by Donna Alward
“Do I have a choice?” Irritation mingled with exhaustion now. She was quite worn out from the rollercoaster of adrenaline and emotion today.
“No,” he admitted.
Not longer turned out to be a couple of hours, which dragged on interminably. Cassidy browsed on her phone for a while, but the battery was getting low, so she shut it off and tucked it into her purse. She tried to relax enough to nod off, but when she closed her eyes she saw the robbery play out again in her mind. Around seven, a clerk she didn’t recognize brought in a paper bag with take-out—pepperoni pizza, a small salad, and soda. This wasn’t what she’d planned for a relaxed Friday night. She was still in her work clothes and sitting at the police station, instead of comfy in fuzzy pajamas and curled up on the sofa watching Netflix. Cooling pizza and a room-temperature soda instead of wine and pasta. Tiny details, she thought, regaining a little of her sense of humor as she thanked the clerk for the food.
That she managed to actually eat was a good sign, she figured. Earlier, the thought of food had made her stomach turn.
It was almost eight o’clock when Joe came into the office again. “Sorry for the wait, Cassidy,” he said, dropping a folder on the desk. “It took longer than we expected.”
“Did you get him?”
He frowned. “No. Not yet. We got his real name, though. And information’s coming in. He can’t hide forever.” He lifted his chin and sniffed the air. “Sheri got you something to eat, unless my nose deceives me. Pizza?”
She patted her belly. “Yes. Thank you. I actually ate!” She smiled up at him. “Considering, you know. Lunch.” She gave a shudder. Lunch was now somewhere in the dumpster behind the bank.
He laughed. “You sound better now. I was worried about you for a while. You were really white.”
“I was really scared.” She let the smile slip off her face as she looked up at Joe. He was imposing in his uniform, but in a reassuring way. His hair was so dark it was nearly black, and his serious eyes lent his appearance a sort of gravity that made him seem responsible and…reliable. A protector. She licked her lips and asked the simple question that had been on her mind for the last two hours. “Do you really think I might be in danger, Joe? That he recognized me?”
“Is it likely? Maybe not. But I’d rather not take any chances. This guy was desperate enough to have a gun. Not just that, but he held it against you and took you hostage. Until we know more, I’d like to make sure you’re safe.”
Unease swirled in her stomach. “What does that mean, exactly?”
“It means that tonight you’ll have protection at your house.”
The thought of having cops in her tiny apartment made her feel ill all over again. Right after the divorce, Darren had forced his way into her new place, accusing her of all sorts of crazy stuff. She’d had to call the cops then, and Joe had been one of the officers who’d answered the call. She wasn’t going to mention that, though. It was too humiliating and she would rather leave the incident behind her.
“Isn’t there another option? I’m in a building with other tenants. I would hate to make them feel uneasy, too.”
He sat down in one of the guest chairs. It was odd that their positions were reversed: her behind the desk in the big rolling chair, and him in the vinyl chair reserved for visitors.
“The only accommodation in town is the bed and breakfast, and that has its own challenges. We’d have to go up the interstate to a motel—“
“And there would be extra charges involved with that.” She cut him off before he could state the obvious.
“I can’t deny that budgets are tight around here.”
“I’ll do what you think is best, Joe.” She looked up at him and held his gaze. “I trust you.”
Their gazes held for several seconds, and something different caught in her chest, shortening her breaths. He looked like he actually cared. About her. Not just as a witness, but as a person. Maybe it was because Foundry was a small town and people looked after each other. Maybe because anytime they met around town, they always managed to make small talk, including last week when his date had bailed on him. But this felt like more. She just hoped it wasn’t pity. Either for this afternoon or for all the horrible things Darren had spewed out of his mouth the day he’d refused to leave her apartment. Most of all, she hoped he didn’t believe any of it. Darren had made her sound like the most manipulative woman on the planet. Nine times out of ten, she put those horrible words in perspective and shrugged them off. But now and again, when she was feeling vulnerable, they came back to haunt her. Today was a double whammy; she’d been involved in a crime scene and she was sitting across from Sheriff Lawson, who was attractive enough—and nice enough—to make any woman nervous.
