Brink of Danger

by Christy Barritt

  Time didn’t always heal all wounds, but time put those wounds into perspective.

  Ryan was still waiting for that perspective himself.

  An hour later, Ryan took Ansley back to her apartment. They’d stayed at Dustin’s until backup arrived and the initial reports had been taken. Now the coroner had Dustin’s body, and the scene was still being processed.

  Luke was going to have a lot on his plate until this was solved.

  Ryan put his SUV into Park and stared up at her apartment building beside them. Ansley wondered what he was thinking.

  She hadn’t meant to be that vulnerable, nor had she expected Ryan’s sensitivity. Seeing it unnerved her. It made her feel like something had shifted between them—but she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

  The one thing she was sure about? Feeling his arms around her had felt amazing. She’d felt so protected. So safe and cared for.

  But she couldn’t get used to that.

  “You mind if I walk you in?” Ryan asked.

  Ansley turned toward him, casting her heavy feelings aside. Instead, she tapped into her defense mechanism—her wit. As her walls went up, a sparkle lit her eyes.

  “You’re just looking for an excuse to have more alone time with me, aren’t you?” She kept her voice light and playful.

  Ryan chuckled but looked unflustered. “If I wanted alone time with you, I wouldn’t be subtle about it.”

  A flash of heat raced across her skin. Ryan had always known how to get to her. How to put her in her place. How to make her remember that he was not interested in her. She swallowed hard, realizing her banter may have been a mistake.

  But there was something else. Ansley had seen something injured flash through his gaze. It was only there for a moment. What kind of secrets was Ryan Philips hiding? What had happened in the years since he’d been gone?

  “So really—why do you want to come in?” Ansley asked. It obviously wasn’t so he could bust a move.

  A frown pulled at the corners of Ryan’s lips. “Just to make sure you get inside okay.”

  She studied his face, wondering what he wasn’t saying. She sucked in a breath as the truth came into focus. “You think I could be a target here?”

  “I didn’t say that.” His face hardened, not showing any emotions.

  “You’re not denying it either.”

  He turned his head and looked out the windshield, all hard lines and guarded secrets. “I think it’s wise to remain open to the possibility that you’re a target.”

  Finally, Ansley found her voice. “But Dustin is dead, and it was Dustin’s business that was targeted. I don’t see how this could be about me.”

  “Because you were the one on the zipline.” Ryan’s words hung in the air.

  “But it was supposed to be Thickie. No one could have anticipated the last-minute switch.”

  Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe it doesn’t make sense. Maybe it’s nothing. I hope it’s nothing. But . . .”

  “But what?” Ansley had no idea what he was getting at here, nor could she even begin to understand his thought process.

  His jaw tightened, and he turned toward her, studying her with his gaze. “I thought I saw someone outside your place last night.”

  Ansley sucked in a breath, unsure if she’d heard him correctly. “What do you mean, outside my place?”

  “When I left . . . I felt someone watching me. I went to check it out, and the person was gone.”

  Ryan had to be mistaken. He’d misinterpreted the situation.

  “Maybe this person was checking you out. Maybe it was someone who has a little crush on the new fire chief.” Ansley’s words lilted teasingly as she tried to break the tension of the conversation.

  Ryan didn’t smile. “I’m not joking, Ansley. I think you need to be cautious until we catch the person behind this—until we have more answers.”

  “Okay, okay.” She raised her hands in surrender. “I should have just said yes when you asked to walk me in. Please, walk me in. Check things out to set your mind at ease. And then we’ll be good.”

  “Thank you.” Ryan opened his door.

  Ansley wished she could shrug off her uneasiness as effortlessly as she made it seem, but tension stretched through her shoulders now. She didn’t want to believe she was a target. She had no idea who might target her, for that matter.

  But the possibility was scary and sobering.

  Chapter Nineteen

  As they’d sat in his SUV, Ryan saw it again—Ansley’s ability to diffuse her own fear by making jokes. By acting strong.

