Small Town Justice

“You did seem to take it better than I’d expected.”

She smiled slightly and nodded. “I had my moments. Still do. Once in a while, some thought or outside trigger will set me off and I can’t stop crying.”

“You never told me that.”

“Of course not. You had your own grief when you were younger, and then your marriage crashed. Why would I add worry about my crazy feelings if I didn’t have to?”

“Because I care?”

“Of course you do. I still miss your dad every day, yet I know it’s foolish to grieve the way I did when he first left this world.”

“Which is why you’re okay with that woman digging up the past?”

“That’s part of it.” Shane saw her countenance harden. “The other part is personal. I want to know who killed my Sam as much as she does.”

“We know who did it.”

“Do we?” Her head tilted and her eyes narrowed. “If Sam had been able to investigate that hit-and-run himself, I wonder who he’d have arrested.”

FIVE (#ulink_2ad3cab2-6446-5289-ae5f-e9b3afc2219a)

Jamie Lynn managed to shampoo the last tiny shards out of her hair, then gave it a careful combing. That was one good thing about safety glass. It broke into pieces that didn’t have very sharp edges.

Glad to be back in her own clothing, she smoothed the hem of her red T-top over the hips of white linen slacks and slipped into her sandals. Although the spring day had been warm, she expected a cooler evening so she grabbed a light sweater.

Ulysses began to dance at the door when he saw her pick up her shoulder bag.

“Yes, you get to go,” she said with a smile. “And play with that nice little boy again.”

Truth to tell, she wished she were headed for a pleasant evening of socialization instead of an inquest. Marsha was a lovely person. And the child was darling.

Jamie set her jaw. His daddy wasn’t bad, either, once you got past the chip on his shoulder. Before he’d learned her identity, he’d been pleasant. Tender. Even joyful, particularly when he’d gone out of his way to catch and look after Useless-Ulysses. The mistake took her by surprise. Made her shake her head and grin. That man had gotten under her skin, all right. It would be nice if his current presence didn’t feel like a touch of poison ivy.

Still smiling and thinking about rejoining Shane in the parking lot, she scooped up her little dog, tucked him under one arm and pulled the door to her room shut with a bang.

Ulysses stilled. The beginning of a growl made his tiny body vibrate.

Jamie Lynn froze. Listened. Waited to see what her pet sensed that she had missed noticing.

The nape of her neck prickled. Goose bumps tingled along her arms and a shiver traced her spine. She was not alone.

Slowly swiveling her neck, she glimpsed movement out of the corner of her eye. Before she could get a better look, a meaty hand clamped over her mouth and a deep voice rumbled, “Don’t make a sound.”

At that point the command was unnecessary because Jamie’s voice failed her. Simply drawing breath was hard enough. Fear paralyzed her. Stole strength from her limbs and thoughts from her mind.

“You need to leave town,” the man ordered.

His mouth was so close to her ear she could feel his hot breath on her cheek and smell alcohol. That was how her brother had smelled all too often in his late teens, another reason why he’d been a prime suspect for the fatal hit-and-run.

Remembering R.J. was enough stimulus to raise Jamie Lynn’s ire. She stiffened. Tried to break free.

The man’s grip tightened, pinching her face.

She began to make noise, a whine growing louder behind her closed lips.

His “Shut up!” was menacing and then some.

That was apparently enough to set off Ulysses because the little dog’s growl became a fierce bark.

The attacker loosened his grip on Jamie to reach for the dog and was rewarded by a bite. Cursing, he shook his bleeding hand and took a step backward.

Jamie unleashed a scream that rattled the windows in the exterior hallway. She bolted, shrieking as she ran.

By the time she reached the end of the hall, she was almost as breathless as she’d been after the fire.

Someone grabbed her. She swung her purse and connected with a thunk.

“Hey. Cut it out. It’s me!”

She had to blink repeatedly to focus on Shane and take in her new reality. All she could do was point and stammer, “He, he...”

Shane tried to set her aside. “No! Don’t leave me.”

* * *

Although every fiber of Shane’s being wanted to give chase to whoever had frightened her, he heeded her panicky request. “All right. Tell me what happened.”

“A man. Outside my room. He grabbed me.”

“Did he hurt you?” Shane studied her face. “It looks like he slapped your cheek.”

“No. He held his hand over my mouth really tightly and it pinched.”

“Did he say anything?”

Shane saw her dark eyes widen as she looked into his. “Yes. He told me to leave town!”

“All right. We’re calling the police.”

“Again? They’re going to think I’m looking for attention if I keep having to involve them.”

“Would you rather let whoever is doing this get away with it?”

“Of course not.”

He could tell that she was starting to regain her self-control because she’d released the fistful of his jacket fabric and started to ease away, blushing so brightly the injury to her face almost disappeared.

Urging her into the motel office, he told the clerk to call 911, then started back outside.