“That and destroying evidence.”
I chewed and swallowed. I’d already taken some Tylenol, and hopefully, with the food, my headache would go away. I reached over and tilted Kelly’s head, studying the bruise I could see on her cheek. “He still got you.”
“Not too bad. You gave him much worse.” She indicated the plate. “Eat. I’m going to make coffee.”
When she returned, I set down the empty plate and accepted the coffee gratefully. I took a few sips of the bracing, hot liquid and sighed in satisfaction. I could already feel the food and caffeine smoothing the raw edges. I set down the cup and turned to her.
“Why were the charges dropped?” I asked directly.
She met my gaze. “I made a trade with Carl.”
“For what?”
“The photos from that one shoot.”
“The same ones he stole?”
“Yes. There were ten more. I gave them all to him.”
I shut my eyes. “Why, Kelly?”
“I know Carl. He’s vindictive, especially now. He would press this. Go after you. Maxx and Charly. I couldn’t risk it.” She stood and came back with the coffeepot, filling our cups. “He was desperate. The client who bought the original pictures wanted more and had seen those. Carl couldn’t get to them.” She sighed. “His work has gone downhill. He needed the money.”
“So you let him win.”
“No, I gave them to him. They’re pictures, Brett. Pretty images. But they’re not my best work. When I went through all my photos after I got them back, you know what I discovered?”
“Tell me.”
“My best work has happened since I got here. Felt inspired. Loved what I did. The imperfect perfect images I captured. The people in them who are real. I’ve captured love, happiness, joy. Sadness. Amazement. Life.” She huffed out a long breath. “I don’t care that he got those pictures. He can have them. I have my peace of mind back. He got what he wanted, and he’ll leave me alone. He won’t dare come back.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Officer Gallagher drove me to the hospital. I, ah, I told her what he did. Without him knowing, I taped the whole conversation. He agreed to leave me alone. I agreed to not file charges against him, if he dropped the ones against you and left us alone.”
“And you believe him?”
“Hannah—that’s Officer Gallagher’s name—had a little chat with him. Told him I wrote out a complaint against him. If it gets filed, it will stop him from traveling. Needless to say, he agreed.”
“And how did the pictures come into play?”
“I gave him the pictures as a thank-you for what he taught me.”
I shook my head. “He doesn’t deserve them.”
“No, he doesn’t. But the bottom line is, they’re another level of insurance. I know the truth. So do other people. I had others from the same shoot in a different file that he’d never gotten around to touching. It shows my watermark. My work. I could prove it, and he knows it.” I shook my head. “He told me he plans on leaving in a few days for his place in the Caribbean. He is selling his place here, and I’m not sure he’ll be back. I just want him gone and out of my life.”
“I hate that you gave up your work. That he gets credit for it.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“It does to me.”
She studied me for a moment, not speaking. Then she dropped a bombshell.
“That’s what you do for the people you love, Brett. You make sacrifices.”
KELLY
It took a moment for my words to sink in. I saw when understanding dawned in his eyes. His expression changed, his weary shoulders drawing back as if suddenly energized. The frown between his eyes lifted.
“Charly, you mean.”
“And Maxx.”
His shoulders drooped again. “Ah.”
“And you,” I said softly.
Our eyes locked and held. “But you’re leaving,” he said.
“For a job. I plan on coming back.”
“But it’s only temporary.” He swallowed. “You need to be free. I can’t keep you.”
I sighed. “If you would stop jumping to conclusions and give me a chance to explain, you would understand something.”
He dropped his head. “Sorry.”
I couldn’t resist sliding closer, covering his hand with mine. “It’s okay. I know I hurt you before, Brett. I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”
He lifted my hand and kissed it. His voice was rough-sounding when he spoke. “Then talk.”
“When Garner offered me the job, I was excited, yes. Thrilled. And all I could think of was the places I could go. The images I could capture and share.” I squeezed his hand. “And how much I hoped you would come with me.”
“What?”
“You said you wanted to see the world. We can do both, Brett. Have a life here and see all the wonderful places you’ve dreamed about. I can have my base here—with you. I told Garner I was only interested in three or four trips a year, and he said that was fine. I can plan them around us.” I drew in a deep breath. “If there is an us.”