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“Can we just say a date didn’t end the way he expected and he made threats against me and Luke?” Sally looked at Ben hopefully.
“Who is this guy? I thought he was just your boss.” Luke’s gaze swept from Sally to the sheriff.
“Emmett runs the largest logging outfit in the state. He’s got some big money and questionable associates behind him.” The sheriff frowned at her. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
What?Sally struggled to subdue the rush of anger his words triggered. “Ben, you and I have known each other since the day I moved to Small Town USA, but that doesn’t give you the right—”
Luke stepped between her and Ben. “This isn’t the time for making judgment calls. Is Emmett Purnell capable of this kind of violence because a woman refused to jump in bed with him?”
“Maybe, maybe not, but I think it’s important to at least rule him out. Problem is, with the fire and the water, there won’t be much forensic evidence left. I’m going to visit with the fire chief—see if he’s found anything. You’re welcome to tag along if you want.” Ben set his cap back on his head and started toward the man standing beside one of the fire trucks, shouting orders into a handheld radio.
Luke pivoted to face Sally and pulled her blanket around her more securely. Concern emanated from him as his eyes searched hers. “The sheriff didn’t mean anything by that. He’s worried…and apparently doesn’t have a friggin’ clue how to talk to women.” His trademark grin slipped into place. “Will you be okay for a few minutes? Stay right here and wait for me?”
Sally smiled half-heartedly and gave him a casual salute, which almost caused the blanket to slide off her shoulders.
One corner of his mouth hitched up and he leaned toward her as though he was about to kiss her, but he merely adjusted the blanket before he strode off after the sheriff.
She missed his confidence as soon as he was gone. Normally, she possessed all the self-reliance needed, but it had deserted her tonight…about the time Luke showed up and turned her world upside down. If she and Jen were going to make it through the days to come, she’d need a good offense. Fishing through her purse, she found her cell phone and scrolled through the list of contacts until she found the right one. Greg Lambert. She stared at the name for a moment, then hit the button to dial the number.
“Lambert.” The phone was answered immediately.
She started to hyperventilate and could barely speak. “Marshal Lambert? This is Sally Duncan. I think…I have a problem.”
“Are you somewhere safe?” Greg’s voice was familiar, though she’d only spoken with him twice before.
“Yes, for now.” Sally glanced around at the neighbors she’d known for years. There’d been some turnover during that time, but it had been a safe place to raise Jen…until now.
“Tell me what’s happened.” Greg was moving around now, making noise as though he was getting dressed.
Sally shook her head, a silent refusal to the worthless tears that threatened. “Someone set my home on fire and then blew it up. I had a house guest who woke up in time to get us out. Otherwise Jen and I would both be dead.”
“Any sign of Clive or any of his men?” The jangle of keys came over the phone, along with Greg’s ridiculous question.
A shiver raced through her at the mention of the name. She’d known Clive Brennan better than anyone. He was her father, after all, but it had been years since she’d thought of him as Dad or Papa or anything other than Clive Brennan, cold-blooded murderer. Even now, if she closed her eyes, the horror of his crimes flooded her, bringing more tears that stung the backs of her eyelids. The Biloxi family he and his henchmen had butchered were people she’d known all her life. The killers hadn’t seen her come calling that day…they didn’t hear her quietly step through the half-open front door…her gasp of shock had been swallowed up by the screams of the innocent people in the sunken living room. The shame of backing away—leaving her friends in their moment of need—to call the police still tormented her, even though reason said there was nothing she could have done to save them. Surely sometimes the right thing must be theunreasonableone.
Apparently, Clive’s alibi hadn’t held up, and the prosecutor had already established a motive, so all they needed was Sally’s testimony to place her father at the scene of the crime. Still traumatized, she’d agreed, not realizing to what extent it would change her life forever.
And then it had changed again three months ago, when Clive was released from prison. “Of course not. If I’d seen anyone even remotely familiar, don’t you think I’d have called you before now?” As soon as the heated words were out, Sally regretted sniping at him.
Greg chuckled. “Good girl. Get mad and stay that way. You’ll have to get yourself and your kid out of sight and keep your head down until I get there. I’ll call when I’m close.”
“Then what?”
“Then we start over from scratch. A new identity. A new life. Except this time you have a daughter.” Greg’s statement was punctuated by the slam of a door and then a car engine started. He was already on the move.
Sally’s gaze flew to Jen, who’d moved to join a circle with Tiffany and a few of the neighbor children, who were up way past their bedtime. She fought the urge to snatch her away from the group and hug her tightly. It would only scare her. “I can’t do that to Jen. She has friends here. A life. I can’t just rip her from everything she knows and expect her not to be devastated.” Her voice was starting to rise, but she couldn’t seem to stop the flow of words.
“Your daughter nearly died tonight. Is that what you want?” Greg’s voice was still calm and patient, despite the seriousness of his words.
“You know it isn’t! I just…I need some time to think.”
“Sally, you know as well as I do that if Clive Brennan was responsible for the explosion at your house, he knows where you are right this minute and he’s already working on plan B. Now listen carefully. Don’t trust anyone.” His voice hardened. “Take your daughter and find a safe place to stay. I’ll be there by noon tomorrow and we’ll figure this out. Okay? Now hang up and get moving.”
“No. I’m not ready. There must be some other way. Wait!” Sally was talking to dead air.
Greg had disconnected. The hand that held the phone dropped to her side. Was he right? Was it possible Clive knew where she was and was already planning his next move? Could he be here in this crowd? She raised her eyes and ran right smack into Luke’s gaze, staring curiously back at her. He strode toward her, across her neighbor’s grass, concern and determination in his expression.
Clearly, he’d overheard her on the phone. As she dropped the device into her purse, she went over her conversation with the marshal in her head, but other than ranting about not taking Jen away from her home, Sally didn’t think she’d given up any secrets. But she could trust Luke, couldn’t she? He’d be the perfect person to help her figure out what to do. Was it asking too much of their strained friendship? All she needed was a little advice. Therewasno one else.
