plug for TLS, promised to bring a sign-up sheet for volunteers to their next class and smiled as they filed out.
But even after it was over, she was angry. What did David think he was doing, showing up and making his views--his negative views--so obvious? He told her to rely on him but he wouldn't rely on her. Acted like he cared but didn't really care. Wanted her but not enough to take what she had to offer.
When everyone had left, Skye marched out of the building and down the front steps, planning to call him the minute she reached her car. But she didn't need to. He was waiting for her. She'd barely stepped onto the ground when he shoved away from the building and intercepted her. "Hey."
"What did you think you were doing in there?" she demanded.
His eyebrows knitted. "You're getting carried away, Skye."
"What does it matter to you?"
70
"It matters."
She remembered the way he sat with her in the hospital, hour after hour. How gently he'd tried to question her, to pull everything she could possibly remember about Burke from her mind. The way he'd held her when those dark memories were too ugly to face. He'd been there for her through the darkest period of her life. But as soon as she'd begun to recover, he'd begun to back away.
"Then ignore it," she said. "You're good at ignoring things." She'd thought she wanted to talk to him, but she didn't. What was there to say?
They'd only disagree. She tried to pass him, but he blocked her from going around him.
"Can't you see yourself?" he asked. "You didn't call the sheriff's department last night because you think you've got it covered, with your guns and your training and your 'been there, done that' tough bullshit. Are you trying to become some sort of female Rambo? If so, that's foolish.
Reckless."
"Says you!"
"Yeah, says me! It's already Tuesday. Burke is getting out in three days. Do you really want to shut me out right now, when we most need to work together?"
She didn't. That was the problem. She wanted his help professionally, but working with him left her emotionally vulnerable. She couldn't separate the two, not as easily as he seemed to do.
She wished they could go back to the early days, when their feelings were first developing, when everything was still so innocent and unexpected that it took them both unawares. Now that David knew he had to guard against personal involvement, nothing was the same, which was why she'd changed, too--grown defensive. "And where will you be when Burke comes after me again?" she asked. "Sleeping with your ex-wife?"
He blanched but didn't respond to the verbal jab. "I'm hoping to find something that will enable me to arrest him again before that can happen.
And I could use a little cooperation."
"I'm handling the situation the best way I know how."
He glared at her for a moment, then sighed as if he realized it was his other feelings--the frustration and confusion he felt with her--that had him so worked up. "I talked with Jane this morning," he said, obviously trying to control his emotions.
Skye caught her breath, curious in spite of the need to put distance between them. "Jane Burke?"
"Yes."
71
"How's she getting by without her husband?"
"She's making it, I guess. She cuts hair for a living at a small salon off Greenback and Van Maren."
"Is she still with Oliver?"
"Evidently. But she's beginning to wonder about him. Depending on how well they get along when he's released, she might become an ally before this is over."
"That's what you came to tell me?"
He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I was hoping it might make his imminent parole a bit easier for you--the fact that some of the people who were once so loyal to him might be having second thoughts."
"How'd you know I'd be here?" she asked.
"Sheridan told me." He touched her arm. "There's more, Skye."
Struggling to shore up her anger against the unrequited longing she always felt in David's presence, Skye tightened the ponytail that held her hair back.
But even after it was over, she was angry. What did David think he was doing, showing up and making his views--his negative views--so obvious? He told her to rely on him but he wouldn't rely on her. Acted like he cared but didn't really care. Wanted her but not enough to take what she had to offer.
When everyone had left, Skye marched out of the building and down the front steps, planning to call him the minute she reached her car. But she didn't need to. He was waiting for her. She'd barely stepped onto the ground when he shoved away from the building and intercepted her. "Hey."
"What did you think you were doing in there?" she demanded.
His eyebrows knitted. "You're getting carried away, Skye."
"What does it matter to you?"
70
"It matters."
She remembered the way he sat with her in the hospital, hour after hour. How gently he'd tried to question her, to pull everything she could possibly remember about Burke from her mind. The way he'd held her when those dark memories were too ugly to face. He'd been there for her through the darkest period of her life. But as soon as she'd begun to recover, he'd begun to back away.
"Then ignore it," she said. "You're good at ignoring things." She'd thought she wanted to talk to him, but she didn't. What was there to say?
They'd only disagree. She tried to pass him, but he blocked her from going around him.
"Can't you see yourself?" he asked. "You didn't call the sheriff's department last night because you think you've got it covered, with your guns and your training and your 'been there, done that' tough bullshit. Are you trying to become some sort of female Rambo? If so, that's foolish.
Reckless."
"Says you!"
"Yeah, says me! It's already Tuesday. Burke is getting out in three days. Do you really want to shut me out right now, when we most need to work together?"
She didn't. That was the problem. She wanted his help professionally, but working with him left her emotionally vulnerable. She couldn't separate the two, not as easily as he seemed to do.
She wished they could go back to the early days, when their feelings were first developing, when everything was still so innocent and unexpected that it took them both unawares. Now that David knew he had to guard against personal involvement, nothing was the same, which was why she'd changed, too--grown defensive. "And where will you be when Burke comes after me again?" she asked. "Sleeping with your ex-wife?"
He blanched but didn't respond to the verbal jab. "I'm hoping to find something that will enable me to arrest him again before that can happen.
And I could use a little cooperation."
"I'm handling the situation the best way I know how."
He glared at her for a moment, then sighed as if he realized it was his other feelings--the frustration and confusion he felt with her--that had him so worked up. "I talked with Jane this morning," he said, obviously trying to control his emotions.
Skye caught her breath, curious in spite of the need to put distance between them. "Jane Burke?"
"Yes."
71
"How's she getting by without her husband?"
"She's making it, I guess. She cuts hair for a living at a small salon off Greenback and Van Maren."
"Is she still with Oliver?"
"Evidently. But she's beginning to wonder about him. Depending on how well they get along when he's released, she might become an ally before this is over."
"That's what you came to tell me?"
He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I was hoping it might make his imminent parole a bit easier for you--the fact that some of the people who were once so loyal to him might be having second thoughts."
"How'd you know I'd be here?" she asked.
"Sheridan told me." He touched her arm. "There's more, Skye."
Struggling to shore up her anger against the unrequited longing she always felt in David's presence, Skye tightened the ponytail that held her hair back.
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