Targeted For Murder

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“I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

She shut the door behind her. “It’s okay. I thought you’d gone for the night or I wouldn’t have locked you out.”

“You were in the shower when Deputy Callahan knocked, so I thought I’d talk to him outside.”

She stiffened. Mentally prepared to run. What had she been thinking to let her guard down? “Is he still here?”

“No. Relax, Hadley. He got another call. Domestic violence one town over. It’ll take him an hour to get there. A search and recovery will start in the morning for the man who fell. There’s nothing they can do tonight to find him. The region is too treacherous.” Cooper frowned. “I’ve been through something similar before and that was someone I wanted to find. Someone I prayed would survive. And there was still nothing I could do.”

She heard the pain in his voice, and she wanted to know that story, but he said no more about it. Deciding he might want her to change the subject, she asked, “You’re sure it’s a search and recovery, rather than a rescue?”

“If he’s still alive, he’s not waiting around for a rescue.”

He’d be coming for me, then. Hadley couldn’t help the shiver that ran over her.

“Don’t take that wrong. What I meant is that he’s dead. He’s gone. It’s a recovery.” Cooper sagged.

“Why do I get the sense you feel guilty about what happened? Do you think you could have done something more to save him?”

“No. I tried to pull him up. And when he fell, I called for help as soon as I could. I did everything I could. He went over the edge because of me...but he was trying to kill you. It was him or you. Him or us. I don’t feel guilty about that.”

The way he said those last words confirmed her suspicions. He felt guilty about something. There was something more, something deeper bothering the man. Was it to do with someone who fell into the river that he mentioned?

As an artist, Hadley made it a habit to look beyond the obvious. To see what others couldn’t. But she wouldn’t push him.

“What about the deputy, Cooper? What did you tell him about me?”

“Nothing. I had just started telling him what happened when the emergency call came in and he had to leave. That’ll give me the night to figure things out. He knows I fought a guy who fell in the gorge. That’s enough for now.”

“Oh, Cooper. Is he going to investigate to make sure you didn’t murder someone today?”

“You ask too many questions. I need to go so you can get some sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Are you going to call your connections?”

He shrugged. “Eventually, I guess—but not right now. You’re safe tonight, Hadley. That’s all that matters. We’ll figure out how to keep you safe tomorrow.”

“And the next day?” Hadley wasn’t sure why she prodded him. She wasn’t his responsibility, after all.

Maybe she just didn’t want to be alone.

She held his gaze, hating that she felt utterly exposed. Completely transparent. She could never have made a good spy, unlike her father.

Something shifted behind Cooper’s steely blues. He released a sort of huff-laugh and closed the distance. What was he doing? Um...no, just no. Hadley put her hands up, prepared to defend herself.

And Cooper pulled her into his arms. Held her tight. His action surprised her. Seemed out of character, but now that she felt the comfort and strength he emanated she understood him better. He wanted to show her, in a physical way, that he could protect her. That he would protect her.

As if fighting off her assassin hadn’t been enough.

“You’ve been through a lot today. But it’s okay—you can rest now. Nobody’s going to find you tonight. Even if they did, they’d have to go through me first.”

Hadley didn’t want to let go, to let herself trust, or soak up what he was giving, but she couldn’t help it. She clung to this stranger who’d risked his life for her.

* * *

What am I doing?

Cooper was usually better at controlling himself.

He’d thought by living here in Gideon surrounded by more wilderness than civilization, teaching others how to survive, he could keep the evil in this world out. But looked like it had found him all the same. He had no choice but to step up—helping Hadley was his duty. Not even his father could argue with him there.

But holding her in his arms? That wasn’t exactly his duty.

He should release her, but she clung to him now, and trembled against him. Cooper didn’t want to feel. Not like this. But her fear—the utter injustice of her situation—pinged against the wall around his heart. Slowly, he released her. Couldn’t have imagined it would be that hard.

Holding her at arm’s length, he looked into her translucent eyes, the golds and greens stunning him again. But he shook off the effect she had on him. She needed him to be a warrior, a protector, nothing more.

Both uncertainty and strength mingled behind her gaze. Good. She’d need the strength to see her through, just as he would. The uncertainty couldn’t be helped.

“I don’t want you to risk your life,” she said. “Not for me.”

Then who else would be up to the task? But Cooper didn’t ask her that. “I have experience in doing just that. You should be glad you found your way here. Take comfort in that, and get some sleep.”

Somehow, he needed to extract himself from this moment. She was...vulnerable. And though he never would have expected it, she’d exposed his vulnerability as well.

She nodded. “Okay...okay, I’ll sleep. You get some rest, too.”

Once she was at the bedroom door, she glanced back. “And, Cooper...”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you, again.”

He nodded. Dead-bolted the back entrance, then he exited through the other door that opened up into the house and his business, then locked her in good and tight with his key.

He struggled to wrap his mind around the events of the day. He’d battled with a hit man—a professional assassin—and that man had warned that someone else would be sent. If he could believe the man’s words, then how quickly would the next one arrive? How could he find Hadley here? There was one treacherous road into town from the coast and another from the east. That was a deterrent for some, but not for someone truly determined.