The Protector's Promise (The Sinclair Brothers)

by Shirlee McCoy

Until a few days ago, Grayson had been convinced he wasn’t meant to spend his life with anyone but himself. Funny how such a short amount of time could change a person’s perspective on things.

  Funny how willing he was to accept that change.

  Now if he could just convince Honor to trust him, things might turn out better than Grayson had ever imagined.

  Jake’s cruiser was already parked in Honor’s driveway as Grayson pulled up in front of her house. He knocked on the front door anyway, waiting impatiently until it cracked open.

  “Grayson. Come on in.” Honor stepped back, letting him into the living room.

  “I see that Jake has already arrived.”

  “He’s in the kitchen.”

  “Did he open the package?”

  “Yes. It seems I’ve received another anonymous delivery.”

  “What was it?”

  “Come and see.” She led him through the dining room, her hair a silky curtain falling straight past her shoulders. No highlights. No forced curls or stiff styling. Just smooth and natural.

  He wanted to run his hand over it, let the silky strands slide through his fingers. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets and pretended that Honor was any other woman. Or at least, he tried to. “I guess Candace was right to be concerned.”

  “Yes. Thank you for insisting I call the sheriff. If you hadn’t, I may have convinced myself the package was nothing to worry about and decided not to bother anyone.” She glanced over her shoulder as she said it, and Grayson could see the anxiety in her eyes, the tightness around her mouth. Whatever Jake had found was bothering Honor more than she wanted to let on.

  “It’s never a bother to investigate suspicious activity.” Jake spoke as Grayson entered the kitchen behind Honor, but he didn’t look up from the box sitting open on the table.

  “What’s in it?” Grayson stepped forward, his muscles tense, his mind filling with a million possibilities. Years of working as a prosecutor for the state of Virginia had taught him more than he needed to know about the depth of depravity that could live inside a human being.

  “Not much, but more than enough to have me worried.” Jake reached into the box with a gloved hand and lifted out a piece of paper. “Take a look.”

  Are you dreaming of me?

  The words were black and bold, typed on plain white paper. Generic. Nothing noteworthy about any of it. Still, the message made the hair on the back of Grayson’s neck stand on end. How many times had seemingly innocuous things led to dangerous situations? To crime? To death?

  “This was with it.” Jake lifted a photograph by the corner. It had been taken at night, but Honor’s face was clearly visible, her dark hair covered by a knit cap, her coat unbuttoned to reveal what looked like a nurse’s uniform. Even in the poor lighting, her skin had a creamy tone, her eyes deep green and filled with worry. Had she sensed the voyeur who’d been watching? Had that been the photographer’s goal? To capture her fear and anxiety so that he could replay the moment over and over again?

  Anger bubbled up, but Grayson tamped it down again. Getting angry wouldn’t help anything. No matter what the crime or who the victim, keeping a cool head went a lot further in making sure the perpetrator was brought to justice. “Do we know when that was taken?”

  “Within the last few days. I think after I finished my night shift. I must have been heading to my car. See the building in the background? That’s Lakeview Haven.” Honor spoke quietly as she pressed in close to Grayson, the subtle scent of flowers and sunshine drifting around her. He knew she only meant to get a better look at the photo, but warmth spread through him at the contact, his heart beating a slow heavy rhythm. The need to protect her, to make sure that the person stalking her didn’t ever get close enough to hurt her, made his muscles tighten and his hands fist.

  Honor might be strong and determined. She might be independent and capable. But she was no match for evil. No match for the kind of predator that hunted her. “Do you walk to your car by yourself every night?”

  “I hadn’t had a reason not to.” Until now. The words were left unsaid, but Grayson heard them clearly enough. They held the kind of fear no person should feel. The insidious kind that left a person awake at night. That made her jump at every creak and groan of floorboards. That left her exposed, vulnerable and helpless.

