He directed her to the camel-colored leather love seat against the wall. “You found out something about Gil, didn’t you?”
He hesitated, then knew he couldn’t keep the information from her. He picked up the folder on the desk and handed it to her.
“Yes, I checked out Gil Bryant. His file states he’s not your ideal cop. He’s been charged with assault and battery, but the charges were dropped, twice. The guy had a problem with drinking, too, but he went through alcohol rehab and was reinstated on the force.” Cullen sighed. “It’s not a glowing report. In fact, I’m surprised that when your sister made the original complaint, they didn’t believe her.”
“Georgia was afraid to take it too far. Afraid Gil would retaliate. He did. He hounded her, followed her, then he killed her.” He saw her frustration. “I just wished we could have proved it.”
“I don’t want you to be involved in any way with this man, Shelby. He’s dangerous.”
“But if Georgia had proof...”
“We’ll find it, but together. Then I can talk to someone I can trust.”
Her eyes widened. “You know someone, don’t you?”
“Yes, I talked with Captain Kershaw this morning.”
She paused. “What did he tell you?”
“Mainly that Georgia’s death is still an open investigation, but he’s directing all his attention toward Bryant. He’s learned more information about a drug operation in town.” He shook his head. “I’ve said too much.”
He sat down beside Shelby. “This might take some time, Shelby, but they’ll get this guy. And if it is Gil, and he’s found you here, then he’s pretty desperate. Maybe because the guys he works for are after him to take care of loose ends. I need to protect you and Ryan.”
She nodded, then raised her sock-covered feet onto the sofa and rested her head on her knee. “I’m just so tired of being afraid, of looking over my shoulder.”
Cullen sat down beside her, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Damn, she felt good. “I know this has been rough on you. You’ve taken on a lot, and you haven’t even had time to mourn the loss of your sister.”
She sniffed and raised her head. “All those years apart, then we didn’t get much time together.”
Cullen’s heart was breaking for her. “You said when your grandmother died you’d been separated.”
Shelby nodded.
He couldn’t hide his surprise. “I didn’t think they split up siblings anymore.”
“Sometimes there isn’t a choice. In our case, I was young enough to go into a private home, but they didn’t want two foster kids. So Georgia stayed in a group home.” She waved it off. “It was a long time ago. All that matters now is for me to raise Ryan.”
“We’re going to do everything we can to keep him safe.”
“No, Cullen. You can’t spend all day and night worrying about us. You have a job to do.”
“And I’m doing that job.” He glanced away, then back at her. “Okay, it’s a temporary job, but that doesn’t mean I’ll shirk any of my duties while I’m here in town.”
“Then you’re going back to Denver?”
He shook his head. “No. I told you my career there is over.”
She studied him for a moment. “Why is it over, Cullen?”
He hesitated.
“Come on, Sheriff, you know everything about me. Let me get a peek at your past.”
He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. “I was a detective on the white-collar crime task force. A year ago, I was on an undercover operation when I was indicted for internet fraud and for taking bribes.”
He heard her gasp but continued, “I was set up when someone leaked that I was law enforcement. As it turned out, it was my former partner. Since we were friends, he had access to my apartment and could get my bank account information and insert the payments. I looked guilty. It took nearly a year to clear my name and get reinstated on the police force.”
She shook her head. “Wow! Our stories are so similar.”
“Yeah, you’re running from a crooked cop, and I’ve been accused of being one.”
He felt her hand on his back, and he turned and looked at her.
“That’s where the comparison ends, Cullen. This town would have never hired you if there was any doubt about your innocence.”
He nodded, unable to express how much her faith meant to him. He hadn’t gotten much of that over the past year.
She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so sorry, Cullen.”
Need shot through him as she spoke his name in a low, husky voice. He sat back and pulled her onto his lap, so he was cradling her close. His hands went to cup her cheeks as his attention zeroed in on her mouth. “It was a long time ago, Shelby. I only want to think about now.” His mouth brushed hers, and he heard her quick intake of breath. “And you.”
God, he shouldn’t be doing this, but he went back for more. He lowered his head once again and his mouth covered hers in a hungry kiss, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, digging her fingers into his scalp. He groaned, then deepened the kiss, brushing his tongue across the seam of her lips. She opened immediately and he dived inside to taste her, but it only fueled his hunger. He tore his mouth away, then pressed kisses all the way up to her ear, feeling her shiver.
“Damn, I want you.” He cupped her face as his gaze swept over her azure eyes, the hue deepened with desire, and her full lips. He couldn’t get enough, and he lowered his head and kissed her again, and again.
He tore his mouth away, and fought to draw air into his lungs. “We better slow down.” This was crazy for him to get involved with her during an investigation.
She glanced away. “You’re right.” She started to sit up, and he stopped her.
“You think I want to end this? I don’t, but if I’m thinking about us, and not who might be out there trying to get to you, I’m not doing my job.”
