by Stacey Wilk
Red blotches bloomed up her neck, but she never let her gaze waver from his. “The cabinets are in need of repair.”
He wanted to kick himself. He should have guessed. “What about contractors? Have you hired anyone to work on the kitchen?”
“No. Wait. Yes. I hired a young man to help out with some of the projects around here. But he wouldn’t do this.” She rubbed her arms.
“Who did you hire?” He wanted to give her his zip-up, but she would never accept an offer from him.
“His name is Justin. I don’t know his last name. Howard vouched for him.”
“You hired a kid without a last name?” Which would mean she hadn’t asked for references besides Howard. He didn’t know any kid named Justin, and he knew everyone in Backwater. “How old is this kid?”
“He said eighteen. I think. He lives in the next town over. Needed a job, and I need the help. But it wasn’t him.”
“Did he start working?”
“He just came by to see the house. He starts tomorrow.”
“What time will he be here? I want to question him.” And he would not allow Deputy Sheriff Pearce to do it. He didn’t want any mistakes. A stranger in his town and at the B and B the day it got robbed made the back of his neck prickle.
“Gage, why would a kid who needs a job rob it the day he’s hired? No one is that stupid.”
She would be surprised how stupid people could be, especially a young kid who thought he knew it all and had it all figured out. Like Ajay.
She pulled closed the threadbare sweater she wore over her pajamas. The breeze off the lake was cool this time of night. The adrenaline was probably wearing off too. He didn’t want her to shiver.
He forgot reason and shrugged out of his zip-up. “Take this.”
She shook her head and stepped away from him. “Is there anything else you need, Sheriff? I’d like to clean up the broken glass and put up a piece of wood on the door until the morning. It’s been a long day.”
“Do you want me to call my mother and tell her you and your dad need a room for the night?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I mean, we’ll be fine. I don’t want to bother her. She’s done enough for my father.”
“Like what?” He didn’t know about anything in particular. Andy usually avoided his family at all costs.
“She bailed him out of the jail you put him in.”
“No, she didn’t.”
“Apparently, she doesn’t tell you everything. After you left the station that night, he called her. Barry handed him the phone.”
He pushed the growl in his throat back down and wiped a hand over his face. Barry might have kept the cell door open too. His deputy sheriff could be easily persuaded to push procedure aside. He would have to speak with Barry about his lapse in judgment.
“From the twitch in your jaw, I guess you didn’t know about that. He paid her back, so don’t worry.” A smile whisked across her lips.
She must enjoy watching the fury on his face.
“I did not know she bailed him out.” He would have a talk with his mother tomorrow. “At least stay in the lake house with your dad. Lock all the doors. I doubt anyone will come back, but don’t take any chances. If you hear anything at all, call for help. We’ll come right back.”
“It doesn’t matter if someone does. The damage is done. No one will want to stay with us now. I shouldn’t even bother to fix the place up.” She heaved a weary grunt.
“It’s going to be okay.”
“Really? When? Do you have an answer to that question? Because I don’t. My dad is never going to be all right. This place is a mess. And I…”
“You what?” He wanted to erase the crease between her brows. He’d known how to do that once. He’d been the person she leaned into when her world tipped until Ajay pulled that gun. He wished she would try to trust him again.
“Never mind. I’m just tired. Can you go now?”
The words, laced with impatience, were like a shove out the door. “I’ll come by tomorrow to speak with your new employee. Make sure you call the insurance company first thing. You can have those items replaced in time for the Fourth.”
“There is no insurance. Why do I keep talking to you?” She threw her arms in the air.
“Your father didn’t keep the insurance on the place?” He ignored the last question because he didn’t want her answer.
“Nope. That’s why I went nuts earlier. We’re screwed, and I don’t know how to fix it. And I’m still talking.” She faced the lake again.
He took a step toward her, hoping to make things right for her. Even if she no longer had feelings for him, she didn’t have to do this alone.
She put her hand up. “Gage, could you please go? This is hard enough without having you here.”
He wanted to stay. He could keep watch all night so she could get some needed sleep. In the morning, he could help her find a way out of this mess. “Sure. Good night, then.”
He left her standing there all alone and forced himself not to take another look at her when he went inside, or he’d run back. “Barry, are you about done here? Let’s allow the Hartmans to get some sleep.”
“All set, boss.” Barry tapped his notebook.
“Andy, call right away if you hear anything suspicious. I’ll be by tomorrow to check on things.” He shook the man’s hand.
“Thank you. Both of you.” Andy showed them to the door.
Gage turned his truck around and headed back to the road and through town. He wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight. A drive around to make sure everything looked as it should wouldn’t take long and would give him some peace of mind.
Because standing inches from Calista Hartman with pain etched on her face when he could do nothing to help her did anything but give him peace.
He should have done a better job of getting over her. He thought time would take care of that for him.
He thought wrong.
