by B. J Daniels
“We need to talk,” he said, and she motioned him on into the cabin with an expression of dread. He was the one dreading this. He had to tell her the truth about why he was here. But after what he’d heard her say to her sister...
“You’ve heard the news about Lance Roderick, the security guard?” he asked.
She nodded. Ainsley seemed relieved to be talking about murder rather than what he’d overheard her saying to her sister. “I heard you found the body.”
He’d been ready to tell her that he’d heard that the security guard hadn’t reported for work and had gone to check on him—an explanation that had satisfied the chief of police—but she didn’t ask how he had come to find Roderick.
“Do they know who did it?”
“Not that I’ve heard. They don’t think it was anyone staying out here, so that’s good. You just got back?”
“Scouting the last location shot.” She finally sat down on the end of the couch. He took a chair at the small kitchen table opposite her. Last night during dinner she’d told him she had to get up early to look for another location for a shot the assistant director wanted. As far as he knew, she’d been gone all day.
“Did you find a location that is going to work?” Sawyer asked now.
“Several,” she said. “Then I came back to find out that the security guard had been murdered.” She shuddered. “I’ll be so happy when this commercial is over.” She looked uncomfortable and nervous around him now. He mentally kicked himself for letting her know he’d overheard her conversation.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“About the security guard’s death?”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “About me. I wasn’t completely honest with you about why I’m here, and given what’s happened, I need to be.”
She sat back a little as if distancing herself from whatever was coming.
“I know someone’s been following you.”
Her voice came out a whisper. “You mean because of the day in the canyon.”
“I knew before then. That’s why I was there. Apparently you mentioned to your father that a man had been following you.” She began to shake her head, her eyes wide with more than alarm. “Your father mentioned it to Sheriff Frank Curry and he—”
She made a broken sound and looked away. “My father paid you to look out for me?” She seemed to be both surprised and angry. He could see that she was thinking of what had happened last night after dinner parked on that hill, as well as what she’d told her sister.
“No, not your father,” he said holding up his hands in surrender. “Frank and I go way back, and he asked me to—”
“To spy on me.” She shot to her feet as if her anger wouldn’t let her sit any longer. Anger, hurt and embarrassment, he thought as he looked into her face. “To...protect me? That’s why you asked me to dinner.”
He was on his feet, as well. “No. Ainsley, this is why I didn’t want to tell you.”
“You need to leave now.” She walked to the door and started to open it, but stopped to turn back and face him. “I should have known,” she said, shaking her head again, this time in obvious disgust. “And last night when you...kissed me, when you...” She grabbed the door handle to throw open the door, but he stepped to her in one long stride and dropped a hand over hers.
“Please,” he said. “Please, just listen to me.”
She froze. Her eyes glistened with tears she was desperately trying to fight back.
“I kissed you last night because I wanted to. Trust me, it was the last thing I planned to do. That’s why I stopped. I couldn’t go any further...not with you not knowing the truth about why I came here.”
She hadn’t moved, hadn’t looked at him. He prayed she was listening, really listening.
“Remember when I left you at the table before we ordered?” he asked, buoyed to continue. “I went out into the parking lot.” She looked at him now, listening. “Lance Roderick’s car had just pulled up in the parking lot. When I approached the car, I saw that he appeared to be taking photos with his phone. He seemed to be shooting you sitting in the café. Before I could confront him, he took off.”
She stared at him. “So Lance Roderick was the man following me?”
“Like I said, it appears so.” He hesitated for a moment before he said, “Did you sense that anyone followed you today?”
Ainsley gave it a moment’s thought. “No.” She sounded surprised by that. “I didn’t even realize... It’s been so long since I haven’t felt someone watching me.”
She glanced away for a moment, frowning, before turning her gaze back on him. “So you suspected him right away?”
He had to improvise. Dragging Kitzie into this would only muddy the already dark waters. “I saw him watching you.”
She nodded, then studied him, eyes narrowing. “Why would Sheriff Curry ask you to find this man?”
“He knew I was at loose ends.” Sawyer motioned to his leg. She’d been polite not to question his limp. “I work in law enforcement, and he knew I was on medical leave and probably going crazy with nothing to do.”
She nodded, her expression making it clear that this news wasn’t pleasing her any more than the idea of him misrepresenting himself—especially after their date last night and what had almost happened between them.
“What I’m trying to say is that I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to upset you. I thought for sure I would be able to neutralize the problem without you even knowing I had.”
“Neutralize the problem,” she repeated.
“I didn’t kill Lance, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“But now that the problem is...neutralized, you won’t be staying on here,” Ainsley said. “Is that what you’re trying to tell me?” Anger made her blue eyes spark like hot flames.
