by Jane Godman
We? She should tell him it was none of his business, but at 3:00 a.m., should didn’t seem as important as his reassuring tone.
“What will you do? Do you still think the shooter will come back?”
“I don’t know, but while there’s even a fraction of doubt I’m not taking any chances.” My goodness. It must have been tiredness that made her go weak at the knees when this big, strong man said those words to her.
“You can’t stay in the woods all night.” Her voice had taken on a new and husky note.
The grin was back, this time accompanied by a hint of mischief. “This time I was planning on moving my stakeout to your sofa.”
“Oh.” She looked from him to the sofa and back again. “It’s not big enough.” A blush, the first she’d felt for a very long time, stole into her cheeks. Would he think she was offering an alternative? Now that the idea had been planted in her mind it was all she could think about...
“I’ve slept in worse places.” Brayden was smiling at her in a way that told her he might just have figured out exactly what she was thinking. “And Echo will be a lot happier to exchange the damp leaves for your rug.”
As if to demonstrate, Echo gave a heavy sigh and, curling up on the rug, closed his eyes.
“I’ll fetch a blanket.” Glad for something to shift the focus from her embarrassment, Esmée went into her bedroom. When she returned, Brayden was removing his boots.
His blue-green eyes gleamed as he took the blanket from her. “Get some sleep.”
She moved toward her bedroom, pausing as she reached the door. “Brayden?”
“Yes?” When she turned, he was lying on his side, watching her.
“Thank you.”
“For getting you thrown out?”
“For taking care of us.”
He nodded, his gaze still fixed on her face. She should move now. Turn away. Go to her room. Her mind was relaying a series of instructions, but her body was refusing to listen. Every nerve was on high alert and the message being sent out was in direct opposition to that of her brain. Go to him. It was getting harder to resist by the second.
Eventually, she managed to get her mind and body working in harmony again. Her mind won, but it was close. It could have been her imagination, but as she went back to her bedroom, she thought she heard Brayden sigh. It was exactly the same sound Esmée made as she shut her door and leaned against it.
* * *
Brayden came slowly awake to the smells of bacon, toast and coffee, and the sound of a child’s laughter. The realization that his long limbs were cramped into a space that was way too small made him groan out loud.
“Good morning.”
Turning his neck at a sharp angle after being curled onto the small sofa should have been a mistake, but the sight of Esmée took the ache away. Dressed in denim shorts, thick black tights and a plaid shirt, with her hair tied back in a ponytail, she was serving breakfast to Rhys and Echo.
“I didn’t know if it was okay for Echo to eat human food, but he seemed to think it was.”
The dog was tucking into a bowl of eggs and bacon, his tail thumping appreciatively.
“Echo is a con artist. Don’t ever believe anything he tells you, especially when it comes to food.” Brayden stretched as he got to his feet. “But it’s okay for him to have the occasional treat.”
He took a seat at the table, gratefully accepting the coffee Esmée poured for him.
“Bray!” Rhys greeted him like a long-lost friend, before returning to his own breakfast of cereal and juice.
As Esmée slid a plate of food in front of him, Brayden reflected on the difference between this morning scene and his regular start to the day. Since that generally involved grabbing a bite of toast as he ran out the door, then buying a coffee before he reached the training ground, he knew which he preferred.
Esmée’s laptop was open on the counter, and she returned to it now as she sipped her own coffee. “The problem with Red Ridge is that there aren’t many child-friendly places. I already did this search before we came to town. I won’t have Rhys staying in a motel room.” She sighed as she scanned the screen. “I really don’t want to give up on this story and go home.”
Brayden cleared his throat. It was now or never. “I know somewhere you can stay.”
“You do?” Her big, brown eyes fixed eagerly on his face.
“It’s a little out of the way, but it has three bedrooms and a modern kitchen and bathroom. There’s plenty of outdoor space for Rhys to run and play safely.” Stop trying to sell it to her and give her the truth.
“It sounds like heaven. Why isn’t it listed on any of these websites?”
“Because it’s my place.”
“Oh.” It wasn’t an outright refusal, which was something. Turning away from the laptop, she leaned against the counter as she finished her coffee. “Why are you offering to let us stay at your house?”
“Because you need somewhere to stay and it’s better than anywhere you’ll find on there.” He jabbed a finger at the computer. “But the main reason is that it’s safe. I had a break-in a few years ago and I installed a new alarm system with security cameras. Also, if you are under my roof I can make sure you and Rhys are safe if that shooter does decide to come after you again. And, if you’re going to help me prove Demi’s innocence, it will be a lot easier if we are able to talk the case through each evening.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You’re okay with me helping?”
“I have one condition.” He’d given it some thought as he tried to get to sleep on the uncomfortable sofa. “While you are out investigating, we find someone we both trust to take care of Rhys.” He knew Esmée would never expose her son to any risks, but the shooter on the ridge had unsettled Brayden. He would do everything he could to take care of them both, but he’d feel better if they could keep Rhys in a secure setting.
“I’m one step ahead of you. I was going to ask Sarah and Hester about it today,” Esmée said. “If they agree, he could go to them while I’m working during the day.”
