Backfire (5 page)

Ouch. That hurt. Maybe she really didn’t like him.

“That sounded harsh,” she said, “and I don’t mean to be, but someone has already forced me to change my life once, and I’m just overly sensitive about the thought of that happening again.” She sighed.

David wasn’t sure how to respond. Maybe he was coming on too strong, too controlling, in his simple effort to watch out for her. She hadn’t asked for his help, in so many words. But David had felt her need for reassurance, for protection, for a friend—someone to talk to—last night in the cottage. And she’d shared her past with him. Something she hadn’t shared with others in Mountain Cove, or so she’d said.

David sensed when Tracy turned right.

“Okay, this is Main Street. Where to now?”

“Go all the way through town to Crescent then take a left. You’ll see the complex on the right.” David felt like more of an idiot by the minute. She didn’t want him involving himself. “I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

The thing was, David wasn’t about to go away until this was over, regardless of what Tracy said.

“Look, David. It’s not that. Not really. I don’t want you to put yourself in danger for me, that’s all.”

“How about you let that be my choice.”

When she didn’t answer, he hoped she was at least thinking about it. David could tell when she turned into the parking lot of his apartment complex. “It’s all the way down, then the first building on the left. I’m upstairs. Number 201.”

She parked the car and turned it off. “I’ll assist you up, but I won’t be coming in. And I’m not going to let you call your brother and force him to come out here to follow me back. I’ll be fine getting home, and Solomon will be with me once I’m there.”

“But what if that really was Jay’s attacker tonight? What if he really is someone from Santino’s gang after you? Seriously, you could have been in real danger. If you’re going to go somewhere alone, take Solomon with you. I know what I said about him, but he’s better than nothing.”

David got out of the vehicle and Tracy assisted him up the stairs. He allowed it, wanting to keep her by his side longer, or at least until he figured out how to persuade her that she needed to leave town. Do something besides wait in that poorly protected cottage.

Once they were at his door, he turned to face her. He blinked hard and could see her better now.

“Your eyes are swollen. I wouldn’t look in the mirror tonight if I were you.” A teasing grin sneaked into her frown.

“I have some milk. I think that’s supposed to wash away the pepper spray as opposed to water.”

“I would offer to help, since I did this to you, but I don’t think you need me.”

No, David didn’t need her help for this, and even though he wanted to keep her safe, he wasn’t quite ready to invite her into his life. Besides, she’d spent the better part of the ride over rejecting him, putting him in his place.

David dug in his pocket for his apartment key and fumbled with the keyhole.

She laughed softly. “Here, let me.”

After she unlocked and opened the door for him, she followed him inside. “You know what? Maybe you do need some help. I’ll get the milk.” She led him to the sink.

David could probably do this himself, though he might have to feel his way and stumble around. Still, he couldn’t turn Tracy’s offer down. After he washed his face and eyes with the milk, the burning sensation diminished, but he knew he must look a wreck. He eased onto the sofa of his sparsely decorated apartment.

His sister had tried to help brighten the place up, but he didn’t want a woman’s touch. It brought back too many memories.

Tracy watched him from the kitchen. “Are you going to be okay now?”

“No, because now you have to drive home down that lonely road that curves through the mountains to the B and B, and that’s all my fault. If I hadn’t spooked you into spraying me, I could have followed you home.” David blew out a breath and reached for the phone next to the sofa. “I’m calling Cade to drive you back.” He should have called Cade to pick him up at the store, but he hadn’t been about to turn Tracy’s offer of help away.

She snatched the phone from him. “You’re overstepping again. Sure, I got scared tonight and ran to my car, but the guy didn’t get anywhere near me. And if he had, he would be the one with the face full of pepper spray. I’m fine, David. Marshal Hanes, Jennifer, said she would speak to the Mountain Cove police, and I gave her time to do that. I’ll talk to them tomorrow, tell them what happened tonight, but they’re already looking for Jay’s attacker. You know that. I’m done running and hiding.”

“Yeah, what I saw tonight convinced me of that.” He pursed his lips, wishing he could retract the words.

“I need you to stop worrying about me. Just...leave me alone.”

Then she left his apartment.

Wow.

That was downright cantankerous, to use one of his grandmother’s words.

