Broken Beginnings: A High Heat Small Town Romance Suspense (Citrus Cove Book 1)

THE SUN WAS JUST NOW STARTING to rise. I decided when I hadn’t been able to fall back asleep at 4:00 a.m. that I’d go to the winery for a couple of hours just to try and get a sense of normalcy.

Last night was incredible with Haley. One would think that meant I would have slept well, but all I could think about was how I needed her to be safe. How I needed all of this to end.

We had to find the killer. And we had to find Andy.

Citrus Cove was so damn small you’d think it would be easy. And maybe he’d left town. But even so, there was still someone out there hunting the woman I loved more than anything else in the world.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

Maybe we’d missed something on the security cameras. Maybe there was something that I’d overlooked.

“I’m going to go to the winery for a little bit,” I whispered to Haley. “Hunter is on his way over with coffee and donuts.”

She cracked open an eye, pulling the blankets tighter around her. She blinked at me, processing what I’d said. “It’s like 6:00 a.m.,” she protested.

“I know. I just want to go check on things. I just… Maybe we missed something.”

“You’re a monster,” she sighed dramatically. “How did you get Hunter to come over this early?”

“I bribed him,” I chuckled.

“With what?”

“Naming our future child after him.”

She swatted me with a sleepy chuckle but nodded. “Be careful, cowboy.”

“Always, sunshine.” I planted a kiss on her forehead before heading downstairs and out the door.

I would be careful, of course, but I wasn’t worried about myself the way I was worried about her.

The police hadn’t made any progress in finding out who killed that poor woman. I was starting to get antsy and wanted to go over to the winery to take a look at the footage again.

I’d replayed that night in my head so many times. Part of me wondered if me fighting Andy was the reason he’d killed that woman.

If it was him.

There was no way to know for sure. I had a hard time imagining him doing it, but I didn’t know him. I didn’t know what he was capable of.

Maybe he was the killer.

The idea that he stalked Haley all the way from Baltimore infuriated me.

The drive over was quick, I was lost in my thoughts. It was early in the morning, the sun peeking over the hills, highlighting the Texas Hill Country. We were due for more rain soon, which was a good sign before rolling into the brutal heat of summer.

I slowed as I drove up. Everything looked normal.

I pulled into the parking lot, my eyes drifting over to the spot where Haley’s car had been left. The police had it towed in for forensics, but I wasn’t sure if she’d ever even want to see it again.

New pole lights had been installed, so at least at night, the entire parking lot would be illuminated.

I sat still, taking it all in. Finally, after a couple of minutes of just letting my mind rest, I got out of my truck. I unlocked the front door and slipped into the cool air. It felt strange being back, almost normal.

It was silent. The only sound was my boots on the floor, echoing as I went to the back toward my office, where I set my things down. I took a seat in the chair, leaning back and thinking about the things that Haley and I had done in here that night.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

A little slice of paradise amongst the hell that our lives had become. It had to end. We had to catch the killer.

We couldn’t keep living like this.

Haley deserved happiness, and I wanted to build a life with her. We had a future to look forward to, one that didn’t involve a killer stalking her.

My phone dinged in my pocket, I pulled it out, seeing Hunter’s text.

Hunter: At your house, drinking coffee with Hal. I don’t think that she’s a morning person.

I chuckled. She most certainly was not. I shot him a text back and told him I’d be home within the hour. I set my phone down and logged on to my computer. There were emails from customers, some social media posts that I needed to check on. I perused it all until I finally decided to do what I had come for.

I pulled up the security camera system, logging in the dates for that Saturday night, and scrutinized the footage.

Frustration rolled through me as I watched the same footage of the scene over and over again. I’d watched it with Bud. I’d watched it with Haley. I’d watched it with Hunter and Sammy and Colt. All of us looked it over, looking for anything that might have been a clue.

I zoomed in on one of the cameras, selecting a square to magnify. It was the closest to the spot where Haley parked.

It infuriated me that I couldn’t see what happened. I watched it once, and watched it twice. Still nothing. Nothing helpful, no clue to the identity of the serial killer or even Andy.

I spent a few more minutes looking over footage before I let out a sigh and leaned back in my chair. This was pointless.

Everything was fucking pointless.

I groaned, leaning forward and rubbing my eyes.

I was worried about her. Worried about everything that had happened. I couldn’t stand the thought of it being her in that car instead of Darlene.

My future was with Haley. Between all of the crazy moments this week of us dealing with everything happening, I thought about proposing to her. What I would do. How I would plan it. Wondering if she would be crazy enough to say yes.

Hell, I still had to tell her I loved her first. But, it was nice thinking about a proposal and wedding amidst all of the bad things. The idea of her walking down the aisle to meet me… It would be a dream come true.

