by Regan Black
Tyler hiccupped. “Some guy offered me a hundred bucks to leave the back gate unlocked at the training center the night Nico was stolen. He offered me another hundred to do it again and make sure he could get into the kennels the next night, too.”
“Oh, Tyler. That’s who hit you?”
He nodded. “I tried to back out of the deal after he drugged you. I know it was stupid.” He shrugged her off when she tried to comfort him with a touch to his shoulder. He appealed to Shane. “I was trying to get some money so I could get out of here. I wanted to tell you the night I was in your yard, but…”
Shane nodded. “I understand.”
Danica noticed Shane’s gaze wasn’t cold this time. His mouth was set in a grim, no-nonsense line, but empathy flickered in his eyes. Shane questioned Tyler, seeking details about the man who’d paid him.
Danica knew she should be listening, and she tried, but her mind was whirling. They’d been shot at. Really, there was no logical conclusion to the timing other than someone had been watching Tyler. He’d been hauled into the police station Friday night and today, he’d been targeted. Whatever he knew, someone wanted to keep him from talking.
He might have been killed for a desperate attempt to break free of a frustrating, neglected life? It was wrong. Tyler shouldn’t bear the brunt of the punishment because someone older and meaner used his obvious weakness to steal for the Larson twins. If a judge threw the book at Tyler, what chance would he have? And the kid was good with the dogs. That unwelcome sense of helplessness dragged at her.
Unlike Tyler, Shane hadn’t been guilty, but still he understood how important it was to have a second chance. “You have to do something,” she whispered.
Shane’s piercing gaze landed on her. “Pardon me?”
“Do something,” she said with more urgency. “He made a mistake, but he’s a good kid.” Something ugly, something that resembled panic churned low in her belly. She couldn’t let one lapse in judgment wreck Tyler’s life. “He’s only fourteen.”
“I know.” Shane tipped her face to his. “Hey. Look at me.” He waited until she focused on that clear blue gaze. “I know.”
A calm washed over her, radiating from his touch and slowly melting the icy sensation that prickled under her skin. “Okay.” She leaned back, just enough to break the contact, and regretted it immediately. “Thanks.”
“Let me make a call. Stumps, stay.” Shane left the dog with them as he walked out of the office.
“I’m so, so sorry,” Tyler murmured. “When I heard you were drugged, I should have said something.”
“I’m fine,” she said, determined to make it true. “We’ll get to the bottom of this,” she added, borrowing Shane’s confidence. “We all make mistakes, Tyler.”
“They’ll never let me come back. I’m a security risk now.”
She was afraid he might be right. “Trust Shane,” she said instead. “I do.”
It was true, she realized as the words came out. She trusted Shane to do the right thing for the case, for Tyler and for her, as well. She wondered how he’d react if she told him.
CHAPTER 14
Shane experienced profound relief as the RRPD launched into action to protect Tyler and his parents. Two officers picked up the kid at the drugstore and Shane had the report from the chief that the family would be in a safe house within hours. He didn’t imagine it would be fun for them, but he wasn’t about to lose his star witness who’d given a full description of what amounted to the first solid, criminal link to the Larson twins.
Danica posed a different problem. Since he’d helped her out of the car, the color in her cheeks fluctuated between too pale and too bright. Her green eyes would be focused one minute and distant the next.
Adrenaline from being shot at was clearly taking a toll. Although she was smart enough to realize it, he wasn’t sure she was thinking clearly enough to take the right action. He couldn’t get a read on her. When she spoke the tension in her voice bordered on panic. She claimed she needed to work, but even Stumps was giving her a side-eye full of concern.
How could he convince her to take the rest of the day off, preferably a week? “Did you have breakfast?”
Her mind had drifted again. She blinked rapidly. “We were headed to Peeps.”
“Good idea. Why don’t we go grab a sandwich?”
She pressed a hand to her middle. “I couldn’t. I should get going. Unless you need me?”
Hell yes, he needed her, some primal instinct inside him shouted. He needed her to be safe, to be well, and to return to her sassy, smart self. He’d never forced or begged a woman to do anything in his life, but with her, he was about to break on one side or the other.
Once he’d explained the situation to the chief, the news had whipped through the department like a wildfire. Danica’s brothers had called nonstop offering help, but she’d insisted she was fine on her own.
It was obvious to him she wasn’t fine at all. Worse, he and her brothers were concerned that she was in more danger. The shooter, keeping an eye on Tyler, had seen the kid with Danica. Firing on them this morning was likely an attempt to silence both of them, in case the kid had talked.
Except the kid was alive and the shooter had to assume Danica knew everything.
“I need food,” he lied. “And I hate eating alone.” Another lie. “Come on.”
“You eat alone all the time,” she muttered even as she fell into step beside him and Stumps.
The observation stopped him short. “What?”
“Every time I see you out, it’s just you and Stumps.”