He couldn’t remember anyone ever being so adamant that he stay away, and it cut through his pride. He hadn’t realized he had such a big ego, but he wasn’t used to having a woman reject him for any reason. It was always David Warren who did the rejecting. There hadn’t been anyone since his wife, Natalie. No one had ever caught his attention.

That was, until Tracy Murray. Why her? Especially since she clearly didn’t want him around. But there was something in her adamancy that made David believe it went much deeper and had nothing at all to do with disliking David.

He couldn’t get out of his head the way she felt in his arms. There was more to his comfort and reassurance, more between them. An attraction; a connection that was dangerous to his well-being. So what was really going on? Why didn’t Tracy want his help?

Regardless, he wouldn’t stalk the woman.

Somehow he’d find a way to help a woman in need. That was all this was about; David helping to keep a woman safe—a woman who had a dangerous man after her.

SIX

T
racy exited the small but modern building at the edge of downtown that housed the Mountain Cove Police Department. She shouldn’t worry too much about coming to harm in the middle of the day in front of the police department building, but she couldn’t help but search her surroundings, glancing at every vehicle, every person who approached her. Or who walked across the street from her.

She hadn’t gotten any sleep last night for jumping at every sound. Or the night before. The way Solomon watched her, as if he wished she would go to sleep so he could, too, settled her enough that she’d at least closed her eyes. But sleep had not come.

That was, until early morning, when she was too exhausted to care if her past had caught up with her. Except she’d had to get up and go to work at the B and B, cooking and serving breakfast. And then she’d cleaned the bedrooms. Jewel had given her the rest of the day off to take care of “this killer business” after Tracy had told her everything. Tracy had taken comfort in Jewel’s concern for her safety that she’d heard in her friend’s tone. Seen in her expression.

Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Tracy walked away from the building and headed down the sidewalk to her car, tension knotting her shoulders. She’d had to sit there waiting to see Colin Winters, the Mountain Cove police chief, for more than an hour, which had made no sense. Talking to her should have been his priority. The police didn’t seem to have a lot of opportunities to fight crime in this town, and the one big thing everyone was talking about was the fallen hiker. Oddly enough, the police weren’t calling it an attempted murder. According to Chief Winters, they didn’t want to incite panic by saying there was a would-be killer on the loose.

Tracy figured they should worry more about protecting the citizens of Mountain Cove, warning them so they could be on the lookout for a man with a specific tattoo, than about inciting a panic. Good grief.

She’d said as much, too. But he’d assured her that when they had verified the facts based on the information Jay and Tracy had given them, along with what Chief Winters had learned from Marshal Hanes, then he would decide what action to take for public safety.

In the meantime, they were conducting an investigation.

He’d said the words with all seriousness, but then proceeded to tell her that the kind of violent gang member Tracy described when she shared some of her past couldn’t hide for long in Mountain Cove. He would be found out sooner, rather than later.

“The good folks of Mountain Cove will push him up and out of here like the body pushes a splinter out,” he’d said.

Tracy wanted to tell him that might be true, but the splinter could fester. There could be swelling and irritation and even infection before it was expelled. Who knew how much damage one of Santino’s men could do before he was caught?

In front of her vehicle, she stepped off the sidewalk and kicked the tire, then slung her homemade blue-jean bag onto the hood, glad she’d bought a junker car so she wouldn’t feel guilty for using it to vent her bad mood. She unlocked the door the old-fashioned way—with a key instead of a fob. Before she grabbed her bag off the hood her cell went off.

Maybe it was Jennifer calling again to give her some good news.

David Warren.

Tracy sighed. She still felt so bad for her last words.

Just...leave me alone.
And then she’d walked out.

He was only trying to help and any sane person would have accepted the offer. But David didn’t fully understand what he was getting himself into. And Tracy couldn’t risk his life by bringing him into her dangerous world. Besides, she liked him too much, and she sensed that he liked her, too.

For the best part of the two years she’d lived in Mountain Cove, he and Tracy had steered clear of each other, or so it had seemed, each having their own reasons. Now that they’d spent more than a few minutes together alone, Tracy knew there was something more between them, just under the skin. Maybe David hadn’t realized that yet, but a woman knew these things.

Tracy was in no place to go down that road with him now. If ever.

