Alibi by Nicole Edwards
Chapter Twenty-Three
Friday, March 5, 2021
“I still can’t believe that was adead end,” JJ bitched, leaning against one of the empty desks, arms crossed over her chest.
Brantley watched her, not looking over at Reese, which would’ve been his first instinct.
It had been three days since their quick trip down to Port Isabel. When they’d come back empty-handed, JJ hadn’t taken it well. Every day since, she’d been grumbling, continuing to pore over data in an attempt to find out where Juliet Prince was staying.
“It happens,” Baz said, sounding equally bothered by it.
“But Mexico?” JJ grumbled. “How’d she get a flight out of the country?”
“It happens every day,” Reese said, passing Brantley a cup of coffee.
“We’ll get her,” Trey promised. “One day, her crazy will have her comin’ back and—”
Brantley’s brother stopped talking when a breaking news story flashed on the television screen. The news desk reporter appeared, along with a caption on the bottom that read: Victim believed to be Juliet Prince, wanted for kidnapping and murder.
“Turn it up,” Brantley barked.
JJ grabbed the remote, hit the volume button.
“We’re bringing you a breaking story out of Port Isabel, Texas. On scene is our very own Michelle Bentley. Michelle, can you tell us what’s going on down there?”
“Yes, thanks, Michael.” The woman standing in front of a motel sign stared directly into the camera. “You might remember the story we brought you nearly two months ago. Coyote Ridge resident Kylie Walker was run down and killed by this woman”—an image of Juliet Prince appeared on the screen—“Juliet Prince, only a few months after she allegedly kidnapped Kylie’s daughter, Kate. We brought you this story when Kylie’s family offered a one-hundred-thousand-dollar reward for any information that would lead to her capture.
“Just a few hours ago, we learned that Prince’s body was found in a motel room here in Port Isabel, Texas, a small town about twenty miles north of Brownsville. I’m on scene now, and as you can see behind me, crime scene techs are still working.
“I spoke to local officials earlier, and they informed us they will continue to investigate Prince’s death but are stating they believe it to be an attempted mugging gone wrong. Along with several false IDs, police recovered close to two hundred thousand dollars in Prince’s motel room. They believe the perpetrator fled the scene after the altercation. If we learn anything more, we will be reporting to you first.”
The news desk reporter returned. “Thanks, Michelle, for that update.” He glanced down at a tablet on his desk, then back to the camera. “We also wanted to mention that when we followed up with the Walker family just a few minutes ago, they informed us they had utilized the services of Sniper 1 Security to aid in the investigation, and they expressed their gratitude for everyone who assisted in the search for the woman. We reached out to Sniper 1 Security for a statement. They told us they regret that the family was unable to see her brought to justice but are grateful the threat to the family has been eliminated.
“And while the one-hundred-thousand-dollar reward will not be paid, the Walker family will be donating it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.”
JJ clicked off the television and all eyes turned to him.
As much as Brantley wanted to pretend he was surprised by the news, he couldn’t. At the same time, he was unwilling to divulge any information to the rest of the team. Brantley would keep it so that he and Reese were the only ones who knew about Max Adorite’s phone call that provided them with the alibi they needed. If the investigation made it far enough, he knew they would be called in because they were in the area at the time of her death. Hence the reason they had gathered at the local coffee shop for their brief team meeting, in which Brantley relayed that they’d gotten intel that Juliet had crossed the border into Mexico. They had gone straight to the airport after, catching a flight back home.
“She’s dead,” JJ said, her eyes wide. “I know it probably makes me a bad person that I’m happy about it, but it’s true.”
Brantley figured there were a lot of people who wouldn’t lose sleep over the woman’s death. She had put Travis’s family through hell, and they’d lost far more than anyone should have because of her vendetta.
JJ flopped into a chair and exhaled heavily. “What do we do now? I mean, we’ve spent so long workin’ on this…”
“I’ve got a suggestion,” Trey said, stepping forward.
All eyes shifted to him.
“My family’s got a beach house and spring break is comin’ up. Maybe we take a couple of days, head down there, clear our heads.”
“A week,” Brantley decided.
Heads turned back toward him.
“We’ll take a week to regroup,” he repeated.
“Before we spend several in Dallas,” Reese noted.
“Dallas?” JJ frowned. “Why would we wanna do that?”
