She tilted her head to the side and stared at him. “Really? I always thought nothing scared you.”
“I wish that were true, but it’s not. There were times when I was in Iraq that I thought I’d die any moment.”
“I never knew that.”
He took a deep breath. “Which brings up something I think we need to talk about. That night six years ago when I was home on furlough.”
She shook her head and tried to rise. “There’s nothing we need to discuss.”
He reached out and grabbed her arm. “I think there is. I want to explain to you what happened. Please hear me out.”
She sighed and settled back on the couch. “Very well. What is it?”
He took a deep breath. “That night I lay awake for hours thinking how peaceful it was at home and how I was going back to what I thought was my certain death. I knew you were spending the night with Jessica, but I didn’t expect to find you when I went into the kitchen in the wee hours. You were so kind and understanding of my feelings as we began to talk. And you were so beautiful. I wanted you to help me forget all the death I’d seen since I’d been gone. I never meant for it to go any further than talking.”
“But then you kissed me.”
He exhaled. “I did, and I liked it. That scared me more than anything.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“I knew you’d had a crush on me ever since you and Jessica were kids, and I’d tried to tell myself you were like my kid sister. But that night I knew it wasn’t true. You could be more to me, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I’d written too many letters to the girlfriends and wives of my friends who were killed, and I didn’t want anyone to have to send you a letter like that. I thought it was better if I cut our relationship off before it ever got started.”
She sank back against the pillows of the couch and stared at him. “So you said those awful things to me about how we could never have a relationship because you wanted to protect me?”
“Yes.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment. Then she took a deep breath. “Thank you for telling me this, Adam. I’ve always thought it was because of me, that I wasn’t good enough for you.”
“No, Claire. It was all about me. That may seem selfish to you now, but at the time it seemed the best course of action for me. I hope this will open up the possibility for us to be friends in the future. After all, you’ve always been like a part of our family.”
“I would like for us to be friends, too, Adam.”
He smiled. “Good. Then we’ll start with your agreeing to something I’m going to propose.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry we didn’t know how tough things were for you after your father died, but you have to admit you did distance yourself from us.”
“I know, and I’m sorry about that now.”
He frowned at her. “You should be, but you can make it up to us.”
“How?”
“The only case I’m working on right now is capturing James Lester. Since he is connected to Peter Willis, it just stands to reason that we work together to find them. What do you say?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Do you really want to work together or is this your way of trying to protect me from getting in over my head again?”
“Both. Jessica and I are worried that you don’t have enough experience in this kind of work. It’s to your advantage to join with me. It will be an opportunity for you to see what bounty hunting is all about, in case you decide you want to keep at it instead of going back to your boring librarian’s job.”
She laughed. “Boring? How do you know what my life is like?”
He shook his head. “I don’t. But I’d like to make sure you can go back to it if you decide that’s what you want. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Please let me help you.”
She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. I suppose that’s the sensible thing to do. What do you suggest we do first?”
He glanced at his watch. “I’d say we need to get some sleep and talk about this over coffee in the morning.”
She pushed to her feet and wobbled for a moment as she balanced herself. He stood and reached for her, but she pushed his hands away and shook her head. “No, I need to do this myself. If I’m going to become a bounty hunter, I can’t let a little pain get to me.”
She took a deep breath and took a step. Pain flickered across her face, and she bit down on her bottom lip. She took another step and then another. When she’d reached the guest bedroom door, she looked over her shoulder at him. “See? I’m better already.”
He nodded, and she hobbled into the room and closed the door behind her. He yawned, went to the hall closet and pulled out the blanket and pillow Jessica stored there. He carried them back to the couch and settled down.
Adam had expected to drop off to sleep right away, but he couldn’t. His mind raced with everything that had happened tonight. When he’d followed James Lester’s trail to that cabin in Mississippi, he’d had no idea that it would lead to the almost fatal reunion with Claire and the realization that the bail jumper he was after was also involved in the murder of Claire’s father.
Twice tonight she’d nearly been killed, and with James and Peter already facing murder charges they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her the next time they met her. In fact, they were probably planning how they could get rid of her right now.
He pulled the blanket up to his chin. They could plan all they wanted to, but they were going to have to go through him first to get to her. He smiled. Those two killers were about to get an education in the meaning of his great-grandfather’s words, which had inspired every bounty hunter at the Knight Agency for over a hundred years.
“James and Peter,” he whispered. “We’re coming for you. It’s time for you to pay for the charges laid against you.”
* * *
Claire sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes and inhaled the smell of coffee and the sweet aroma of something baking. She glanced at the bedside clock, and her eyes grew large—8:00 a.m. When had she ever slept that late? But then again when had she ever had a night like the one she’d just experienced?
She threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Tentatively, she pressed her feet to the floor before she took a deep breath and stood. A small pain in her ankle caused her to wince, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been last night. She took a step and smiled. Either her injury had improved or she was managing to deal with it better.
Within minutes she was dressed. Now to walk into the kitchen and appear as though she’d made a full recovery. She took a deep breath and hobbled to the bedroom door. When she opened it, she could hear voices coming from the kitchen.
She made her way there and stopped at the door. Jessica and Adam sat at the kitchen table. Jessica looked up when Claire entered and smiled. “Hey, sleepyhead. I thought I was going to have to leave before you woke up.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. I wanted to thank you for everything you did for me last night.”
Jessica pushed to her feet. “That’s what friends are for. You would have done the same for me. Now sit down and let me get you some coffee and one of these apple Danish rolls. They’re really good.”
Claire inhaled a deep breath, and her stomach growled. “They smell delicious. I didn’t get around to eating dinner last night, so I’m starved.”
Adam took a sip from his cup and set it back in the saucer. “You’d better eat up this morning. We have a full day ahead of us.”
Jessica set a cup of coffee and a plate with a Danish on it in front of Claire and glanced at her watch. “I have to get on the road. You two make yourselves at home.” She turned to her brother. “I talked to the building superintend
ent this morning. He’s going to repair the back door where James broke in, and he’s going to put dead bolts on the front and back. I wish you would check and make sure it gets done.”
Adam nodded. “I will. Be careful. And remember, don’t let your guard down a minute with this guy you’re bringing back. He’ll try to make you think he’s your friend, but he’s not. He’s a fugitive of the court.”
Jessica rolled her eyes and smiled. “I know, big brother. I’ve done this before.” She reached out and squeezed Claire’s hand. “And you two be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to either of you.”
“We will be,” Claire said. “And thanks again.”
Jessica nodded, shrugged into her jacket and walked out the back door. When she was gone, a silence fell over the room. Claire picked up her cup and took a drink before she glanced back at Adam. The muscle in his jaw flexed as he stared into his coffee.
After a moment he glanced up. “How are you this morning?”
“I’m fine. A little sore, but I guess that’s to be expected after last night.”
He nodded. “But you seem to be walking better.”
“It still hurts some, but I’m ready for the day. What should we do first?”
“We never got around to looking at Peter’s cell phone last night. Maybe there’s something on it that he didn’t want us to see. Since James seemed to be interested in stealing the phone, I think we should look at it.”
“I laid it on the dresser in the bedroom.” Claire braced her arms on the table and started to push up.
Adam reached out and touched her arm. “Don’t get up. I’ll bring it in here.”
Within minutes he was back at the table and scrolling through the contacts. When he didn’t say anything, Claire leaned closer. “Spotted anything suspicious yet?”
He stopped and stared at the phone. “Here’s something interesting. Numbers for three locations of a Serenity Wellness Spa.”
Claire’s eyes grew wide. “Did you say Serenity Wellness Spa?”
Adam glanced at her. “Yes. Have you heard of them before?”
“No. Not of the spas. But it’s strange because before my father died, he was unconscious, but he kept mumbling. It sounded like he was saying the word serene, but I couldn’t be sure. Maybe he was trying to tell me something. Where are these spas located?”
“One in Knoxville, one in Nashville and another near Memphis. They’re in all of the major Tennessee cities.”
“Do you think we should call one?”
Adam grinned at her. “I think we should. And you deserve to make the call since you almost got killed trying to keep James from getting his hands on this phone.”
She rolled her eyes at the teasing tone of his voice and punched in the number with the East Tennessee area code. It rang several times before a woman answered. “Thank you for calling the Smoky Mountain Serenity Wellness Spa. May I help you?”
Claire cleared her throat. “Yes. I just recently heard about your facility and wondered what you offer your guests.”
“Serenity is basically a wellness resort that is designed to address the needs of the total individual. To do this we engage our guests in one-on-one stress-management techniques and promote physical involvement in activities such as hiking, massage, weight loss and workouts with a personal trainer. We strive to equip our guests with the tools necessary to face life in the twenty-first century.”
“That sounds like what I’m looking for, but it may be too pricey for me,” Claire said.
“Not necessarily. You can choose from different packages and tailor your program to fit your personal needs. All our options are available on our website. You might want to check them out and decide which sounds right for you. I can give you that address.”
Claire wrote down the web address as the woman rattled it off. “Thank you for all your help. I’ll be in touch if I decide to make a reservation.”
“If I can be of any more help, please give me a call. I’ll be glad to answer any of your questions. Goodbye.”
Claire ended the call and shrugged. “It sounded like a really nice wellness spa. I’ll call the one near Nashville and see what I find out there.”
