Joe grabbed the chief’s arm. “What about Jed’s confession?”
“What about it?”
“He knows something, too.”
“If he knew where your uncle was, he wouldn’t have tried to confess he’d killed what turned out to be a dog.”
Jed was watching Irene closely, as if he, too, suspected what Grace already knew. She wanted to go to him, put a hand on his arm and thank him, but Joe was still causing problems. “Clay must’ve moved the body,” he said. “We should search the root cellar, the basement of the house, the—”
“A search warrant isn’t a blanket document that includes everything you want it to, Joe.”
“You could go back to Judge Reynolds—” Joe started.
“No,” McCormick interrupted. “We’re out of here. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll go, too—before Clay leaves you worse off than Kennedy did. He’s got the right, you know. The way I see it, you’re trespassing.”
Clay arched an eyebrow at Joe, and Joe took a quick step back. “Let’s go, son,” Mrs. Vincelli said. Obviously, even she’d had enough.
“I never dreamed you, of all people, would take her side,” he said to Kennedy.
For the first time, Grace felt a twinge of sympathy for Joe. He’d always admired Kennedy, had nearly worshipped him, in fact.
Kennedy linked his fingers with Grace’s. “I’m sorry, Joe. Regardless of our past, Grace’s past, the upcoming election or anything else, from now on, she and I stand together.”
The color had drained from Joe’s face. “Who would’ve thought you’d end up with Grace Montgomery?”
“Soon to be Grace Archer,” Kennedy said.
Madeline gasped. “You’re getting married?”
“To Kennedy?” Irene said, her tone implying that all her dreams had just come true.
Joe obviously had the opposite reaction. He looked as though he’d been struck through the heart. But Grace felt a smile bloom on her face. The sun was now shining brightly, bathing everything in uncompromising warmth. The night had stolen nothing. She was going to be with the man she loved. “Yes.”
Madeline grinned and, with another glance at McCormick, who had his back to her, Irene hugged both her daughters.
“When?” Clay asked.
Kennedy brushed his lips over Grace’s knuckles. “As soon as possible.”
“You’ll be sorry,” Joe called back. “She’s no Raelynn.”
“I don’t want her to be Raelynn,” Kennedy said. “I love her just the way she is.”
There was nothing more Joe could say. He’d never be Grace’s friend. But he couldn’t hurt her anymore, either.
His family dragged him off as Grace looked at the farm, waiting for her memories of the reverend to steal the light from her soul, to dim her happiness, the way they always did. But as her eyes roved over the uneven ground, she realized he was gone. Gone for good. Like the files and mementos that had cluttered his office. Like the threat of the police, who were already packing up and pulling out. Like the darkness.
Kennedy gave her arm a gentle tug. “Let’s go tell the boys about the wedding.”
Grace could hardly wait. “I’m going to love being their mother,” she said and silently promised Raelynn that no matter what happened, she’d do right by the whole family. But before she left, she had a question for her brother.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, pulling him aside.
He folded his arms and gazed out over the land. “I knew it had to come to this,” he said.
“You knew they’d search? You wanted them to?”
“It was the only way to set you free.”
“Why didn’t you let them search before?”
“An invitation would’ve seemed staged. This way…it was real, you know? They did what they wanted to, even though they thought I was against it. That should keep them happy.”
She double-checked to make sure no one was close enough to hear their conversation. “So, where did you put…it?” she whispered.
He smiled and shook his head. “That’s one question I’ll never answer. He’s not your problem anymore. That’s all you need to know.”
“Grace?”
Grace looked up to see Madeline standing off by herself. She’d been reading through her father’s Bible, turning each page as though it was more precious than gold.
“What is it?” she said gently when she noticed the tears in Madeline’s eyes.
Madeline pointed to a page at the beginning of the Bible that was usually blank. Only this one was covered with small, neat handwriting that included dates, scriptural references and passages, notes. “You should read all the beautiful things Dad wrote about you. You were so special to him.”
Special? More than Madeline would ever know.
Grace’s eyes locked with Kennedy’s. Then she smiled at her stepsister. “You’re the one who’s special, Maddy.”
Epilogue
Grace lay on her back beneath the Baumgarters’ giant oak, the one that now belonged to her and Kennedy, staring up at the dappled sunshine. The winter had been especially mild, and it was a glorious day, one of those days that felt like spring. Kennedy had dropped out of the mayoral race so he could spend more time with the family. But he didn’t seem to regret it. Especially since his father’s chemotherapy had gone so well.
“How old is Grandpa today?” Teddy asked.
“Sixty,” Kennedy said. He was pruning back some of the wisteria vines that grew onto their porch, while Teddy and Heath lay on the grass beside Grace, still dizzy from their spinning contest.
“Wow, that’s old.”
They were having Kennedy’s parents over later to celebrate Otis’s birthday. She needed to start cooking—and cleaning, too. Molly was coming for a visit after Valentine’s. But she was having a difficult time pulling away from her kids. “Thank God it looks like he’s going to be around for a while longer.”
“Is he all better?” Heath asked.
A vine snapped as Kennedy’s pruning shears cut through the stem. “The doctors say he’s in remission, which means he’s good for now.”
“Can I feel the baby?” Teddy asked, crawling closer to Grace.
Grace chuckled at his eagerness. He asked almost every day. “The baby’s not moving right now.”