Her Lawman Protector

by Patricia Johns

  “You mentioned a journalist who was disgraced a few years ago. I found him. His name is Brent Villeneuve, and he had a romantic relationship with the mayor’s daughter at the same time that he was digging into this situation with the minable gold,” Jack said. “Apparently Mayor Nelson knows all about it, and he was insistent that Brent keep the secret.”

  “Why?” Liv asked, tearing off another piece of tape with her teeth.

  “The reason he gave was that he didn’t want anyone to know until he’d made a deal with the mining company, bringing union jobs and economic stability to Eagle’s Rest. Anyway, the mayor started throwing around allegations about sexual assault, and Brent’s career was over. So it looks like the mayor was using the journalist as a distraction from what was really going on.”

  Liv shook her head. “And Evan? How does he fit in?”

  “You pretty much know it all now, anyway. He’s buying up properties for much less than their value, and we suspect he’s planning on selling them to the mining company for a major profit.” He caught her eye and smiled grimly. “And having told you that could do bad things to my career.”

  “You said you need a witness.”

  “We do. I also need time to find out what’s really going on around here, and that will keep the chief at bay. For the moment.”

  “Is buying properties and reselling them illegal?” she asked with a frown. “I knew he was flipping properties. Lots of people do that.”

  “It is if you strong-arm the owners into selling using your police influence,” he said.

  She nodded slowly. “And my building—he pressured the owner into selling?”

  “That was the second complaint—the old woman’s son came forward last year when his mom died and he found out that she’d sold the building. He remembered that she’d been afraid of a police officer, and he’d brushed it off as dementia. When he found out that an officer had bought her building, he got suspicious. It wasn’t enough to press charges, but it was enough to get Internal Affairs to take note. They’ve been slowly gathering evidence ever since.”

  Liv sucked in a deep breath. “How do I clear my name?”

  “We’ll find a way,” Jack said. He’d have to, because he wasn’t keeping her alive to hand her over for a prison sentence. And while he was dedicated to finding the truth, his emotions were leading him in deeper than was wise.

  He needed to prove Liv innocent—not only for her, but for him. When he left her to her life in her beloved Eagle’s Rest, he’d know he’d given her everything he could—a cleared name and a chance at a quiet life free from all these unwanted cops.

  He wanted to offer more, he realized...but that couldn’t work. There was no way around it.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  RICK AND AMY’S wedding was being held in a little country church about a mile up the mountain from Eagle Lake. Liv had memories at that little church—being taken there by her grandmother every Christmas and Easter. She’d sit in the hard-backed pew and listen to the soft drone of a preacher’s voice while Grandma played tic-tac-toe with her on the back of the bulletin.

  Every sidewalk crack and stretch of gravel road in Eagle’s Rest held memories for Liv. She’d grown up here, come of age here. Eagle’s Rest had become an integral part of who she was. This was home.

  And yet the small town wasn’t all she’d assumed it to be, either. Tanya wasn’t the loyal confidant Liv had thought. Her ex-husband wasn’t only a cheating louse—and ironically, she missed the days when that was the worst thing she knew about him. Someone in this town wanted her out, but where was she supposed to go when home had become a dangerous place?

  Liv stared out the window of Jack’s car at the passing autumn foliage of the open country outside town. They couldn’t see the mountaintops from where they were, nestled in a winding, upward-turning road. The forest had been cut back from the road, but it sprang up almost violently on either side of them—fiery leaves contrasted against evergreen neighbors.

  She wore a fitted burgundy dress that fell to about midcalf with a black wrap to block out the chill in the air. The heat pumped onto her feet, and it felt good, her strappy heels doing nothing to keep her warm. Weddings weren’t the time to dress sensibly.

  Jack had dressed up rather impressively, too. Liv wished he hadn’t pulled that off as easily as he had. He wore a black suit paired with a gray shirt and a charcoal tie. It fit him perfectly, the smooth lines of his suit falling over his muscular physique in a way that drew her eye. Did he have to be so good-looking?

