See How She Runs (A Cape Trouble Novel Book 2)

by Janice Kay Johnson

  “What?”

  “Dealing with what a fool I’d been took me a few minutes. I left you unprotected while I stewed. There’s no excuse for that.”

  “Wait.”

  Lines in his forehead creased. “Wait for what?”

  She clutched the white cotton blanket. “What were you a fool about?” Me?

  Never looking away from her, he dragged the chair close to the bedside and sat, then covered one of her knotted hands with his. “Frank. What else? You were right. Of course he was dirty. I’d seen the signs. I just didn’t want to admit it.”

  “Signs?”

  He talked about his partner’s rage at his inability to give his daughter what he thought she deserved. “And then, damned if she didn’t start at her expensive private college anyway. I asked him how he was managing, and he claimed she’d gotten some good scholarships. About the same time, he started not answering his phone sometimes when I called. I handled a few scenes on my own when I couldn’t reach him. Covered for him so the lieutenant didn’t find out. He claimed he was picking up some traffic gigs, that kind of thing.” He grimaced. “Like my father did.”

  Suddenly she was holding his hand, not the other way around. “I’m sorry.”

  His mouth curved into a sad smile. “Nothing for you to be sorry about, Naomi. I’ve never been a big fan of self-delusion. Nothing like finding out I’ve been doing a whole hell of a lot of it. I feel free, in a way. I’d turned my head into an obstacle course. I had to dodge this way and that to avoid seeing straight ahead. Now I don’t have to do that.”

  Stunned, she examined his face. “You mean that.”

  His smile widened. “I do.”

  “You believe me.”

  “I do,” he said again.

  She tried to withdraw her hand, but he wouldn’t let her.

  “Did you tell Sam?”

  Adam shook his head. “I decided to leave that up to you. I can’t see that it makes any difference at this point.”

  “Except to his family.”

  “Yeah, and I have to wonder whether his wife knew.”

  “What happened after he died? Did his daughter have to leave her college?”

  “No.” His expression was cynical now. “She’s still there. I think we both know who is paying her tuition.”

  “He’d have had life insurance, wouldn’t he?”

  “Sure, but Cobb would want everyone to know he did the right thing for people who worked for him.”

  Naomi nodded, thinking about it. Of course he would.

  “He’s in jail.”

  “Going for bail, but the U.S. Attorney is doing his damndest to see that he doesn’t get it. Even so…”

  “He’ll still think getting rid of me might help his troubles go away.”

  “I’m afraid so.” He lifted his free hand to smooth her hair from her forehead. “We still have some trouble ahead, Naomi. But we’ll get through it.”

  We. She closed her eyes, the better to savor his touch and that one, small word. “Maybe I can sell the café instead of just closing it.”

  “Could you hire someone to keep it open until you can get back?”

  Her eyes flew open. “Get back?”

  “Assuming that’s what you think you might want to do.”

  “You think I might be able to come back to Cape Trouble?” Was he giving her advance notice that his sole intention was to keep her safe until she could resume her life – and him his?

  “Maybe.” He had an odd expression. “Lot of rain, but it’s a nice town. We found you because a couple of people you probably don’t even know paid attention when they saw something a little out of the ordinary. And I sure can’t fault the support we’ve had from law enforcement, city and county.”

  No. She thought of all the times Daniel had come in the middle of the night. And Sheriff Mackay personally delivering the vests.

  “Place has grown on me,” Adam said, voice casual but his gaze sharp. “Just so you know, I’ve had a job offer here.”

  “What?” She gaped at him.

  “Yep. I’m getting way ahead of myself here, but in case I ever decide I’d like to live in Cape Trouble, Mackay has let me know he’ll have a detective job open for me. Colburn made a point of letting me know he won’t be extending his contract when it’s up in another year, too. So, hey, Cape Trouble may be looking for a new police chief, too.”

