Free Treasure on Lilac Lane: A Jewell Cove Novel by Donna Alward Page A

deserve it as much as anyone else. See you later.”
    When she was gone Jess sighed and put her mug on the coffee table and slid down on the sofa, pulling a cream-colored throw over her. Maybe just a short nap. Just for a few minutes …
    *   *   *
    Darkness filtered through the windows as Jess jerked awake from a nightmare, sitting up abruptly. Her breath came hard and fast; sweat trickled down her temples and she pulled her knees into her chest while she tried to get her bearings.
    God, it had been so real. Like he was right there, back in the Greer summer cottage where they’d moved in together. Sheltered by the woods on three sides and with wide open water on the other, the property was secluded and private. More like isolated. A prison. Over the years, Jess had learned a lot about abusive relationships, about the emotional and psychological damage that came with living with someone like Mike. But at night, she just remembered the sight of his face twisted with ugly anger, the sound of his hand hitting her cheek echoing through the air the millisecond before the numbing pain struck.
    Jess smoothed her hands over her face, trying to shut the memories out and focus on the present, but in the dim light of her living room, she could still feel Mike’s hands circling her neck until she saw black and gray blotches. Not long enough for her to lose consciousness. Only long enough to keep the fear pounding through her veins, just the way he wanted it.
    She trembled all over and couldn’t stop. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she fought to banish the images from her mind. She was in her home. She was safe, and Mike Greer was long out of the picture. But his family had just moved home, and his mom was sick. There was no way one promise made years ago was going to keep him away for good.
    Shoving her damp hair back from her face, she rose unsteadily, went to the kitchen, and poured herself a glass of water. Then she picked up the phone and dialed.
    “This is Josh.”
    “Hey, brother.” Her voice came out slightly shaky. Damn.
    “Jess. What’s wrong? You sound funny.”
    “I’m okay. Just a bad dream.”
    “Aw, honey. You want to come over?”
    Josh lived in a house just down the street from Sarah and Mark. But Jess didn’t want to risk seeing anyone else, not in her state. “No, it’s okay. I just … it’s the reason for the nightmare that I wanted to talk to you about.”
    “Yeah?”
    “I heard today that the Greers moved back. Karen has cancer. And Brian has asked the kids to come home.”
    Josh let out a long breath. It sounded like a whistle in Jess’s ear and she closed her eyes. After their dad had died, she’d relied on Josh. He was so much like their father. Caring but tough. Reliable. Just talking to him helped immensely.
    “You worried about him coming near you?”
    There was a long pause, and then she whispered, “Just hearing his name made me melt down, Josh.”
    Josh cursed under his breath. “We should have had him arrested back then. Do you want to tell Bryce? I doubt there’s anything he can do about it, but it wouldn’t hurt to have him know.”
    “No!” Jess tried to temper her voice and not panic. “You’re the only one who knows what happened that night. And I want to keep it that way. Please, Josh.”
    “Jess…”
    “I just … I don’t know what I want. To give you the heads-up, I guess. To … to tell someone rather than keep it inside. This way if I show up on your doorstep, you’ll know why.”
    “You can come stay here,” he suggested. “I doubt he’ll be in town for long if he shows up at all. I could always use a roommate.”
    She thought of Josh’s hours, and his dislike for housekeeping and cooking. “Thanks, but no thanks. At least not for now. Talking to you has helped.” Besides, she’d fought hard for her independence, moving out, taking night courses in business, and opening the shop. She wasn’t about to give that up at the first sign of