  “What?” Jack glanced over at her, catching her watching him.

  “I talked to my cousin Tanya, and as it turns out she’s been sleeping with Evan.”

  Jack shot her a look of surprise. “For how long?”

  “I’m not sure. But she was pressuring me to back up Evan’s story about the purchase of my store.”

  “In what way?” Jack asked.

  “He wants me to say that I was part of the sale from the very beginning and that the seller dealt with both of us.”

  “Is it true?”

  “No. He did all the work of getting the sale. I just signed on when I got back from a wedding in England.”

  Jack was quiet for a moment, then he nodded grimly. “He’s obviously getting nervous if he’s sending Tanya to talk to you.”

  “It would seem so,” she agreed.

  He looked over at her, his gaze softening. “I’m here for you, Liv. You know that, right?”

  “You’re here for your case,” she retorted. “Let’s not blur any more lines.”

  “Hey, you chose me!” He gave her a small smile.

  “My other option was that skinny idiot!” she shot back, and Jack burst out laughing.

  “I’m saying it was a good call,” he said.

  They fell into silence for a couple of minutes and Liv leaned her head against the window. She hated fighting with him like this. She’d missed him, longed for his comforting presence, and now she couldn’t stop arguing with him.

  “Full confession?” Jack said quietly. “McDonald drives me crazy. He’s a wimp. When I was in high school, I was always a big guy, but I was pretty quiet. There was a wiry guy who was like a bucket of testosterone on two legs. He was tiny but obnoxious. McDonald reminds me of him.”

  “So you were bullied?” she asked.

  “Nah. I could have flattened him if I wanted to. He was like a mosquito. Relentless and annoying.”

  “I had a guy like that in high school,” she admitted.

  “Yeah?”

  She shook her head. “Not that it matters. Enough sharing.”

  “Why?” Jack didn’t take his eyes off the road, but she saw his expression harden.

  “Because I was being stupid before, and you know it. You’ve been lying this whole time—”

  “Not all of it,” he interrupted. “Yes, I lied about why I was there as part of my cover, but the personal stuff we talked about—that was all true. You didn’t want to be the only one sharing. You expected something in return. That wasn’t stupid, it was having standards. Everything I told you about my family, about my life...it was true. I think we got to be friends.”

  “Friends!” she exploded. “This is not friendship, Jack! This is—” She cast around for the right word and came up empty.

  “Then humor me,” he said. “What about that guy in high school?”

  “I don’t feel like humoring you.”

  “Tit for tat, Liv. I shared. You share. That’s how this works.”

  He was using her own words against her. But maybe it didn’t matter. “Fine. He was the same as you described—steeped in testosterone—and he hit on me constantly. Except—”

  His gaze flickered toward her and then went back to the winding road. “Except?”

  “I think he was making fun of me.” She hadn’
t admitted that out loud before. Matt Clinger—skinny, full of attitude and the collector of every single pickup line known to a tenth-grade boy.

  “He couldn’t have just been hopeful?” Jack asked.

  “I was a big girl, Jack. I was well-liked—don’t get me wrong—but no one asked me to prom.”

  Jack was quiet for a moment. “You’ve obviously moved beyond that.”

  Liv looked down at her dress. She looked good—she knew it. And she was now at a place in her life where she appreciated having a womanly body. There was a strange power in curves, and she’d discovered that in her adult years.

  “For the most part, yes,” she agreed. “I found clothes that fit me properly, a style that accentuates my assets. But there are still times when I feel like that high school girl all over again—when how I see myself doesn’t matter a whole lot in the face of an obnoxious guy.”

  “Ouch. The obnoxious guy isn’t me this time around, is it?”

  Liv laughed softly. “I was actually thinking of Evan, but if the shoe fits...”

