Out of Circulation (Hemlock Creek Suspense Book 1) by Heather Day Gilbert

town. Had he stolen that money, regardless of the heartache it might cause his family? She couldn't believe that.
    She felt an urge to call her brother. Maybe Dad had mentioned something to him? It had been too long since she'd seen Brandon's familiar red-bearded face on Skype. She would call him tonight.
    But for now, she and Ace had work to do.
    After a brief lunch, Katie called Mom's best friend to come and stay with her a while. If anyone could offer wisdom in a tough situation, it was Jeannie Young. Jeannie had lost her son in Afghanistan, yet amazingly, her faith in God had only grown stronger since.
    She pocketed keys to the storage building and boat. Mom shot her a questioning look from the couch.
    "I thought I'd show Ace the marina while he's here, take a break from all the library stuff." It wasn't the whole truth, but Mom didn't need to hear about Dad's possible corruption right now. "My cell phone is charged if you need me. I'm feeling fine, Mom—I promise."
    Mom offered a resigned nod. "Yes, you might as well get out of the house."
    As Katie sank into the cozy Lexus seat, Ace remained quiet. His eyebrows furrowed as if the weight of the world sat on his shoulders.
    She was beginning to feel like the designated situation-lightener. "Don't worry. You did your job and made sure I was all right. And I am."
    He shot her a dubious look. "But you shouldn't be. Someone blew up your car, Katie. Doesn't that bother you?"
    She sat back, stung by his harshness. "Well, of course it does. But what can I do about it, besides what we are doing?"
    He ran a hand through his hair, creating dark, disheveled spikes. She was possessed by the strangest urge to reach over and smooth it back down.
    He continued. "What I mean is, aren't you worried about losing your life? You only get one shot at it, you know."
    So that was what was on his mind. "I know where I'm going when I die, so I'm not scared. Of course I want to live a long time—don't we all? And yes, we only get one go-round on this life. So I want to make the most of it." She paused, letting the reality of her words sink in. Yes. She wanted to make the most of this life God had given her, not cower around wishing she could be Molly or anyone else.
    He didn't say another word as she directed him to the storage facility. Once there, he pulled into the empty lot and parked outside the barbwire fence. She took Mom's key and unlocked the gate.
    When she opened the double doors to their unit, she peered into the jam-packed space and apologized. "Sorry this is so full of junk. Knowing Mom, we probably still have bins of baby clothes in here."
    It was stuffy as all get-out as she tried to maneuver deeper into the building. Ace hung back, propping the doors open and taking a long, measuring glance around. "Tell me where your Dad's things are."
    Stumbling around bed frames, lamps, and camping supplies, she finally managed to locate Dad's boxes. She swept her arm out. "His things are from about here on over."
    He nodded and pointed to the left. "How about you take that half, I'll take this?"
    They pawed through box after box for over an hour. She wished she'd packed something to drink in the parching heat. She was about to suggest they hit the nearby Wendy's when his phone rang.
    He checked the caller, then motioned to his car. "I have to take this."
    As he strode outside, she couldn't help but wonder. Was it some kind of private call from a girlfriend?
    Minutes slowly ticked by. The combination of stifling building, thirst, and repressed shock from the morning's car bombing began to weigh on her. Things began to get dark around the edges and she felt herself slipping from the box she sat on.
    Abruptly, Ace's strong hands gripped her, shifting her entire body into his massive arms. "I'm taking you out to the car." He carried her to the leather car seat, where he positioned her with her head over her knees.
    As he started the engine, air-conditioning hit her face full-blast. She gasped and