He must have kept quiet because he didn’t want me to worry.
No wonder he was grumbling earlier-“Finally, you care about me.”
“What should we do? Should we stop by the clinic in town first? It’s probably just a fever from an infected wound. Let’s get you some antibiotics.” As Ivy spoke, she was already about to tell Derek to change course.
“No need.” Jamison caught her arm gently, his voice calm. “Let’s go back to the county hospital. The clinic here just isn’t equipped for this.”
Ivy knew the town’s clinic wasn’t much, but the county was over an hour away. She hesitated, worry creasing her brow.
“Are you sure you can make it? Please don’t try to act tough, Jamison. I’m really worried about you.”
Jamison managed a weak smile. “Hearing you say that makes me feel better already.”
She huffed, exasperated. “This is hardly the time for jokes.”
As Ivy scolded him, her phone rang, cutting her off mid–sentence.
She glanced at the screen–Gallagher. She could guess what this was about.
“Hello, Warren…”
“Miss Windsor, are you on your way back to the county?”
“Yes, we are. Something came up, so we had to leave a little early.” Ivy didn’t mention Jamison’s fever–no need to make anyone else worry.
Warren had pulled an all–nighter, barely slept two hours that morning, and jumped right back into the investigation. Being a police officer was never easy; she didn’t want to add to his burdens.
“Is there something you needed, Warren? Did you find those two missing women?” Ivy asked, taking the initiative.
“We did–we finally found them! It was all thanks to you coming here. Silly gave us a crucial lead. I just wanted to call and say thank you!”
Warren’s voice was brimming with emotion; even through the phone, Ivy could hear the relief in his tone.
12:27
Chapter 345
Months of grueling work had finally paid off. Only those deeply involved in the case could understand how exhausting and nerve–wracking it had been.
“You’re giving me too much credit. If anyone deserves thanks, it’s Byron–oh, Silly, as you call him.” Ivy replied modestly, not wanting to take credit for herself.
Warren paused, sounding troubled. “We’ll be taking Brendan Clark into custody. From what we’ve gathered, he’s been closely involved with the trafficking ring. The evidence is pretty damning.”
Brendan was Silly–Byron’s–father.
Ivy felt strangely calm. “Will he be going to prison?”
“Almost certainly.”
“That’s probably for the best. At least Silly and his mother will finally be free.” No more living in terror, no more beatings at the hands of that monster.
She hung up and turned to Jamison, who was resting with his eyes closed. Ivy squeezed his hand gently and spoke in a soft voice, “They rescued everyone. Silly’s father is being arrested, and he’ll likely go to prison.”
“I heard,” Jamison murmured without opening his eyes.
Ivy let out a long breath and leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Thank you for coming with me, Jamison,” she whispered, gratitude welling up from deep inside.
Sensing the shift in her mood, Jamison lifted his head a little to look at her. “Have you finally found some peace?”
She smiled faintly. “It’s slowly getting there.”
Wounds like these didn’t heal overnight, but she was learning to let go, bit by bit.
Jamison gave a quiet chuckle. “That’s all I wanted. I came with you for this–now it’s done, and I can say it was worth every second.”
“But you got hurt because of me,” she said, her voice tinged with guilt.
He smiled. “It’s a small price to pay. If it means you worry about me and take care of me, I’d do it again.”
Ivy sat up, looking him straight in the eye. “You don’t have to pull any tricks to keep me around. After everything we’ve been through, I know exactly what kind of man you are. We’re married now, and I’m in this for real. I intend to make this work.”