry and pain.

       She jumped when his palm hit the steering wheel.

       “I won’t let whoever is doing this send me running with my tail tucked. I won’t.” Charles turned, eyes narrowed as he drilled her with the intensity of his gaze. “I didn’t kill Olivia Henry. I don’t know who did. I just know I didn’t.”

       Demi gulped. Olivia had been murdered by a blow to the head. And if Demi understood everything she’d managed to pick up from snatches of muttered conversations, not much had been found to prove Charles innocent.

       But nothing with substance had been found to prove him guilty, either.

       She let her gaze run over him. Dark hair, flashing blue eyes. Honest blue eyes. Hurting blue eyes. But definitely not the eyes of a cold-blooded killer.

       Demi said, “I believe you, Charles. I believed you when you offered me the job and explained your situation. And I believe you now.”

       He closed his eyes and leaned back his head against the headrest. “Thank you for that.” He paused. “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve this.”

       Demi couldn’t help it. She reached out and curled her fingers around his and squeezed. “It’s okay, Charles. I promise. And for the record, I don’t think you deserve it, either.”

       He returned her squeeze then let go to grasp the steering wheel. “I’d better take you home and get back so Keira can get some sleep.”

       He backed from the driveway and Demi noticed Ryan standing in the doorway watching them leave. The frown on his face made her blink and she wondered what he was thinking.

       After the heavy conversation back at his house, she was ready for a lighter topic. But that wasn’t to be when Charles asked, “Any changes in your memory?”

       “No.” She glanced out the window. “I just continue to have flashes of some things, but nothing I can put my finger on. And if I try too hard, I get terrible headaches.”

       “Then don’t try. It’ll happen when it happens. That scab on the edge of your hairline looks pretty bad.”

       Self-conscious, she raised a hand to touch it. It had mostly healed and she thought it was looking better.

       He must have caught her look because he was quick to say, “Hey, I’m sorry, I wasn’t saying it looked bad…bad. It was just a medical observation. I just meant that it was obvious that you suffered a pretty traumatic injury.”

       “Oh.” She lowered her hand to clasp it in the other one.

       The car slowed and he parked in front of The Reading Nook. The quaint bookstore owned and operated by his sister, Fiona. Demi’s apartment was upstairs above the store.

       Before she could get out, he said, “Wait a minute, Demi.”

       She turned expectantly.

       He tapped his thumb on the steering wheel then said, “You know, when I interviewed you, the fact that you had amnesia put me off a bit. I mean, how could I trust my children to someone who can’t even remember who she is?”

       She lifted a brow. “Are you sorry you did?”

       “No, of course not.” His quick response reassured her. “But I do have a confession to make.”

       Her brow lifted. “What’s that?”

      * * *

       He cleared his throat. “I have to be honest. I had Owen run a background check on you. On the name you gave me, anyway.”

       She tilted her head. “I figured you probably had. You’re not the type to just hand over your children to someone you haven’t looked into.”

       He nodded. “Nothing came up, of course. But more importantly, your fingerprints weren’t in the system.”

       “The nurses in the hospital gave me my last name. I remembered my first name, but that was it.” She let out a deep breath. “When I came to in the hospital, the police also tried running my fingerprints. Again, they came up empty, but assured me that might be a good thing. At least I’m not in the criminal database.”

       At the feeble joke, Charles felt himself smiling.

       Another shrug. “I don’t blame you for doing a background check on me.”

       He let out a long sigh. “Good, because I was going crazy feeling like I was lying to you. Part of me was afraid you’d be furious.”

       “No. I would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed.” Her soft voice pulled him to her. Delicate features framed with honey-blond hair drew him like bees to honey. Her emerald-green eyes wanted to ensnare him. Innocence and gentleness radiated from her. He’d definitely made the right choice in hiring her.

       “It’s only been a week, and the twins already adore you,” he said.

       A gentle smile pulled at her lips. “The feeling’s mutual.”

       There was something about her that he liked. Trusted. Wanted to know more about.

       But not tonight.

       “Come on, I’ll walk you up.” He climbed out of the truck and walked around to help Demi out.

       “So, Fitzgerald,” the voice to his left said, “is this your next innocent victim?”

      THREE

      Charles whirled. “Burke, what are you doing here?”

       “Just enjoying a little walk. Reveling in my freedom, taking in the taste of the night air.” His gaze hardened. “Wondering why criminals are allowed to roam free, given another opportunity to prey on more innocent women.”