  But beneath that façade, he saw a woman who was terrified for her life.

  He couldn’t believe Ansley had actually opened up to him about being abducted by a serial killer. Ansley Wilder definitely wasn’t the same person he’d known when he left here all those years ago. Gone was the attention seeker. The flirt.

  Her life now bore evidence of her experiences. Life lessons were etched in the depth of her eyes, in the deep breaths she took before speaking, and in the hesitation before she reacted.

  The woman fascinated him more than he wanted. But she was no longer Jaxon’s little sister. Well, she was, but she wasn’t so little, wasn’t so young.

  She was all grown up now, in more ways than one. And yet she was still off limits. She was his best friend’s little sister. He’d be breaking some kind of bro code if he was interested in her.

  “So, are you satisfied?” Ansley stared up at him with questions in her eyes as they stood in the center of her living room.

  “I guess I am.” He glanced around before finally shrugging. He wished he felt confident that everything here was safe. But he only knew there were no boogiemen hiding in the corners or behind her couch.

  “Perfect.”

  Ryan eyed her, wondering why Ansley wanted to get rid of him so badly. “What are you going to do?”

  She cocked up an eyebrow, a hand going to her hip. “I’m probably going to rest. Is that okay?”

  She waited, a playful expression on her face.

  “Sounds like just what you need.” Ryan scanned the apartment one more time but saw nothing that concerned him. “Call me or one of your brothers if you need anything, okay?”

  “I will.” She gave him a salute.

  He fought a smile. Not only was she beautiful, but she was cute. It took a special person to master both of those. “I’ll be in touch later.”

  With that, Ryan was gone, closing the door behind him with a touch of hesitancy.

  He couldn’t quite pinpoint why he felt the way he did. Was it just because of the person he’d sensed watching outside Ansley’s apartment? Was it because Ansley had almost lost her life?

  Ryan didn’t know. Maybe one part of him simply felt protective of Ansley. Maybe it was because he’d seen the vulnerability in her eyes. Maybe it was because, despite what people might think, both he and Ansley were cut from the same cloth.

  He scanned the area one more time. That same feeling came over him. That feeling of being watched.

  His gaze stopped on one of the windows above Ansley’s apartment building.

  Had he just seen movement there? Or had he been imagining things?

  Before he could second guess himself, he grabbed the gun from his SUV and started toward the back of the building.

  He was going to check this out.

  Ryan shoved a door on the other end of the building. It opened with a squeak.

  It hadn’t been locked, he noticed.

  His back muscles tightened.

  Still gripping his gun, he pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight app. He’d need to see. This place was hazy and dark.

  As he stepped inside, he scanned everything around him.

  This area was empty—mostly. On his left side, some fresh wood had been left, making it appear that a contractor might start working again soon.

  As his light fell on a staircase in the distance, he knew where he needed to go. He h
eaded across the large room and up the stairs.

  If someone had been watching him, it would have been from up there.

  Carefully, he stepped onto the second-story floor. The floor squeaked under him.

  Was someone up here?

  Ryan had to be careful.

  Remaining near the wall, he scanned the space. It appeared to be one, big empty room. But that didn’t mean no one had been in there.

  He reached the window and glanced down. From up here, someone had a perfect view of the street below. They could have easily been watching Ryan—or Ansley.

  The flashlight beam hit the wood on the windowsill, and Ryan sucked in a breath.

  Words had been carved there.

  The Woodsman.

  This couldn’t be a coincidence.

  Was that moniker what this killer was calling himself?

  A chill went through Ryan’s blood.

  He had to call Luke. Luke needed to know about this—and it couldn’t wait until he saw him again.

  Though part of her rebelled, Ansley had given in and taken her pain medication after Ryan left her apartment. She sat on the couch to relax for a few minutes. The next thing she knew, she was out.

  And she was falling again. Down into the gorge. With nothing to protect her.