She walked up the block while he processed what it meant that she knew that. Staring after her, he noticed a man cross the street. A burly man was striding toward her, head down, face shadowed by a red ball cap. The man was on a collision course with Danica, and at twice her size, would flatten her or nudge her into traffic with little more than a bump.
The man fit Tyler’s description, but only by size. Red Ridge was full of men built tough from either hours in the gym or working on local ranches and industry. On either paranoia or instinct, Shane gave Stumps the command for a vocal alert. It was a new response they’d been working on and the stocky dog proved he was up for it.
He barked, turned a circle and barked again.
As Shane hoped, the sound drew Danica’s attention as well as the attention of others on the street. She turned and hurried back toward Shane and Stumps.
“What is it?” she asked.
Behind her, the man checked his stride and veered off. “A little impromptu training opportunity,” Shane said.
Her auburn eyebrows flexed as she frowned. “That’s not the most effective method…”
He stopped listening, his thoughts locked on the stranger who had disappeared. It wasn’t exactly proof of bad intentions, but it was enough to make up his mind. He put his hand to the small of her back as the three of them moved down the sidewalk once more.
“Please have lunch with me,” he said. “At my place.”
She wouldn’t look at him. “Why?”
So many reasons. Fresh desire surged through him with so much force he nearly kissed her right here on Main Street. “I’d like to talk.” He’d like them both to be able to rest easy, knowing she was out of harm’s way.
“About the other night?”
No. He managed to keep that answer to himself. “And today,” he hedged. He opened his car door for her, keeping an eye on the area around them as he walked to the driver’s side. When Stumps was settled in the back seat, Shane drove to his place.
It was a short drive, but Danica was nearly asleep. “You need some rest.”
He pushed the button to raise the garage door and pulled inside. When they were parked in the dim space, out of sight, he started to breathe easier.
He let Stumps lead them into
the house. Head high, the corgi trotted straight to the kitchen for a treat. He obliged his dog and then poured Danica a glass of water. He didn’t bother asking about food. He simply made two thick ham sandwiches and pulled a bag of chips from the pantry. He carried everything to the table, sliding a plate in front of her and taking the chair opposite.
She ate, sparingly, while he devoured his food. Who knew worrying over someone could stir up such an appetite? “How adaptable is your cat?” he asked. He nudged the bag of chips closer to her. With luck the conversation would distract her and she’d eat a bit more.
“He doesn’t have to adapt much,” she replied.
The answer wasn’t much help. “When you leave town, do you board him?”
“I don’t travel too often.” She nibbled at a chip. “When I do, I usually have Vincent check on him daily. Why?”
Better to just get it out there, he thought. “I’d like you to move in here until the shooter is caught.” The little progress he’d been making on feeding her ended right there.
She gripped her napkin in a tight fist. “You can’t be serious.”
“It’s a good idea,” he insisted.
She shook her head, fresh alarm stamped on her face. “No.”
“You were attacked at work. Someone shot at you this morning after following you from work.”
She waved that off. “How does moving in here solve any of that? I still have to go to work. The shooter was after Tyler.”
He struggled for patience. “Think about it. You were in the station with me when I questioned Tyler. You work with the kid. If the thief is snipping loose ends, you must be on the list.”
She paled and he cursed himself for being so blunt. “Then so are you,” she managed.
“I’m an investigator. What Stumps and I find as evidence can and will be used in court, but I haven’t had any direct interaction with the thief like you and the kid.”
“You’re crazy,” she protested.
His temper simmered. “You were adamant I do something to protect Tyler and I did. Why won’t you let me protect you, too?”
“I can take—” Her lips parted again but no sound came out. She closed her mouth and dropped her head into her hands. “You’re right. I can’t take care of myself. But staying here isn’t the answer.”
He came around the table, kneeling beside her chair. Her hair curtained her face and he smoothed it back, careful of the deep scratch on her cheek. “Why not?”
She peeked at him, a wealth of undefinable emotion in her solemn gaze before she closed her eyes again.
“Why?” he persisted. “Staying alone is foolish under these circumstances.”
She sat up, pushing her hands through her hair. “So is staying here.”
“Oh. I thought better of you.” He stalked away as his worst fears rattled through his head. He’d convinced himself she was different, that she actually accepted him as-is.
“Pardon me?”
He leaned against the counter, searching for a distance, a calm he could not find. “You’re more afraid of gossip than a thief and would-be killer.”
Her creamy skin flamed and her eyes sparked with anger. “That is not true.”
He waited for her to elaborate. She didn’t. “Tell me what is true,” he demanded. “And do it fast.”
“Or what?”
Or he’d haul her into his arms and kiss her until he found the strength to admit one night in her bed had changed something fundamental inside him. He gripped the counter to keep his hands to himself.
“I want you safe,” he said, clinging to the last of his self-control. “Seeing you crawl out of that car…” He couldn’t finish the sentence, couldn’t go another minute without holding her.
One second his hands were locked onto the cool granite countertop and the next he felt the warmth of her skin as he cradled her face in his palms. She was precious to him and he didn’t even know when it had happened. Life turned on a dime and this time it was for the better.
