"Any luck at the campground?" Shane asked.
Reddins stood at the foot of her bed. He cleared his throat. "No, unfortunately. We
combed the area and interviewed the other campers. No one saw anything."
Shane frowned and she wondered what he'd almost told her a few moments earlier.
Part of her wanted to order the officer out of the room so she could quiz Shane, while
the other half of her didn't want to hear what Shane had to say.
I'm not everything you think I am, Emma.
"What about Wilder? Any sign of him?" Shane asked.
"It's as if he's fallen off the face of the earth."
Shane turned to Emma. "You said he had friends in Cortez?"
"Yes."
"Then maybe they picked him up and he's staying with them," Shane said.
Reddins turned his hat around in his hands. "We've already checked with them.
They haven't seen him. Shane, I'd like to speak with Emma privately. Could you step
outside for a few moments?"
Shane gave Emma a mingled expression of reassurance and caution but said
nothing as he turned and left.
Emma looked at Reddins expectantly. He turned his hat in his hands once more.
"Why did you ask him to leave?"
"Routine." He shifted from one foot to the other. "And I have some questions I
wanted you to answer honestly."
"Okay, what do you want to know?"
"Tell me step by step everything that happened when you were out at Grant's RV."
She explained to him what she remembered and he didn't interrupt. When she'd
finished telling the story, he remained silent for a long time and stared into space.
Finally he said, "Can you think of any reason why Shane might want to attack
you?"
Surprised, she didn't answer him immediately. She remembered Shane's gentle
hands, his anger at Grant's treatment of her. Shane's passionate, mind-blowing kisses
and caresses.
And the stark, undeniable fear in his eyes when he'd seen the blood running down
her face. "I told you before. Shane would never hurt me."
"He's never said or done anything that would lead you to believe he's capable of
violence?"
"No." She ventured back to the last conversation she'd had with Reddins. "There's
no way it could have been him."
"Were you unconscious for long?"
She thought back to the moment she'd been shoved against the camper. "My guess
is that I was out for about ten minutes, maybe less."
"Long enough for Shane to have attacked you, then turned around and pretend
he'd just arrived."
She made a scoffing noise. "No. Why would he do that?"
He didn't look startled by her vehement response. "It was dark. How could you be
sure?"
"Because the moon was bright. The rain had stopped and the clouds had moved
away."
She closed her eyes and recalled the moment when she'd heard a sound behind her
and had started to turn.
Nothing. A black void. She remembered being shoved, the pain, blacking out. "I
was pushed from behind, so I never saw who hit me."
He ran a hand through the sparse hair on his head. His gesture only served to mess
up what few strands he had. "Considering today's events, I don't think you should be
alone from now on."
Confused, she frowned. "What are you suggesting?"
"Do you have any friends in Gambit Creek you could stay with?"
"No."
He considered the toe of his boot for a minute then gazed at her. "Then I suggest
you leave town."
Fear did a tiny spike up her spine. "Why?"
"Just a feeling I have, Emma."
"A cop's instincts?"
"Yeah. And common sense." He shifted and hooked his thumb through the thick
belt at his waist. The leather creaked. "Few years back we had some thefts of valuable
archaeological relics from the local history museum. Items that would bring a pretty
penny if presented to the right customer. Maybe whoever attacked you is involved with
Emma's mind raced with possibilities. "I think I remember hearing about that
situation at the museum. It happened more than fifteen years ago, right?"
"Right."
"What kind of artifacts?"
"Anasazi. They were originally found in some small cliff dwellings on land not far
from Buzzard Ridge."
Immediately she remembered seeing the name on a topographical map of the land
that comprised Shane's and Clement's land and the surrounding area. "And you think
there's a connection between the artifacts stolen at the museum and the excavation I'm
working on now? But the artifacts we're looking for wouldn't be that valuable."
When he didn't respond to her question right away, she tensed and the throbbing in
her head increased. Her whole body ached with exhaustion.
A nurse came in and Shane followed her. The nurse gave Reddins a stern look. "I
think that's enough questioning. It's very late."
Reddins left the room after telling Emma he'd be in touch with her if anything
materialized regarding her attacker. The doctor arrived and declared that she should
have no more visitors.
"I'd like another moment with her," Shane said.
After the doctor reluctantly agreed, Shane returned to her beside. He came close to
the bed, and she wanted to reach out to him, to touch him. Life-affirming warmth
flowed through Emma and assured her that even though she felt tired, his presence
stirred her. But something held her back. Maybe Reddins' insinuations about Shane?
Perhaps Shane's cryptic statement that she didn't know everything about him?
