Broken Hearted Read online

  Cash ran his fingers through his hair. “Please, Faith, call Trey and have him bring the bear to us. Please do as he asks you to. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I just want everyone concerned to be safe.”

  Faith saw a shadow from behind the door Roni was standing in. Faith knew Trey, Ty, and Cody were here already and probably Eli too. She must let them know who she's going to shoot first. Faith told Mr. Moore, “Don't point your gun at Roni, you'd better point it at me.”

  Quickly, Faith grabbed her gun from behind her back. She shot Mr. Moore in the chest and he fell backward and fired a shot. Shots continued to fire. Cash pulled his gun out pointing it straight toward Faith. She had no choice. She fired first and drops to the ground, rolling beside the bed. She felt the heat of Cash’s bullet hit her side, but knew she had to try to help Roni. She crawled into a ball and came straight up into Trey's arms.

  “Hold it, Faith, it’s me, Trey.” Grabbing her gun he pointed it straight up and then took it out of her hand.

  Faith fell into his arms saying, “I tried, Trey. I tried to find out where Eve's at but Mr. Moore was going to kill me. I shot! I shot Mr. Moore then Cash turned his gun on me. I shot Cash! I know I killed him. Why would he want to kill me? I thought he cared for me. He kept saying Mr. Moore had something he loved and cared for. What do you think he was talking about?”

  “We’ll never know, Faith. You’re alive and that’s what matters most. We’ll get you help. You’re going to be alright darling.””

  Trey cradled her in his arms as she cried. Ty comes in and kneeled beside her saying, “There's more than one bullet in each one of them Faith. We'll never know who killed them.” Faith knew he's saying that to make her feel better. She knew testing the guns would prove who was killed with her gun. Eli walked in announcing that the ambulance was on its way. He grabbed a towel from the restroom holding it to her side.

  Faith asked Trey, “What happened to Roni?”

  “She's alive Faith. I grabbed her and pulled her back into the other room when we stormed this room. Of course you know she'll go to jail for kidnapping and a lot more charges by the time we’re done.”

  Faith shook her head in agreement saying, “I'm glad she made it out alive, Trey. Maybe she will stop using drugs and get her life straightened out and what about Joey?”

  “We took Joey down in the alley trying to get away. He shot Cody in the arm, but it was only a flesh wound. However, Joey didn't make it. Eve is safe now, Faith. She's in the hospital for the night, but you know how Eve is, she wants us to bring her some food so she'll be fine. Mom and Dad went over to pick up Katie, they'll all meet us at the hospital. Dad is furious as we didn’t tell them sooner. Faith, I love you. You scared me to death. I know what you were thinking, but from now on you have no choice. You will run everything through your husband and partner before you do anything. Please say you'll marry me.”

  Faith looked up into Trey’s tear filled eyes and said, “Yes, yes, darling, I'll marry you. But you have to know, Trey the old man I told you about came to me tonight.”

  “Ssh baby, please rest until the ambulance gets here.”

  “No, Trey, you have to understand. He came to me twice but not the third time. When he comes the third time, someone I loves dies. Please don’t let me fall asleep! He can’t come to me again. Cash is already dead. I love you and you can’t die. Please don’t let me fall asleep.”

  Faith woke up after surgery wondering where the old man was and why he didn’t come back. She’s happy he didn’t but it doesn’t make sense. Trey kept trying to convince her it was somehow the stress of the night that brought her dreams of the old man on. She knew they weren’t dreams now. She knew he came to guide her through that horrible night. She would never understand it but it’s a relief to know someone was out there who would always be there to help her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  One Month Later

  Faith turned around to face Ty who was going to walk her down the aisle instead of her father. She asked, “Will he think I'm beautiful?”

  “Yes, he'll probably run down the aisle and pick you up and carry you up to the altar. Faith, he loves you and so do all of us. Mom and Dad are crazy about you. And they can't wait to have grandbabies.”

  “Hold on now. First things first. Get me married.”

  They turned walking down the aisle, Faith saw Trey smiling at her. This day couldn't be any more beautiful. When the minister turned them around and said, “I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Trey Branson.” Faith looked down the aisle to see a man who seemed so familiar to her yet scary at the same time. She leaned into Trey’s neck.

  “Do you see that man, Trey, who is he?”

  By then he's gone and Trey said, “It's okay, Faith, to be a little afraid right now. After everything you've been through, that's why we’re going on our honeymoon first and then having a big reception later.”

  They grabbed hands and ran down the aisle straight for the limo outside. However, first Faith had to stop and hug his mom and dad goodbye.

  They arrived at the airport to find the Branson jet fueled and ready to go. Faith and Trey both had hurriedly changed in the limo to more comfortable clothes. Someone took their bags to the jet. As Faith and Trey walked up to the jet the man Faith saw at the end of the aisle was there to greet them.

  “Hi, Mr. Branson. Paul came down with the flu, however, he called me because he didn't want your plans to be delayed. He didn’t want to ruin your wedding day.”

  Trey said, “That's funny, I really thought he would have called my brothers so they could take care of that for us.”

  “Well, you can wait and called them, but Paul said you'd be thankful that I could change my plans and be here for you two.”

  “Oh, we are thankful now. Faith, it's off to Italy we go.”

  Faith pulled him back saying, “Trey, that’s the man I saw at the end of the aisle at our wedding.”

  “Honey, it can't be. He couldn’t get here and fuel the plane and be in uniform ready to take us to Italy. Think about it darling, let's go!”

  The pilot smiled as he thought to himself. “Paul's lying dead in the hanger after he prepared all of the plans. All I had to do is slip this jacket on when I got here. I had to be at my half-sister Faith’s wedding. It's a shame our father couldn't give the bride away today. However, I shot him and his wife that night for Mr. Moore. I couldn't bring myself to shoot my little sister. I hated our father. So when Mr. Moore came to me with the idea, I had no problems with pulling the trigger on him. He treated me like I wasn't even his son. He never came to see my mother or me. He wanted nothing to do with us. No one could ever know he had been unfaithful to his wife eight years before their precious Faith was born.

  “What am I going to do now? I don't know yet. Mr. Moore is dead and the only one who might recognize me is Faith. I think I'll take them to Italy and get to know her before I decide if she must die too!”

  To Be Continued…

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  C.H. Carter is a Contemporary Romance author who is composing a series called Chicago Hearts. Her first novel in this series is Broken Hearted. When she’s not creating her love scenes or intriguing us with her murder mysteries, she’s writing short stories for her first children's book.

  C.H. Carter is a wife of thirty-three years and a mother of four who lives in a small rural community in Southern Indiana. She enjoys reading, writing, and being with her beautiful grandchildren. When C.H. Carter isn’t writing, she has been providing love and care for her invalid mother for the past twenty years and working full time. She has been inspired to write all of her life, however, had to put it off because motherhood, family, and making a living had to come first. Now she is at a point in her life where she is going to pursue her dreams.

  Find CH Carter here!

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