“Because we’ve got some trainin’ to do.”
JJ sighed. “Damn that Sniper 1 training.”
And just like that, the tension dissipated.
*
Travis pulled up to his house feelingdifferent.
When he’d gotten the call this morning from the news investigator, he’d had to feign surprise when the man officially informed Travis of Juliet Prince’s death. It hadn’t been difficult since it was the first time he’d actually heard it.
Sure, he had suspected since Brantley and his team had returned from Port Isabel without Juliet and he had seen nothing of her arrest on the news. Yes, he’d taken that to mean she had been dealt with accordingly, but he hadn’t had confirmation.
However, his relief had not been pretend. If it made him a monster that he was glad the bitch was dead, so be it. He wouldn’t want it any other way. The woman deserved far worse than a bullet between the eyes.
Travis pushed the button to kill the engine. Grabbing his cell phone and the smart key, he climbed out of the SUV. If he was lucky, his phone would not ring for at least eight hours, preferably ten.
As it was, he had spent the majority of the day at the resort with Gage taking phone calls from family and friends, all following up on what they’d heard. He couldn’t count how many times he confirmed that she was no longer a threat. Even though he’d repeated it, it hadn’t really sunk in until just now, as he was walking into his house.
His empty, quiet house.
Kate and Avery were at his parents’ with Ethan and Beau’s daughter, Kiera. They had promised to help Lorrie with the baby in return for chocolate chip cookies, popcorn, and another showing of Frozen.
Kade was at Kaleb’s playing with Mason, Kellan, Barrett, and Gabriel. Travis figured if Kaleb and Zoey were brave enough to request one more boy in their midst, who was he to deny them?
Haden was with Jessie and Braydon, spending the night with Rhett, Zachary, and Waylon. From what he’d heard, Brendon and Cheyenne would be hanging out so Remy and Thad could play, too.
And last but not least, Maddox was with Zane and V, playing with Theo and Dustin, but only because Sawyer and Kennedy had taken Zane’s two oldest, Reid and Asher, to their place. Sawyer insisted they managed better when Matthew and Brody had other kids to keep them company.
Travis knew it was all a ruse to give him and Gage some time alone. It wasn’t easy for any of the parents to get a break with so many kids, but they all pitched in when it was necessary to help out. And tonight Travis appreciated it more than usual.
He tossed his keys into the bowl near the door, then followed the scent of garlic coming from the kitchen.
His stomach rumbled in response, a not-so-subtle reminder that he’d had a granola bar for lunch and that had long since burned off.
“What’re you makin’?” he asked when he pushed the door open to find Gage standing at the center island.
“Lasagna.”
“And garlic bread?” he asked hopefully.
Gage pointed to a baking pan layered with Texas toast coated in butter and garlic.
“Figured we’d have dinner, then maybe watch a movie.”
Travis was more than willing to do whatever Gage wanted to do tonight. “As long as we’re naked while we do it.”
“Which part? Dinner or movie?”
“Both?” Travis chuckled, moving toward Gage. “I don’t care.”
Unable to help himself, he cupped Gage’s face and leaned in for a kiss. It wasn’t urgent, not even sexual, really. Just a gentle press of lips to lips, a comfort he knew he would never be able to live without.
When he pulled back, he smiled. “I have somethin’ for you.”
Gage’s eyebrows lowered. “I’m not sure how energetic I’ll be until after we eat.”
Travis let the words sink in, then he barked a laugh. “I wasn’t talkin’ about sex.”
“Well, that’s a first.”
“Look who’s talkin’.”
Gage rolled his eyes.
Travis pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, drawing Gage’s attention to it.
“What’s that?”
“A confirmation.”
“Of?”
Travis passed it over. “Read for yourself.”
When Gage took the paper and began to unfold it, Travis lowered to one knee before him.
“March twentieth. Three o’clock,” Gage read.
Travis reached up, pulled Gage’s hand down so he could look in his eyes. “Marry me, Gage. Marry me on March twentieth at three o’clock.”
Gage smiled as he grabbed Travis’s wrist and pulled him up. “I’ll marry you any day, anywhere, any time.”
Travis kissed him again, this time a bit more urgently. “Good.”
“Where’s this gonna take place?”
“At my parents’ house.”
Right by the tree Kylie had requested they plant.