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The marshal’s words came back as though he stood directly behind her.
Don’t trust anyone.
Chapter Four
By the time Luke reached Sally, she’d stashed her phone in her bag and regained her composure somewhat. She’d blinked away the desperation he’d caught for a moment, leaving only exhaustion and dark circles beneath her eyes. “Everything okay?” Damn, her teeth were practically chattering. Probably more from shock than the cold, but Luke couldn’t help stepping into her and drawing her against him to share his warmth.
Sally reacted as though his touch had burned her, backing away from him.
Luke dropped his hands to his sides.Okay. It was too soon.Should he ask her about the phone call? He’d overheard only bits and pieces of her conversation—enough to surmise she hadn’t liked what she’d heard. Who called her in the middle of the night? Or…had she placed the call? Each question brought up two more, and Luke wanted answers, but his gut told him she was in no mood for sharing. Obviously, he needed to try a different tact.
“Sheriff Anderson said we can leave. I gave him my phone number so he can contact us if he learns anything new.” Luke raised his arms slightly, and she followed their movement. “It’s freezing out here. Let’s get Jen into my pickup and blast the heater. Then we can talk about where to go from here.”
Her reluctance was written in every worry line on her forehead. A few feet away, Jen was talking quietly with her friends, and Sally swiveled to watch her. Soon, her stance softened and some of the tension left her face. A smile smoothed the frown she’d been wearing. Jen didn’t appear cold, but the suggestion had been planted, and the mama bear in Sally took over.
Luke didn’t give her a chance to change her mind. While Sally took Jen’s hand and visited briefly with her friends, he’d explained to Gretchen where they’d be staying—even though he hadn’t broached the subject with Sally yet. Then he guided both mother and daughter down the street toward his old truck.
“This is it. She’s old and rusty, but she runs like a champ. Heater works too.” Luke motioned toward his 1989 Ford pickup, while directing his comments to Jen, hoping to engage her in conversation and give Sally some downtime, even if it was only a couple of minutes. “We’ll find a warm, quiet place to get some rest. It’ll be easier to figure out what comes next when we’re not so tired. Sound good?”
Jen remained silent, and when Luke glanced her way, she was staring straight ahead, her eyes more closed than open. It was apparent she’d stayed on her feet as long as she could and was slowly shutting down. Luke pressed his palm to the small of Sally’s back to move her toward the passenger side of his truck, tightening his grip around Jen’s small hand at the same time.
Bristling with protectiveness, he kept a close eye on the people who stood on their lawns or in the street watching the firemen contain the blaze in Sally’s house. Even more carefully, he perused the shadows and the windows of darkened houses along the street.
Someone had almost killed everyone in the house while they slept. Why would Sally have a target on her back? She couldn’t possibly have any enemies…except maybe Emmett Purnell. Luke didn’t like the guy, but Emmett simply didn’t fit the profile of a killer. The sheriff would question him, but Luke already had a hunch they were on the wrong trail. One thing was for sure—whoever had set the charge would be extremely unhappy when he learned he’d failed.
He opened the passenger door and boosted an ominously quiet Jen onto the bench seat, then offered his hand to Sally to help her up. When she spun and strode toward the back of his truck, Luke turned again to the girl. “Hang tight, Jen. Okay? We’ll just be a minute.”
The keys still hung in the ignition—he’d forgotten everything when he’d seen Sally being knocked around by that sorry bastard. He stretched across the seat and Jen’s lap to start the engine. “Give it a couple of minutes to warm up, then turn on the heater. This controls the fan and the temperature.” Luke tapped the correct knob.
Jen gave him a ghost of her normal smile. His chest constricted with the need to replace at least some of what she’d lost tonight, starting with a safe place to lay her head. He patted her leg and closed the door.
Sally leaned against the box of the truck, her arms crossed and her gaze on the ground at her feet. Luke lined himself up next to her, shielding her from the cold breeze that evidently blew straight off the snowcapped mountains. She was practically irresistible with her slender legs bared below the blanket wrapped around her torso…and he’d better damn well forget that line of thought before he did or said something totally out of line.
Luke cleared his throat and met her gaze, heavy with defeat. “This sucks, Sally, and it won’t all be smooth sailing from here, but we’ll get through it.”
“We?” Sally’s warm exhale condensed into a visible mist between them. Her gaze jerked to his and, for a moment, she stared at him as though he’d sprouted horns and carried a pitchfork. “What doesthatmean exactly?” Her lips thinned and her baby blues held more than enough disdain to make it clear there was nowein her mind.
He stepped in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “It means you, me and Jen. I know you can take care of yourself and don’t need me, but you’re not going to get rid of me until you land on your feet someplace where you feel safe.” He wasn’t about to leave her and Jen, especially after what he’d overheard her saying on the phone. He didn’t understand what it all meant yet, but he’d get it out of her. He could be patient…and charming, if that was what it took.
Instead of jumping in the middle of his shit the way he expected, she rubbed her forehead as though trying to keep a headache at bay.
He dropped his hands and went back to leaning on the bed of the truck. “You can try to shut me out, but it won’t work. Not now. So, you might as well decide you can trust me.”
“I do,” she said quietly.
“Yeah? Then when you’re ready, maybe you’ll tell me who you were talking with on the phone. What can’t you do to Jen? It’s obvious you’re worried. Someone or something scared you, and I can’t help if you don’t fill me in.” Luke shrugged. “I know—you think if you start to count on me, I might let you down again. Maybe I deserve that, but I’m going to prove you’re wrong.” He turned her chin with his thumb and forefinger so she’d look at him again. “Our best chance is to work together…but you have to make that decision.”
Sally raked a hand across the top of her head, pulling her hair back from her face. “I know how much you care about Jen, and I’ve always appreciated that.”
Finally. Some common ground. “Damn straight.” Luke stopped short of adding how much he cared about her too.Don’t push her.Personal feelings were on hold for now. He had a number of more pressing concerns. The first order of business was getting Sally and Jen off the street for the remainder of the night. Besides, Aunt Peg would have a thing or two to say if he didn’t deliver them safely to the lodge after he’d called and told her to expect them.
“Let’s just go with that for now. We both would do anything for Jen.” He flashed a crooked grin. “We’ll build on that foundation when it feels right. Okay?” He stepped aside and motioned for her to precede him to the passenger door. They’d have time to talk tomorrow, away from the smoke and rubble that had been her home. She’d had one hell of a night. Luke expected that she’d have more than a few issues to deal with in the days to come, several more critical than his sudden appearance in her life. Meanwhile, he intended to make sure no one else hurt them on his watch.
Sally hadn’t moved, still studying his face. “There’s something else I need to say. I haven’t been fair to you. I should have accepted your apology earlier. I don’t know why I didn’t—stupid pride, I guess. I don’t harbor any ill will toward you, and I want to thank you for your help tonight—for saving Jen and me. I won’t ever be able to repay you for that.” Her voice cracked.
Almost afraid to move and somehow shatter this fragile moment, Luke searched her face. Vulnerability mixed with her sweet, girl-next-door persona. Sally reached out hesitantly, and Luke craved her touch so much, he couldn’t help leaning closer. He hadn’t realized he’d actually been holding his breath, but when her hand brushed his arm and settled on his chest, he suddenly needed oxygen in the worst way. Her eyes were clear and bright for the first time since he’d disrupted her date.
His hand covered hers over his heart, a compromise to what he really wanted to do—draw her close and never let her go. Her emotions were all over the place. He could only guess at how that felt from the inside out, but he wasn’t going to do anything that might push her away again.