“I’m not leaving until I’m sure that Roderick was the man following you. Once his cell phone is found, we’ll know more. I’m not going anywhere until I’m sure you’re safe.” She couldn’t know how dangerous that would be, given the way he felt about her.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EMILY CALDER HAD almost forgotten about her troubled past. She’d almost bought into second chances. Then the sheriff had shown up at her office with the news that her past had reared its huge head again.
Harrison Ames. She cringed, no longer able to remember what she had seen in the outlaw biker. She knew what counselors had said had caused her self-destructive behavior—the death of her parents and rebellion against her brother, Jace, who’d suddenly become her guardian.
Harrison had been dangerous. She’d climbed on the back of his motorcycle, not caring what happened to her. So it was no wonder he’d gotten her into trouble with the law.
But now she had Josie, she thought as she walked down the hallway to her room. She’d left the door open where she could hear her—even though her landlady had put metal bars on the windows after the last break-in.
Jodie was sleeping, one hand under her head, the other curled next to her face. She looked like an angel.
“She’s beautiful,” Alex whispered next to her ear from behind her as he pulled his arms around her.
She leaned back into him, thinking as she often did how inconceivable it was that they had gotten together. She with her tattoos and piercings. Alex in his chinos and button-down shirts as straitlaced as a man could be.
And yet, they had fallen in love. He’d taken to Jodie right away and the child to him. They’d become a family, something she’d never thought possible, given her past.
She’d never thought that she wanted normal, but she’d never wanted it more than she did right at this minute.
“She’s all right,” Alex whispered and pulled her toward the living room.
“I’m
so sorry,” she said, ashamed that this was all her fault. “If I hadn’t—”
“Honey?” he turned her to look at him. “We all have pasts. It’s what makes us the person we are today. I love this Emily.” He touched her cheek, and she turned her face into his hand to kiss his palm.
“The sheriff will catch him. It will be over soon,” he assured her.
Emily hoped and prayed that was true. Until Harrison was either dead or behind bars, she would live in fear.
* * *
THE CRIME SCENE tape came down before dark on Lance Roderick’s cabin, and the last of the statements were taken. Everyone was told to go about his business again.
The pall that had seemed to fall over the place earlier disappeared by dusk. The kitchen was loud and noisy. Ainsley listened as the murder was discussed, suspect names were whispered at tables before bursts of laughter. She got the impression that everyone was trying too hard to forget about it, since as far as anyone had heard, the killer hadn’t been caught yet.
She felt relieved that there was no one following her anymore. Not that she had wanted him murdered. She tried to relax. She hadn’t seen Sawyer since their talk earlier. She was mortified that the only reason he was here was part of a job to look after her. Add to that what she’d said on the phone to Kat... She felt her face begin to heat and concentrated on her meal.
She’d left her cabin earlier because she couldn’t sit still. While everyone else was on edge because of the murder, Ainsley felt safer than she had in months. Lance Roderick was no longer a problem. Also, she had her own guardian angel in Sawyer watching out for her. Everything should have been rosy.
On top of that, Gunderson had agreed much too easily to one of the locations she’d found. Maybe like her, he just wanted to get this commercial over with, now that someone had died here.
With the meal over, everyone wandered outside. Someone had built another bonfire. The crew seemed to gravitate toward the light of the roaring flames. She could tell that they felt safer where they could see each other. Darkness had dropped like a cloak over the valley. While they’d all laughed and pretended not to be bothered by the violence, it was clear that no one wanted to go back to their cabins.
Ainsley didn’t feel up to joining them—not after the embarrassment of the other night. She left the hotel and headed for her cabin, wondering where Sawyer was.
She didn’t have to wonder long. He appeared out of the night giving her the impression he had never been far away from her since their earlier discussion.
“Not in the mood to party tonight?” he asked.
She ignored him as he fell into step alongside her. In truth, she was like everyone else. Still a little spooked to have violence hit so close by. And while she resented being “looked after,” she was smart enough to appreciate having Sawyer here.
As she unlocked her cabin door, he took the key from her and entered the cabin first. Since the cabins were small, she found that rather silly and said so as he motioned her in.
“What is the point? My stalker is dead.”
“I’d feel better if you didn’t stay until the end of the commercial.”
She reared back like a horse given too much bit. “I signed a contract. I gave my word that I would see this through. I can be fined if I don’t stay on. Not to mention the fact that I don’t quit jobs in the middle of them. I know I’ve been acting...less like myself lately, but I don’t take my responsibilities lightly.”
He held up both hands. “Neither do I. I’m still worried about your safety.”
She shook her head. “What is this? Lance is dead. Why are you still trying to protect me? I’m not your responsibility. You can tell Sheriff Curry and my father that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” All the fight went out of her as if, like him, she’d just recalled the rock slide, and her behavior after that that had ended with her naked in her bed and him sleeping on her couch.
“Under normal circumstances,” she added under her breath, her cheeks flaming again.