  Tears gushed so fast she didn’t have a hope of stopping them. Crying hurt, but she couldn’t help herself. On a sudden exclamation, Adam shifted to sit on the side of the bed and take her gently into his arms. She sobbed against his shoulder, holding onto him for all she was worth. It was a long time before she could pull back and let him gently dab tissues on her damaged face to clean her up.

  The minute he tossed the tissues in a waste basket and sat back, she whispered, “You mean…?” But she couldn’t make herself say it. Her courage, it seemed, didn’t extend to believing he could possibly be implying what she wanted to believe: that he loved her.

  His mouth crooked. “Yeah. We haven’t known each other that long, but we’ve packed a lot into a few weeks. I figure if I start throwing out hints, you’ll come around to my way of thinking.” His expression became entirely serious. “You’re dreading going back, Naomi. I need you to know I’ll be there for you, as long as you need me.”

  Her lips formed a word she still wasn’t brave enough to say aloud: Forever.

  And Adam Rostov smiled. “That’s what I’m saying,” he murmured huskily, and leaned forward to press a tender kiss to her forehead.

  About The Author

  Janice Kay Johnson is the author of more than ninety books for children and adults, including the Cape Trouble novels of romantic suspense. Her first four published romance novels were coauthored with her mother Norma Tadlock Johnson, also a writer who has since published mysteries and children's books on her own. These were "sweet" romance novels, the author hastens to add; she isn't sure they'd have felt comfortable coauthoring passionate love scenes!

  Janice graduated from Whitman College with a B.A. in history and then received a master's degree in library science from the University of Washington. She was a branch librarian for a public library system until she began selling her own writing.

  She has written six novels for young adults and one picture book for the read-aloud crowd. ROSAMUND was the outgrowth of all those hours spent reading to her own daughters, and of her passion for growing old roses. Two more of her favorite books were the historical novels: WINTER OF THE RAVEN and THE ISLAND SNATCHERS, written for Tor/Forge and now available in e-book format for the first time. The research was pure indulgence for someone who set out intending to be a historian.

  Janice raised her two daughters in a small, rural town north of Seattle, Washington. She spent many years as an active volunteer and board member for Purrfect Pals, a no-kill cat shelter, and foster kittens often enlivened a household that typically includes a few more cats than she wants to admit to.

  Janice loves writing books about both love and family — about the way generations connect and the power our earliest experiences have on us throughout life. Her Superromance novels are frequent finalists for Romance Writers of America RITA awards, and she won the 2008 RITA for Best Contemporary Series Romance for SNOWBOUND.

  Visit her website at www.JaniceKayJohnson.com.

  A Note from the Author:

  Thank you so much for purchasing my book. This is my second independently published effort, so if you enjoyed the book, I hope you will take a moment to help me get the word out to others by posting a review on Amazon or Goodreads - or “like” my Author Page on Facebook to see future updates.

  I also love to hear from readers, so please feel free to contact me on Facebook or via my website at www.JaniceKayJohnson.com.

  Also Available from Janice Kay Johnson

  Cape Trouble, a tiny Oregon Coast town, was named for the dangerous off-shore reefs. But some of its citizens seek refuge from the
ir own troubles…which have a way of following them.

  SHROUD OF FOG (Cape Trouble, Book 1)

  The secrets of the past haunt the present…

  Sophie Thomsen’s life had a Before and an After – marked by the terrifying morning when she found her mother dead in the foggy sand dunes, an apparent suicide. Now, twenty years later, Sophie returns to Cape Trouble, only to find her aunt brutally murdered. Although she swore never to set foot again on Misty Beach, Sophie takes over her aunt’s crusade to save the falling-down Misty Beach Resort and its wild sand dunes and beach from development. But Sophie’s memories threaten a killer…who doesn’t dare let her remember too much.

  Having come to Cape Trouble to heal his own wounds, Police Chief Daniel Colburn investigates the present day murder, but begins to suspect Sophie’s mother was another murder victim, not a suicide. Everything he learns increases his fear for the woman he is coming to love.

