Desperate Strangers

George shoved back from the table and everyone else rose as a unit. Lynetta gave Julie a quick hug and George cast Nick a dark stare. “The verdict is still out on you,” he said.

Nick merely nodded in return and then they were all gone. “Why didn’t you tell them you weren’t really ready to return to work yet?” he asked.

“Was it that obvious?” she asked as she led him into the living room.

“Apparently only to me.” He eased down opposite her on the sofa.

“It will be fine and it’s not as if I have any real physical injuries. I’ve been working in the pawn shop since I was fourteen. I could do the work there in my sleep.”

“You still should have told them you needed a few more days of recovery,” Nick replied. “Remember the doctor said you needed time to rest.”

She shrugged. “It will be okay.” A worry line darted across her forehead. “I just realized again that I don’t have my car.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take you and pick you up from work. That’s probably for the best right now anyway.” He didn’t want to remind her of the strange and threatening phone call from the night before, but it was obvious that’s exactly what he had done.

Her bright eyes changed to a midnight blue and she wrapped her arms around herself as if she’d just experienced a deep chill. “I can’t lie. I don’t mind you having my back right now until I remember what I’m not supposed to talk about.”

“I’ve got your back.” Meeting her family had been a particular kind of torment for him. It had been one thing to lie to Julie but quite another to lie to her entire family.

She rose suddenly. “I know it hasn’t been that long since I got out of bed but, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go upstairs and lie down for a little while. I have a bit of a headache starting.”

He jumped up. “Is there anything I can do for you? Do you need anything?”

“No, but thank you for asking.” She gave him a warm look that once again stirred a touch of desire that he didn’t want and tried to ignore.

He watched as she went slowly up the stairs. When she disappeared from view he raced back into the kitchen. He grabbed the rolled-up newspaper and sat.

His heart pounded as he unfurled the paper and checked the front page. The usual headlines...sports, politics and advertising. Tension pressed tight in his chest as he turned to the second page. And there it was, at the bottom of the page: Northland Man Murdered.