Read Chapter One of Shattered Heaven

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After her early morning shift, Rowan drove out to Logan���s to meet the man face to face. Not only did she want to ask him in person why he had been avoiding her calls, but she desperately wanted to tell him the news about Ava���s relationship to Jessica that had been confirmed by DNA testing.

Ava was Jessica���s daughter, and that meant Jessica hadn���t died the night she disappeared ten years before. She���d lived long enough to conceive. She might even still be alive out there, desperately hoping someone would find her.

And as if that weren���t wild enough, the tattoos marking the children���s inner wrists were stranger. Maybe Logan would have some ideas about it. Either way, she knew he would be eager to know what was going on, unless her rejection had made him rethink his involvement altogether.

She hoped that wasn���t the case.

When she pulled up at Tolivar���s Nursery, it seemed to be a fairly busy day. Shoppers were browsing the grounds looking at plants and flowers, and there was a delivery truck with colorful ceramic planters that were being unloaded by Logan���s cousins.

She still couldn���t get over the change in it from when they were younger. The business had surely come a long way.

Rowan got out of the car and walked around the stack of pots to go inside the front office, where she expected to find his cousin Brenda at her usual post.

Logan was in her place, looming over the desk as he bent down to look in a book. The stressful look in his eyes, as well as his clenching jaw, told her that he wasn���t in the best of moods as he held up a finger toward Rowan as if asking for a moment to finish the call.

Rowan watched as he paced the room and held his hand up to his head as if he was about to pull his hair out. But he had yet to really look her way.

���I���ve already checked the books,��� he said in a displeased tone. ���It���s two forty, so I don���t know what to tell you. You���ll have to talk to Brenda about that.��� He paused a moment and shook his head as if they could see him. ���I���m not sure. Yeah, okay. Okay, thanks. Have a good day.���

He ended the call and turned around, looking a bit surprised to see her. ���Hey, what���s going on?��� He let go of a ragged breath and walked over to the counter.

���Well, I thought I���d come by. You���re not answering my calls. I tried you five times last night.��� She thought for sure he was avoiding her because of what had happened between them. And while she was just as much to blame for it, she wasn���t sure where it should go or what it meant.

He let out a heavy sigh. ���Oh, sorry about that. I was at the hospital after work. Uncle Rick had a heart attack yesterday and had to have emergency surgery.���

Rowan couldn���t believe it. His uncle meant so much to him. He had always been more of a father to Logan than his own, who had passed many years ago. ���Oh, my gosh!��� She felt terrible that she didn���t even think there may have been a problem. ���Is he okay?���

���Yeah, he���s okay, but he���s going to be down for a while, so Brenda is taking care of him, which is why I���m stuck in here answering calls and dealing with that while I should be out there seeing to the grounds.���

���You should have called me. I would have come right away.��� She wasn���t sure what would become of their make-out session, but that didn���t mean she couldn���t be there for him when he needed her most.

���To be honest, I didn���t think you would want to hear from me after what happened. Besides, it was a little hectic.��� He raked his fingers through his hair.

���Of course, I would want to know. As for what happened, it doesn���t have to change anything.��� She knew that was a lot to ask. But it was true. Things could carry on as they had before, and in fact, she preferred it at least until she had time to understand her feelings. ���Do you need anything?���

Logan���s eyes were hollowed out with deep circles beneath them. ���Nah, I���m good. I���m dealing with things as best I can. But you didn���t come all the way down here to hear my problems. What���s up?���

She didn���t like the way he tried to shut her out. She knew what it was like to deal with an ailing relative. When her aunt���s cancer was at its worst, it was the kindness of the community that really shined a light of hope on an otherwise hopeless situation.

���You know you can always talk to me.��� She wanted things to be okay between them. All she had wanted from any of the recent reunions was to come closer together.

His eyes softened a bit. ���I know. Now tell me what���s so important that you came all the way out here. Was there news about the kids��� DNA?���

She took a deep breath and prepared to tell him the good news. Maybe it would brighten his day a bit, knowing that Jessica had a child. It meant a lot to everyone but especially for him. ���Yes, we did. The results are back, and they prove without a doubt that Jessica is the little girl���s mother just like I suspected.���

���That���s amazing. I���m so glad. Now they can reopen the investigation, and it proves that I���m in the clear. No more unwanted suspicion coming my way.���

���I know. I knew you���d be glad on all counts. No one can say you had anything to do with it. And it proves that Jessica lived long enough to have a child. Which could also mean she���s still alive.���

���I guess so. I won���t let myself believe that until I see her walk through the door, but it���s a hell of a start.���

���Yeah, for sure.���

���So, what about the boy? You didn���t say.��� His eyes narrowed with confusion. ���Was he a match too?���

Rowan nodded. ���To Ava, yes. They share a father. But not to Jessica. He has a different mother.���

