By the Book j-6 Read online

  “Proper procedure was followed in questioning the suspect. Brown confessed to almost all of it before the doctor gave him any medication and he started yelling for a lawyer. It’s all on tape.” Patrick smiled. “You gotta love technology.”

  “Good.” Jonah leaned back in his chair and raised his mug to Patrick.

  “What will happen now?” Amanda wrapped both hands around her mug, feeling the heat seep into her.

  Patrick took another mouthful of coffee and swallowed. “There will be charges laid for both assaults against you, the break-ins, theft and blackmail. Jim Brown is looking at being in jail for quite some time.”

  A flare of satisfaction went through her. The man deserved to pay for what he’d done to her and to the people who’d trusted him.

  Pushing back his chair, Patrick stood. “I’ll need you both to come down to the station later today and give your statements. With them, the confession and all the evidence, we’ve got more than enough to convict the bastard.”

  “Thank you for taking the time to drop by and let us know what was going on.” She felt better knowing that Jim Brown was going to pay for his crimes.

  Patrick nodded to her. “My pleasure. I’ll see you both later.”

  Jonah walked him out and returned a minute later. Amanda was still sitting in her chair, staring out the window. “You okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” She reached out and took his hand, twining her fingers with his. “I know this kind of thing happens everyday, but it’s hard to imagine someone ready to kill me because I happened to have a book that contained his bank account numbers.”

  “Try not to think about it.” Jonah crouched down beside her and stroked the curve of her cheek. “It’s over and we don’t have to worry about him any longer.”

  “No, we don’t.” She took a deep breath. Last night he’d said he loved her and wanted to be with her. It was time to find out what he really meant by that. “So where do we go from here?”

  He cocked his head to one side and frowned. “I thought we straightened this out last night.”

  She shrugged. “I know that I love you and you love me, but what does that mean?

  Are we dating? Living together? Where exactly do you see this going?”

  Jonah shook his head. “I told you I was rough around the edges, sugar. Obviously I didn’t make myself clear last night.” He took both her hands in one of his and brought them to his lips. His mouth was warm as he kissed the top of each hand. “I’ve never told a woman I loved her before. This is it for me.”

  Her heart swelled with love. “This is it for me too.”

  The corners of his lips turned upward and he gave her a smile that made her heart speed up. “I kinda figured that.”

  She nodded, willing him to continue.

  He cleared his throat. “I want to be with you always. I want to live with you, argue with you and love you until we’re both old and gray. Will you marry me?”

  Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  It wasn’t the two words, but the way he said them. Jonah was a man of honor and principle. If he made a commitment, he’d keep it. Her heart seemed to expand in her chest, making her entire body tingle. “Then yes, I’ll marry you.”

  He came to his feet and plucked her out of her chair. Wrapping his arms around her, he spun her around and around until she was dizzy and laughing.

  “Stop! Stop, Jonah, or I’ll be sick.”

  He halted in his tracks and lowered her until her feet were touching the floor. “I’m sorry, sugar. I forgot all about your injuries. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  She smiled and cupped his face in her hands. She could happily spend the next fifty years looking at his face. “No, but the bacon and eggs are sloshing around in my stomach.”

  He chuckled. “Can’t have that.”

  “Where are we going to live?” She hadn’t meant to blurt that question out, but it was something they had to discuss. “You have a house and a business and I have a house and a business.”

  A lock of her hair had come loose from her scrunchie while he’d been spinning her around. He hooked it behind her ear and gently caressed the curve of her ear and her neck. “I thought that Elizabeth and Susie could have the family house and we could live here. I can still run my business out of the garage at my old place. Elizabeth won’t mind.”

  “That wouldn’t be a problem for you?” She was touched by how easily he would rearrange his entire life for her.

  He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. “I don’t care where I live as long as I’m with you. Besides, I’m partial to this house. With all the work I’ve done on it, it feels like home.”

  He kissed her again. Softly brushing his mouth over hers. Amanda slid her hands over his chest, loving the feel of his heart beating steadily beneath her palm. “I love you, Jonah.” She’d never said those words to anyone but Jonah. With him, there was no hesitation, no fear. Loving Jonah was right no matter what happened in the future.

  Amanda was no longer afraid to love.

  Jonah scooped her into his arms and headed for the stairs. Sliding her arms around his neck, Amanda rested her head against his shoulder. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. “I love you too, Amanda.” Coming down beside her, he drew her into his arms.

  The phone rang, but they both ignored it. “Later,” he told her. “We’ll find out who it is later.”

  Then his lips met hers and she forgot about everything except the man holding her in his arms.

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