I smiled, my shoulders relaxing. We just needed to weather the storm. Eventually, all of this would blow over, and we’d be able to move on with our lives.

The scent of smoke drew my attention. I scowled, looking up.

“What the fuck?”

It became stronger.

I stood, my eyes on the doorway. The air was quickly turning hazy, becoming stronger as I stepped out into the hallway. A cloud of smoke billowed at the end, filling up the space. I coughed, my eyes watering.

Panic rolled through me. This place was my dream. I’d spent countless hours working, countless hours worrying.

What the hell was happening? A million thoughts ran through my head. Why hadn’t the sprinklers gone off? Why hadn’t the alarm? Why was my winery on fire?

I rushed down the hall and out into the main part of the winery. I pulled my shirt over my mouth and nose, shock following.

Fire licked at the walls, crawling toward me. It was spreading, moving fast, consuming anything and everything in its path. I stood, frozen. Staring.

My whole damn life was going up in flames.

The scent of gasoline filled my nostrils, something that hadn’t been here earlier.

Someone had done this.

My blood ran cold.

I stood still, my heart pounding.

Someone had been here.

I had been so fucking focused in my office that I hadn’t even noticed. Daydreaming and hyperfocusing on the footage, all while someone had waltzed in and set this place ablaze.

What if they were still here?

My adrenaline finally kicked in. I ran for the front door, going as fast as I could. I kicked it open, running out into the open air, dragging in breaths as I looked around.

A black car sat in the parking lot, still parked.

I looked around wildly, pulling my phone from my pocket. I texted Hunter.

Me: Call 911. Someone here. Set place on fire. 

I then tucked it away, jogging over to the car.

Whoever the fuck they were, they had to come back here, right?

I knelt behind it, my heart pounding as I watched my dreams go up in flames. It hurt in a different kind of way, an ache so deep that I was losing something I might never recover. Smoke billowed in the baby blue Texas sky, the puffy white clouds marred.

I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket, but I ignored it. I hunched down, waiting for whoever had done this. I heard the sound of boots on gravel, rushing toward the car. Right as they reached for the driver’s side, I jumped up, rushing toward them and grabbing them by the jacket they wore.

I yanked them back as they turned, throwing them to the ground. Their hood fell back.

“Andy,” I snarled. “You son of a bitch. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

He jumped to his feet, his face contorted with rage. “It’s what you get. You ruined my life!”

“Did you kill that woman?” I snarled. “Are you the serial killer?”

“No, but I’m going to kill you,” he growled, reaching for me.

It was clear that he’d been holding back the other night when I’d fought him. He grabbed me by the shirt, kicking my feet out from under me and slamming me onto the ground. The gravel dug into my back, sharp pain tearing into me. We rolled together, and I felt a little bit surprised that he was as strong as he was. I kicked him back, managing to roll back to my feet.

I punched him hard, feeling my knuckles crack against his nose. He managed to land a blow to my face, my ears ringing from the impact. I staggered back and then gasped as I felt something sharp stab into my side.

The fucker had a knife.

He yanked it out, tackling me to the ground. I clutched my side as he hit me again and again, the pain excruciating.

I curled in, protecting my head and neck and stomach, despite the pain radiating from the stab wound.

He stopped, hovering over me. “You should have never interfered. I would have taken her home and did whatever I wanted if you hadn’t. Guys like you always think they deserve the whole world. She wanted me and you interfered.”

Disgust rolled through me. “She never wanted you. You’re a fucking killer.”

“I am now,” he snarled.

My hand covered the knife wound, blood hot against my skin as I stared up at him in a daze.

He was going to kill me.

I was pissed about that. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to lose out on living a long happy life with Haley.

I hadn’t even told her I loved her yet.

Regret rolled through me. I was stupid. I was so fucking stupid. Why had I waited so long to tell her? I loved her. I loved her so much.

Sirens made his head whip around.

“You’re lucky,” he said. “If I had more time, I’d make sure you died too.”

He turned and ran, getting into his car. I lifted my head, glaring despite the fact that I was lying in the parking lot of my burning winery, bleeding out.

I maintained the glare as he drove off, peeling out and kicking up gravel behind him.

My head throbbed as I lay back down. Haley was going to kill me if I didn’t die. Fuck.

A police car pulled up to a stop next to me. I heard a shout, my vision starting to darken and splinter into dots.

This sucks.

“You idiot. You fucking idiot.”

I blinked, seeing Sammy hovering over me. I heard my mother’s voice too, shrill above the fire truck siren.

Sammy gripped my face, his eyes burning with rage. “Who did this, Cam?”

“Andy. He brought a knife to a fistfight,” I breathed out. “Wasn’t fair.”

Sammy shook his head and was soon replaced by someone I didn’t recognize. I closed my eyes, sending up a silent prayer.

I love you, sunshine.