“Only if she’s guilty.”
Raine glanced his way in the darkened interior of the car. “I guess there’s one way to find out.”
“Oh, hell no! Not again.”
She gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. “Why not? Bobby B is twice my size. Rosa isn’t. I’m not afraid of her.”
“You should be. If that woman had the stones to murder Cooper in the middle of the night, she’s a force to be reckoned with.”
“Maybe she is. But so am I.”
Chapter Sixteen
Levi gave the pipe fitting a final twist with the wrench and backed out from under the kitchen sink. “Try it now.”
His brother turned on the faucet. “Well?”
“No leaks. Looks good.” Rising to his feet, Levi laid the wrench on the counter and washed his hands. Turning, he studied the dark circles under Dalton’s eyes. “You look like crap.”
“That’s because our little princess doesn’t like to sleep at night.” He touched his snoozing daughter’s head with a gentle finger as she sagged in the baby carrier strapped to his chest. “Ursula is napping right now since she takes the brunt of the nighttime duty.”
“Kira looks so pretty and sweet.” Levi smiled at his niece as she made sucking motions with puckered lips, her long lashes fanned out against fat, pink cheeks. “When you brought her home, she was all red and wrinkled and splotchy. I admit I was less than impressed. Now she’s a beauty.”
“If she wasn’t, I’d be tempted to take her back.” Dalton’s eyes filled with adoration as he gazed down at his daughter.
“I thought Mom and Dad were coming to help out. Shouldn’t they be here by now?”
His brother rolled his eyes. “Don’t you pay attention when people talk? I’m sure I told you they had to reschedule their visit. Dad has a nasty cold and doesn’t want to spread his germs.”
“Well, that sucks.”
“Yeah, it does.” He grimaced. “I should wake up Kira. Ursula told me to play with her so she’d sleep better tonight. Then the faucet burst a gasket, or whatever the hell happened down there, and it was easier to let her nap.”
“You’d better follow your wife’s orders. Where’s Dex?”
“Watching cartoons. I think I’ll feed the princess, turn off the TV, and then all three of us can take a walk. Four if you count Woody.”
The dog lifted his head from the floor where he was stretched out on the tile and thumped his tail.
“Want to come with us?”
“No time. I’m meeting Raine in town for dinner.”
“I haven’t seen much of your lady in the last couple of weeks.” Dalton took a bag of milk out of the refrigerator and stuck it in the microwave to heat. When the timer dinged, he poured the contents into a bottle.”
“Is that formula?”
“Breast milk. Ursula pumps a couple times a day.”
“Jesus. That’s a mental picture I don’t need.” Levi let out a breath and mentally switched gears. “Uh, Raine’s been working long hours since she acquired a couple of new clients. I guess word is out there’s a new party planner in town, and she’s had several calls about events.”
Dalton jiggled Kira until she woke up and blinked. When the baby scrunched up her face and let out a cry, he stuck the bottle in her mouth. Once she latched on, he glanced up. “That’s good, right?”
“Sure. She’s optimistic her business will be in the black faster than she expected. But—”
“But, what?”
“Raine put a bed in the apartment above the warehouse and has slept there a couple of times this week.”
Dalton raised a brow. “What did you do to piss her off?”
“Nothing. She’s been working late, and it’s a long drive back here.” Levi picked up the wrench and tossed it in the air a couple of times.
“You could go spend the night with her.”
“That’s what she said. I guess I liked the way things were going before.”
His brother snorted. “What? Having Raine here with nothing better to do than wait for you to get home from a run? If that’s what you want from a woman, my guess is you picked the wrong one.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I like that she’s ambitious and smart and a hard worker. But—”
“Then don’t be a douche if she’s too tired to drive back here at night. Sounds like you two need to talk.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m meeting her in town. Maybe I’ll go buy her flowers first since I was kind of a jerk when she called last night to say she was staying at the apartment.”
“Good idea.” His brother adjusted the bottle when it popped out of Kira’s mouth. “I wasn’t sure about Raine initially, knowing she broke your heart back in college, but I like her a lot. For your sake, I hope you don’t blow this.”
“I hope I don’t, either. But relationships are a two-way street. We both have to give a little.”
“True. What are you prepared to give up?”
Dalton’s words stopped him cold. “I don’t know. Maybe less running so I can spend time with her. I can’t very well give up working.”
“Would she want you to?”
“No.”
“Then it’s not a sacrifice—or an option.” His brother set the bottle aside and patted Kira on the back. When she spit up on his shirt, he grimaced. “Crap. I forgot the burp rag.”
“That’s disgusting.” Levi shuddered at the milky mess running down his brother’s shirt.
“Speaking of which . . .” Dalton raised a brow. “Does Raine want kids?”
Levi’s stomach did a little flip, and he felt slightly queasy. “We haven’t really discussed it, but I suspect she does.”
“Is she aware of your views on the subject?”
“I’ve mentioned them in passing, but I don’t think she responded at the time. It’s been a while since the subject came up.”
“Sounds like you have a lot to talk about if your feelings for this woman are serious.”
Levi was pretty sure he’d rather avoid the topic of kids completely, but he only nodded. “I should go. Have a nice walk.”