  “You’re a beautiful woman,” he said quietly. “I figured you knew that. We guys can be dolts that way, but we tend to assume that you know what you do to us. I’m willing to bet that the testosterone-filled idiot from high school was hoping he’d wear you down and you’d go out with him. Not that you should have, of course.”

  “Maybe. It doesn’t matter now.”

  Liv felt off-balance all over again. It was the same feeling from adolescence, like she was on the cusp of this whole new life and didn’t know how to step into it. She could pretend not to care what people thought, but she did. And one day soon, her family was going to learn that Jack Talbott was a fake, and she was tired of pretending.

  “Jack, I don’t want any more PDA,” Liv said suddenly.

  “Okay.” He gave her a sidelong look. His GPS quietly announced their upcoming turn. In fifty yards, turn right onto Range Road 356...

  “No cuddling. No hand-holding. None of it.”

  “How exactly am I supposed to look like your boyfriend with all these rules?” he asked, slowing to take a tight corner as they approached the turnoff to Deer Lake Church.

  “Figure it out,” she retorted, and it felt good to be back in control. He’d leave town when he was done with this case, and she’d be left with the fallout.

  “I do have one demand of my own,” Jack said, stepping on the gas again as they sped along the cracked narrow road.

  “I’m not sure you get to make any,” she said.

  “Sure I do,” he shot back. “Whatever this is—friendship or not—I’m part of it. And I’ll respect your boundaries, but I want you to play by the original rules. Tit for tat. I share, you share.”

  She could claim that she didn’t trust him, but that wasn’t entirely true. She did trust him... He’d shown her the bugs in her apartment, and he’d told her about the case. He was also the only one who thought she was innocent right now.

  “Fine,” she said with a sigh. “Tit for tat.”

  “Thank you.”

  They crested a steep hill, and as they looked down into the small valley, sunlight glowed over the scene. Patches of oranges and yellows blazed against the evergreens, and a brilliantly white church sat in the midst of it all. It was old-fashioned, with a steeple and a graveyard out back. Liv could see the cars turning in to find parking, and she smiled wistfully.

  “Rick’s fiancée asked me a good place to get married—I said Deer Lake Church.”

  “Is this where you got married?” Jack asked.

  “No.” She’d hoped to get married here, but Evan had wanted it to be somewhere closer to his own family, and the logistics just hadn’t worked out. Maybe that was for the best, because this tranquil spot was untouched by her failed marriage.

  They came down the road and signaled a turn into the same drive behind a carload of people Liv recognized. They’d turned some of a side field into additional parking, and it was probably best that they were in Jack’s car. Her own car would have struggled. He parked in full view of the church and turned off the motor.

  Jack got out of the vehicle, and Liv took a moment to adjust her wrap, gather up her purse and check her lipstick in a mirror. Then her door opened, and she looked up in surprise to see Jack standing there with a hand out.

  “I don’t need—” she started, but he reached in and took her hand, giving her a gentle tug.

  “Come on,” he said.

  “I thought we said—”

  “This is neither a kiss nor a cuddle. This is common manners, Liv. When I take a woman out, I open doors and I treat her the way she deserves to be treated. So get used to it. Let’s go.”

  “This isn’t a date,” she said, but she couldn’t help the reluctant smile that came to her lips.

  “I know.” He slammed the door shut as she joined him at his side, and she stared at the grassy expanse spread out ahead of them. “All the same, you can lean on me until we get to firmer ground. If you want.”

  Liv adjusted her wrap once more. These strappy heels required a male arm, it seemed, and she sighed, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm. He was solid, tall, and gave her a sense of sure footing. She hated this. She’d rather carry a pair of boots with her than have to rely on something so fickle as a man—at least right now.

  “And, Liv?” he said as they started out toward the church.

  She looked up.

  “You look amazing.”

