“This is getting too dangerous, Tyler. Max is wreaking havoc and none of us has even come close to catching him. Any signs of him around there?”
“Negative. Maybe he won't show.”
“Oh, he'll show. Have you told her yet?”
“I will. This just isn't a good time.”
“What are you talking about?” Tyler held the phone away from his ear, but Jake's voice still came through loud and clear. “Someone wants to kill her! You have to tell her. Offer to put her in a safe house until we catch him. I'll send someone to back you up.”
“No. I work better alone, you know that.”
“You can't keep an eye on her twenty-four-seven.”
“I'm handling it.”
The pregnant pause gave him time to reconsider, but he didn't want any help. Hell, who was he kidding? If he could seduce Grace into his bed, he'd solve all his problems. He could keep her under guard and release the pent-up sexual frustration that built with every second he spent near her. But, he couldn’t do that to her. And, he wouldn't let Max get his hands on her.
“This is big, Tyler. I don't have to tell you how big. He killed my sister.”
The bitter pain of guilt twisted in Tyler's gut. “Yeah, I know, Jake. I loved her, too.”
“I'm sorry, man. That wasn't fair. Look, I trust you. Tell Grace and let her make the decision. Then call me.”
“Yeah. I'll call you.”
He hung up the phone and rubbed the beard that peppered his chin.
Natalie's face flashed behind his eyes. He dropped his head to his hands, using his thumbs to massage the pain throbbing in his temples. Max might have pulled the trigger on the gun, but Tyler was ultimately responsible for Natalie's death. Like a tidal wave the memories crashed through his mind.
He owed Jake, and he'd pay him back by finding the man who'd killed Natalie. Then Tyler could move on with his life.
Regardless of the attraction he felt for Grace, his duty to bring Natalie's killer to justice came first. If he had to use Grace, he would. He couldn't afford to let his heart get in the way. Max Clayton wouldn't escape this time.
He buzzed the razor across his face and splashed on after-shave, dressed, and headed for Grace's house. He'd keep her under his thumb until Max made his move. His last move. He couldn't tell Grace the truth yet. She might bolt.
Tiffany met him on the path, her tail signaling a welcome.
She charged around the house once he reached Grace's yard. A few seconds later, Grace opened the screen door, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Tyler. Is something wrong? An emergency?”
Tiffany bounded out as if she hadn't seen him just moments ago.
“Not unless you call a case of spring fever an emergency. Would you like to walk to Hannah Falls with me? We could take a lunch and make a day of it.” He saw the hesitation in her eyes. “I've heard it's a beautiful hike, and Brad told me you could be bribed with food.”
“He did, huh? Whose job would it be to pack the lunch?”
He grinned. In the morning sun, the light caught the gold highlights in her red hair, making her eyes look like a cerulean sea. She squinted at him, one eye nearly closing while she waited for his answer.
“Mine. Come on. Are you game?”
She glanced at her wristwatch. “Why not? Give me twenty minutes?”
“Deal.”
****
Grace loaded a small backpack with bottled water. Before closing it she added a small plastic dish for Tiffany. With the temperature already climbing, water would be essential.
Tyler met her on the path, and Tiffany loped to his side, wriggling for attention. Grace's heart triggered a warning. No man should look so enticing in a t-shirt and jeans. Just one glance at those broad shoulders and muscled chest made her wish she’d turned him down.
“It's a great day for a hike,” she said.
Tyler looked up at the clear blue sky. “Perfect.”
They walked in companionable silence, the only cadence their muffled footsteps. Hannah Falls, named after Adam's great-great grandmother, drew visitors during all seasons. In winter, snowfall draped the ledges with crystalline diamonds, creating a breathtaking picture that begged for a camera. Grace made at least one trek in the winter, but summer's full sun brought life to a multi-tiered collage of plants and trees, making it her favorite season for the hike. When they arrived, Tyler spread a blanket on the ground, while Tiffany ran off to do whatever dogs do. The water cascaded softly over the rocks falling down to a narrow waterway leading to the Little Pigeon River. The sound brought a sense of peace.