  Sophie’s fate may be to die in a shroud of fog, just like her mother before her, unless she can trust Daniel to help her uncover her past in time.

  TWISTED THREADS (Cape Trouble, Book 3)

  The faintest creak of the floorboards her only warning…

  Emily Drake has clung to her solitude for four long years after the tragic death of her husband and child, filling empty days stitching quilts that will be heirlooms for other families, never her own. It takes a terror-filled escape from a midnight intruder to open her eyes. She desperately wants to embrace life again…if death’s next approach isn’t utterly silent.

  Detective Sean Holbeck is powerfully drawn to his new neighbor, a woman threatened by an unknown enemy. He’s already investigating a murder that he fears is just the beginning. Until he knows why the victim was chosen, he can’t stop a killer…or protect Emily, who may hold the key to understanding an enraged man set on vengeance.

  Dark threads of past and present, guilt and grief and pain, have twisted together until only love and trust might untangle them before a killer strikes again…

  WHISPER OF REVENGE (Cape Trouble, Book 4)

  Loving the wrong man can be a death sentence…

  Gifts from a secret admirer unsettle bookstore owner and single parent Hannah Moss. She finds herself searching every face, wondering what lies behind that smile, that stare. When renowned artist Elias Burton lends her his support, the gifts become threats. By turning to the wrong man, she’s infuriated her secret admirer…and put herself and her young son in danger. But not until her child is kidnapped does she understand the terrifying price she must pay for loving a man so wounded.

  A local celebrity and recluse, Elias Burton has lost every woman who has ever mattered. Because of his past, he fears to reach out to Hannah Moss…but he has never been so tempted. In protecting her, he enrages a sick, angry man who will do anything to make Elias pay over and over again for long-ago wrongs. And what better way to wound Elias than to kill the woman and child he’s dared to love?

  The whisper of revenge is all he has to lead him to his enemy…if it’s not already too late.

  What people are saying about the romantic suspense novels of Janice Kay Johnson:

  • “If you are in the mood for a wonderful romantic suspense story that will have you so engrossed in it that you lose track of the time, than look no further.”

  - Night Owl Reviews (on Shroud of Fog)

  • “SHROUD OF FOG will immerse the reader in a world of suspense and intrigue. Elements of romance throughout this captivating read will capture your heart. I kept guessing as to whom the killer was up until the very end. Janice Kay Johnson has penned a deeply satisfying story that is appealing to mystery lovers as well as romance aficionados. If you are looking for a tale that has plenty of plot twists and amazing characters that will remain with you, then you should rush out and get a copy of SHROUD OF FOG!”

  - Romance Junkies

  • "[G]uaranteed to have you looking over your shoulder more than once in this explosive, fast-paced thriller."

  - Linda Silverstein, ROMANTIC TIMES (on Dangerous Waters)

  • "Studded with tension and skillfully riveting, [it] will capture you from the first page and won't let go until the end."

  - Kay Gragg, AFFAIRE DE COEUR (on Dangerous Waters)

  • “I’ve never read Ms. Johnson’s work before and all I can say is I will be finding everything else she’s ever written. This story is so masterful it takes you inside this small town and really makes you think you are there.”

  - Sara HJ, HARLEQUIN JUNKIES (on Everywhere She Goes)

  Turn the page for a sneak peek at the next book TWISTED THREADS - and find all books available online now.

  TWISTED THREADS - EXCERPT

  CHAPTER ONE

  Shit like this made Detective Sean Holbeck wonder why anyone ever risked having kids. From that first unfocused, vulnerable look after birth, they were heartbreak waiting to happen.

  The powerful beam of his flashlight illuminated a slice of the dense, wet woods ahead. He swept it methodically from side to side, aware of other searchers in a line stretching to his right and left doing the same. One of them regularly shouted some variation of “Arianna! Please come out. Your parents are scared.”

