Free Forget Me Not: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) by Vicki Hinze Page A

cross.
    “Peggy?” Ben’s gaze riveted to the cross, and his expression turned to granite. “What is that jewelry at her neck?”
    Susan stilled her fingers. The sharp edge in his tone terrified her.
    Peggy glanced over. “Susan, may I see your necklace?”
    “Of course.” She lowered her hand to her lap.
    “It’s a cross.” Peggy shrugged and looked from the necklace to the computer screen. “A gold cross.”
    Ben’s face paled, as if every drop of blood instantly drained out of hishead. He paused a long moment. Peggy shot Harvey a curious glance. He shrugged. Lisa Harper mimicked him, though the pen she wiggled between her fingertips stilled.
    “Ben, is something wrong?” Harvey asked.
    “The cross.” He blinked, then blinked again. “Check the back of it. See if there’s an inscription engraved on it.”
    Peggy turned to Susan, silently begging her indulgence. “Do you mind?”
    “No, not at all.” Any insight into her life would be welcome. Susan leaned toward Peggy to ease her reach.
    “There is one!” Peggy’s gaze danced with excitement. But as she began to read, her smile faded, then quickly morphed to horror. Without a single utterance, she fell silent.
    “What does it say?” Susan and Ben asked at the same time. Did the inscription reveal her identity?
    Peggy winced, darted a worried glance at Harvey and Lisa, and then finally looked back at Ben. “It says, ‘Susan, Love forever, Ben.’”
    Shock rippled over his face and his jaw tightened. He glared at Susan, clearly struggling not to erupt. “Lady, I don’t know who you are or why you’re doing this, but you’d better have a good reason for wearing my wife’s cross.”
    She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She couldn’t think of a single reassuring thing to say.
    He swerved his gaze to Peggy. “No one leaves. No one moves.” He shoved back away from the computer and then stood. “I’ll be right there.”
    Peggy’s jaw dropped. Clearly she was beyond shocked.
    “What’s going on?” Susan asked. “I don’t understand.”
    Peggy stammered and stuttered half-formed thoughts Susan couldn’tdecipher. She touched Peggy’s arm. “Slow down and just tell me why you’re upset.”
    “I’m stunned.” Her wide eyes echoed her words. “Since Susan died, Ben hasn’t once stepped inside Crossroads. We’ve tried and tried to get him down here and involved, but he wouldn’t have any part of it.”
    “So what does his coming here now mean?” Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good for Susan. Not as angry as he’d been on hearing that inscription.
    Peggy looked to Dr. Talbot, who shrugged. To Dr. Harper, who didn’t move but whose face went pink.
    Peggy grunted and looked back at Susan. “I’m not sure what to make of it.”
    “It’s a good sign.” Dr. Talbot nodded, lending weight to his deduction. “For three years, I’ve believed nothing short of a miracle could ever get Ben back through these doors.” He cast a speculative glance at the cross necklace around her neck, then back into Susan’s eyes. “Maybe nothing has.”
    Susan didn’t feel like a miracle. She felt afraid. An icy chill settled deep in her bones. How had she gotten his dead wife’s necklace?

    Gregory Chessman sat at his desk in his home office, debating whether or not to phone his secret partner and inform him that their problem had resurfaced. He hated to do it. His partner was invaluable at paving the way and keeping law enforcement out of his way during crucial times. And his connections provided the transport needed to get the right people to their right positions to perform their designated duties. Those connectionsalone were critical and not apt to be found elsewhere in such a protected position. But beyond all that, Gregory never wanted to relive what he’d experienced three years ago. That text message still haunted him.
    Y OU KILLED THE WRONG WOMAN. DISCUSSION OVERHEARD, BUT THE VICTIM WAS NOT AT THE PARTY . C ORRECT SUBJECT IS