Tyler pulled two thick sandwiches from the backpack and handed one to Grace. She poured a bottle of water into Tiffany's bowl. Pulling two more bottles from her stash, she handed one to Tyler, then leaned against a tree to peruse the landscape. “I wish I could paint.”
Tyler grinned. “I've seen local artist paintings of the Smoky Mountains, but none of Hannah Falls. It's even better than I imagined.”
“That's because we protect our privacy.”
“Interesting.”
She waited a few moments, then asked, “Can I talk to you about something?”
He paused from unwrapping his sandwich, his gaze curious. “Sure. You're not going to tell me you're quitting, I hope.”
She wanted to reach out and massage away the frown lines appearing in his forehead. “Of course not. I love the job.”
“That's good. So what do you want to talk about?”
“You're a man.”
“Last time I checked.”
“I'm serious. I need your advice on how to deal with Adam.”
“Adam?”
“I think he's got a crush on me. I found a rose on my porch last night.”
“From Adam?”
“Yes, and it's not the first one he's left.”
Tyler chewed his sandwich, his brow furrowed in concentration. “Why wouldn't he just give it to you instead of leaving it on your porch?”
“I don't know...he's strange. I think he likes me. You know, romantically. He asked me to have dinner with him and I turned him down. Then he started leaving roses on my doorstep.”
“I see.”
“I don't want to hurt his feelings, but besides being too old for me, he's not my type. It's beginning to creep me out.”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
“No. That's the problem. I'm not sure how to do it. Don't get me wrong. Adam's not a bad sort. His family's been part of Foxfire forever. These falls were named after his great-great grandmother, did you know that?”
Tyler shook his head.
“I guess Adam's grandfather felt he owned not only most of the land around here, but also the people. He liked to keep an eye on everything. From what Brad says, you couldn't tell him anything he didn't already know. But when Jenny, that's Brad's wife, got sick, he stopped by every day to visit. Brad says he always made her smile.”
“I didn't know Brad was married.”
“Jenny died from cancer shortly before their fifth anniversary,” she said.
“So Brad's been single ever since?”
She nodded. “I keep hoping he and Harri will get married, but he says he's too old.” She laughed. “Imagine that. Brad seems so young and vital to me. I never think of him as old.”
Tyler gave her a smile. “I know what you mean. He reminds me a lot of my dad.”
“Tell me about your dad,” she said, crossing her ankles.
“I'd rather hear about you. Tell me more about your life in...where was it? Missouri?”
She reached for her bottle of water. Since he had lived in Ohio, she couldn't very well tell him she also grew up there. “What do you want to know?”
“Whatever you feel like sharing.”
She took a drink, wiped her mouth, and gazed at the waterfall. She wanted to trust Tyler, but she couldn't tell him the entire truth...not yet. If she talked about events without stating where they happened, it would be
omission, not really telling a lie. She'd learned long ago that lying only led to trouble, and she had enough of that in her life already. She crossed her legs and leaned her arms across them. Her fingers plucked a blade of grass.
“I don't remember much about my dad. He left us before I started school. Mom wasn't the same after that. There were times when she seemed like any normal mother, and others when she became someone else.” She shrugged. “Maybe she'd always been that way. Maybe that's why my dad took off.”
“What do you mean?” His gaze pierced her with a burning intensity.
“She had...spells. I called them dark times. When she regressed into a dark time, nothing I did pleased her. As I grew older, I learned to stay away when she was like that.”
“She hurt you?”
“Not physically.”
They sat quietly for a few moments. Tyler was the first to break the silence.
“I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it.”
“It's all right. I stayed with her until she died.”
Tyler traced a finger down her cheek. “I'm sorry.”
“Don't be. She's happier now.”
He lifted her chin. They stared into each other's eyes. Then he tilted his head and angled his lips over hers.