“We will.” His brother’s expression was sober as he studied him. “If you do stay in Truckee tonight, don’t forget you’re taking a few of our guests on a sunrise hike in the morning.”
“I won’t. Raine isn’t the only one who has work commitments. Even if she acts like hers are more important.”
“Just a suggestion.” Dalton’s tone was laced with humor. “If you don’t want to spend your nights sleeping alone, I wouldn’t lead with that comment.”
Levi flashed a smile as he headed for the door. “I’ll do my best to be a little more tactful.”
The screen door slammed shut behind him as he left the kitchen, walked around the side of the lodge, and headed to his cabin. His brother’s words churned in his brain as he threw a change of clothes and a toothbrush into a bag. After stripping off his dirty shorts and T-shirt, he showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved, buttoned-down shirt—his idea of getting dressed up for a date. By the time he climbed into his truck and pulled out of the driveway, he still wasn’t sure how he hoped the evening with Raine would end.
Other than winding up in bed together. That was a whole lot easier to think about than discussing long-term plans. He wanted Raine in his life. That was a given. But he feared their visions for a future together didn’t have much in common. The knowledge that she very well might walk away sent a chill through him—along with an intense desire to put off the inevitable conversation.
Forty-five minutes later, Levi pulled into the industrial complex and parked. After lifting the cheerful bouquet of daisies, sunflowers, and snapdragons that he’d stopped to pick up from the florist off the passenger seat, he stepped out and slammed the car door.
Dragging sounds followed by a few sharp curses grew louder as he approached the warehouse. Increasing his pace to a jog, he ran through the alley to the back of the building and stopp
ed. Straining and swearing, Raine tried to maneuver a tall, latticework arch through the open doorway.
“Stop, Raine. Let me do that before you hurt yourself. You have a broken arm, for God’s sake.” Gripping the white-painted monstrosity with one hand, he thrust the flowers at her with the other. “I’ve got it.”
“The arch isn’t super heavy, just awkward.” Taking the bouquet, Raine stepped out of his way. “I put the base on an old towel so it wouldn’t get scratched when I dragged it out of my trailer. Then the cloth got stuck in the doorway and ended my forward progress.”
Hoisting the arch off the ground, he carried it inside. “Where do you want me to put it?”
“Against the wall near the stacked tables.”
After carefully setting down the latticework frame, he made sure it was stable before backing away. “That structure must weigh at least eighty pounds. I’m glad you didn’t try to lift it, or you would have strained something.”
“That’s why I was dragging the darn thing.” She sniffed the flowers. “These are gorgeous. Thank you.”
“I thought they were prettier than roses.” He ran his thumb over her cheek before bending to kiss her. “Sorry I snapped at you last night.”
Raine studied him for a moment and nodded. “You look nice. I still need to shower and dress.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “I saw the arch listed for sale on a local site. It was such a great deal, I raced over to pick it up, but now I’m running late.”
“No rush.”
She buried her nose in the flowers again. “I really do love them, and I appreciate the gesture. I know you were disappointed in my decision yesterday evening.”
Levi bit back the urge to tell her disappointed was an understatement. Frustrated and a little angry was a better description. Plus, he’d flat out missed having her in bed beside him in the dark of the night.
“I get that you’ve been busy lately. We both have a lot on our plate.”
“Yeah, we do.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Come upstairs if you want. Or hang out in the office. I won’t take long getting ready.”
After Raine headed up the stairs, he went back outside. She’d left her Jeep and trailer parked in the alley. With a bit of maneuvering, he reversed out onto the street, pulled into the lot, and pocketed the keys. Once he’d locked the rear door of the warehouse, he climbed the stairs to her apartment.
Standing in the open doorway, he studied the small space. Besides the bed, the room now boasted an upholstered chair that looked vaguely familiar and a TV. A few clothes hung in the closet next to the bathroom door, and a small table and two chairs had been installed near the kitchenette. The bouquet of flowers stood in a tall glass filled with water at the center of the table.
His jaw clenched as he walked over to stare out the window toward the river. When a door opened behind him, he released his grip on the sill and steadied his breathing.
“Almost ready.” Her voice was slightly muffled.
Levi turned just as Raine tugged a pale blue dress down over her head. The soft knit molded her curves as she smoothed it into place.
Offering a quick smile, she pushed her feet into a pair of sandals with low heels, then disappeared back into the bathroom. Minutes later, she emerged with her hair hanging down her back in a single French braid. The plastic bag that had covered her cast was gone.
“I’m all set.” Her tone was cheerful.
“When did you get all this furniture?”
“Yesterday. A friend from the city was driving to Reno. I asked if she could bring a few of my things from storage since she and her husband were taking his truck.”
“It looks like you’re moving in.”
“I’m just trying to make the place a little more comfortable, Levi.”
He bit back the words he wanted to say. Words that would undoubtedly lead to an argument. “You look beautiful. Shall we go to dinner?”
“Thanks, and yes. But I need to move my Jeep first.”
“Already did. And I locked the warehouse door.” He held out her keys.