  She wasn’t going to make it this time.

  Ansley woke up with a start. Sweat covered her forehead. Her heart raced.

  Her dream had felt so real.

  Ansley glanced around. She was in her apartment. On the couch.

  The gorge was nowhere to be seen.

  She released her breath and laughed at herself. Glancing at the window, she saw it was now dark outside.

  How long had she slept?

  Ansley glanced at her watch. Three hours. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a nap that stretched that long.

  She looked into the kitchen and spotted Kit bent over a steaming pot on the stove. A savory aroma filled the air and made her stomach grumble. She had to admit that she loved the fact Kit cooked—especially since Ansley didn’t.

  Kit glanced over her shoulder just as Ansley pushed herself into an upright position. “Oh, hey. You looked like you were sleeping so well that I didn’t want to disturb you. Was it the pots and pans?”

  Ansley shook her head, her eyes still heavy with sleepiness. “No, I don’t know what woke me up.”

  “I’m making beef tips with green beans and buttered noodles. Would you like some?”

  She pushed herself off the couch and yawned. “I wouldn’t like some. I’d love some.”

  Kit flashed a nurturing smile. “Kitchen table or couch?”

  “Kitchen table.” Ansley stood and lumbered across the room, pulling out one of the wooden chairs and nearly collapsing there. A moment later, Kit set a plate of steaming hot food in front of her. Ansley’s stomach rumbled at the savory scent.

  “Dig in,” Kit said, sitting down across from her with her own plate.

  Ansley didn’t argue. She took the first bite, and satisfaction raced across her taste buds. “This is awesome. Seriously, when I got you as a roommate, it was like winning the lottery. Not only can you cook, but you can put up with me.”

  Kit offered a soft smile. “I’m just glad we were able to meet. Seriously, because, for starters, I doubt I could afford anything by myself here. And, secondly, it’s been so nice to actually have someone to talk to in this town.”

  They both enjoyed their dinner in silence for a few minutes.

  “So, anything new today?” Kit’s lips pulled down in a frown. “I heard about Dustin.”

  “Already?” Word had spread fast.

  “It’s been the talk of the town.”

  “I can imagine.” Ansley paused with her fork in midair as she remembered the sight of Dustin’s lifeless body. Her head pounded harder. “I have no idea what’s going on. I guess someone was targeting Dustin this whole time—trying to shut down his business. When that didn’t work, it looks like they took more extreme measures.”

  “That’s scary.” Kit’s motions stilled with fear.

  “Tell me about it.” Ansley shivered and suddenly wanted to change the subject. She couldn’t even begin to consider Ryan’s crazy theory that Ansley was somehow a target. He was wrong. He had to be. “Anything new with you today?”

  Kit shook her head. “I sold some books at the shop. That’s not quite enough to keep my store open. I’m going to have to think of a way to up my game.”

  “Run a sale?” Ansley had no clue but longed for a normal conversation.

  “I suppose. But then I sell more books but make less money. It might be a wash. Bookselling isn’t exactly what I envisioned. I suppose I had idyllic visions of being a shop owner in a small town.”

  Ansley frowned, wishing she was more of a marketing expert so she could help. But all she’d ever wanted to do was something that satisfied her craving for adventure and paid the bills. That’s why the job with the zipline tours had seemed ideal.

  “Hopefully, when tourist season hits hard again in a few weeks, things will change,” Ansley finally said.

  Kit shrugged. “I hope so. I’m wondering if I was crazy giving up my well-paying job to do this.”

  She’d been totally unhappy with her engineering career.

  “Life is short—you have to try things, right? If it doesn’t work—and I’m not saying it’s not going to work—at least you gave it your best shot. I’m sure there’s another job for you somewhere.”

  “That’s true.” Kit lowered her fork and stared across the table at Ansley. “Someone did come into the shop today.”

  Ansley raised her eyebrows. “Who was that?”