  * * *

  JACK SCANNED THE cars as they made their way across the grass. He was watching for anyone watching her—which was silly, because as soon as they’d arrived all eyes turned in their direction. And Liv did look amazing. That burgundy dress hugged her curves in a modest yet tantalizing way. She was stunning, and he was the family’s newest source of gossip, so the attention was understandable. But still—he was looking for someone with a different intent.

  Whoever wanted Liv out of town might very well be part of her extended family or a family friend. Jack wasn’t ruling out anyone at this point. But he was willing to bet it was connected to Evan’s plans for her property. Follow the money—that was the safest bet most times.

  When they got across the grass, Liv let go of his arm and took a side step away from him. He shouldn’t be insulted, he knew, but those few inches stung. There had been a time when he’d hoped for an opportunity to be this close to her...and that hadn’t changed. Maybe he was terrible for her. And she wasn’t any good for him, either! If he took a chance on Liv Hylton, he’d never get that position with Internal Affairs, and he’d never be able to root out the dirty cops on behalf of all those kids in the projects. But he couldn’t help what he was feeling. She was stuck in his head, and he couldn’t seem to get her out.

  Jack recognized Marie Hylton from the barbecue, and he paused at Liv’s side when she stopped to hug her aunt. Marie looked severe, even dressed in her wedding best, which turned out to be a brilliant blue lace-covered dress.

  “And we have Jack here,” Marie said, turning to Jack with a smile. “At a wedding no less! This is a big step in a relationship.”

  “Uh, yeah,” Jack said, nodding slowly. “I’m glad to be here.”

  What was he supposed to say to that?

  Liv looped her hand through his arm and dragged him forward, shooting her aunt a warning look as they hurried farther toward the church. He had to admit, he didn’t mind this—even being dragged—since it meant closing those few inches between them. But the minute they were clear of Marie, Liv stepped away from him once more.

  “I don’t bite,” he said softly, leaning toward her so that his words would stay between them.

  Liv shot him a wry smile. “I might.”

  He laughed at that. “We’d have made good friends, Liv.”

  She relaxed a little, then eyed him uncertainly. “But we aren’t.
”

  And whatever they were, she was right. It had shot right past friendship, and there was no pedaling it back, either. They were stuck in that zone where hearts got involved whether they wanted it that way or not. Not everything came down to logical choice.

  “For what it’s worth, I wish we were,” he murmured back.

  They arrived at the church doors at that moment, and Liv stopped to say hello to a few friends. Jack studied each person—two men and three women—and then scanned the milling crowd once more. He knew what he was looking for—suspicious attention directed at Liv, someone keeping her in their sights. So far, nothing.

  Which was good—wasn’t it? His number one priority was to keep her safe, but he couldn’t very well do that if he didn’t know who was after her. The worst-case scenario wasn’t an outright attack, because he was very well trained in hand-to-hand combat. Whoever attacked her would have to get through him first, and he could guarantee that he’d win. No, the worst-case scenario was that this person would slide back into the woodwork and wait until Liv wasn’t quite so well protected.

  And then Jack spotted him—coming from the field where he’d parked, apparently, and striding across the grass like he owned the place. He was alone, no wife to be seen, and there was probably a reason for that. Didn’t he have a new mistress now? But even Tanya was notably absent.

  Evan Kornekewsky was a tall man, lanky but well-proportioned. He was wearing a pair of dress pants with a button-down shirt and a vest, no jacket. He didn’t look bothered by the chilly wind that ruffled his shirt and hair, and he stopped to talk to an older man with a wide, casual smile.

  He looked like he was coming home.

  Jack’s heartbeat sped up, but he took a deep, calming breath. What he needed was presence of mind. Evan was in town—more than that, Evan was staking out his turf with Liv’s family. And Jack could see why—if Evan was buying up land, he’d need people who trusted him enough to recommend him to others who might own that coveted real estate. But where did Tanya come in? Unless she was just some sordid little side deal.

  Liv seemed to sense a change in him, because as she said goodbye to the last friend, she glanced up at him, then turned, following his gaze.