"I won't ask you what Reddins wanted to know," Shane said. "You can tell me
tomorrow, if you want." Like Reddins had done earlier, he pushed his hand through his
hair, ruffling the thick strands. "We have a lot to talk about."
"You could tell me now."
"You need rest."
She sighed, weariness wearing down on her and making her apathetic. "All right.
Tomorrow."
"I'll be here in the morning to pick you up. I can take you back to the campground
and we can get your car. Then you can drive over to the ranch."
"Great. I want to get back to work right away. There's a lot of work to be done—"
He held a hand up to silence her. "No work for at least a couple of days."
"The doctor didn't say I couldn't work."
"He said to take it easy."
Exasperated, she relented. For now. "I'll relax at the hotel, then."
"I have work to do at the ranch, but if you're at my home, I know you'll be safe."
"At your house?" A stab of pain in her temple made her wince.
"We'll argue about this tomorrow. This has been one hell of a day."
He stood so close to the bed, his eyes glittering with determination, anger and
something hungry that made her heart beat faster. She saw protectiveness and affection.
He leaned forward, and for one exciting second she thought he planned to kiss her
mouth. When he kissed her forehead quickly, warmth filled her anyway.
"Get some sleep," he said softly and left.
After he left, a thousand points of conjecture whirled in her mind and competed for
space. Although she wanted to think about them, exhaustion overtook her and she let
her eyes flicker closed. As she drifted to sleep, the tenderness
in Shane's kiss filled her
heart with satisfaction.
* * * * *
Emma wondered if she was making a big mistake.
As Shane opened the front door of his house and carried in her suitcase, she
followed and closed the door. She felt as if a chapter in her life had either ended or
started, she couldn't say which.
When he'd come to the hospital to pick her up at noon, she'd experienced relief at
seeing him. Clean-shaven and freshly dressed in long-sleeved shirt, jeans and boots, his
undeniable good looks had nurses gawking. Their faces expressed more than
admiration of Shane—they envied her. Did they imagine this gorgeous man was all
hers?
Hers to touch, taste. She'd had to swallow hard to ignore the thrum of desire these
thoughts brought to her.
Now as Charlie greeted them with furiously wagging tail and sloppy kisses, it
seemed she'd entered into a new realm of shadows. Another outrageous fantasy.
Painful memories of her parents' fading love for her reminded her that she didn't really
have a home. Emma paused at the door and squatted down to pet Charlie. She looked
up and caught Shane watching her. She held his gaze and dared him to make a joke or
other comment. But he said nothing and his stare wore her down. She turned her
attention back to Charlie.
He picked up her suitcase. "I'll put this in my room."
As he started to walk away she stood up. "What?"
He stopped. "My room."
Her expression must have shown her surprise. He smiled again. "I've moved into
the guest room."
"But I can't kick you out of your bedroom. I'm already intruding on your life as it
is."
"I'm used to sleeping in a variety of places. It's no problem."
She pinned him with a skeptical glance. "I said I'd come here if you told me
everything that was happening. When are you going to tell me, Shane?"
He tilted his head slightly. "After I've finished some of my rounds."
Thoroughly disconcerted with the endless circle of delays, she said, "I swear, Shane
O'Donnell, if you don't tell me what the hell is happening within the next two hours I'm
leaving here. I've got my car and there's nothing to stop me."
His expression was grim. "After I've fed some animals—"
"No."
"Come with me, then. But don't blame me if you get dizzy—"
"The doctor said I'm fine."
He stared at her for a few moments then nodded. "Can you ride a horse?"
"Oh, no. You're not getting me on one of those."
He plunked the suitcase down on the carpet and whipped off his hat, tossing it
lightly onto the sofa. His hair was tied back, his features starkly masculine. Then he
walked toward her slowly. At first Emma stood her ground, but as he sauntered
forward, an irrational panic sent her back until she pressed against the wall next to the
front door. He didn't stop until he stood a couple inches away, his eyes blazing and his
mouth tight. He leaned one hand on the wall next to her head and his gaze traced every
inch of her face. Heat rose in her skin, setting a ravenous fire she'd experienced once
before when he'd last kissed her. She wanted to groan. Memories of how his mouth had
devoured her made arousal spike in her nipples as they hardened and her pussy
literally ached. God, how could he do this to her with one gesture? One look? Okay,
Emma, you must be in good shape if you can feel these things for him the day after getting
conked on the head.
No. She wouldn't show him how much his presence unnerved her. A gentle
trembling raced through her. "Are you trying to intimidate me by standing close?"
"No. I'm just having a damned hard time keeping my hands off you," he said
calmly, as if her unusual question didn't bother him. He touched a tendril of her hair,
letting the strand slip through his fingers. The ribbon of hair lay in a reckless toss along
her shoulders, the waves reaching just below her shoulders. "You're not concerned
about your own safety and you'll rush headlong into more trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" She wanted to know the truth, but feared his answer.