  Yep, forget having kids.

  A thick clump of sword ferns demanded a closer look. In lieu of a walking stick or staff, he carried a golf club given to him by one of the search and rescue volunteers. It had a whole new life as a walking stick and tool for probing. He waded into the ferns and tapped with the butt end of the club until he was confident no body lay hidden beneath the dripping wet fronds.

  Fifteen year old Arianna Keezer had apparently been threatening suicide for days. Not one of her empty-headed friends had thought to confide in a parent, teacher, counselor. The grocery store clerk, the librarian. Any adult.

  When she’d been discovered missing from her bed this morning – something like sixteen hours ago – the friends were shocked. Maybe she’d just run away, they said hopefully. Until someone thought to check her Facebook page, which had what was, in essence, a suicide note. If she’d posted it in hopes of grabbing attention, she’d succeeded beyond her wildest dreams.

  He took a swipe with his forearm to clear his face and only made it wetter. Damn, if only this miserable drizzle would let up. Too bad that was unlikely, given how usual this weather was for western Oregon in early March.

  Cursing the darkness, he started forward again and swept the beam of the flashlight from side to side. He watched for obstacles, hiding places, a color or texture that didn’t belong. He diverted to check the backside of a rotting log. Nada. Two steps later, he set his foot down only to find no ground beneath it. Next thing he knew, he’d crashed to the forest floor.

  He lay with his cheek on sodden earth slick with rotting leaves. Never having a kid. No way, no how.

  “You okay, Sean?” the volunteer to his right called.

  “Yeah. Stepped in a hole.” He rose to his knees, pulling his foot from the deep depression, and got up. Despite a rain slicker, he was soaked to the skin. He’d be cold, too, if he stopped moving for long enough.

  His whole day had been spent trying to figure out where Arianna might have gone. They’d scoured beaches, contacted everyone she’d ever known. Searched her bedroom for a clue. The parents sat side by side in the living room, clutching each other’s hand, their faces tight with dread and, in the father’s case, guilt, because he’d discovered a Colt Revolver he hadn’t kept locked up was missing. That guilt would tear this man apart if his daughter was found dead. Sean understood guilt.

  Not until nightfall neared had one of the girl’s friends remembered this super romantic spot in the woods where Arianna and her boyfriend went to be together. “You know.” She almost sounded shy. The shell-shocked father had only nodded.

  This was the boyfriend who’d ditched her two weeks ago, precipitating the crisis. When asked for directions to “their” spot, he’d wrinkled his brow and mumbled, “Well, uh, we just hiked. I mean, w
e didn’t go one place. You know.”

  Favorite words.

  He had showed them where he usually parked, out of sight of any passing traffic on Highway 101 running up and down the Pacific Coast. By the time family members, neighbors, volunteers and cops had gathered, it was pitch dark and Arianna had been missing for a minimum of twelve hours, and likely a lot more depending on when she’d slipped out. Now, when Sean briefly illuminated his watch, he saw that it was almost 11:30.

  He wiped water from his eyes just as his flashlight beam found the trunk of a huge fir or hemlock rising from a tangle of vegetation that might disguise the well sometimes found around the old trees. More ferns, salal, whips of currant or huckleberries. The guy to his left and he converged on it.

  Sean thumped the golf club, praying for all he was worth not to find the girl. Let somebody else get there first for a change. The dead rarely gave him pause anymore. Dead kids…they were different.

  Because secretly, he did want to have kids of his own despite seeing his own parents’ unending grief. Or, at least, he had once upon a time. Before he’d scraped too many off the pavement of major highways, cuffed abusive parents while the morgue techs carried out small, battered bodies, found lost children too late. A few months ago, he’d been part of a surf rescue. Eight year old boy. They never could get him breathing again.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  A shout came from his left. “Found her!” He sagged forward, his forehead resting on rough bark, before he resigned himself and pushed away.