���Damn. So whichever dirtbag took Jessica fathered children with someone else. Probably someone else he kidnapped. God, this is really big, isn���t it? I don���t know if I���m in the mental headspace to let it all sink in right now, but it���s all happening. They have to reopen the investigation. There���s no way they can ignore this.���

���It���s possible that the focus could be shifted. Captain Harper is more concerned with the father, but I think the shift in focus is simply to draw everyone���s attention to the father and not Jessica, considering he would have more to answer for with that one.���

Logan put his hands on his head again. ���It���s all too much. Whatever happens, I���m just glad we know that much.���

In her excitement, she had almost forgotten to tell him everything. ���Oh, that���s not all. Wait until you hear the rest.���

Logan���s eyes widened. ���I���m not sure I can take much more,��� he said, walking around the counter to glance out the front window where Rowan could see the cousins were still unloading pottery.

Rowan couldn���t wait to tell him. ���One of the boys was playing with a black light and found tattoos on the children���s wrists. They���re UV tattoos, so they weren���t visible before.���

Logan let that sink in. ���That is messed up. Who would do that to a couple of kids? What the hell kind of tattoos are they?���

���Ms. Opal called the symbol the Devil���s tree. But it���s just a circle with a tree with a snake wrapped around it. It would actually be kind of nice if it weren���t on a child.���

���Sounds like a cult symbol or a brand if you ask me.��� Logan narrowed his eyes. ���I wonder what it means.���

���Me too. So, Tyler and I are going to be looking into it if you want to help out.��� The symbol had to be out there somewhere. Or something similar. With all of the things you could find online, someone had to know about it.

But Logan didn���t look too enthused at the mention of his former friend���s name. ���I���ve got a lot to do here. With Uncle Rick down and Brenda out, I���ve got to be responsible for this place all on my own.���

She could tell a part of him was glad he had a valid excuse to say no. ���I understand. You know, I could help you out if you want.��� She knew that she would only be able to do so much.

���Nah, you���ve got enough to do. Besides, I���m used to being on my own in times of crisis.��� His tone was a bit bitter, but she wasn���t going to let that deter her.

She thought of the time he spent alone in jail. She hadn���t gone to see him. Not even once. That was in the past. She wanted to be there for him. ���It doesn���t have to be that way, you know? I don���t mind.���

But Logan sighed and shook his head. ���Look, it���s not a big deal. It���s just what I have to deal with.���

She reached for him, tugging on his arm to draw him closer. ���I understand. I just don���t want you to feel like you have to go through it alone.���

���But I am alone.��� He gave her a pointed look. ���And I���ll be okay.���

���Look, I know this is about us. And I���m sorry for the way things went down, but������ She could barely get the words out before he stopped her.

He turned to face her and placed his hand on her shoulder. ���Hey, it���s fine. You don���t have to apologize. In fact, I wish you wouldn���t. It���s not a big deal. Besides, it���s obvious neither of us has time for anything serious. So, don���t feel like you owe me an explanation.���

���I want to be here for you. I know we care about each other, no matter what, right?���

He stroked her hair. ���Look, you stay the course. That little girl is Jessica���s. It���s damned near a miracle that you were able to put it all together and prove it. So, think of this as a chance to help her.���

���I can help you both.��� She felt like Logan was slipping away, and she simply couldn���t allow that. Not again.

���Trust me. I���m good. Really.��� He stepped away and went to sit at the desk. ���Jessica would be glad that you���re going to help her little girl. I don���t want to take time off that. Do what you can for her.���

She got a strange feeling that he didn���t want her around. ���Are you upset with me? Is that why you want me to leave you alone?���

Logan shook his head. ���It���s not like that. And it���s not that I don���t want you around. It���s just I have to keep my head in this. And trust me, you���re more than a distraction.���

���So, you won���t mind me checking in on you?���

���You can if you want. I���m not stopping you. And I���m not going anywhere. I���ll be here when you come to your senses.��� He gave a laugh, but Rowan could hear the pain in his voice. She had hurt him with her rejection. It was never what she wanted to do. But what was done was done.

���Well, I guess I���ll just have to pop in again sometime. I should get going anyway.��� She had to meet up with Tyler, but she didn���t want to tell Logan. Some things were better left unshared.

���Thanks for coming by.���

���Yeah, well, keep your phone on.���

���Will do.��� The phone rang, and he let out a sigh. ���I should get back to it.���

���I���ll see you later.��� She left the building as he answered his call. She walked to the car, and when she got inside, her phone rang.

It was Tyler, and she was glad she had left Logan���s before his call came through. ���Hey,��� she said. ���I���m on my way.���

���Good, I thought you got busy at the diner.���

���No, I had to run an errand.��� She didn���t have to admit what the errand was, even though it wasn���t a secret. ���I wouldn���t miss this. See you soon.��� She ended the call and hurried out to meet him.