Sarah was a part-time teacher and Hester was a retired police officer. That sounded like a safe and nurturing environment to Brayden. “Do we have a deal?”
He knew the real reason why Esmée was hesitating. It was the same issue that had kept occurring to him when this solution came to him last night. The two of them living under the same roof? In such close proximity, would they be able to resist an attraction that was already close to being out of control? Part of him wanted to say to hell with it. What did it matter if they didn’t resist? What if this investigation also became a fling? He knew he was debating with something other than his brain when he thought that way.
Because the reasons against getting into any sort of short-term relationship were stacked up about a mile high. In reality, there was only one reason he could think of for such an arrangement...but it was a compelling one and it had been responsible for some interesting new fantasies.
He had a feeling, from the faint blush that tinged her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes, that Esmée’s thought process might be mirroring his own. “Okay.”
Brayden wasn’t prepared for the rush of pure elation that hit him. He had expected to feel mildly relieved that the task of protecting Esmée and Rhys would be made easier if she agreed to stay under his roof. Now he knew he had been practically holding his breath, desperately looking forward to having them close simply because he enjoyed being with them.
Since his happiness was something he didn’t want to analyze, he quickly finished his breakfast. “While you pack up your things, I’ll call my chief and explain why Echo and I will be doing our training this evening.”
“I don’t want to mess up your schedule.” Esmée leaned across him as she picked up Rhys’s empty dishes, and Brayden caught a whiff of her delicious scent.
“I can t
hink of worse disruptions.”
There was that blush again. A tiny indrawn breath accompanied it. He had wanted Esmée where he could protect her and he’d gotten what he wanted. Now he just had to figure out how he was ever going to concentrate on anything else.
* * *
Esmée turned a full circle in the large family room, admiring the polished wood floors, huge windows and mellow color scheme. Rhys’s footsteps rang out as he dashed from room to room with Echo following him. Each time Rhys stopped, the dog nudged him gently in the back with his nose and Rhys, shrieking with laughter, would break into a run again. It seemed safe to say that the bond established at the dog show looked likely to develop into a lifelong friendship.
“Brayden, this is amazing. Are you a secret millionaire?”
He had been grinning as he watched Rhys and Echo, but her words wiped the smile from his face, which was replaced by a bleak look. “I like working with my hands.”
“You did all this?” The single-story house was incredible. Every authentic feature had been lovingly enhanced, every item of furniture chosen to highlight the beautiful scenery beyond the windows. “You have a real talent.”
“The original house belonged to my grandparents. My mom and I lived here until she died when I was eighteen. We didn’t have much money when I was growing up. I don’t know if you’ve met my dad?”
“I’ve seen him.” She already knew she needed to be careful around the subject of his family. His expression told her that went double when it came to Rusty. Having observed his dad, she could understand some of Brayden’s reticence.
“Yeah. He wasn’t great at helping out. By the time my mom died, this place was about ready to fall down. I thought about selling the land and renting somewhere in town.” His gaze went to the view, and Esmée caught a glimmer of emotion in his expression. “But this is my home, so I decided to restore it instead.”
She could see why he hadn’t wanted to swap this location for a place in town. Close by, rolling grassland sloped down to meet tall trees. The mountains were a distant backdrop and Esmée had glimpsed a field of horses near the rear of the property. “It must have taken years.”
“It’s not finished. Every time I think a job is done, I find a new thing to do. And the land has remained untouched since my Grandpa Colton’s day. I don’t suppose I’ll ever get around to doing anything with that.” Brayden carried one of her bags along the hall toward the bedrooms. He held open a door. “This room has its own bathroom. I thought you could take this one and Rhys could have the one across the hall. Unless you want him to share with you? I could move another bed in here.”
Esmée shook her head. “Rhys is used to being in his own room. I have the baby monitor and as long as he knows I’m close, he’ll be fine.”
“I’ll get the rest of your things from your car.” He plucked at the front of his shirt with a grimace. “Then, while you settle in, I need to shower and change out of the clothes I slept in.”
Esmée watched as he dodged the dog-and-baby chasing game that was still dominating the hall. The room was charming, with a pretty mirror over the dresser and a patchwork throw on the bed. There was a feminine air about it and she suspected it might once have belonged to Brayden’s mom. The possibility brought a weight of responsibility with it that sent a little shiver down her spine. This very private man had invited her to share his space.
Her cell phone rang as Brayden returned with more of her belongings. She checked the display and gave a little exclamation. “It’s Sarah. I almost forgot I was supposed to visit her and Hester today.”
“Ask them to come here. I’m sure they’d love to help you and Rhys settle in.” A mischievous smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “And, from what I know of Hester, I’m sure she’d love the opportunity to be the first to get the gossip about you moving in here.”
“You don’t mind?” Squeals from the other bedroom were followed by a crash. Brayden pointed at her cell, gesturing that he would deal with the other problem. While she returned Sarah’s call, Esmée reflected that Brayden might soon be unable to recognize his tranquil home.