  Grayson had heard the stories over and over again. Each time he’d been filled with anger, but this time was different. This time the victim was a woman he knew. A woman he admired. “Are there people who can walk you to your car?”

  “I’m sure someone can.” She pressed in closer to his arm, leaning past him to stare down at the picture. Tension radiated from her, and Grayson fought the urge to put an arm around her shoulder, offer comfort that he knew she wouldn’t accept.

  “If there’s no one there who can walk you to your car, call my office. I’ll make sure you have an escort. We’re not going to take any chances with this. Whoever this guy is, he wants you to know he’s around. That means he’s getting bold. Boldness can lead to anything.” Jake’s words were grim. “I’m going to send the box and its contents to the state CSI. They’ll be able to search for evidence my team here can’t.”

  “How long will it take for the results to come in?”

  “Not long, but sending it out doesn’t guarantee we’ll be any closer to finding the guy who’s doing this.” Jake lifted the box and slid it into a large plastic bag. “In the meantime, you need to be careful, Honor. Don’t go out alone. Be aware of your surroundings. If you feel nervous about something, don’t hesitate to call for help.”

  “I won’t.”

  “This is a small town. It’s hard for a stranger to hide in it. If our guy is someone unfamiliar to people around here, we’ll hear about him soon enough.” Jake sounded confident, but Grayson wasn’t so sure things would play out that way. Stalkers were notorious for staying hidden until they were ready to show themselves.

  Their time. Their place. Their agenda.

  “Are there security cameras at Lakeview Haven?” Grayson followed Jake as he walked out the front door. “If there are, you might catch a glimpse of our guy.”

  Jake speared him with a look that said exactly what he thought about being told how to do his job. To his credit he didn’t say what he was thinking. “I’m already on it. There are security cameras in the parking area. I’m going over there now to view them.”

  “I think I’ll come along with you and—”

  “I don’t think so, friend. This is a police investigation. You’re a prosecuting attorney. When I have enough evidence to bring someone in, I’ll let you know. Until then, it’s best if you steer clear and let me do what I’ve been trained to do.” There wasn’t any heat to Jake’s words, but Grayson felt his own anger flaring up.

  “How much information are you going to be willing to share, Jake? Because I want it all. I want to know who’s responsible as soon as you do. And I want to know exactly what steps you’re taking to bring him in.”

  “No need to get up in arms about it, Gray. You know I’ll keep you and Honor informed.” He glanced over Grayson’s shoulder, making his point without saying it. Honor was the victim. She was the one who needed to be kept abreast of the investigation.

  “Thank you for your help, Sheriff Reed.” Honor moved past Grayson and stood on the porch steps, her posture stiff as if she hadn’t liked the direction of his conversation with Jake. Too bad. Having him concerned and involved might not sit well with her, but Grayson had no intention of backing off.

  “I’ll be in touch.” Jake put the box into the trunk of his cruiser and got into the car, waving before he drove away.

  The car was barely out of the driveway before Honor turned on Grayson and said exactly what he knew she’d been thinking. “I appreciate your concern, Grayson, but I can handle the situation. You really don’t need to get involved.”

  “Sorry, but I already am involved.”

  “Why?”

  “B
ecause we’re neighbors. Because your daughter seems to think I can protect you. Because I don’t want to let her down. And because no matter how much you might want to deny it, there’s something between us.”

  “I’m not denying it. I’m just refusing to allow it.”

  “Do you think it’s that easy? You just decide you’re not going to get involved and you don’t? Because it’s not that easy for me, and I don’t think I want it to be.” There was heat in his voice, but Grayson didn’t care. This wasn’t just about friendship. It wasn’t just about building a relationship. This was about Honor’s safety, and he wouldn’t back off until he knew they’d achieved that.

  “Maybe that’s because you’ve never known what it’s like to have your heart broken again and again and again. Maybe it’s because you’ve never loved someone who loved himself more than he loved you.”

  “You’re right. I haven’t.”

  “Then for you, I can see why stepping into a relationship is easy. For me, it’s impossible.”