“You’re the best.” She took the ring from him and slipped it into her purse, then stood on her toes to kiss him. “I appreciate that since backing the trailer isn’t my favorite thing.”
“Seems like you’ve been managing just fine on your own.” When her eyes darkened, he rushed on. “What are you in the mood to eat?”
After a moment, she responded. “How about barbecue?”
“Sounds good.” He followed her down the stairs and out through the front of the building. Once she’d locked up, they strolled across the parking lot to his truck and climbed inside.
Before he could start the engine, she touched his arm. “I know we dressed to go out, but how about if we order our food to go and take it down to Donner Lake. We need to have a conversation. One I’d prefer to conduct with a little more privacy. Anyway, it’s a gorgeous evening to hang out on the beach.”
His gut tightened, and suddenly he wasn’t the least bit hungry. Turning on his seat, he stared at her, noting the wariness in her eyes. And a hint of sadness.
“Are you afraid I’ll make a scene when you dump me?”
Her brows drew together. “Why would you think that, Levi?”
“Because I can feel you pulling away. I figured maybe you wanted out altogether.”
She reached over and clasped the clenched fist closest to her in both her hands. “I care about you. A lot. At this point, falling completely in love would be very, very easy.”
“Why do I feel like there’s a big but coming?”
“I don’t want to get hurt. I don’t want to have expectations you can’t—or won’t—meet.”
“Hell, Raine. I’m not afraid to say it. I fell for you back when we were in college. Seeing you again only revived and strengthened those feelings.” He turned his hand over to squeeze her fingers. “I love you. I sure as hell don’t plan to hurt you.”
“Maybe not intentionally, but we have some issues.”
The knot in his stomach grew. “Like what?”
“I like my independence, and I don’t want to feel beholden. When I moved up here, living with you was supposed to be a temporary solution until I got my life in order.”
“I guess I wasn’t expecting you to go all in on your new business quite so fast. I miss having you at home with me. I apologized for my pissy attitude last night.”
“Yes, but you’d still rather my time wasn’t invested elsewhere. I’ve always worked a lot. That isn’t going to change. It’s part of who I am, just like spending hours outdoors exercising is part of who you are.”
Instead of reacting to her words, he took some time to consider his answer. “I had a talk with my brother earlier, and Dalton mentioned compromise. I’m willing to cut back on my training schedule to spend more time with you. He also implied that by expecting you to hang out at the cabin and cook my meals while waiting for me to get home from a run, I was living in a chauvinistic dream world.”
Her lips tilted in a smile. “Your brother is a smart man. I plan to limit my long work hours once I get my business up and running. Hopefully I’ll be able to hire someone to help share the load, but I can’t do that immediately.”
“I understand, and I’m willing to be patient. But this isn’t just about missing you. I worry about you staying here alone at night.”
She released his hand and leaned back against the window. “Which brings us to my second concern.”
Irritation prickled along his nerve endings. “You don’t want me to care about your safety?”
“Of course I do, but you also need to respect my intelligence. I’m not stupid or foolhardy. I lock up at night and set the alarm. I can’t live my life in constant fear.”
His eyes narrowed. “Basic precautions. The only reason you haven’t deliberately put yourself in danger again like you did with Bobby B is because Rosa Gonzales hasn’t returned your calls.”
“Actually, I talked to
her today. She was in Mexico, visiting her grandparents, which is why she hadn’t gotten back to me.”
“Maybe that’s also why no one has tried to kill you recently. Rosa was busy.”
“Maybe so.”
When she didn’t elaborate, uneasiness mixed with the emotional turmoil in his gut. “What did you do?”
“I suggested getting together. I told her I was driving down to the Bay Area soon to get more of my stuff. I told her I thought it would be nice to talk since I was feeling conflicted about Cooper.” Raine crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t say anything specific, but if she has a guilty conscience, she just might think I know more about who killed him than I’ve said.”
Levi gritted his teeth to keep from swearing. “What’s to stop her from sending some asshole straight to your door to slit your throat? She wasn’t the one who ran you off the road, obviously. Which means she either paid—or somehow convinced—that guy to do her bidding.”
“Only if she’s guilty.”
“Isn’t that your assumption?”
“I’ve no idea.” Her tone was hollow. “But I’d like to find out for sure. It may seem like whoever was out to get me has given up since nothing has happened recently, but does that mean I can let down my guard?”
“Hell, no.”
“Exactly. Until an arrest is made, I won’t feel comfortable. Or safe. I’d like to speed along the process.”
“How do you plan to accomplish that? Other than by giving a killer both motive and opportunity? Maybe you think I’m being overprotective, but your actions are irresponsible. Reckless, even.”
Her green eyes flashed fire. “If you were the one this person was after, would you take a calculated risk?”
Levi opened his mouth and then shut it. She’d backed him into a corner where telling the truth would only piss her off. And he respected her too much to lie. “I can tell I’m not going to win this argument.”
“Probably not.” She let out a long breath. “I intend to be careful. Rosa and I didn’t make any firm plans. I think the best approach is not to give her too much advanced warning. At least that’s what Detective Gilbert suggested.”
Midnight Reckoning (Leave No Trace Book 1) Page 18