“There is one other option, though I don’t think you’ll like it.”
“Oh?” His words dragged her out of her thoughts.
“You could stay with me. I’m supposed to be off duty this weekend anyway. It wouldn’t pull anyone off the investigation, and it’s budget-friendly. Plus, I guarantee the bed is more comfortable than the ones at the roadside motel.” He raised an eyebrow.
She sat back in the chair. Stay with Joe? “So you mean you’d be my protection detail?”
He chuckled. “That’s very official sounding of you. But yeah, essentially. If you don’t mind peace and quiet, that is. My cabin’s pretty remote.”
She frowned, pulling her brows together. “How remote?”
“I’ve got a little place up Siskin Mountain.”
Siskin Mountain…the road only went in a few miles and then it was all dirt tracks leading to hunting lodges and the like. She’d gone hiking in the area a few times and found it beautiful. “Do you have electricity?”
He laughed. “Yes, of course. I’m not that far in, Cass. Power and running water and a generator back-up. Unless someone knows exactly where they’re going, though, they’ll drive right by the lane. You could look at it as a weekend getaway. Bring a few books. A couple of DVDs. I don’t have internet up there, so if you want to go online you’ll have to use your data on your phone. I do get cell coverage. Most of the time, anyway.” He grinned. “And I have a land line.”
She thought about it. It did sound much more preferable to being cooped up in her apartment with cops outside her door or sleeping on her sofa. And truth be told, the idea of a few days surrounded by peace and quiet, by trees and birds and wildlife…sounded lovely. Just because the situation was unusual didn’t mean she should suffer for it.
There was just one problem. It was Joe’s place. And Joe would be there. And that was a bit weird. And intimate. She’d known him a long time, but only in, well, passing. Not exactly this level of friendship. She bit her lip. If he could have read her mind a few minutes ago, he’d be retracting his invitation fast enough.
“You probably don’t want some stranger taking over your place,” she replied, folding her hands in her lap. “It’s a sweet offer, Joe, but I don’t want to impose.”
“You wouldn’t be, and you’re hardly a stranger. I can keep an eye on you, and if I have to come into town, I know you’ll be okay there. Besides, it’ll probably only be for a night. At some point this guy will use a credit card or his bank account, or he’ll contact someone, and we’ll have him.”
Him. “You said you identified him?”
“Chad. Chad Winters. He put a fake name on his profile, but it wasn’t too hard to follow the trail from the site to his IP address.”
One night. She could handle that. Besides, if there were cops outside her building, Darren would go ballistic. Even though they were divorced and he had no claim on her, he inserted himself in her business again and again, usually to criticize something. It was amazing to her that he still thought he had a say in anything she did.
“I’ll have to stop by my place and grab a few things. Some clothes and a toothbrush and stuff.”
“We can do that.”
“You’re sure it’s not overkill? I could go home a
nd be fine.”
He hesitated for a long moment. “I’d rather be safe than sorry. And I wouldn’t want you to stay alone tonight, anyway. I doubt you’re finished with being shaken up over the whole thing.”
That thought had crossed her mind. She had to admit that the idea of having someone nearby was comforting. “What time do you want to go?”
“In a half hour or so? I’m going to finish up here and then we’ll make a quick stop in at your apartment.”
“Okay.”
He put his hands on his knees and stood. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said, and giving a quick nod, left her alone in the office yet again.
She could do this and be fine. Besides, Joe had no idea she found him the least bit attractive. She’d just have to make sure it stayed that way.
Chapter Four
The paved road had ended several hundred yards past, and Cassidy bounced as the bumps of the dirt road vibrated through Joe’s rugged SUV. He slowed, though Cassidy couldn’t see anything in the inky darkness. The beams of his headlights lit a small swath straight ahead, showing the gravel in front of them and the hulking shapes of the trees. Joe turned into a narrow lane and she held her breath. She didn’t mind the forest; it had to be the unfamiliar area and the darkness causing the anxious feeling of claustrophobia.
