Operation Hero's Watch

“How far from amicable?” Rafe continued pressing.

“Not very. And what wasn’t was on my part.”

There it was, finally, a trace of...something. Pain? Hurt? He felt suddenly guilt that he was glad of it, but he couldn’t deny this cool demeanor was bothering him. Cassie had always been quiet, but never cool. Even back then he’d often suspected she was quiet because inside she was very much not cool.

And sometimes those hazel eyes had been dark with emotion, absolutely stormy. Cory had asked him once how he always seemed to know when she was in a mood. “It’s right there in her eyes,” he’d answered, surprised that it wasn’t obvious to everyone.

“I’ll need names,” Rafe said. At her edgy look he added easily, “Process of elimination.”

“Oh.”

“Who was the most recent?”

“Steve Larsen. He’s a teacher at the middle school.”

“How’d it end?”

“He went back to his ex-wife.” She gave a half shrug. “I understood. They have two young children. They remarried, and I’m happy for him.”

“Who was before that?”

“Tim Sparks.”

Jace gaped at her. “You dated the jock?”

Cassie shifted her gaze to his face. “Says the judo champion of the entire school district?”

“Yeah, but Tim, he was...”

“Yes, he was. But he’s grown up a lot since he used to strut around campus. Having your girlfriend die in a car accident will do that to you.”

He blinked. An image of the girl, the classic cheerleader type who had been the perfect match for the football captain, formed in his head. They’d been the cliché couple, each a star with their own posse, and together the superstars of their little world. “Carly’s...dead?”

She nodded. “Right after their graduation. You’d know that if you ever bothered to keep in touch.”

“Been a little busy,” he said, stung.

“Hmm.”

He lapsed into silence as Rafe continued to ask her questions. He only half listened, because he was trying to picture quiet, clever Cassidy with the outgoing, unserious Tim. But maybe the guy had found her quiet calm soothing after what had happened. When she said he’d gone on to become a successful attorney, he thought maybe that was a clue.

Rafe stopped to make some notes, and Jace blurted out, “Was he driving?”

As usual, Cassie had no trouble following, even though it had been a few minutes since she’d told him.

“No. But it was his car.”

“So he felt responsible.”

She was looking at him rather intently. “No. That would be something you would do.”

He blinked. Her tone had been so neutral he couldn’t tell if it had been compliment or accusation. Knowing Cassie, probably both.

Cutter was suddenly on his feet. He was looking from Cassie to him, then back, his expression oddly puzzled.

Don’t try to figure her out, dog. She goes way too deep.

The animal walked over to her, rested his chin on her knee. She looked bemused but pleased and put a hand on the dark head. He watched her face as she looked down at the dog. Saw the slow smile dawn, wondered if she was feeling what he had felt the first time he had stroked Cutter’s head in the same way. Wondered what it was about the animal, what knack he had.

Wondered when Cassidy Grant had gone from quietly cute to utterly beautiful. And the thought of her in genuine danger made his stomach knot.

“I have a question,” he said abruptly. “About the elephant not in the room.”

Her head came up.

“Where the hell is your brother?”

Chapter 4 (#u5281a46f-a79a-591b-9a97-854d3b05137c)

Cassidy managed not to recoil at the anger in Jace’s tone, but it was a close thing. “Hell if I know,” she retorted.

Jace looked surprised. That she’d echoed his curse? Or that it was about her brother, whom, for all her teasing, she had adored?

A lot has changed since you were here.

It wasn’t that she didn’t still love Cory, but... And then, belatedly, something else occurred to her. “Don’t you know where he is?”

Jace made a face that matched her sour tone. “I haven’t talked to him in...” He trailed off, then finished with a rueful expression after he apparently figured out just how long it had been. “Four years.”

She frowned. “But you two were best friends.”

“Yeah. Funny how that ended once he knew I couldn’t lend him money anymore.”

He looked as if he regretted saying it, so she hastened to say, “I get it. I didn’t hear much from him after the bank of Cassidy closed up, either.”

He frowned. “Are you...in financial trouble? With the shop, and I thought your folks had a little life insurance—”

“Not in trouble, just...tight. The shop’s breaking even, but no more. I cut Cory off after he blew through his half of the insurance money in a few months. It wasn’t that much, only fifty thousand, but...” She waited for the look, the one some people gave her, accusatory. How could she cut off her own brother if he needed help?

Instead he just said softly, “Good for you.” She blinked, surprised. “I know what he likely blew it on,” he explained.

She felt a jab of relief that she wouldn’t have to explain. “Is that why you stopped loaning him money, too?”

“No. I—” He cut himself off, gave a sharp shake of his head. “Never mind. Irrelevant.”

She supposed it wasn’t relevant, but she couldn’t help wondering what had made him say it like that. With such an edge.

“Are we sure of that?”