But she knew instinctively that if she ignored his call, he’d just drive out to see her and make sure she was okay. She had to answer the phone—but she silently resolved to keep it brief and to discourage him from putting himself out any further on her account. She answered, forcing a smile into her tone.

“Hey, David.”

“Hey.” An awkward pause hung between them.

“I’m so sorry about what I did last night.” What was she doing? He hadn’t called her so that she could tell him she was sorry again, had he? Regardless, the words needed saying.

“Which part? You mean the pepper spray? Or the complete and utter rejection of my help?”

David’s question left her searching for words. Frowning, she leaned against her car, watching the hustle and bustle of Mountain Cove, enjoying its small-town charm. Yeah, this was home. Nobody was going to run her off this time.

He huffed a laugh. “Listen, I shouldn’t have said that. Besides, I blame myself for getting sprayed. And...can we keep that just between us?”

Her turn to laugh. She stared down at her secondhand boots, the scuffs visible just beneath the hem of her jeans. “Sure. It’ll be our little secret. I wouldn’t want the whole town afraid to approach me.”

“Maybe not the whole town but...”

He hadn’t said “Santino” or “Jay’s attacker,” but she knew that was what he was thinking. “And I’m sorry about all of it, if that makes a difference. I deserved the words.” But this conversation with him was taking too long, going too deep, getting too personal. She could feel the pull between them over the cell phone.

“Why did you call?”

She wished she could tell him she wanted his help, but she had a feeling that once she’d said yes to that one offer of help last night, he’d glue himself to her side until her stalker was caught. David Warren had “fierce protector” written all over him. He might think he could protect her.

But it would never work.

What would he do, sit on her porch all night? Follow her around? He would die if he tried to protect her. She already knew from experience.

“It’s Jay,” he said.

She sucked in a breath. “What’s happened?”

“Nothing happened. He’s doing well, considering his injuries. He wants to talk to us both at the hospital.”

What could that be about? “When?”

“Whenever we can get there. Where are you now? I can come get you.”

Tracy eyed the police building. “No, I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

“Um, Tracy. You do realize he’s in Juneau, right?”

She released a pent-up breath. “I didn’t even think about that.”

“His injuries were too severe, so they had to transport him to a regional hospital. Juneau was it.”

Tracy was surprised he hadn’t gone on to Seattle, but he’d probably needed the quickest care he could get. “What did you have in mind, then?”

“We can take a floatplane to Juneau together. I have a bush-pilot friend, Billy, who can be ready in an hour. I can come get you and we can grab a bite before then.”

Oh, David was good. Really good. She smiled to herself. “I’ll meet you at the floatplane dock in an hour.”

“See you there.” Disappointment cut across the line before he ended the call.

She’d just successfully rejected David again. She was getting far too good at this. What would it hurt to eat with him? Her stomach rumbled and she called him right back, but the call went to voice mail. Just as well.

* * *

On the flight from Mountain Cove to Juneau, David listened to Billy fill the time and otherwise silent flight with small talk about his adventures in the bush. At first David had wanted to focus on Tracy and get her to talk, but he realized that Billy offered Tracy a much-needed reprieve from thinking about her problems. A person could carry around that kind of burden for only so long. And she seemed to be listening intently to Billy’s stories. Of course, she was sitting next to the pilot, so it wasn’t as if she had much choice.

For his part, David only half listened. Sure, he laughed and smiled at the appropriate moments, but he wasn’t giving Billy his full attention. They were friends. Billy would understand. David scratched his head and watched out the window as the seaplane flew over one of the many channels of the Inside Passage, the Tongass National Forest and the mountains—always an awe-inspiring sight.

But the beauty couldn’t drag his thoughts from the seriousness of Tracy’s situation. If what Tracy had said was true and Santino or one of his gang members was after her, then why hurt Jay and not Tracy? There could be only one reason for that and it fell in line with Tracy’s fears that anyone involved with her would be in danger. In Jay’s case, he’d been at the wrong place at the wrong time. But her explanation for rejecting David’s help, that she didn’t want to see David get hurt, made more sense. David was glad he understood. But understanding didn’t mean he agreed. He was willing to face some danger to himself if it meant keeping Tracy safe.

David wanted to know what had happened, what Tracy had witnessed to put Santino away. But he wouldn’t push her. It was enough that she was with him on the plane to see Jay.

