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    An Innocent Man: Love Through Time
    An Innocent Man: Love Through Time
    An Innocent Man: Love Through Time
    Ebook103 pages1 hour

    An Innocent Man: Love Through Time

    By Augustina Van Hoven

    ()

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    About this ebook

    After being jilted at the altar, journalist Becky Hollister moves to a new city to try to put her life back together and ease the heartache.  She's surprised to find her new home is already occupied by a man who died 20 years ago.  Will solving his murder help her to learn to love again?

    Sheriff's deputy, Mark Collins, is intrigued by the feisty reporter and her determination to unlock the truth behind a crime that happened when he was a kid.  But every time he tries to get closer to her, she runs away like a wounded animal.  If he can help her solve the cold case, can he also help heal her broken heart?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEnchanted Tomes LLC
    Release dateOct 12, 2018
    ISBN9781732808300
    An Innocent Man: Love Through Time

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      Book preview

      An Innocent Man - Augustina Van Hoven

      Dedication

      For Stuart, who helps keep me anchored when the storms of life arrive.

      Chapter 1

      The Wedding

      Okay, I’m going to put this last curl right here. What do you think? Eileen stepped back from the chair.

      Becky Hollister stared into the mirror and smiled. Her light-brown hair was piled on her head and intertwined with silk daisies and two strands of pearls. A few ringlets hung around her face, completing her elaborate hairdo.

      Eileen, her hairdresser, reached over to the counter, picked up a can of spray, and spritzed her handiwork. Becky held a hand over her face to keep the mist off. Eileen set the can down. I need to show your sister where to attach the veil. She turned the chair so Becky faced Amy in the waiting area of the salon.

      Amy sat on an overstuffed sofa with her face bent over her cell phone. Becky called her sister’s name twice before Amy looked up.

      Come here. Eileen needs to show you another part of your maid of honor duties.

      Amy dropped the phone into her purse and crossed the room. Amy was two years younger, three inches taller, and twenty pounds lighter than she was. All their lives, boys had befriended Becky just to get closer to Amy. Amy’s pretty face and figure drew men to her like moths to a flame. She had that special spark, and she knew how to use it to her advantage. Becky sighed. She loved her little sister; she just didn’t like her very much.

      * * * *

      A little while later, Amy pulled her car into an empty parking space at the church. Becky glanced toward the road. Frank’s SUV was parked on the street in front of the church. His best man was busy attaching strings of cans to the tow bar. Becky smiled. In a few hours, she and Frank would drive off in that vehicle and start their new lives together.

      She got out of the car and opened the back door to pull out the garment bag that held her wedding dress. Amy came around to her side carrying her own dress and the veil. Her cell phone beeped again, and she pulled it out of her pocket to read the text.

      Becky frowned. Who have you been texting with all morning?

      Amy’s cheeks went red. Ahh... no one really, just a friend.

      Becky snorted. She knew her sister too well. Amy had a new guy on her line, and, like a professional fisherman, she was reeling him in. The last time this happened, Amy had gone after the son of their father’s business partner. She had broken up his relationship with his longtime girlfriend and nearly broke up their father’s accounting firm. Dad had forgiven her, of course. Everyone always did. Amy loved the fishing, but once she’d caught them, she threw them back.

      Becky shook her head. One of these days, Amy would meet a man who would treat her the same way, and, like a good older sister, Becky would swallow her I told you so’s and comfort her sister. It was simply a matter of time. In the meantime, Amy was distracted with her new toy, and she had to get her focused on her maid of honor duties. Amy was not going to mess up this day with her flightiness.

      * * * *

      Becky stood in front of the full-length mirror checking the fit of her dress. The wedding gown was white with a bodice covered with floral lace. A belt with flowers attached to the front separated the bodice from the layered skirt. The lacy hair design Eileen had created match perfectly. All that was missing now was the veil.

      Her mother stood behind her smiling. You look beautiful, darling. Your father and I are so proud. Now, I’d better go find your sister. We need to get your veil in place.

      They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Her mother walked over and answered it.

      Becky heard a familiar voice.

      Is Becky available for visitors?

      She came to the door. Jessica?

      A pretty woman with auburn hair came into the room followed by a tall man with dark hair carrying a little boy.

      Becky threw her arms around her friend. Jessica, I’m so happy that you and your husband could make it.

      I wouldn’t have missed it, you know that. Let me look at you.

      The two women stepped apart, and Becky watched her friend smile in approval.

      Becky, the dress is beautiful. You are a radiant bride.

      Becky’s mom was still standing near the door. Mom, this is Jessica. She used to work with me at the paper.

      It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Hollister. This is my husband, Harley, and our son, Thomas.

      Her old friend shook her mother’s hand, and they exchanged pleasantries. It had been over a year since she and Jess had worked together at the Statesman. Two summers ago, her friend had disappeared while on an assignment. Her car was found totaled at the bottom of a cliff. She had returned several months later with a story about the accident and a claim of amnesia. A few months after that, Harley had arrived, claiming to be her husband, and, apparently, he was.

      Becky still thought there was something odd about this handsome man wearing knee-high boots and a silver belt buckle with the letters CSA framed in laurel leaves on it. She never got the whole story about what happened to her friend. Someday she planned to ask. In the meantime, it was nice to see her again and have her be a part of this happy day.

      Becky, I’m going to find your sister. I’ll send your father in, too. The ceremony is supposed to start in twenty minutes. Her mother slipped out the door.

      Jessica smiled. We’d better go find our seats. I’m so happy for you, Becky. I wish you and Frank all the best.

      They hugged again, and Jessica left the room with her family.

      Becky went back to the mirror. She and Frank had only known each other a year, but it felt so right. He was an up-and-coming attorney with one of Boise’s regional firms specializing in intellectual properties. They had so many things in common, but their jobs kept them both busy. After the wedding, he’d still have to work long hours on his cases, and she would continue covering political meetings that meant late nights. But they’d be living together, and it would be easier to find more time to see one another between work assignments. A shiver ran down her back. She glanced at her suitcase in the corner. In a few minutes, her life would change forever.

      She turned at a light knocking on the door. Her father stuck his head in. Hi, princess, how are you holding up? He smiled, and the whole world righted itself. She turned and walked to him, and he folded her in his arms. My little girl is getting married.

      She hugged him. All her life, he’d been the rock she stood on. He was there to support her at sports matches. He had sat through her terrible music recitals. He had cheered when she graduated high school and college. Now he was here to walk her down the aisle and pass that duty on to someone else. I love you, Daddy.

      I love you too, princess. He stepped back and looked her over. You look beautiful, honey. Your mother is still searching for Amy. She seems to have disappeared.

      Becky laughed. "Did you trying looking for the best man? She was flirting with him

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