  “Nothing is impossible.” Grayson took a step closer, inhaling sweet summer and flowers.

  “Lots of things are, Grayson.” She smiled, the expression filled with sadness. “I put my dreams into someone before. I don’t regret it, but I won’t do it again. I won’t be that vulnerable, that needy. And it wouldn’t be fair to let you think I might.”

  “You don’t have to worry about me, Honor. I’m a big boy, and I can take care of myself.”

  “And you don’t have to worry about me. I’m a big girl and can take care of myself. I’m going to take precautions until Sheriff Reed finds the person who is stalking me. I’m going to make sure the girls and I are safe.”

  “Precautions aren’t always enough, Honor. I’ve seen cases like this before. I’ve tried men who’ve stalked their prey for weeks, months, even years. Even with the police searching for the person responsible, it can take time to put him behind bars.”

  “You’re not telling me anything I don’t know, but what choice do I have but to believe that everything will work out? I’ve got two girls depending on me, Grayson. My closest family is in Ireland. Even if I could afford to fly there with the girls, I wouldn’t pull Candace out of school to do it. Not unless I was absolutely convinced that that was the only way to keep my girls safe.”

  “What about keeping yourself safe?”

  She stiffened at the question. “One thing I’ve learned is that anything can happen in life. We can live in fear, worrying about the trouble that may be heading our way, or we can trust that God is in control and that anything that happens is part of His plan.”

  “Everything?”

  “Everything. Good and bad.”

  “You’ve got a lot of faith, Honor, but faith doesn’t preclude caution.” Although it helped. Grayson had seen the evidence of it over and over again in his work. Those with strong faith healed more quickly, faced trials with more grace and less anger and were able to move on with their lives in a way that others often couldn’t.

  “I know that. I also know that when faith is all a person has, she learns that it’s enough.” She shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “It’s cold. I’d better head back inside.”

  Grayson knew she wanted him to go.

  But for him, walking away wasn’t an option.

  He cupped her elbow, holding her in place when she would have walked away. Her bones were delicate beneath his hand, her muscles sinewy and strong beneath her silky dress. “You work nights, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” She didn’t try to pull away, but he could feel the tightness of her muscles and the subtle shift of awareness between them. They weren’t just two people having a discussion anymore. They were a man and a woman alone together on a porch, chilly winter air urging them closer to each other.

  “Can you switch to days?”

  “No. Candace is in school during the day. I’ve got to be here for Lily.”

  “You could find a day-care provider for a few weeks.”

  “I looked into it before we came. We can’t afford it. Not with Candace’s tuition, books, gas for her car.” She shrugged. “Besides, the schedule at Lakeview Haven was shifted to accommodate my availability. Even if I could afford day care, I couldn’t ask them to rework things again.”

  “Not even for your own safety?”

  “I’ll make sure I have an escort.” She eased her arm from his, her cheeks flushed with cold, her hair black silk against alabaster skin. It was no wonder Lily imagined her to be a princess. Honor looked like a fairy tale come to life.

  “And you’ll call Jake if you don’t?”

  “Of course.”

  “If you can’t reach him, or he can’t send someone out for you, give me a ring. I’ll make sure you get to your car safely.”

  “I couldn’t ask you to go to all that trouble.”

  “You haven’t asked anything. I’m offering. I’ve got to make sure I’m around if a dragon shows up and needs slaying. I promised Lily, after all.” He smiled, but Honor’s expression remained sober.

  “I appreciate your concern, Grayson, but we really aren’t your responsibility. No matter what promises you made my daughter.”

  “I guess we have a difference of opinion, then. I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep.”

  She looked like she might argue, but shook her head instead. “I really do need to get back to the girls. Candace has a lot of studying to do, and she’ll never get it done with Lily under her feet.”

  “Take care. Call me if you need anything.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” She shut the door, the old wood clicking into place with a finality that bothered Grayson more than it should.