“Exactly. These haven’t been normal circumstances, as you just pointed out.”
She saw something in his expression. “What is it you aren’t telling me?”
* * *
FRANK FOUND HIMSELF wearing a hole in his office carpet. But he couldn’t sit still. He paced, willing the phone to ring. He’d talked to the deputies around Emily’s house. No sign of Harrison Ames.
Still he couldn’t relax because no law officer had spotted the two escaped prisoners. The obvious explanation was that they weren’t headed for Big Timber. Instead, they’d done the smart thing and had gotten out of Montana.
Otherwise, they should have been spotted. Every law enforcement officer in the state was looking for the two escaped prisoners and had a pretty good idea where Harrison would be headed—
When his phone rang, it made him jump. He quickly stepped to his desk and picked up. “Sheriff Curry.”
“You wanted to know the moment I heard anything about Harrison Ames?” the warden said without preamble. “A gas-station clerk was just found shot to death outside of Basin, Montana.”
“Basin?” He stepped to the Montana map on the wall. “That’s as far as they’ve gotten?”
“The coroner estimated the clerk had been dead since late last night. So to answer your question, they hadn’t gotten far probably because they cut across the mountains, and the snow is pretty deep up there.”
“But that was late last night? They could be anywhere by now,” Frank said. “Even right here in Big Timber.”
“Doubtful. We know that they’re taking back roads. We got a call from a woman who thinks she saw them. It’s not confirmed—”
“Where?” he asked impatiently.
“Harrison.”
Frank ran his finger down the map southwest of Butte.
“She saw two men stealing clothes off a neighbor’s clothesline and called the Madison County sheriff. He gave chase but lost them near Norris. He thinks they’re headed for Bozeman—”
“And once they get on Interstate 90, it won’t take them long to get to Big Timber,” he said with a sigh. “I’m going to put a couple more deputies on Emily Calder’s house.”
“We’re going to get them.”
Frank wasn’t counting on it as he disconnected and called two more deputies to come in and work tonight.
* * *
SAWYER BRACED HIMSELF for the anticipated explosion when he told Ainsley the rest. Motioning to the couch, he suggested she sit. Instead she crossed her arms defiantly and stood her ground in the small kitchen.
He had no choice but to stay standing, as well. “Earlier I told you that Lance Roderick seemed to be your stalker. I’m waiting on confirmation from the sheriff.”
Her blue eyes widened in alarm. “But I thought—”
“Roderick fits the profile, but until his prints get run and compared to the note I sent to Frank...”
“Note?”
He sighed. “There’s something more I haven’t told you,” he said, almost flinching from the look she shot him. “The man who followed you to the canyon left a note on your cabin. I found it taped to the door the night I carried you back here after your first attempt at skinny-dipping.”
“A note to me? And you didn’t see fit to tell me about it?” she demanded as she took a step toward him.
“I didn’t want to scare you.”
“Scare me? What was in the note?”
She listened as he told her and seemed relieved when he finished. “So the rock slide was an accident. He didn’t want to harm me.”
Sawyer hated to burst her bubble. “Here’s the problem. From what I saw in his note, he appeared to be infatuated with you.”
She laughed. “And this is a problem? Men have had crushes on me before.” She
sounded defensive, and she knew it.
“But they haven’t followed you from town to town and never tried to speak to you,” he pointed out. “I think Lance became obsessed with you. He put you on a pedestal.”
“He also wouldn’t be the first man to do that,” she said as if more to herself.
“But after you had too much to drink the other night—”
“We don’t have to recount my behavior,” she said, looking away. “You’re saying I disappointed him—”
“He left another note last night.”
“Another note you kept from me?” Her words were clipped, her body appearing more rigid with either anger or fear. He couldn’t tell which.
“I found it on my cabin door after we returned from dinner. It was addressed to me, but it was about you.”
He saw her swallow before she asked, “What did it say?”
“That he blamed himself for your behavior the night of the rock slide, but if you continued drinking and acting out, dressing the way you were at dinner, he would have to punish you and hurt me.”
Ainsley stood for a moment perfectly still, then dropping her crossed arms, moved to the couch and sat down. “Are you trying to tell me that you think he is still out there?”
“I won’t know until the sheriff compares Roderick’s fingerprints to those he left on the notes.”
“When will we know?” she asked, her voice sounding hollow.
He shook his head. “But until we have a definitive answer, I’m going to be here. Gunderson wants me for the final shoot at the carnival. I told him I would stay. So unless you want me sleeping outside your cabin for the remainder of our time here...”
She bristled, took in a breath and let it out slowly. “What am I going to have to do—shy of leaving my employment here—to keep that from happening?”
“You could let me sleep on your couch. I would be very discreet,” he added quickly. “The worst that could happen is that everyone would think we were...romantically involved.”
