28 Days: a Romantic Suspense

She sighed. “Because there is a man who has twenty-seven days left on this earth, who has not once admitted his guilt, who I should get a sense of dread from when I see his face. All my questions begin with why and I need them answered. This man is going to die because of me, and I want to make damn sure they have the right person.”

Sitting back, her father sighed warily. “Princess, he went through a trial. His DNA was all over you and the scene of the crime. He was found with one of the other victim’s shirts wrapped around his arm. He was tried, and convicted. Sixteen out of twenty-five jurors agreed that he was guilty. He’s guilty.”

Saige paled hearing about the evidence, but she pushed forward, “What happened to the other nine jurors? Don’t they all have to agree, at least in a death penalty case?”

He shook his head. “No, not in Florida. If there’d been less than ten jurors who voted the accused guilty, then he would have been sentenced to life in prison instead. But it was a supermajority vote, over half of the jurors, so he received the death penalty.”

“There must be reasons why the other jurors didn’t believe he was guilty.” Saige wanted to know what they were.

“Please, Saige,” her father begged. “Don’t start delving into his case. Can’t you leave the past alone?”

She was afraid of her memories coming back from when she’d been taken and of what he’d done to her, but she didn’t think she could give up on finding out everything she needed to know about the trial. She also had an idea on who would gladly help her with documents and transcripts, and if she guessed right, he’d probably answer all her questions if she could convince him that she thought Quinten might be innocent.

“Maybe I should.”

Her father visibly relaxed before her eyes. “Thank God, Princess. I sure as hell don’t want you remembering what he put you through. Just leave it in the past.”

She hated lying to her father, but she couldn’t see any other way. Saige folded up her napkin and placed it on the table. “I’ll be right back. The restroom is calling.” She turned to head inside the restaurant, and proceeded to trip over a laptop bag. Catching herself on the table, she glanced at the guy sitting there. “I’m sorry.”

“No”—the stranger with dark penetrating eyes quickly lifted the bag to the chair beside him—“I shouldn’t have left it in the way. My apologies.”

Day 3

6:00pm

* * *

Confusion had wrapped around Alex the moment he’d heard Saige ask her father, “Did I know Quinten Peterson before I disappeared?” He’d left the restaurant last night with the question rolling over and over in his mind. They needed to talk, that much was certain.

It had been quick thinking on his part when he’d placed his laptop bag in her way and she tripped over it. Why hadn’t she recognized him? He’d kept his back to her father, but Saige had looked him straight in the face, and there had been nothing. No spark…no smile…nothing that had hinted at recognition on her part.

Why the hell did she ask her father about Quinten? She shouldn’t have forgotten his brother as though he was inconsequential, not after the time Alex knew they spent together, away from prying eyes.

He thought finding Saige Lockwood would be difficult. In the end it had been easy, thanks to her father’s assistant. She’d told him where Richard Lockwood would be, so all Alex had done was wait…and then follow. He’d been led right to Saige Lockwood’s door.

He’d wanted to go up and confront both of them in the restaurant, but something held him back and he’d asked to be seated in an area close enough to hear them.

Saige not knowing who his brother was, had shocked him, and kept him awake for most of the night. Although he still hadn’t worked out what was really going on with her, he was slightly relieved that he wouldn’t have to talk her into anything if she was serious about reading everything she could get her hands on about his brother’s trial.

Alex wondered whether or not her father really believed her easy acceptance to leave the past alone? Even to his ears she had sounded insincere.

He’d had it all planned in his head, what he’d say to her, or even how to go about approaching her. Her not recognizing him

presented a new challenge…or maybe an opportunity.

Originally he hadn’t planned on introducing himself. He was going to just stand in her way until she recognized him. From what he’d overheard and saw, that wouldn’t work now. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment though. He’d wanted her to be shocked and maybe even scared when he stood in front of her. He’d wanted to see fear filling her eyes as she realized he was there for the truth instead of all the lies she told about his brother.

He now had even more questions.

When Alex awoke that morning and made the decision to go straight to Saige for answers, he wondered how she would be with him once he admitted who he was and what he wanted. He was a lot different now, and so was she.

Gone was the long, blonde hair. It was now a rich, glowing auburn that fell softly around her strong chin and high cheekbones. She still had a delicacy about her that had been present before, it seemed fragile now…or maybe slightly hardened, as though she kept it hidden. He was glad she hadn’t lost the softness, it was one of the things that had attracted his brother. Nothing could change the azure blue of her eyes though, he’d know her from that alone.

Settling down in his truck outside of Saige’s apartment, he wondered what had happened to Little Miss-Not-So-Perfect. One minute she was in the hospital and the next she disappeared. He’d sweet-talked one of her nurses for information to pass on to his brother, who’d been going crazy wanting to know how his girl was. The nurse hadn’t been much use, but at least he was able to tell Quinten that Saige would live.

He hated her for the lies, but he didn’t think his brother could hate her even if she was the one giving him the lethal injection. For all intents and purposes, she would be.

She’d accused him.