Chapter Five
Calista trudged into the kitchen. She hadn’t slept a wink after Gage left, and she had hammered a piece of plywood on the broken window. Her thoughts raced from the fear of the burglars coming back to Gage standing beside her looking so damn good it hurt to breathe.
His broad shoulders filled out that sweatshirt he offered her. It would have smelled like him, and she couldn’t handle that, which was why she backed away. His hair was still black, even now, and days’ worth of scruff had covered his strong, tawny jaw.
She needed her damn heart to get on the same page as her head. So what that they’d had a good thing once? All good things must come to an end. They would never have made it. Every time she looked at him, she saw Ajay.
She dumped the ground coffee into the filter and stared out the window. If Ajay hadn’t pulled that trigger, Ava would be here now, married with a bunch of children running around the B and B. Maybe her parents would still be together and they’d be a real family.
Ajay and Ava had become friends because she and Gage dated. Quiet Ava had been the moth to Ajay’s flame. They were the same age with similar interests. Ajay had the Ryker good looks and a bold personality with a great sense of humor.
Calista returned the coffeepot to the machine with a little too much force. The coffee sloshed up the sides and onto her hand.
“Damn.” She ran cold water over her hand already-turning red.
She tried not to picture Gage when he laughed. His top lip curled up when he really got going and he could let that shield down. The lines around his eyes would deepen as he smiled. Last night she hadn’t missed the way they were etched on his grown-up face.
The hot coffee burned her mouth too. “Stay focused.”
Her new job was to start the repairs and find the money to replace the stolen items. How could her father have stopped the payments on the insurance? What if this place went up in flames?
Advertising for new guests would have to wait until she knew how much it would cost to replace the valuables. W
ithout new guests, she couldn’t afford to fix everything that was broken and in need of repair. She would have to prioritize the list and hope she didn’t completely fail. The coffee burned her mouth again. She should have stayed in Billings instead of coming home. She hadn’t been here a full week, and her father had her tangled in his messes again.
She wasn’t being fair. The robbery wasn’t his fault. Everything else was. The chime from the front door sang out. She wiped the errant tear from her face and went to greet whoever was at the door. A guest would be too much to ask for.
“Hi.” Justin stood by the front desk tucked near the staircase. His smile reminded her to place one on her own face. He wore the expected oversized jeans and Grizzlies shirt. But this time a shiner outlined his eye.
“What happened to you?” She stepped forward and reached for his face, but he ducked.
“It’s nothing.” He pulled at his hair, but it couldn’t cover what she’d already seen.
“Are you sure?” The skin around his eye was swollen and had turned a dark purple. Scratches and a hint of a bruise near his mouth suggested he might have been hit there too.
“My brother and I were fucking around. Sorry about the language.” He stared at his feet.
“What’s he look like?”
“He’s fine.”
“I get it that guys throw a few punches to deal with a difference of opinion, but this looks more serious than that.” She couldn’t explain her gut reaction, but she liked Justin and didn’t want anyone hurting him. Maybe it was the crooked smile or that he reminded her a little of Gage at that age.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me. I have breakfast.” She headed into the kitchen. Telling a tough story over food was always easier than just standing there.
“I’m not hungry. I already ate.” But he followed her anyway.
“I did promise you I’d feed you as part of your payment. I hope you’ll take me up on that. I have cinnamon rolls this morning. Would you like one with some coffee?”
“Um, okay. I mean, I guess so. Thanks.” He slid onto the stool at the counter.
“Great. Now tell me what you and your brother were fighting about.” She wanted to fix everything—even things between her and Gage—but that was impossible. She placed a cinnamon roll on a plate and slid it over to him. She poured two cups of coffee. She needed another one too.
Justin tore the bun into pieces, then licked his fingers. He kept his gaze on his hands. “Do you promise you won’t think this is stupid?”
“No way.”
“He thinks I’m disrespecting our family because I want to leave the reservation permanently. You know, make a life in Backwater.”
“What did you say to that?” She wrapped her hands around the mug and watched him over the rim. Leaving the reservation was a tough thing for Justin’s people. Families expected everyone to stay together, but the younger generation often wanted something different.
“I told him to go fuck off, and he hit me.” His lip curled into that crooked smile.
“I’m sorry.”
“It is what it is. What projects am I working on today?”
And just like that, the subject was closed. She recognized that set jaw and cold-as-steel look in his eyes. Gage was very good at doing the same thing.
“I want to start in the front room. Paint the walls. I think the ceiling is okay. You’ll have to cover the furniture and the floors. I can’t afford to redecorate just yet. All the painting supplies are in the garage.”
Even though the sound of the chime was something she should be used to, when it dinged again, she jumped. She took a deep breath. It was normal to be out of sorts today. They’d experienced a trauma last night. “I’ll get the door.”
No one was expected this early, but that didn’t mean anything. In Backwater, news traveled like a boat on the rapids. Anyone could be here with a casserole because the B and B was robbed last night. She took a deep breath to steady her frayed nerves.