“Sarah? Hi.” She watched in fascination as Brayden marched past the open door with Rhys under one arm and a lamp base in his other hand. Since they were both smiling, the situation didn’t look too serious. “Look, this is a long story and I can explain it better when I see you. Do you know where Brayden Colton lives?”
* * *
An hour later, Brayden emerged from his bedroom to find Sarah and Hester Mull at his kitchen table drinking coffee. Esmée was taking her stuff out of boxes and putting it into cupboards or the fridge. Rhys was seated on the floor playing with his toy animals and talking to Echo, who was lying next to him.
Brayden had spoken to his chief and explained the reason why he and Echo hadn’t turned up for training that morning. He had also mentioned Sarah and Hester’s visit. While he had no intention of interrogating Sarah so soon after her discharge from the hospital, where she had spent time recovering from the shock of her fiancé’s murder, he thought it wouldn’t hurt to speak to her if she seemed well enough. There was probably nothing more she could tell him about Jack’s death, but sometimes the little details mattered. Finn had agreed that Brayden should stay home and talk to her.
He took a seat at the table as Esmée poured coffee for him. Although Sarah was more restrained, Hester, as he had predicted, was clearly bursting with curiosity about Esmée’s presence in his house. Her eyes flickered from him to Esmée and back again with obvious excitement. Catching Esmée’s gaze, Brayden bit back a smile. Clearly, she was aware of the reason behind Hester’s bright-eyed interest, too.
“How are you?” He spoke quietly to Sarah and she raised red-rimmed eyes to his face.
“I’m still struggling to believe it.” Bravely, she attempted a smile. “Tomorrow would have been our wedding day.”
Brayden took her hand. “I’m sorry.”
She nodded, clasping his fingers in return. “And I’m sorry you have to put up with the things people are saying about your sister. No one should be judged before they have been tried in a court of law.”
“Thank you.”
Hester, never one to tolerate silence for long, soon came up with a piece of juicy scandal to share. “Have you heard that Lulu Love had her baby last night, but the no-good father still hasn’t bothered to put in an appearance?”
For once, Brayden was happy to encourage her to develop the gossip a little further. “So Richie wasn’t at the birth?”
It was an interesting snippet of information. So far, his attempts to track down Richie Lyman had proved useless, but Brayden had figured even a lowlife like the Larson twins’ right-hand man would want to see his baby being born.
Hester snorted. “At the birth? He isn’t even in town. Lulu was screaming the whole time about what she was going to do to Richie next time she got her hands on him. Seems she hasn’t seen him for weeks.”
No matter how poor Brayden’s opinion of Richie might be, he was surprised to hear the man had missed the birth of his own baby. It made him wonder exactly what was going on to keep Richie away from Red Ridge.
“Is it important?” Sarah’s quiet voice intruded on Brayden’s thoughts. Her gaze was fixed on his face and he remembered how hard it had always been to hide anything from her when he was a little kid and she was his teacher. “It seems to matter to you that Richie has gone missing.”
“I’ve been looking for him,” Brayden admitted. “That’s often a good enough reason for him to avoid me, but it seems strange that he wouldn’t turn up for such an important event.”
“This may be nothing.” He got the impression she was having some kind of internal struggle. Her next words explained why. “But Jack knew Richie Lyman.”
Hester leaned across the table, grasping her sister-in-law’s wrist. “Sarah, you don’t have to ta
lk about this if it’s too difficult...”
Sarah shook her head, pressing her lips together firmly before continuing. “I want to. If I can help the police in any way, I will.”
“Okay.” Brayden was unsure how a link between Jack Parkowski, who had left the Chicago PD five years earlier, and Richie was going to help him, but he wasn’t going to tell Sarah that. “Do you know how Jack knew Richie?”
“Not exactly. You know that Jack only returned to Red Ridge recently, right?” Brayden nodded. “We were out one night. We’d had dinner and Jack was walking me back to my house when we heard raised voices from across the street. You know what Jack was like.” Sarah turned her head to look at Esmée.
Esmée’s smile was affectionate and sad at the same time. “Only too well. Let me guess... He intervened?”
“Yes. He went over to find out what was going on. It was Richie and Lulu. They were having a big argument. I think they were both drunk.” Sarah’s voice grew stronger as she talked. “Jack gestured to me to stay back, but I could hear most of what was going on. As Jack approached them, Lulu shouted at him to get the hell away and mind his own business, but Richie went very still and just stared at Jack. Almost as if he’d seen a ghost.”
Brayden frowned. He’d encountered Richie when he was drunk. He doubted if stripping the guy naked and turning a fire hose on him would sober him up. Yet it seemed one look at Jack had worked wonders.
“As Jack reached them, Richie said, ‘You!’ Just that one word. I couldn’t hear Jack’s reply. He spoke really quietly. Whatever he said, it had a dramatic effect on Richie. He grabbed Lulu’s arm and dragged her away. It was like he couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”
“Did Jack tell you what he said to Richie?” Brayden asked.
“No. When he came back to me, all he said was that the guy was trouble and I should stay away from him.”
“He was right about that.” Brayden leaned back in his seat as he drank his coffee.
“Could this be linked to Jack’s death?” Sarah’s eyes anxiously scanned his face.