“Okay?” Joe asked. He hadn’t spoken for a long time, though Cassidy hadn’t minded the silence. It’d been comfortable, peaceful.
“Feeling a little out of my depth,” she admitted. “How do you know where you are? It’s so dark out here.”
He grinned; she watched as his face relaxed into the expression, lit by the bluish glow of the dashboard lights. “Habit, I guess. After a while, trees are familiar. Their height, the way they’re grouped…plus I’ve driven this so many times now it’s just second nature.”
Another ten seconds and Cassidy saw a faint glow through the trees. “We’re close?”
“We’re here.” He pulled into a clearing and parked the truck next to a small cabin. Cassidy couldn’t see much in the darkness, and the outside light only illuminated a small circle around the door.
She undid her seatbelt and hopped out of the truck. Joe had already grabbed her bag and was leading the way to the cabin. Once inside, he flicked on some lights so that the windows glowed in welcome. Cassidy squared her shoulders and followed him. She might as well make the best of it. And there was something to be said for peace and quiet.
It was cold inside the cabin. September meant that the evenings cooled off significantly, particularly in the mountains. She rubbed her arms, trying to get warm. Joe, still wearing his jacket, was already at the wood stove, stacking kindling and newspaper. He lit a match and touched the paper. Little flicks of flame devoured the newsprint and caught at the thin kindling.
“Sorry about the cold. Nice thing about a small space is that it won’t take long to heat up.”
“I love a fire. Don’t worry about it.”
She looked around. The outside of the cabin hadn’t deceived at all. It was small, but undeniably cozy. He’d turned on a lamp on a side table, and she saw that the furniture was simple and sturdy, a masculine brown corduroy with a fleece blanket thrown over the back of the overstuffed chair. There was a television and DVD player on a wood stand. No cable box. Between that and no internet, she could forget about streaming any series or movies. Good thing he’d suggested bringing along some DVDs. She swallowed against a lump in her throat. What a sad statement of her life, that a weekend with a hunky guy at a remote cabin meant making sure she had enough DVDs and books to get her through.
The fire crackled merrily and Joe stood, stretching out his back. She took a good look at him. He’d shed his puffy jacket and loosened his tie, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt so that a tiny V of skin peeked out.
And she was here with him. Alone. In his cabin in the woods with not another soul around for what could be miles.
“It should be warm in a few minutes. Can I get you something? Tea? I think I have some around here somewhere. Just the plain bags from the grocery store. Or instant coffee?” He looked a little sheepish. “It’s kind of a bachelor’s place. There’s not much that’s fancy about it.”
“Stop apologizing.” She smiled at him. “Actually, I love it. I’m a country girl at heart. Granted, instant coffee isn’t usually my speed, but this isn’t even close to roughing it, Joe. Thanks for putting up with me.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Are you hungry? I do have food. And I know how to cook.”
“I had pizza.”
“Right.”
She suddenly realized that she hadn’t seen him eat. “Wait. You didn’t, did you? Have dinner, I mean.”
“There wasn’t much time.”
“I’m not really hungry, but if you want to have dinner, I’ll sit with you, maybe have a drink of something. Unless you’d rather be alone.”
Joe reached for a couple of pieces of wood and tossed them on the snapping kindling. “This is kind of awkward, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “To be honest, we know each other, but we’re not really friends. Oh, that sounded horrible. That’s not what I meant…” Way to go, Cass, she chided herself. She sounded like a total nitwit.
He came forward and put his hands on her upper arms. “We’re not friends yet. Why don’t we say that? And I’d like it if you hung out with me while I have something to eat. It’s kind of nice having someone around.” He grinned crookedly. “Hey, it’ll be the second time in a week that you’ll be keeping me company while I have a meal solo.”
She laughed. “Okay, then. Since you put it that way. I even promise I won’t ditch you.”
“Let me take your bag and put it in the bedroom.”