She knew she shouldn't kiss him, but her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. His kiss was gentle, sweet, like nothing she’d ever experienced before. His lips were soft, his arms hard.
He eased her down to the blanket, his body covering hers. She felt the warm sun against her skin.
He kissed a path down her neck. “Grace, I don’t want to hurt you.”
She gazed into his passion-glazed eyes. “You can’t hurt me any more than I’ve already been hurt.” She brought his head back down so their lips once again met.
Tiffany barked near by, then her bark turned to a deep growl. Grace moaned What crappy timing.
Tyler growled, sounding much like Tiffany. “I'm going to muzzle your dog.”
Tiffany’s barks grew farther away as she gave chase to something.
“Probably a rabbit or a raccoon,” Grace said. She laughed.
He reached for her again. “Now where were we?”
She pushed against his chest.
“Bad timing, huh?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
Tiffany came racing back and began to lap the water in her bowl.
Grace tucked her shirt into her jeans, and smiled at Tyler stumbling to get to his feet. Self-consciously, she tucked her hair behind her ears. She'd almost made the mistake of making love to her boss. Again. Would she never learn? First falling for a man like Max, just because he pretended to care for her, then Connor. Oh, sure she'd known Connor didn't love her, but she'd hoped time would make a difference. But Tyler? She knew better than to get her hopes up with a man like him. He'd expect complete honesty and he'd want someone untarnished, not a woman like her. If he learned the truth, he'd want nothing more to do with her.
Tiffany looked up, water dribbling from her jowls. Her ears pricked and a low rumbling growl rose from her chest. She raced into the thick foliage, baring her teeth.
Tyler followed. “Grace, stay here.”
“Why?”
“I think someone's out there.”
Grace stood, ignoring his request. “I'll bet Adam followed us,” she said.
“Wait here.” He slipped into the woods, following Tiffany's snarls.
Grace began to gather their picnic supplies. So much for romance. Who needed it anyway?
Tyler soon returned shaking his head. “Nothing. She's snorting in the leaves now. You're right. It was probably an animal.” He came to her and wrapped his hands around her waist pulling her to him. He gave her a quick kiss. “You’re so beautiful.” He angled his head and kissed the sensitive spot on her neck, just below her ear. “So beautiful,” he whispered.
Grace forced her thoughts to where they were and who they were. She couldn't do this. Not until she told him the truth. If he still wanted her afterward, then and only then could she open herself to the possibility of a relationship. She pushed against his chest. “No.” He raised his head and looked into her eyes. Did her eyes contain the same look of passion that his did? “Please.”
He dropped his hands and stepped back. “What's wrong, Grace?”
She took a deep breath. “I just need some time. Things are moving too fast and I'm not ready.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “You're right. We need to take it slower.” A grin tugged at his lips and the teasing light was back in his eyes. “I like slow.” He leaned down and picked up the remains of their picnic, then took her hand. “Come on. Let's take a nice slow walk back.”
“Wait.” She stooped and picked up an egg shaped rock.
“What's that for?”
She gave him a huge smile. “I'm not planning to use it on you, if that's what you're worried about. This is a perfect rock for painting.”
“Painting?”
She nodded. “I'll show you sometime.”
Tiffany ran back with a satisfied grin on her face.
“So you chased off our visitor, huh?” Grace asked. She knew Tiffany wouldn't have growled if she'd only been chasing an animal. Intuition told her Adam had been spying on them, and it wouldn't be the last time unless Grace confronted him. She wondered if he'd been lying about having a date last night. There was something about Adam that made her want to lock her doors and bar her windows.
When they reached Grace's house, Tyler headed on to the clinic and Grace went to Brad's.
She and Brad sat on the porch and she told him about finding the rose and the note.
“I'm not sure how to handle it,” Grace confessed. “If you could talk to him, I'd be grateful.”
“I'll do that. Strange note he left though. Doesn't sound like something Adam would do. In fact, the whole rose thing sounds out of character for him.”
