Damsel in Danger (Danger Incorporated Book 1) by Olivia Jaymes Page A

parent-teacher conference and he was—oh, I don’t know—charming, I guess. Very charismatic. He had money and connections and he swept me off my feet. I kept saying that we couldn’t date and that it wouldn’t be ethical but he continued to send flowers and gifts. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
    A million warning bells went off in Jason’s brain all at once hearing her describe some rich douchebag who pouted when he didn’t get what he wanted. Brinley seemed too down to earth to fall for a guy like that.
    “So I finally went out on a couple of dates with him.” She groaned and rested her head in her hands for a moment. “To say that he and I weren’t compatible is an understatement. He wanted someone to listen to him. Adore him. Needless to say after two dates I told him I didn’t think things were going to work out between us. That’s when the trouble started.”
    “Sounds like he needed an attitude adjustment,” Jason observed, ready and willing to give the lesson if need be. “So he started stalking you.”
    “Not right away. At first it was more subtle. He spread rumors about me at the school. Made it difficult to work there. Then he went to the board and said I wanted to keep his daughter Cicely back for second grade. It wasn’t even true. Cicely had issues but academics weren’t one of them. Mostly she wanted attention from her father and she didn’t care much how she got it. She was a real behavioral problem.”
    “And the board listened to him,” Jason prompted. “Sided with him?”
    Brinley rubbed her temple and nodded. “Some of them did, yes. I didn’t find out until later but several of the board members knew what he was like. He’d done this before to another teacher a few years ago. God knows who he’s torturing now.”
    She shuddered delicately and he didn’t hesitate to place an arm around her, pulling her close to him. Resting her head on his shoulder, he felt her relax against him. Humbled by her forgiveness and trust, he stroked her hair and let her finish the story at her own pace.
    “Even when it was over and he’d moved on to another victim I knew I needed a change. I quit and took another job but it wasn’t what I was looking for. I have a teacher friend who works in Denver who has a friend in Tremont. My family was shocked when I accepted the job but I have no regrets. This was the new start I’d been looking for and not just because of Tom Leeds.” She looked up at him and his heart skipped a beat at her beautiful face outlined in the moonlight. “I never mentioned Tom because I don’t think it could be him. He’s moved on and so have I.”
    “He has an alibi and Jared can’t find a connection to Roger Gaines.”
    “Because there isn’t one. Tom Leeds is a dead end.”
    Jason hoped that was the case. “I just need to make sure. I can’t be too careful with your safety.”
    “You worry a lot. I’m fine. No one is going to mess with me with you around to scare them off.”
    “That was the plan. But what about that guy tonight? Do I need to scare him off too?”
    Jason hadn’t yet met the idiot who had cancelled dinner on Brinley the other night and had only seen him drive away earlier this evening but he would happily let the guy know that he was no longer in the running.
    Brinley deserved better.
    “Greg? I don’t think I’ll be seeing him again. I told him that it wasn’t going to work out.”
    “How did he take it?”
    “He wasn’t happy but I think he got the message. There wasn’t really anything between us. We’d only been out a few times. I met him at the coffee shop. We didn’t even kiss.”
    Confirmation this Greg guy wasn’t very bright. “Two dates and he didn’t kiss you? He’s a slow mover.”
    “Maybe he wasn’t that attracted to me. What do you usually do by the second date?” Brinley slapped her hand over her mouth and giggled. “Forget I asked that. I’m not sure I want to know.”
    “Of course he was attracted