She bit down on her lip. The bedroom? There was only one? He was giving her his bed, wasn’t he? There was a certain intimacy, thinking about sleeping in the sheets where he normally slept. In his room. On his mattress. She hoped she wasn’t blushing as she looked up at him. “Joe, that’s not necessary. I can take the couch. I don’t want to put you out.”
“Don’t be silly. The couch is fine for me. I’ve slept in much worse spots.” He grinned. “Besides, if we’d gone to your apartment, I would have slept on the couch there, right?”
He took her bag and led the way into the bedroom. “You might want to keep the door open, though, to let the heat in. It’s supposed to be cold tonight. Only thirty-eight degrees.”
He flicked on the bedroom light. The bed was neatly made, covered with what appeared to be a very old, handmade quilt pieced in burgundy, navy, and brown blocks. A laundry basket sat on a wood chair, with folded clothes piled inside. There was a clock radio on a table next to the bed, and a book—some sort of crime thriller by an author she recognized. “You read?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. I like to read before I go to sleep.”
But she was surprised. Darren had always said reading was pointless, because non-fiction was boring or depressing and fiction was just made up shit that would never happen. He was right about that. She’d often caught herself looking over at him and realizing that there was no dashing fairy tale in the works for her. Gallantry was simply not in Darren’s vocabulary.
Hell, Joe had shown more gallantry and chivalry in one day than Darren had showed her in five years of marriage. Sometimes it was hard to remember why she’d married him in the first place.
“I really don’t want to put you out of your bed,” she said, turning to face him. He’d already put her bag on top of a small chest.
“Cassidy, you’re sleeping in the bed. So the only option is the sofa. Unless you not wanting to put me out of the bed means that we share it.”
She must have looked horrified because he laughed, a rich, full sound. “Oh my God. You should see your face. I’m joking.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Maybe I shouldn’t joke. You’ve had a crazy day.”
Funny, how standing in his bedroom made her forget a lot of what had hap
pened. But it came rushing back now; the real reason she was standing here. This Chad guy. Who’d waved a gun in her face. Who might know who she was, because she hadn’t lied on her profile. Maybe she should have been more careful…
“Come on, let’s go to the kitchen. I’ll make a sandwich and get us a drink and we can relax.”
She followed him, and accepted a glass of whiskey to steady her nerves as he built a sandwich and threw a handful of potato chips on a plate to go with it. “You want some?” he asked.
“Why the hell not?” she asked. Chips were a weakness of hers, and she was already feeling the effects of the liquor. Joe added another splash to her glass, put a couple of fingers into a glass of his own, and they headed back to the living room to sit on the sofa and chill.
The fire was well-established now and threw a steady heat. Joe left in the grate and kept the wood stove door open so that they could watch the flames dance and flicker, the light from the fire casting shadows on the walls. Cassidy curled her feet up beneath her and cradled her glass in her hand. The bowl of chips rested on her left knee, and she picked up a chip and bit into it, loving the taste of salt as it melted on her tongue.
“So,” Joe asked, swallowing a mouthful of sandwich, “why Not My 1st Rodeo?”
She’d expected they’d get around to talking about the dating site eventually. She regretted ever signing up now, though it had seemed like a good idea at the time.
“I don’t know. Foundry is a small town. Trying to meet new people is…well, there’s not a lot of selection.”
“Ouch.”
She chuckled. “Oh, that’s just your wounded pride talking. Shut up.”
He laughed, too, and took another bite.
“The thing is, everyone knows about my divorce. They probably know more than I’d like, really, and who wants to take on that kind of baggage? This site is kind of specific. It’s for people who’ve been married before. And, well, it’s for those who enjoy a rural lifestyle.”
“Farmers.”
“And ranchers or what not. I grew up in a rural community. I love wide open space and I miss it. I wasn’t sad when we moved here. It’s small but it reminds me of home just a little bit. The good and the bad,” she said, raising one eyebrow. “I left my family behind, but I saw pictures of the mountains and the ranches in the area and… yeah.”