He kissed her with all the tenderness he possessed, all the love she deserved.
“Danica.” He whispered her name between kisses. Couldn’t stop himself, even when he tasted salty tears on her cheeks.
“It’s adrenaline,” she said as he wiped them away.
“Of course it is.” He kissed her again. “I heard those gunshots,” he began. He had to start over as the images of the damage to her car filled his mind. “You scared the hell out of me.”
She dropped her forehead to his chest. “I hesitated.” She sniffled. “The shooter took out the tire. Tyler could have died because I hesitated.”
He smoothed a hand up and down her spine as she cried. “He survived because of you. Never forget that.”
When she sniffled again, he simply picked her up and carried her to the couch. She felt so small, though not the least bit fragile in his arms. It was a fascinating paradox. He held her until the waves of emotion were spent and her breathing evened out.
He held her while she slept, his mind working overtime. Getting nowhere, he turned his thoughts to Danica and whatever she was opening inside him. He never expected to find love. Hadn’t felt worthy of it after his stint in prison. No matter that he’d been innocent, his time behind bars had left a stain on his soul. Nearly a decade since his release and it was still there.
Until she’d kissed him.
No, before that. Maybe it was when she’d stood up to the Larson twins and walked toward Nico with such confidence. Maybe it had been the way she’d stuck up for Tyler. He’d wanted to dismiss her commitment to the kid, toss aside her assurance in his skill as a person and a P.I. She’d made it impossible.
Good grief, he was in love with a Gage. Maybe what he was feeling was simply adjusting to the earth tilting on its axis. The image made him chuckle and she stirred.
He kissed her hair and soothed her back to sleep. She needed the rest and he needed the time to think. When she woke, he wanted to give her a coherent plan they could agree on, personally and professionally.
Knowing what he wanted gave him clarity. Now he just needed her to let him know what she wanted.
* * *
Danica came awake slowly, a familiar weight stretched across her feet. Oscar always enjoyed the days when she napped. She nestled into the pillow, thinking more rest sounded like a good idea when she realized the light was all wrong and the scents were too masculine.
She wasn’t at her condo. Shane had brought her to his house. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glanced down, expecting that weight on her legs to be Stumps.
Instead she met Oscar’s golden gaze. He flicked an ear and ducked his head under a paw, making it clear he had no plan to let her up. “How did you get here?”
She heard a chair slide across a hard floor, by footsteps. “You’re awake.”
Danica turned toward Shane, momentarily blinded by the easy smile on his face. Not an expression she’d seen often. “Tell me it’s only been a few hours and not a few days.”
His mouth kicked into a grin. “Only a few hours,” he confirmed. “Feeling better?”
She wasn’t sure how to answer. Physically, she felt much better and she gave him a quick nod. She didn’t have any idea how she felt about her cat being here. “Where is Stumps?”
At the sound of his name, the dog sat up from where he’d been curled behind her bent knees.
Oscar gave him a wary look, but didn’t move.
“That’s unexpected,” she said. “What kind of alternate dimension is this?”
“Same town, same dimension,” Shane said. “I had Vincent bring Oscar over, along with an overnight bag with a few essentials.”
Danica groaned, imagining what her little brother deemed essential. Not ready to face that certain trouble, she turned her attention to the cat and dog. “Tell me how you worked this mira
cle in just a few hours.”
“I think having met at your place helped.”
She eyed him dubiously. Is this how they were going to open the discussion of their one-night stand? She carefully withdrew her legs from under the cat.
“Could be Stumps is just that good,” Shane said, tucking his hands into his pockets. “You trained him, so you would know.”
The man knew how to give a compliment, she thought. Stumps gave her a pleading look and flipped to his back, inviting a belly rub. Danica indulged him and endured Oscar’s glare. Better to focus on something she could control, rather than the unanswerable questions darting through her mind.
“I guess this means we’re living together?”
Shane pulled the ottoman closer and sat down in front of her, their knees nearly touching. “Would that be so bad?” he asked, his eyes cool and serious.
No. “That depends on what my brother packed for me.”
He laughed. When his eyes lit with amusement, the tension in his shoulders eased. “I’ll take you back over whenever you like,” he said. “I just don’t want you going anywhere alone right now.”
Whether it was the man or his miraculous way with her content cat, she couldn’t drum up any outrage over his protective measures. “You’re that sure something will happen?”
He nodded, the amusement replaced with professional intensity. “The one person who can identify the thief is out of reach. You might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time the night Nico was stolen, but you are now a wild card. The bad guys can’t be sure what you know.”
“I suppose whoever is behind this might also think I know where Tyler is hiding,” she mused.
Shane closed his eyes a moment. “Also a possibility,” he allowed.
An immediate urge to comfort him came over her, and she stood before she gave in. His kisses were wonderfully distracting, but they both needed to focus. “Did you make any progress on the list of Hayley’s exes?” she asked, hoping to distract herself from everything else.