“You’re very good at your job, Sheriff.” She gave him a coy smile as her arms circled his neck. “But I wouldn’t want to distract you from your duty.”
“Too late. The second you’d opened the door that first night you got my attention.” He lowered his head when there was a knock on the door. “Who the hell is that?” Thinking it could be one of his men, he shifted her off his lap and stood.
“Be right back.” He walked out of the office into the hall. Once he reached the door, he looked through the glass panel to see an older man on the porch. His mood quickly soured. What the hell? He turned the latch and opened the door.
“What are you doing here?”
“Nice welcome.” Neal Brannigan pushed past him and walked into the house. “I came to see my son.”
Chapter Twelve
Shelby heard arguing in the hall. Who was here? Worried something was wrong, she went to find out.
In the entry was Cullen and a man who could be his twin but was twenty years his senior. The older man had thick gray hair that was cut short. He was tall with a sinewy build, still broad-shouldered and muscular. She had no doubt that the man was Cullen’s father.
She started to back away to give them privacy when the man noticed her. She stopped. “Excuse me,” she said, getting Cullen’s attention.
“Shelby, this is my father, Neal Brannigan. Dad, this is Shelby Townsend.”
She went to them. “Hello, Mr. Brannigan, it’s nice to meet you.”
The man nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Miss Townsend.” He glanced at his son. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You could have called,” Cullen said.
“I did call,” his father argued. “You just didn’t answer.”
“Cullen,” Shelby said, in a calming voice. “Why don’t you take your father into the kitchen a
nd I’ll put on some coffee before I take Ryan home?” She pointed to the family room, where the child slept.
“You’re right,” Cullen said. “Come on, Dad.”
Shelby went on ahead and they followed quietly. Once in the kitchen, she put the grounds into the coffeemaker, then took down two mugs. She went to the counter and unwrapped the rest of the caramel cake they had for supper. She put out place mats and took down two plates.
“Mr. Brannigan, how do you like your coffee?”
“Black. And please, call me Neal.”
“And I’m Shelby.”
He nodded and looked at his son. “What happened to the Donaldsons?”
Cullen leaned against the counter. He didn’t want to stand here and go over his decision to rent the cottage. “They moved out right after Trent and I inherited the place. Shelby and Ryan needed a place to live, so she’s renting it.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea, son, to have a single woman out here alone, especially since you’re the acting sheriff?”
He shook his head. “Even for you, that’s out of line.”
Shelby jumped in. “I should get Ryan to bed.” She started to leave.
Cullen held up a hand to stop her. “You’re not going anywhere, Shelby.” He turned to his father. “You can’t come in here and make accusations, not when you don’t know the situation. But you’re good at that, right, Dad?”
The lines on Mr. Brannigan’s forehead deepened. “I’m only saying... Okay, I’ll mind my own business.”
“Yeah, right. That’ll be the day.”
Shelby walked out of the kitchen, leaving the two men to argue. She gathered Ryan’s things and stuffed them into her oversize bag, all the time trying to forget what happened between them in the office. It had been inappropriate.
“Shelby...”
She turned at the sound of Cullen’s voice.
“I’m sorry about what my dad said.”
“No, he was right, and you were right, too. I shouldn’t be here, distracting you from your job.”
He took a step closer, and she backed up. “No. What happened in the office was a mistake. You need to think about your future. Neither one of us should do anything foolish right now.”
Had she hoped to get an argument? When he didn’t say anything, she had her answer. She hooked her purse over her shoulder and went to scoop up Ryan in her arms.
“Let me get him,” Cullen said, then called to his dad he’d be right back.
She didn’t even dispute him and stood back, allowing him to pick up the child. Ryan stirred, but Cullen soothed him quickly and walked into the kitchen. “Good night, Neal,” she called. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Same here. Good night.”
Once at the cottage, she unlocked the door, but was still feeling a little anxious coming back here. Well, she needed to get over it. At least until she found them another place to live.
Cullen carried Ryan into his bedroom. After Shelby removed his shoes and socks and jeans, she tucked him under the covers. She walked out and closed the door, and he reached for her.
She gasped as she ended up in his arms and his mouth took hers in a fierce kiss. She couldn’t stop from reacting, stop wanting him, stop needing him. Finally he released her.
“This isn’t over, Shelby.” He brushed his mouth over hers again. “You’re safe here. I’ve checked all the locks, but if you need me...for anything, call. Good night.” He turned and walked out, before she could even find the breath to speak.
On the way back to the house, Cullen worked to cool down. His father appearing at his door still had him riled, but he couldn’t keep running away. It was time to face the man and stand up to whatever he had to dish out. He opened the back door and found his father seated at the table.
He was eating cake. “I’ll say one thing, your Shelby sure can bake.”
“That’s because she’s a chef.” He went to pour himself a cup of coffee. “If you’re hungry there’s leftover lasagna in the fridge.”