The deep breath caught in her throat. Gage stood inside her front room in his sheriff’s uniform. The brown shirt fit snug against his broad shoulders and tapered down into his beige trousers. She didn’t allow her gaze to linger anywhere below his belt. Her neck was probably bright red and giving her away. The last thing she needed was him catching her stare. His hair was still wet from a morning shower, and his clean-shaven face taunted her fingertips. She wished she had run a brush through her hair and bothered to get out of her pajamas.
He clasped his hands at his waist. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” She struggled to keep a level of calm in her voice. “What can I help you with?”
“I came by to walk your property for any possible clues. Also, I’m afraid Deputy Pearce forgot to dust for fingerprints. I’d like to do that too. I have the kit in my cruiser.”
“I’ve been all through the kitchen. Isn’t it a little late to look for fingerprints now?”
“Maybe. I’d like to try with your permission.” He stood ramrod straight. Which meant he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
“How long is that going to take?”
“I’ll be as quick as possible. Have you or your father thought of anything else that might be helpful?”
“If I remember anything else, I’ll come by the department. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” Having him standing in her house looking professional in his uniform, and menacing with a gun strapped to his waist, made the tension ease from her shoulders. He had been the only person ever capable of giving her that gift, but the minute Ava died, all the things Gage could offer were no longer important. She needed him to go so she wouldn’t forget her needs didn’t count.
“Is your new employee here yet? I’d like to question him too.”
“Can that wait?” Until she was somewhere else or at the very least wearing a bra.
“The quicker you allow me to do my job, the faster I’ll be gone. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
“You read my mind.” She regretted allowing the words to form outside her head, but they hovered in the air like pollution that would never be cleaned up.
He marched past her and strode into the kitchen.
She followed on his heels, wanting to grab him and shove him out the door, but his damn long legs cleared the space faster than she could. “Sheriff Ryker, now isn’t a good time.”
He stopped in his tracks. She slammed into his solid body. He glared at her over his shoulder, then turned his attention back inside the kitchen.
“You?” Gage growled.
She weaved around Gage. Justin jumped and tripped over the chair, knocking it down. He backed up until he was pressed against the door with its new wooden patch over the broken window.
“This is Justin, my new employee.” She righted the chair and glanced between the two men. The uneasiness spiraled between them.
“We’ve met.”
“She told me she was eighteen.” Justin held his hands up in front of his face.
“I’m not following. When did you two meet?”
Gage ignored her question and stepped forward, towering over Justin. He had the benefit of age to broaden his shoulders and years of hard work on his side to Justin’s boyish, still-growing stature.
Justin squirmed against the door, as if he wanted to put more space between him and Gage. “Please, sir, let me explain.”
“Stop talking.”
“How about I get you a cup of coffee? You seem like you need one.” She didn’t wait for Gage’s response but grabbed a mug and poured coffee, leaving room at the top for milk. At least that’s how he used to take it.
He pushed the mug away, and his frown deepened. The glare in his eyes would freeze anyone in their spot. “After you left my residence, where did you go between the hours of nine p.m. and twelve a.m.?”
His residence? “Wait a second. Do you really know Justin?”
Gage turned his furious stare on her. “I found this
young man in my home behaving in an inappropriate manner with my daughter.” He turned back to Justin. “Now answer my damn question. Where were you last night?”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There were no coincidences. Her fingers sought her mala beads. Justin knew Gage’s daughter in the biblical way. This would never end well for Justin. She had to try and protect him from Gage’s fury.
“I was home.”
“Can anyone corroborate that?” Gage made notes on his phone.
“I was by myself. My brother was out most of the night with our cousin. We live with him. For now.”
“Who’d you get into a fight with?” Gage pointed at Justin’s eye.
“It’s no big deal.”
“Looks like someone clocked you good. Was it another young lady’s father, or did you fall?”
“Can I ask why you’re asking me these questions?” Justin stopped fidgeting and stood to his full height, which almost put him eye level with Gage.
“There was a robbery here last night. Do you know anything about that?”
“Is that why there’s wood on the door? I’m sorry, Calista. I hope you weren’t hurt.” He peered around Gage to see her.
“I’m fine. Gage, all these questions aren’t necessary. Justin didn’t do anything.” The tension in the room thickened like morning fog on the lake. She was going to need to burn some sage to clear the air after both men left.
“Calista, let me do my job.” Gage never took his gaze off Justin.
“Anyone want more coffee?” She held up the carafe, hoping to bring levity into the mix. They ignored her.
“You didn’t answer my question. Do you know anything about the robbery?”
“Why would I know anything about a robbery here?”
“Because you look like trouble.”
“You think that because I’m Indian and I have a rez accent.” Justin tried to puff up his thin chest.
Gage narrowed his eyes. “I don’t care about your heritage or your accent. I think you’re trouble because you had your hand up my daughter’s shirt, you dumb shit.”