  What was it about Honor that got under his skin?

  She was beautiful, but he’d dated women even more stunning. She had a deep abiding faith that he admired, but he’d known other women who had been just as strong in their beliefs. So what was it about her that made him want to knock on her door, tell her again that he was nearby if anything happened? That made him want to stand on the porch with her in the bitter cold, made him want to think about impossibilities becoming possible? A wife. Children. The kind of family his parents had created.

  Whatever it was, Grayson couldn’t ignore it and he couldn’t walk away from it. Only time would tell if he could convince Honor to feel the same.

  The sobering thought followed him into the car and home to the empty house that only seemed emptier since he’d met Honor.

  TWELVE

  The next two days passed without incident. Honor spent her time at home playing board games with Lily, proofing a paper for Candace, making lists of items she needed to buy at the grocery store. Grayson stopped by twice. Once to borrow a cup of sugar. Once to return the bowl he’d taken with him. Honor didn’t believe for a minute he’d needed sugar. She couldn’t imagine him baking anything, or needing sugar for his coffee. What had drawn him to her house was the same thing that drew Honor’s attention again and again—worry.

  Grayson didn’t say it. He didn’t push for personal conversation, didn’t ask to be included in the family’s daily life, but Honor knew he wanted to keep close. Make sure she and the girls were okay.

  And somehow that knowledge warmed her as she went about her day.

  A stalker was watching her, taking pictures of her, biding his time. Waiting for an opportunity to follow through on whatever insane plans he was making. But Grayson was watching, too. And Honor was certain if she needed him, he’d be there for her.

  She scowled at her reflection in the mirror, wishing she could turn her thoughts off for a while. She seemed to have two pet subjects—Grayson and the stalker. The first was pleasant, but worrisome. The second was terrifying. Both were wreaking havoc on her sleep. At night, she tossed and turned, her dreams filled with masked intruders and demonic figures. The lack of sleep showed on her face. The dark circles under her eyes. The pale skin.

  She’d thought coming to Lakeview would m
ake life easier for herself and for the girls. Instead, it just seemed to have complicated things. “But I know You’re in control of it, Lord. I know that You are going to make sure it all works out okay. I just have to keep believing.” She whispered the prayer as she applied the last of her makeup. She had to be at work in twenty minutes, but the thought of leaving the house had her feeling vulnerable and afraid. She had to drive the ten miles to Lakeview Haven alone. Get out of the car alone. Walk to the building. Alone.

  “Enough. It’s broad daylight. There will be plenty of people in the parking lot. Plenty of people on the porch. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  “Mommy, who are you talking to?” Lily peeked around the open bathroom door, her blue eyes filled with curiosity.

  “Myself.”

  “Why?”

  Why, indeed. Honor crouched down so she was on eye level with her daughter and looked into her eyes. “Because it’s better than talking to no one.”

  “You don’t have to talk to no one, Mommy. You can talk to me.”

  “Very true, my sweet, but you weren’t here. I was all alone.”

  “No you weren’t. God was with you. Just like you always tell me. We’re never alone.”

  Out of the mouth of babes.

  Honor smiled and hugged Lily close. “I do say that, don’t I?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I guess you’re right, and I’ve got no reason to talk to myself. Now, you be good for Candace tonight, you hear?”

  “I will.”

  “Go to bed on time. No arguing.”

  “Okay.”

  “I love you, Lily Mae.” She kissed her daughter’s cheek, and stepped out of the bathroom. “I’m leaving, Candace.”

  “Already? I thought you didn’t have to be there until two.” Candace came to the threshold of her bedroom, her face pale and drawn.

  “We’ve got a mandatory meeting before my shift. I doubt I’ll have time to swing back home afterward. I’ll probably just stay at the Haven and get some paper work done. I thought I’d mentioned this to you.”

  “You didn’t. I would have remembered.” Candace frowned, and Honor’s anxiety ratcheted up a notch.