Ten minutes later she ended the call and sighed. “That conversation was almost a repeat of the earlier one. They must train their sales reps on exactly what to say.”
“Are you going to call the one near here?”
“No. Why don’t we drive out there and check it out?”
Adam drained his coffee cup, stood and put his dirty dishes in the dishwasher. “That sounds like a good idea. But before we do, I think we should talk to Peter’s boss first. Have you been to see him yet?”
“I went by the bank a few days ago, but he wasn’t in. One of the loan officers said he wouldn’t be back until yesterday. So he should be in the office today.”
“Then let’s go get your car, and then we’ll go pay a visit to the bank where Peter worked first. What’s his boss’s name?”
“Arthur Kendall is the bank’s chief executive officer, but Whitney Hamilton is the chief financial officer.” Claire glanced down at the smudges left on her shirt from when she fell to the ground the night before. “I’m still wearing the clothes I had on last night. Could we go by my house and let me wash some of this grime off before we take off for the day?”
“No problem. Are you ready to go now?”
Claire swallowed the last bite of Danish and washed it down with coffee before she stacked the dishes and rose. “I will be as soon as I put these in the dishwasher.”
“Let me.”
Adam reached for the dishes, and his fingers brushed against hers. Claire’s pulse pounded, and she glanced down at the plate they both held. When she looked up, he was staring at her with an expression that left her breathless. He gave a tug on the dishes, and she loosened her grip.
“Thank you.”
He smiled, and her heart raced. Her gaze swept over the room, and as it did she remembered another kitchen and a night when he’d looked at her in that way. What was she thinking? The excitement she’d been feeling a moment ago disappeared, and the bitterness she’d felt for years toward Adam resurfaced.
Last night they had agreed to try to be friends again, and she hoped they could be. But there was never going to be anything else between them. The dreams she’d once had about them were dead. Now all she wanted from him was help finding her father’s killer. Nothing else.
FIVE
Adam glanced at Claire from time to time as he drove toward her father’s house on the northern outskirts of Memphis. She’d been quiet ever since they left Jessica’s apartment. He’d been pleased with how well their conversation had gone until suddenly she clammed up and had barely spoken since.
He turned onto the gravel path that led to the farmhouse Claire’s father had purchased a few years ago and stopped behind a truck in the driveway. “Whose truck?”
“It belonged to my father. I’ve been trying to sell it, but so far no one has been interested.” She opened the door, climbed out and headed to the front door. “Come on inside. You can wait in the living room while I’m getting cleaned up.”
He followed her into the house and glanced around the neat room they’d entered. The leather furniture and the sports magazines on the coffee table reminded him of Claire’s dad. He sat down on the couch and picked up one of the magazines.
“Take your time. I’ll entertain myself.”
She nodded and disappeared down a hallway, which he assumed led to the bedrooms. He thumbed through the magazine and read several articles before he tossed it back on the coffee table and chose another one.
Thirty minutes later he glanced up as Claire walked back into the room. She’d changed into jeans and a red sweater that seemed to bring out the highlights in her ches
tnut-colored hair. For a moment all he could do was stare at her. Then he laid the magazine down and rose.
She smiled. “I hope you didn’t get bored while I was gone.”
He shook his head. “I read several of your dad’s magazines.” He glanced around the room and noticed for the first time the family pictures sitting on tables and a large painting of Claire and her mother hanging on the wall. He walked over and gazed up at the painting. “Your mother was a very beautiful woman.”
“Yes, she was,” Claire murmured.
He turned and faced her. “With you away in Nashville after your mother passed away, your father must have wanted to be surrounded by his memories.”
“He did.” She hesitated before continuing. “I should have come home more often, but I told myself I was busy. If I’d known our time would be short, I would have come more often.”
“Don’t blame yourself. I think that’s human nature to become so involved in what you’re doing that you let some things slide. I know I don’t visit my parents like I should, and they live right here in Memphis.”
“Why don’t you visit them?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. It just seems like every time I go over there, they try to get me to go to church with them. They know I’m not into that kind of stuff.”
Claire’s eyebrows arched. “‘That kind of stuff’? There’s nothing more important than your relationship with God. They keep reminding you of that because they love you, and they want you to realize how much God loves you.”
“God?” he sneered. “Where was God when my buddies were being blown to bits right before my eyes in battle? He should have showed up if He loves us so much.”
A somber expression covered her face. “He showed up for you, didn’t He? You came home.”
He raked his hand through his hair. “I don’t want to talk about this now. We need to go get your car and get it back here so we can go to the bank this afternoon and talk to Peter’s boss before we go to the spa.”
“All right. I’m ready.”
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