Grace nodded. “He's been different lately, though. Ever since he asked me out. But it seems strange that he had a date and still left a rose, don't you think?”
He patted her knee. “I'll have a talk with him and see what I can do.”
“Thanks, Brad.”
“So you and Tyler went to Hannah Falls?”
“Yes.” She grinned. “As if you didn't know about it ahead of time. Tyler told me you said I could be bribed with food.”
Brad cackled. “You enjoyed it, didn’t you?”
“It was...nice.” She could feel her cheeks warming. It was a whole lot better than nice, but she wasn't about to share that with Brad. “There's been enough rain to make the waterfall heavy. You and I will have to go soon.”
“Maybe.”
“What do you mean, maybe? We always go there several times a year.”
He grinned. “Well, now you have Tyler. You young ones should go and leave an old codger like me to rock on my porch.”
“Stop. You're not old, and you're my best friend. Of course we'll go. Tyler's just my boss.”
“Mmm-hmm. If you say so.”
Grace knew Brad was teasing her, so she changed the subject. “Who do you think Adam had a date with last night?”
“Beats me. You'd think he'd bring her to our table, but Adam is kind of private. Too bad his folks left him so well off. He needs to spend more time around people, not stay holed up in that house all the time. No wonder he's so hard to communicate with.”
“Hasn't he ever worked?”
“As far as I know, he's never worked a day in his life, except for volunteering at the library.”
“He doesn't seem like a man who reads much.”
Brad shrugged. “You'd be surprised. Adam might not sound educated, but he's a smart man.”
“Interesting.” She kissed Brad's cheek. “Thanks for the chat. If you talk to Harri, tell her I'll give her a call soon.”
****
Tyler went through the motions of fixing dinner and cleaning up, but his mind swirled with images of Grace
and Natalie. He'd come to Foxfire with only one goal. To catch the bastard who killed his wife. He'd thought the key to success was through Grace, but he'd been wrong. Grace didn't have a clue that Max had begun a killing spree, nor that her life was in danger. Max had used Grace as ruthlessly as he had Natalie. Thankfully Grace escaped his clutches. She wasn't at all what Tyler had expected. Despite what she endured in the past, she'd forged a new life and she looked at each day with the optimism he longed to have. How had she found peace? How did she let go and move forward?
He walked out onto the deck and gazed through the trees toward her house. He could see a small glimmer of light. What was she doing now? Would she be preparing for bed? He wondered if she wore cotton shirts or black silk lingerie...or...nothing at all when she crawled between the sheets of her bed.
Frustrated, he went inside and locked the door.
Chapter Eight
Brad set out a plate of Harri's oatmeal cookies. When he'd called, Adam didn't question why, just said he'd be right down. It made Brad feel a bit guilty for spending so much time with Tyler over the past weeks. He hadn't meant to ignore Adam.
When Grace asked Brad to question Adam about the roses, he assured her he would. Maybe he shouldn't use their friendship this way, but Brad wanted to prevent Grace from confronting Adam. If anyone could salvage the situation, Brad was the one to do it.
When Adam knocked, Brad waved him in. “Make yourself at home.”
Adam pulled out a chair and sat down. “Sorry I couldn't join you for dinner last night.”
“Had a date, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Anybody I know, or would you rather not tell?” Brad handed a mug to Adam and pushed a plate, mounded with cookies, across the table. “Have one of Harri's cookies. Made fresh yesterday.”
Adam bit into one and leaned back against the chair. One arm rested on the table. He spoke around the food he continued to chew. “It was Lainey.” He dipped the cookie into the coffee and stuffed it into his mouth. “These 'er good.”
“I'll let Harri know.” Brad sipped his coffee. “Lainey, huh? You two getting back together?”
“We're just friends, I guess.”
Brad saw his opening. “Nothin' wrong with having friends of the opposite sex. Kind of like me and Grace.” He watched Adam's face and saw a brief flicker of something unreadable cross his features.
Foxfire Page 8
