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Her brain was totally frazzled, her vision hazy as he dropped his hands and took a step backward.
“Pizza,” she repeated.
“First,” he reminded her and nodded at the utensils on the counter. “Can I help with anything?”
Somehow, she pulled herself out of her daze. “Oh. Yes. Sure.” She was babbling like an idiot. “Beer. In the fridge.”
In a flurry of nerves, she finished putting the dishes and pizza on the table and took the chair across from him, doing her best to gather her scattered wits. Why was this happening now? How could it happen so suddenly after all these years? And why with this man?
When the time is right, you’ll know it.She heard the voice of her therapist, Dr. Summers.The barricades will fall, Dana.
But Dana hadn’t been prepared for them to fall so quickly. All she could think about was that damn dream and how much she suddenly wanted it to be a reality. For so long she’d felt certain those dreams were out of her reach but now…
Now, at the worst possible time, when what she was doing required every ounce of inner strength to keep it together, when she’d brought herself back to the birthplace of her nightmares, here was Cole Landry turning her emotions upside down. Unexpected hunger and her familiar companion, panic, battled within her.
She looked at Cole and saw the lines of fatigue etched across his face and the shadows under his eyes. “How about another beer? You look like you could use it.”
He gave her a lopsided smile. “I won’t turn it down.”
“Go on into the living room. I’ll bring it to you.”
He was half-lying on the couch, looking as if he could use a week’s sleep, when she handed him the opened bottle.
“Thanks.” He sat up, raked his fingers through his hair and took a long swallow of the beer.
Standing in front of him, Dana fiddled with her own drink. “I never should have barged into your office the way I did today. That was idiotic of me, and I’m sorry.” She chewed her bottom lip. “I was shaken by Leanne’s murder happening the moment I get here to do research for my book. I mean, nothing happens here for twenty-five years, then I show up, and boom!”
“Don’t you think that’s kind of a stretch?” He took a long pull at the bottle. “I know the people in this county. It’s got to be a stranger.”
“Just like it was twenty-five years ago?” she demanded with a sudden burst of anger.
“Listen—”
She held up a hand, the anger dissipating as quickly as it had surged. “Sorry. I know it sounds farfetched, but I’m…nervous.”
“Scared?”
“No. Yes.” She tossed her head. “Whatever.”
“But not enough to shut down this crazy project.”
“I can’t Cole.” She dropped into the armchair. “I have to do this.”
He sat up straighter. “Can you at least tell me why?”
She shook her head. “I have my reasons. Leave it at that. Okay?” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Let’s say the pedophile wasn’t from around here. That he moved on. Someone that sick doesn’t just stop what he’s doing. Believe me, I’ve been researching these kinds of psychos for years, and if there’s one thing that’s true, it’s that they don’t quit. Theycan’t quit. So where did he go? Where did he set up shop next? Did they find out? Did anyone even look? Check the national databases? Maybe find a pattern?”
Cole took another swallow of beer before answering her. “Jesus, Dana. It was a cold case—very cold—by the time I took office here, so I had no reason even to look at it. But I’d like to think that was done. Maybe whoever it was is already dead. Auto accident. Almost anything.”
“Wouldn’t that be a nice, neat package. Then everyone could close the books and forget about the whole thing.” She smacked her forehead. “Oh, I forgot! Everyone in High Ridgehasforgotten about it.”
She looked away before he could see the tears in her eyes. Lowering her head, she began to peel the label from the beer bottle and drop bits of paper in a little dish on the table next to her.
It didn’t matter what anyone thought or said. She knew the truth. He wasn’t dead. He was here, in High Ridge. She’d sensed him today. But how could she tell that to Cole? He’d think she was crazy for sure.
He cleared his throat. “Okay, I hear you. But right now, I’ve got every single body focused on the Pritchard case. Truth to tell, though, I came over here tonight because I needed to get away from the gore and misery, and I thought…”
“Yes?” She sat up straighter, her body tightening. “You thought what?”
