“Let me guess. The partner was after his life insurance,” Isaac said, and Myles nodded.

“I’m glad they discovered that.” The dead man’s wife deserved justice and answers just as much as Claire had deserved justice and answers. “So is Les the one who trashed my house?”

“We don’t think so. We’re pretty sure it was Don.”

Claire frowned into her coffee. “But why would Don destroy all my pictures of David, when he’d already killed him? Wasn’t that enough to take from me?”

“We may never know the answer,” Myles replied. “I’m guessing he blamed David for forcing his hand. It wasn’t as if Don was a killer at heart, any more than Jeremy was. He just felt he had no choice. He was acting to protect his son. I’m even wondering if Don might’ve been the person who followed you to your mother’s studio.”

“No.” Claire shook her head. “That was Jeremy. He admitted it.”

“Then how did Don know you had the files?”

“We weren’t keeping it a secret. Leanne knew. My father and Roni did, too. Tug might’ve mentioned it to Don when they spoke about the tree work.”

“Let’s take you home,” Isaac said. “You need some rest. And then we have to start shopping.”

That last part took Claire by surprise. “Did you say shopping?”

“I need to replace all the things I lost in the fire. You need to replace what was broken. We’ll make your house comfortable while we rebuild mine, then we’ll decide where we want to live.”

“We?” She waited for the resistance she’d experienced earlier that had made her hesitant to accept Isaac into David’s house, but it was gone. Instead, she felt as though David was standing in the room, nodding his encouragement, relieved that she was finally happy again. “Together?”

Isaac’s mouth twisted into a crooked grin. “Isn’t that what married people do?”

She was feeling better already. “I think a big diamond ring comes first,” she teased.

He winked at her. “Like I said, we have to go shopping.”

Myles had been watching them with a half smile. She could tell he was warming up to Isaac. Her friends just needed to know his intentions were honorable, and he was proving that now. “I think I’m getting my second wind.”

They started to laugh but a noise at the door interrupted. Claire looked around Isaac to see Tug and Roni come rushing in, flustered and worried.

“Claire!” Roni cried.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, honey,” Tug said.

Claire let Isaac take her cup as she hugged her stepmother, then fell into her stepfather’s arms. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you,” she said. “I love you. I love you both.”

ISBN: 978-1-4592-1519-1

IN CLOSE

Copyright © 2011 by Brenda Novak, Inc.

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, MIRA Books, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

MIRA and the Star Colophon are trademarks used under license and registered in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected].

www.Harlequin.com