“This will hold me until morning.” He took another bite. “How long have you known her?”
“About a month when she came here for a job. Like I said, she and her nephew are renting the cottage.”
Even knowing that the coffee would keep him awake, Cullen filled his mug. He doubted his father was leaving for a while. He took a sip. “Why are you here, Dad?”
“I didn’t like how we left things.”
The last thing he wanted was to rehash the past. “And whose fault is that?”
“It’s mine,” his father admitted. “I should have handled your suspension differently.”
“My suspension? You mean my indictment?”
Neal raised a hand. “Okay, I was wrong. I should have stood by you. Is that what you want me to say?”
“I want you to tell me the truth. Did you really think I was guilty?”
Without any hesitation, Neal shook his head. “No, but everything’s political these days. I was told by my superiors to stay out of the mix, that there was a bigger investigation going on.” He leaned forward. “I had to keep my distance, son. As you know, there were several men in the department under suspicion. I was told to not take sides because they were trying to find out who else was involved.” His father’s pain was so obvious. “Leslie kept me filled in on what was going on. I knew she was there for you because I couldn’t be.”
Cullen’s anger softened, seeing the sadness at the mention of his deceased wife’s name. “So you’re saying, you believed me.”
He nodded. “I was never happy about your decision to go undercover. Especially since your partner, Ben Crammer, was a loser, but you were protective of him.”
“So I was a slow learner.” He hated that he’d been so foolish. “It won’t happen again.”
His father eyed him closely. “Now that that’s settled, don’t you think you’ve had enough time off? You’ve been reinstated, Cullen, so go get your job back. You could have your pick of any department you want, even have a pension.”
The man hadn’t been listening. “I’m not going back, Dad.”
His father pushed his plate away. “Why the hell not? And don’t say it’s because no one believed you. That’s in the past. Now that you’ve been proven innocent, there won’t be any questions.”
“Look, Dad. I had a couple of grueling years. After my undercover work and the year on trial, I need some time to think about what I want. Captain Brewer gave me a year to decide to come back or not.”
“Are you saying you’d rather be a small-town sheriff?”
“Yes, for now. Besides, I signed a contract with the sheriff’s department, at least for the next few months.”
“I can’t believe you’re giving up everything you’ve worked for.”
“Yes, I worked hard for over ten years. I still have partial retirement and back-pay settlement. And now, I’m part owner in this ranch.”
Neal released a long sigh. “I guess I’ll never understand this. You love being in law enforcement.”
“And I am in law enforcement. I don’t have to go back to a large city to find work.” He straightened. “Look, we’re not going to agree on this, not tonight anyway. And I have the early shift tomorrow, so I need some sleep.”
“Fine. You going to kick your dad out, or you going to let me bunk here?”
Cullen eyed him closely. “You want to stay out here? What about your job?”
Neal smiled. “I guess I forgot to mention, as of last week I’m retired. Like you, I can do what I please. So can you put up with me for a few weeks?”
This time Cullen did groan. What was he going to do now? “There’s a bed upstairs, second door on the left. I’ll get some sheets for you.”
“Thanks, son.”
“Like you gave me a choice. Just be assured you aren’t the only boarder I have staying here. There’ll be four equines up bright and early, ready to be fed.”
* * *
THE NEXT MORNING, Shelby had Ryan already in the car to leave for work when she noticed Neal Brannigan’s truck parked in the drive. Maybe father and son had worked out some issues. She started the engine and drove past the barn.
“Look, Aunt Shellie.” She heard the panic in Ryan’s voice. “A man.”
Neal Brannigan came out of the corral gate. “That’s Cullen’s father, Mr. Brannigan.”
She rolled down the window and called out, “Good morning, Neal.”
The man looked so serious. “Morning to you, Shelby.” He walked up to the car and bent down to see inside, then his demeanor changed at seeing Ryan. “Well, hello, young man, what is your name?”
“Ryan,” he said shyly.
“Well, that’s a nice name.”
“Did you feed the horses?” Ryan asked.
“Sure did. And they were hungry, too. Do you ride?”
Ryan nodded. “Cullen teaches me.”
“Good. Now I better let you go so you can get to school.” He stepped back and waved them off.
Shelby drove away and wondered how long Neal Brannigan was staying. She smiled, knowing with his being here, she could focus on her life, and Cullen could focus on his. So why wasn’t she happy?
By the time she arrived at work, she quickly started her prep for the morning rush. She kept her eye on the clock, knowing she needed to run Ryan over to school soon.
She heard a knock on the screen door off the alley, and she looked to see Cullen. He smiled, and her heart started to race. “I hear someone here needs a ride to school.”
“Cullen, that’s not necessary.”
Suddenly a smiling Bess came through the restaurant door. “Hello, Sheriff.”
“Hi, Bess.”
“Come by for breakfast?”
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