Sedona was host to millions of tourists per year. It was a great place to blend in, but Jesse Calhoun was part bloodhound. No one hid from him for very long.
And since Zach had agreed to her deal, Elizabeth had demanded to come along for the ride. Jesse was outside the window of the truck, standing guard. No one was coming near her without having to go through him.
Rolling down the window, she asked, “What’s happening?”
Jesse shrugged. “Since I can’t hear anything, my guess is they’re trying to decide how to play this. They didn’t have time for a warrant, so the bastard is going to have to invite them into his room so they can look around.”
“So what happens if he won’t let them in?”
“Then Zach and I stake out his place until he leaves. Then, we break in and nose around.”
Elizabeth could feel her eyebrows rise up into her hairline. “But that’s illegal.”
Jesse looked her in the eye. “If this is the sick son of a bitch that broke into your apartment three times and continues to terrorize you, then we’re going to make him pay. One way or another.”
She shivered at the finality in his tone. Zach had said basically the same thing, but hearing it from Jesse made it seem more real, for some reason. Maybe it was because she didn’t know him as well. When Zach told her he would protect her by any means, it made sense, but why would Jesse?
“Why are you doing this? I don’t want you to get hurt.”
His blue eyes blazed down into hers with an intensity that would have normally scared her right into her grave. But it didn’t. His intensity made her feel safe. It was an odd feeling and one she had only ever gotten around Zach.
“Why?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Because he loves you, that’s why.” He nodded toward Zach, who stood with his arms folded across his chest as he listened to Detective Wolfe.
“You make him smile and I’ve never seen him smile like he does when he looks at you.”
“I love him, too.” She whispered it, afraid that saying it out loud might somehow make it less real. Might somehow destroy the trust she was beginning to put into the feeling.
“You’d better.”
That harshly spoken statement forced a small smile out of her. “You love him too, don’t you?”
“Like the brother I never had. We’ve been through Hell together and he’s always got my back, no questions asked. And I’ve got his.”
Elizabeth reached out and touched his arm. “Thank you for that. For taking care of him, and being his friend. He doesn’t make friends easily. Or trust people.” She shrugged ruefully. “It’s a product of the foster system.”
“I’ve got your back too, Beth.”
Emotion clogged her throat that this big man, a deadly warrior in his own stead, was offering to be her friend too. He’d shown her nothing but kindness and now he was standing guard over her. Protecting her back while Zach tried to figure this out.
“I’ve got yours too, Jesse.”
He winked and bowed slightly at the waist. “I’m honored, Ma’am.”
He was making fun, but she didn’t mind. That was his way. Elizabeth had noticed that when she asked him anything personal, his accent would suddenly thicken. Jesse didn’t like to talk about himself or his past.
She could understand that. Everyone had scars and that was the way he chose to hide his. For herself, it had been isolation. From people, from memories, from life.
And she was sick of it.
Zach didn’t like being told no. The Sedona police sergeant in charge of this “knock and talk” seemed competent enough, and he made it clear that he wasn’t about to let a civilian through that door first.
Glancing back towards his truck, he saw Beth and Jesse talking. No one suspicious hanging around, and yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that unfriendly eyes were on him. Worse, those eyes were on Beth.
Detective Wolfe was putting some serious mileage on his police-issued cruiser, going back and forth from Flagstaff to
And since Zach had agreed to her deal, Elizabeth had demanded to come along for the ride. Jesse was outside the window of the truck, standing guard. No one was coming near her without having to go through him.
Rolling down the window, she asked, “What’s happening?”
Jesse shrugged. “Since I can’t hear anything, my guess is they’re trying to decide how to play this. They didn’t have time for a warrant, so the bastard is going to have to invite them into his room so they can look around.”
“So what happens if he won’t let them in?”
“Then Zach and I stake out his place until he leaves. Then, we break in and nose around.”
Elizabeth could feel her eyebrows rise up into her hairline. “But that’s illegal.”
Jesse looked her in the eye. “If this is the sick son of a bitch that broke into your apartment three times and continues to terrorize you, then we’re going to make him pay. One way or another.”
She shivered at the finality in his tone. Zach had said basically the same thing, but hearing it from Jesse made it seem more real, for some reason. Maybe it was because she didn’t know him as well. When Zach told her he would protect her by any means, it made sense, but why would Jesse?
“Why are you doing this? I don’t want you to get hurt.”
His blue eyes blazed down into hers with an intensity that would have normally scared her right into her grave. But it didn’t. His intensity made her feel safe. It was an odd feeling and one she had only ever gotten around Zach.
“Why?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Because he loves you, that’s why.” He nodded toward Zach, who stood with his arms folded across his chest as he listened to Detective Wolfe.
“You make him smile and I’ve never seen him smile like he does when he looks at you.”
“I love him, too.” She whispered it, afraid that saying it out loud might somehow make it less real. Might somehow destroy the trust she was beginning to put into the feeling.
“You’d better.”
That harshly spoken statement forced a small smile out of her. “You love him too, don’t you?”
“Like the brother I never had. We’ve been through Hell together and he’s always got my back, no questions asked. And I’ve got his.”
Elizabeth reached out and touched his arm. “Thank you for that. For taking care of him, and being his friend. He doesn’t make friends easily. Or trust people.” She shrugged ruefully. “It’s a product of the foster system.”
“I’ve got your back too, Beth.”
Emotion clogged her throat that this big man, a deadly warrior in his own stead, was offering to be her friend too. He’d shown her nothing but kindness and now he was standing guard over her. Protecting her back while Zach tried to figure this out.
“I’ve got yours too, Jesse.”
He winked and bowed slightly at the waist. “I’m honored, Ma’am.”
He was making fun, but she didn’t mind. That was his way. Elizabeth had noticed that when she asked him anything personal, his accent would suddenly thicken. Jesse didn’t like to talk about himself or his past.
She could understand that. Everyone had scars and that was the way he chose to hide his. For herself, it had been isolation. From people, from memories, from life.
And she was sick of it.
Zach didn’t like being told no. The Sedona police sergeant in charge of this “knock and talk” seemed competent enough, and he made it clear that he wasn’t about to let a civilian through that door first.
Glancing back towards his truck, he saw Beth and Jesse talking. No one suspicious hanging around, and yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that unfriendly eyes were on him. Worse, those eyes were on Beth.
Detective Wolfe was putting some serious mileage on his police-issued cruiser, going back and forth from Flagstaff to
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