"How are you involved with all of this?"
"I'm involved, all right. Ass deep. But there's something you've got to know." His
voice lowered, the tone husky. "I only have your safety in mind, Emma. I'm begging
you for the last time. Please don't be afraid of me."
She almost reached up and caressed his jaw, pushed her hand through the thick
tumble of his hair. Shane stood back, stepping away a pace, and she instantly regretted
the distance between them.
"If you'll ride with me, I'll tell you everything I can," he said.
* * * * *
The One opened his window and let thin mountain air into his stuffy hotel room.
Unfortunately the hot air from outside rushed inside. He longed for the purity of the
Shadow Realm. He hadn't been there in some time—hell, he couldn't remember how
many years. But this plan would get him back there, return him to where he'd belonged
for a million years and would be a million more. He turned to the short man seated in
the wing back chair across the room.
"Tell me what's happening," he said to his accomplice.
"She's going to stay at the ranch with him."
The One reached inside the pocket in his jacket and pulled out a thin, silver cigar
case. "How do you know she's staying there?"
"I watched them enter the campground. Then she followed him in her car back to
the ranch."
The One opened the case and took one of the thin cigars out. He held it up. "Would
you like one? It may be the last time you ever taste anything quite so nice again."
The One knew he'd created fear in the other man by the stir of panic he saw in the
twit's eyes. "Come now, you don't think I'm going to off you right here, do you? You're
too essential to my operation."
Visibly relaxing, the other man continued. "It's going to be difficult to get to the site
now."
"Difficult, but not impossible." The One lit his cigar and took a deep drag. Slowly
he blew a series of smoke rings. "And if we have to, we can always go after the girl.
She'll be our insurance that Mr. O'Donnell doesn't obstruct us. He's a bargaining man."
"Doesn't look like much of a bargaining man to me," the short man said, his tone
dry and sarcastic. "He's a tough son of a bitch."
The One laughed again, this time louder, and leaned on the wall next to the
window. "You heard wrong. The agency has him by the short hairs. He'll do whatever
they say. And if that means sacrificing the woman…well…he'll do it."
"You think he'd kill her?"
"Agents of the SIA have killed before to keep secrets." He knew the truth deep
inside from his own experiences. No regret surfaced. "What's on Sadie Cutley's old
property is a secret to die for, don't you think?"
"Yes. Have you…?"
"What?"
"Killed for this secret."
The One snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course. Now get out of here and keep me
posted."
The other man's eyes held uncertainty and mistrust as he left the room. The One
looked at the window and watched the traffic flow by slowly on Main Street's narrow
way. A few moments later he saw the man who'
d left his room cross the street at the
intersection and proceed down the sidewalk out of sight.
The One shook his head. The other man didn't realize what lay in store for him at
the end of this project. He imagined wealth, glory and eternal life. Little did he
understand the price to pay for any and all of it.
No one in this two-piss town comprehended what lay under their feet. They
scurried like ants, their miserable lives played out with the drama of a soap opera.
Stupid pricks. Heat entered his solar plexus. God, he hated humans. They were stupid,
bumbling, recalcitrant fools. Tolerating them made his blood pressure rise.
No matter. If humans did understand what happened in the Shadow Realm, they
would run in horror.
He would take what he wanted, be out of town soon, and no one would be the
wiser. If anyone got in the way…
He shrugged. Well, that would be too damned bad.
* * *
Chapter Ten
As Shane helped Emma mount the huge brown mare, she hoped the animal acted
as mild-mannered as Shane promised.
"I haven't ridden a horse in ten years," she said as the animal shifted under her.
She settled more firmly into the saddle and clutched the pommel.
"Just like riding a bike."
Realizing that he hadn't saddled a horse for himself, she smiled at him nervously.
"What about your horse?"
"You're on her." He tilted his hat back, reached up and grabbed the pommel, and
before she knew it, he'd swung up behind her.
"Hey." She shifted forward in the saddle and gave him the stirrups.
She stiffened as he slipped his left arm around her waist, pulling her back against
his chest. He grasped the reins in his right hand.
Warm, completely feminine reaction tingled through her body as he lowered his
head to whisper into her ear, "Hay is for horses."
"Ha, ha." She felt a little breathless, his nearness unnerving in so many ways she
couldn't catalog or acknowledge them fast enough. Her senses pinged, her body
delighted and alarmed all at one time. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"It's the best idea I've had in a long time." The drawl in his voice was husky and
deep, a definitive sexiness she couldn't ignore.
She turned her head to look up at him, a frown creasing her lips. Emma wanted to