The Truth About Rachel by Deanna Sletten (recommended reading .TXT) 📕

anyone suspicious around here tonight, let us know.” Avery handed him his card with his phone number on it.

They walked down the long corridor to Rachel’s room.

“I’m not comfortable with you staying here,” Avery said when they reached her door. “I think you should stay at one of the better hotels along the highway. One with an indoor hallway and security locks on the outside doors.”

“I can’t,” she said, although she wished she could too. “Those places are too expensive, and I’m already spending too much staying in town this long.”

Avery took a deep breath and ran his hand through his wavy hair. Rachel noticed worry lines had formed across his forehead, and she felt terrible that it was because of her.

“I can pay for your hotel,” Avery said. He raised his hand before Rachel could protest. “I can afford it. And you won’t have to pay me back.”

Rachel shook her head. “I won’t let you do that. You barely know me. And I don’t know you well, either. I don’t like feeling indebted to anyone.”

“Then stay at my house. I have plenty of room. I also have a camera system, so I know you’ll be safe.”

“That’s sweet of you to offer, but again, I can’t do that. I’ll be okay here as long as I keep things locked up.”

Avery grabbed her hands and held them tightly. “Rach. Don’t you understand? You’re in danger here. First, you were being watched, then you were chased at the cemetery. Now your room has been broken into. You’re not safe in this town.”

She looked up into his warm brown eyes, and for a moment, she almost gave in. But she stood firm. She couldn’t always depend on someone taking care of her. She had to do this herself.

But it sure would have been nice to just give in and say yes.

“Worst case scenario,” Rachel said. “It was probably Jeremy or a friend of his who broke into the room to see what they could find on me. Since I’m telling the truth, there isn’t anything to find. I’m sure they won’t try to break in again.” She smiled bravely. “I’ll be fine.”

Avery let out a long sigh. “Okay. But I wish I could change your mind. My offer stands for the hotel or my house if you do decide you can’t stay here any longer.”

She rose up and kissed him softly on the lips. “I’ll be fine,” she whispered. “Come over around eight tomorrow morning with donuts and coffee and see for yourself.”

His smile returned. “It’s a date.”

Avery finally left, reluctantly, after she promised to lock the door and prop a chair under the handle. Once he drove away, all of Rachel’s bravado vanished, but she forced herself not to be scared. She picked up the scattered items and made sure nothing was missing. Then she searched her computer’s history to see if the intruder had done a search. But because her laptop was password-protected, it looked like no one had gotten into it. Once she was sure all her files were secure, Rachel relaxed and got ready for bed.

Before crawling between the sheets, Rachel turned out the lights and cracked the curtains to peek outside just to make sure there were no strange cars out there. Her heart thudded when she spotted it. The same dark four-door sedan was parked under the streetlight, and there was a man inside, watching her. He was back.

She closed the curtains tightly and tried to calm her breathing. Who was he, and what did he want? Crawling into bed, Rachel shivered. It was going to be a long, sleepless night.

Chapter Ten

The next morning, Avery was there exactly at eight with a box of donuts and two large coffees.

“How was your night?” he asked Rachel when she let him in.

“It was fine,” she said, avoiding his eyes. She didn’t want to tell him about the man in the car, or else he’d worry. She was worried enough for both of them.

She moved her computer, and they sat at the table eating donuts and drinking their coffee.

“So, what’s on the agenda today?” Avery asked.

She laughed. “Don’t you have a newspaper to run?”

“Oh, that. Yeah. It basically runs itself. My employees do everything, and I’m mostly in their way.”

“Oh, come on. That can’t be true,” she said.

He grinned. “True enough.”

Rachel sighed. “I feel like there isn’t much I can do except wait for my DNA results. Unless you have some ideas.”

“Have you thought about contacting your brother?”

Her brows shot up. “In prison?”

“Why not? I’m not sure of the protocol, but we could look it up,” Avery said.

Rachel shook her head. “I don’t know. I still feel I need proof before I tell him I’m alive. Think of how that will affect him. He’s sitting in prison because he supposedly killed me.”

“True. But Keith might have information that no one has told you yet. And there’s still a dead girl.” Avery looked sheepish. “I mean, he didn’t kill you, but someone killed that little girl. He may not be all that innocent.”

“That’s true. But I’m not ready for that yet.”

“Okay.” Avery took another sip of coffee. “What about finding your dad?”

“Wow. You’re full of ideas, aren’t you?” She laughed.

Avery shrugged. “I just want to get the ball rolling on this. Honestly, I feel like if we open this case up again, it will also lead us to the person who murdered my mother.”

Rachel reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I think you’re right. Unfortunately, it all takes time.”

He nodded as their eyes met.

Rachel’s phone buzzed at that exact moment.

“Hello?”

“Rachel? It’s Jeremy. You must have someone watching over you because your DNA test came back today.”

“It did? That’s great.”

“Yeah. Why don’t you come down here as soon as you can, and we’ll go over it? It’s actually kind of interesting,” Jeremy said.

“I’ll be right there.” Rachel clicked off her phone. She gave Avery a big smile. “Your Aunt Gladys has come through big-time for me. My