Page 39 of Shadow of Deceit
“Only if they ask,” he answered honestly.
She studied him carefully. “You said we would keep this professional, right?”
He’d said that, but could he really follow through after seeing her need for a friend? For him? He raised his face to the tall pines, listening to the chirping birds. Searching for answers.
“Ryan? Can we work together?” Her voice had gone soft like she was afraid to hear his response.
He watched a hawk soar through the trees, and he ran a hand through his hair. “You want the easy answer or the truth?” He let his gaze fall on her face again.
“The truth.” The words slipped from her lips like the wind rustling the trees.
“I’ll do my best to keep my promise. I honestly will. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want to be sure you realize I’m not like the other guys in your life who’ve let you down. You can trust me.” He waited for her to bolt, run for cover at his honesty, but she kept her focus pinned to him.
Softness claimed her vibrant green eyes before they drifted closed and long lashes lay on her cheeks. “I’m not there yet, but I hope at some point I’ll be ready to do that.”
He wanted more than her hope for a change, but he would settle for anything at this point. “That’s all I can ask for.”
She gave him a tight smile, and he sucked in a breath to shake off the heaviness that had settled over them. As a counselor, he knew they’d already made amazing progress, but she needed more time. Still, she gave him hope and a sense of urgency to move forward and restore her faith in him surged through his body.
Why was this suddenly so important to him? So pressing?
Was it Cara? The loss. A vision of her lying in her own blood on the floor with a knife lodged in her stomach, chilled him.
Life could end in a flash and the warnings were growing more threatening. He couldn’t let Mia meet the same fate. Wouldn’t let her die.
* * *
Mia couldn’t stand still any longer. Not with the way Ryan was tensing up. She started for the barn and engaged him in conversation about Wilderness Ways to lighten the mood. It didn’t take him long to relax and settle into a comfortable conversation with her. A warm current floated around them and reminded her of when they were so well-connected in high school.
Bandit tugged on his leash, and she shifted toward the barn. Her mood soured. The north wall where she’d been trapped remained standing, but the rest of the barn huddled on the ground in mounds of ashes and charred wood. The closer they came, the stronger the noxious scent grew. The water-laden ground sucked at her boots. She picked up Bandit to keep his injured leg clean and moved on. Each step took concentration to keep from slipping into the slimy muck.
Sadly, this reminded her of the way she’d felt since Wally died. Like all her positive energy had been sucked from her, and she had to fight with each step to keep from going under.
Ryan suddenly faced her. “This is as far as you go.”
Mia wanted to argue, but he was giving of his time to help her. “Be careful.”
He slipped on gloves and picked his way through the debris. He took slow, measured steps until he reached the spot where the main entrance would have been located.
“The door is still partially intact.” He bent to dig through the charred wood.
She tried to be patient but as he squatted without a word she had to see if he’d found anything.
Careful not to fall, she tiptoed closer. “What’s going on?”
He stood. “No chain.”
“There has to be one.” She studied the area. “You said you saw it the day of the fire.”
He stepped through the debris to join her. “I did, but there’s nothing there now. Maybe Russ took it for evidence.”
“Not likely Russ even knew the lock had any significance.”
“Only one way to be sure.” Ryan pulled off his gloves and stuffed them in his back pocket then reached for his cell.
He was going to call his brother. Was that a good idea? “Are you sure you want to ask him? It might make him come back here again.”
“I can ask in a way that he won’t suspect a thing.” Ryan dialed, but Mia’s mind went to the puzzle and tuned him out.