  “I think his name was Wallace . . . Ackerbury, maybe.”

  “The zipline inspector?” Ansley asked.

  Kit snapped her fingers. “Yes, I believe so. He actually asked me out.”

  “What did you say? Are you interested?” The man wasn’t Ansley’s type, but Kit was a little older than Ansley, and her personality was totally different.

  Kit shrugged. “It’s been a while since anyone asked me out. I kind of fumbled around for an answer.”

  “And you ended up saying . . .”

  “I said . . . maybe.” Her voice seemed to trail off self-consciously, like she was unsure of herself.

  “Maybe?” Ansley tilted her head.

  “I didn’t know what to say. I’m not like you. I don’t have guys asking me out all the time. I don’t have a ton of experience.”

  “Well . . . let’s start with this—do you want to go out with him?”

  Kit’s face scrunched up. “I don’t know. He’s not the most handsome man. And he’s kind of a know-it-all. But . . . there’s another part of me that’s intrigued.”

  “Then give him a chance. What could it hurt?”

  “Honestly, sometimes I wish I was as fearless as you are. I worry all the time about the future and paying bills. You always take everything in stride, don’t you?”

  Ansley’s smile disappeared. “I’m not fearless. I promise you, I’m not.”

  “Well, you seem like you are.”

  The landline rang on the kitchen counter. Ansley picked it up and saw Luke’s number there. Maybe he had an update on the case. “Excuse me one minute.”

  She stepped away from the table to answer, pacing toward the living room.

  “Ansley, I have a question,” Luke started. “Did you talk to Dustin last night? After he left your place?”

  “No. Why would you ask that?”

  “Because his cell phone shows he tried to make a call to you in the middle of the night—probably right before he was murdered.”

  Ansley’s blood felt like it froze. “Why would he call me in the middle of the night?”

  “That’s what we want to know also.”

  The bad feeling in her gut grew. Nothing was making sense . . . and that fact, as well as the avalanche of questions in her mind, only served to unnerve her.
<
br />   Chapter Twenty

  “What is it?” Kit asked.

  Ansley still felt numb from the news. She knew what Luke had told her might end up being nothing. But what if that wasn’t the case?

  “I guess Dustin tried to call me last night at three in the morning.” Ansley picked up her dishes, scraped her leftovers into the trash, and put her dishes in the sink. She was no longer hungry.

  Kit’s eyes widened as she rose to help clean up. “Why would he do that?”

  “That’s the question.” What could he possibly have to tell her at that time of night? It didn’t make sense.

  “Did he leave a message?”

  Ansley shrugged and began filling the sink with water. “I’m not sure yet. I left my phone in my locker at work, and I haven’t retrieved it yet. I really haven’t even given it much thought. It’s nice not having it with me every minute.”

  Kit frowned and nudged Ansley out of the way. “You can’t wash dishes. Your hand is bandaged. Let me do it.”

  Ansley didn’t argue.

  “Speaking of your phone, I wish I was more like you and wasn’t addicted to my cell.”

  “Honestly, it’s like a leash. I could live without it.”

  “Must be nice.”

  “Then, again, you own a business. It’s a little different for you”

  “I suppose.” Kit squirted some soap into the water. “So, all that said, what now?”

  “Luke is going to pick my phone up as soon as he leaves the crime scene in an hour or two. Maybe there’s something on that voice mail that will give us some answers.”

  Kit shook her head, as if all of this was too much to comprehend. “I hope so. I know you’ll feel better once this is all behind you.”

  “Yes, I will.” That was an understatement.

  Ansley crossed her arms, her thoughts still churning. “Under normal circumstances, I’d be all about going with Luke to get my phone. But, unfortunately, I’m exhausted again. This meal was great, but I think I’m going to lie down in my room.”

  “That’s probably a good idea. Your body needs to heal.”

  Ansley took a step back. “Are you sure I can’t help with the dishes? There are probably some gloves around here somewhere.”