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Holy hell, he needed to get a grip.
“What made you decide to be a reporter?” It was a good question which begged his own question. “All these years, and I never asked.”
She closed the microwave door and turned, leaning her tight ass against the counter. “I took a journalism class in high school, and I loved the investigative journalist angle, but I realized I hated to write. I originally thought I’d be on the front lines of war-stricken countries, reading the news while bombs detonated behind me, putting my life on the line to make sure I got the story. Doing whatever it takes, you know?”
The thought of her willingly risking her life sent a shiver down his spine, though he could imagine her taking charge and getting the facts to the people. “Then how’d you wind up staying in Willow Cove?”
Willow Cove was far from a war zone. It wasn’t exactly free of crime, but no town could be, no matter how small.
“I had an internship at the station in college and when the internship was up, they offered me a job. I couldn’t turn it down. It was a great opportunity to gain some experience, really wet my feet before swinging in the big leagues. But by the time I thought I was ready, I was comfortable. My niece was getting older, starting to be her own person, and I couldn’t imagine not being around for all her milestones.” She shrugged. “So I stayed.”
He had no idea what it was like to be so close to family to sacrifice everything. If anything, he was the opposite. He sacrificed everything for the rift in his own family.
“Any regrets?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not a single one. Besides, could you imagine me trying to steer clear of a war zone in the shoes I wear? No. Small town is just fine with me.”
“You still crave the danger though, or you wouldn’t carry a gun. You wouldn’t have investigated into Victor.” Ice ran down his spine just thinking about when she put her life in danger for a damn story.
“I still love the investigative part, and I don’t think I’ll ever get bored with that. It keeps things interesting. And the gun… this isn’t the first time I’ve received death threats.”
“What?” Reid’s eyes widened. “You told me it wasn’t a big deal.” How had she never told him this before? It was what he was there for! To protect and serve the people of the community. She was part of the community. Hell to him, she was one of the biggest parts of the community.
The thought was like an uppercut to the gut. Since when did that happen? Yes, she was very much a part of the community and even his daily life, but the biggest part… Come to think of it his favorite days were the ones when he got to argue with her, even if she pushed every single one of his buttons and made him want to rip his hair out, it was the highlight of his day. He looked forward to it.
She waved him off. “Because it’s not a big deal. Nothing has ever come of them, but they did scare me enough to want to protect myself.”
“Fucking hell, Allison.” Reid ran his hand over his face. “Were the threats letters?”
“A few. Some comments by anonymous users.”
“Do you still have them? The letters?” Maybe he could determine a pattern, get to the bottom of this investigation. See if Louie had anything to do with this, or if there was someone else out there threatening another woman he cared for.
“No, I threw them out. Why?”
Of course, she threw them out. His temper licked at the edges, threatening to boil over, but he inhaled deeply, letting his breath out slowly before speaking. “I wanted to see if there were any similarities with the current ones.”
“Those letters I received years ago. Do you think it could be the same person?”
“I don’t put anything past anyone.” Besides, if he could make a connection and prove the letters from the past were linked to the current ones, he could most likely rule out Louie. But without the letters, Louie was still a viable suspect.
“I’m a public figure, Reid. People love to hate me. Social media just makes it easier for them.”
“Then why do it at all?”
“Because for the ones who do like me, who do care, they’re important to me. And maybe you can’t understand this because it’s so far out of your norm, but those people… we created our own little community and in a weird way I consider them in the same way I do my neighbors. I cheer their accomplishments, I get to watch their families grow through pictures and posts, and they do the same with me. Willow Cove is a small town, but social media has made it even smaller. It’s made it so I can connect with people on a level I never would have just by passing them on the boardwalk or in line at Scoops. Which is why no troll or death threat is going to keep me from my community.”
She was right. It was so far out of his norm, and he didn’t think he’d ever fully understand. But clearly, it was important to her. How could he take that away? At least now she clued him into what was going on, and he could keep his eyes on her. It also gave him an excuse to watch her videos, get to know her beyond the woman who loved to shove a microphone in his face.
She let out a huff and straightened. “Besides, look at the last troll I took on. Harley hasn’t heard a negative peep since our story aired. If anything, people love her now. She’s an icon of strength.”
Allison managed to flip that entire story, giving Harley a voice when hers had been completely taken away. It was one of the many times Reid had been impressed with her ability to wield words and use the power of them to make a lasting impact. The tattoo artist was now free of the trolls.
The microwave beeped, and Allison jumped. Maybe she was a little more scared than she was letting on. She hurried and pulled the container out. He walked over to help.
“Hot!” she exclaimed, and he got out of her way so she could drop the container on the counter. She shook her fingers, and he laughed before reaching for her hand. She gasped when he took her small hand into his, running his finger along her too soft skin.
“You okay?” He examined her hand, making sure she had no burns.