They arrived at Juneau International Airport and caught a cab to the hospital. Unsure of what they would see when they walked into Jay’s hospital room, David led the way, giving a light rap on the door as he pushed it open. He’d already called Jay to let him know they had arrived in Juneau and were on their way.

The guy’s face looked as though it had been used as a punching bag. His left leg was in a cast and traction, his arms were in casts, and he wore a neck and back brace. He cracked a smile when he saw David and Tracy. Yeah. He was a trouper.

David watched Tracy’s reaction and noticed she paled, though she kept her smile in place. “Oh...Jay.” Compassion filled her voice. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” Jay had no idea what he was saying, but David hoped Tracy would hold it together. “The good news is I’m alive. After a fall like that, I should have died. But I have nothing more than broken bones.”

“You look good,” David teased. Somehow he knew Jay would take it in the right spirit. “What’s broken?” Though he could see plenty.

Jay’s chuckle was good-natured. “Nine fractures in my arms and legs. Broken ribs.” Jay blinked his eyes. Even that looked painful. “Thanks for coming.” His voice sounded weaker than it had on the phone. They couldn’t stay too long; he needed to rest.

David noticed Jay studying Tracy. Her face still pale, she moved to the side of the bed. David had a feeling she would have taken Jay’s hand—much as she had on the side of the mountain—but due to the casts there wasn’t much of his hands exposed. How had either of them been able to hold his hand on the mountain without causing more pain? Maybe Jay had been in
that
much shock.

Man. David gave a subtle shake of his head, thanking God that Solomon had found the man and praying for his eventual full recovery.

His mind went back to that moment when Tracy had leaned closer to Jay to listen. Then she’d freaked out. He understood the reason for her reaction now and wondered if Jay’s request to see them again had to do with the man who had tried to kill him.

“Thanks for coming,” Jay said. “I wanted to thank the two people who saved me. If you hadn’t found me I would have died on the mountain.”

“There’s no need to thanks us.” Tracy glanced at David for his agreement.

He nodded. “No, the real hero isn’t here. We knew the hospital wouldn’t let Solomon, Tracy’s search-and-rescue golden retriever, come inside, so we left him at home.”

Jay coughed a laugh. “Is that right? Well, maybe after I get out of here, I’ll meet Solomon. Tell him thanks for me, Tracy.”

“I will.” She looked to David as if unsure what to do or say next. “We should probably go now and let you rest.”

“No.” Jay blinked at her. Studied her. What was the man thinking? “I asked you here for a reason. I need to know that you believe me, Tracy.”

“What...what are you talking about?” She edged closer.

“You believe me about the man who pushed me over.”

“Of course I believe you. Why would you ask? What’s going on?”

“The police questioned me. They say they haven’t found anyone who fits that description. But when I told you about the tattoo, you had a strong reaction—like you’d seen it before. So I’m hoping you believe me and you can help me make sure they get this guy.”

“Yes, I reacted the way I did because I’ve seen that tattoo before.”

She stopped and appeared uncertain if telling Jay everything would benefit him or if he’d be better off not knowing. David wasn’t sure about that himself.

Walking around the bed to where she stood, he placed his hand on her shoulder, hoping to reassure her, and then he addressed Jay. “Can I ask if there’s any reason the police would doubt you, besides the one they’ve given?”

Jay grimaced, releasing a painful sigh. David wondered if that was from his physical pain or something else.

“Two years ago I tried to commit suicide,” he said.

Ah. That made sense, then. They thought this was another attempt, or at least were considering the possibility. Except why would Jay make up a story like that? And how could he have described the Santino gang tattoo so accurately if he hadn’t seen it? David didn’t think the police would discount the tattoo or Tracy’s history with the gang. He had the highest respect for the police officers he knew, and he wasn’t sure why Winters wasn’t acting quickly on this. Then again, he could see where the hesitation came from.

But what about Tracy’s history with this gang? Was Winters seriously going to discount that?

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Tracy placed her hand gently on the cast encasing Jay’s arm. “I want you to know that I believe you. I talked to the police this morning and told them how I know about the tattoo. I think they’ll believe you now, too, if they didn’t before. I had a bad experience with members of a gang. That tattoo symbolizes their membership. I’ll do everything I can to make sure this guy is caught. Now, do you believe
me
?”