Harlequin Intrigue August 2020--Box Set 2 of 2 by Carol Ericson

Author:Carol Ericson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Desmond put his half-eaten sandwich down. Riley worried she’d overstepped but then his expression turned thoughtful. A clock somewhere in the house ticked off a rhythm. The heat had turned on when they’d first stepped through the front door. Both of their jackets were draped over the couch in the living room.

And now Riley was going to learn another answer about the illustrious Desmond Nash.

“When I was a kid I was given the unique perspective of living through a trauma,” he started. “To say it changed me is an understatement. It changed all of us Nashes. Even the town.” Riley tried to keep her face impassive but Desmond gave her a knowing look. “I’m assuming you’ve heard about the real reason everyone knows the Nash name around Overlook?”

“I read about it during the coverage after what happened the night of the gala,” she admitted.

Desmond didn’t seem at all bothered, or surprised, but Riley still felt shame heating her cheeks.

“The Nash triplet abduction carries a fame all its own around here. The greatest unsolved mystery in Overlook. The tragedy that shook a community to its core. The family who was forever broken when three eight-year-olds sneaked out to the park alone. I’ve seen and heard several versions of the story, but there’s a few things the papers and gossip mill never got quite right.” He smiled but it disappeared quickly. “Madi’s scream when the man grabbed her with a gun in his hand is the worst sound I’ve heard to this day. Sometimes I still hear it when my dreams get bad. Caleb once said it was like the trees came alive long enough to scream with her. It’s a sound that will always, always haunt us.”

Riley wanted to reach out but held off. Desmond was ramping up to a point. She just needed to hang on for the ride and listen.

“They also usually mess up the next part. At least, I’ve heard several versions of what happened,” he continued. “What really happened was Madi fought back against the man. She took her tiny fist and hit his throat as hard as she could. Honestly, if she had been older, bigger, I think the move would have helped us. But, we were only eight so it just ticked him off. He pistol-whipped Madi, knocked her out cold and then he shot at Caleb and me. The bullet hit Caleb’s arm.” Riley gasped. That hadn’t been in the paper. Desmond touched his biceps. “It was just a graze but at the time all I saw was blood. So much of it. I just—” Up until then his voice had been consistent. He was telling a story in a concise and even way. Now, though, there was an invisible ripple that seemed to move across him.

Tension hardened his shoulders. His jaw tightened. His nostrils flared. He took the smallest of moments to, well, she didn’t know what. But Riley let him be. She had already pushed as much as she was going to push.

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