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Hours later, Claire closed the children’s book she’d been reading to Jacob. Her little boy was fast asleep in the bed beside her. He looked like an angel. His long lashes cast shadows on his cheeks. Wrapped in his arms was Mr. Woof, the stuffed dog he’d had since he was a baby. After the incident with the black truck, Claire had to see and hold her son. The memory of a shooter barreling toward her parents and child brought fresh tears to her eyes.
She bit her lip hard to keep from falling apart. Crying could wake Jacob. She didn’t want him to see her upset. Her little boy was completely unaware of how close he’d been to danger. After Claire warned her father, her parents hustled Jacob into the bathroom by saying it was a fun game. Even after everything calmed down and things were safe, Jacob had wanted to finish building his car tracks in the tub. Claire had helped him. It’d eased her worries to hear his laughter and see the bright smile on his face.
Now, in the quiet stillness, the terror came rushing to the surface. Every muscle in Claire’s body ached. She’d dived out of the way before the truck rammed her vehicle. By some miracle, neither she nor Gavin had been seriously hurt. Her patrol truck was totaled though.
Thank you, Lord, for watching over us. For protecting my family and Jacob. I’m scared, but I know we are in Your hands. I’m trusting You.
It was tempting to curl up next to Jacob and sleep. She would’ve gladly stayed there the entire night. An iron will and a strong sense of duty forced her to slip from the bedroom to face reality.
The house was quiet. Her father stood next to the dining room window, a cup of coffee in his hand, staring at the deputies processing the scene on the road. A handgun was holstered at the small of his back. He heard her footsteps and turned. “Jacob sleeping?”
“Out like a light.” She joined him at the window. Keith, her chief deputy, was speaking to Gavin and Ryker. None of the men looked happy. Claire sighed. The shooter must’ve gotten away. “Dad…maybe it’s time you and Mom leave. Take a vacation with Jacob.”
“Can you be certain whoever this is won’t follow us? Try to use Jacob against you?”
“No. I can’t.” She couldn’t be sure of anything.
“Then the best place for us is right here. Ryker will stay in the other guest bedroom. We’ll have a trooper outside. I’m armed, and there’s a home security system. Cameras will be installed outside tomorrow.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll keep Jacob and your mom safe, honey. Concentrate on doing your job.”
She hugged him, breathing in the familiar scent of his laundry soap. “I love you, Dad.”
“Love you too.”
When she pulled away, Claire could’ve sworn there were tears in her father’s eyes. Daniel cleared his throat. “Your mom’s knitting in the bedroom. Go give her a kiss goodnight before you leave.”
She went into the master bedroom, but her mother had fallen asleep. Claire blew her a kiss so as not to wake her and tiptoed out. She would call her in the morning.
Outside, the air smelled of pine and grass. It was freezing. Claire zipped up her jacket and tucked her hands into the pockets. Most of the deputies had left. Her patrol truck was also gone, although glass and broken tree branches still littered the road.
Gavin spotted her. His long strides ate up the distance between them. Each step made Claire’s heart beat faster. Scratches from the glass had carved nicks in his face. One along his nose, another above his eyebrow. His sleeve was ripped and his pants muddy.
He’d risk his life for her. Again.
The echo of Gavin screaming her name replayed in her head. Panic had layered the timbre of his voice. She’d seen him racing toward the truck with nothing but his bare hands, determined to protect her. There was no going back from that. No way for Claire to ignore her growing feelings for the handsome lawman.
Gavin stopped in front of her. “We’re done with the crime scene.”
His words brought her attention back to the case. “What’s the update?”
“The shooter got away. The black truck was stolen from an adjacent county. We found it abandoned an hour ago. It’s being towed to the evidence shed for processing.”
Nothing. They had nothing. The killer was running circles around them, putting Claire’s family at risk, and it was infuriating. What would he do next? One thing was clear. He wouldn’t stop coming for her. Not until she was dead.
Gavin glanced at the house behind her. “Is Jacob okay?”
“He’s fine. I was worried he’d be upset, but my parents did a great job of protecting him, both physically and emotionally. Jacob had no idea he was in danger.” The last words clogged in her throat as the tears she’d been holding at bay threatened to overwhelm her.
Gavin lifted his hand as if to comfort her and then stopped halfway. Indecision flared in his eyes. Claire stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. His heartbeat thumped against her ear, soothing and solid. She melted into his embrace. Gavin’s hand cradled the back of her head, his other arm gently supporting her waist. This time, when the tears came, she didn’t bother to hold them back.
He murmured words of comfort. Gavin’s touch was gentle, undemanding, and tender. Claire sucked in a deep breath to gather her emotions back under control. “Sorry. I’ve been holding it together for my family and…”
He wiped the tear tracks from her face with the pads of his thumb. “No apologies, Claire. You’ve been through so much. I’m surprised you’re on your feet. Anyone else would be curled up in a ball in the corner right now.”
She laughed despite herself. “Don’t tempt me.”
He smiled. Claire wanted to drown in his eyes. The way he looked at her…it was intoxicating. Now wasn’t the best time to have a conversation about what was brewing between them, but she didn’t have the luxury of waiting. Not with a killer chasing her down.
She took another deep breath. “Gavin, I care about you. There’s something between us and I’ve tried ignoring it, but that’s not working.”
