Loe raamatut: «Her Lawman Protector»

CHAPTER ONE

LIV HYLTON CRACKED open a box of books, uncovering glossy paperback covers. The smell of new books never ceased to hit her brain right in the pleasure center. She was still filling shelves in her brand-new bookshop in Eagle’s Rest, Colorado, and she was a stickler for variety. One thing she hated in a bookstore was having access only to the ten top sellers. Sometimes she didn’t want a bestseller. Sometimes she wanted a fresh discovery, a delightful distraction...and Hylton Books was going to provide just that to the tourists who came for skiing each winter and for Eagle’s Rest Lake in the summer.

With the leaves changing to their brilliant autumn foliage, the tourists were gone—an ideal time to be doing the grunt work of opening a new business. She’d have everything streamlined by ski season.

Liv pulled a hand through her hair and heaved a sigh. Her jeans had shrunk one too many times, and they were getting uncomfortably tight. That’s what she was telling herself, at least. She’d gained weight, but she was done with diets. After ten years of marriage, where she constantly struggled to lose weight, she wasn’t doing that to herself anymore. At the age of thirty-two, this was her body—no more punishment.

The newly installed shelves were high—a sliding library ladder attached at one side of the store and could be swept along to whichever point along the wall it was needed. That had been hard to come by, but a local contractor had gotten his hands on an old sliding ladder from an archives building in Denver, and it all had come together rather nicely. Like it was meant to be.

Morning light spilled from the display window onto the front counter, and her gaze drifted toward the creased note that lay next to a pile of mystery novels. She’d found the paper on the floor that morning, shoved through the mail slot. It was a simple piece of computer paper with letters cut from magazines—creepy. The last two notes she’d tossed out, thinking they were a prank by some local kids, but this one had settled into her gut and left her nervous.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Go on back and leave us alone or you’ll regret it.

This note sounded darker than the others and less logical. Warn her about what? And how was she bothering anyone in Eagle’s Rest? She’d been born here, gone to Eagle’s Rest Elementary back when there was only one elementary school in town. Her grandparents, who’d already passed away, had settled here after they got married. Everyone she’d talked to seemed really excited about a bookstore coming to town. So, go back? To Denver, where she’d lived the past ten years with her ex?

The implied snarl and the confusing logic behind the note chilled her. She didn’t think she had any enemies here, but maybe she was wrong about that. Whoever had left this note didn’t seem stable, and who knew what an unstable person would do for their own convoluted reasons? She’d called the police station as soon as she’d read the note, and they’d promised to send an officer down.

Liv flipped through the stack of mysteries, putting the books in alphabetical order. But her mind wasn’t fixed on the work at hand, and she glanced out the front window at the sun-dappled sidewalk. She was waiting for the officer to arrive. It wasn’t that she thought there was some special magic in a cop’s eyes moving over that page. Her ex was a cop, so she knew their limitations, but if they could at least put this into the system, pass around a memo that she was being threatened—something! Maybe she could give local cops a deep discount for shopping at her store and keep a visible police presence on this street. That was an idea.

A small, jagged part of her missed having a cop husband...missed the implied protection. But that was over now, and it was time to face life like everyone else did.

Liv brushed her hands down her hips, wiping the dust from her palms. Behind her, there was a tap on the window. Liv recognized the blue uniform but couldn’t make out a face. In her heart, whenever she saw that uniform, it was Evan’s smile that popped into her mind, and she was left feeling that mixture of heartbreak and anger all over again. Whatever. An officer had arrived. She wanted someone to look at the note and give her an honest answer—should she be worried or not? She crossed the store and unfastened the dead bolt on the front door. She pulled it open, and as the officer looked up, she stopped short.

She knew this cop—but not from Eagle’s Rest. This was one of Evan’s colleagues from Denver. She gave him a quizzical look.

“Hi, Liv.” He smiled hesitantly. He was tall and broad, solidly muscled, and “cop” seemed to ooze out of his pores. He had that professionally distant look about him, both comforting and disconcerting at once. But he had a gentleness around the edges, too. Jack always had been a good-looking guy.

“Jack Talbott?” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“I transferred. I’m now stationed in Eagle’s Rest.”

“Seriously?” That was weird—her hometown wasn’t exactly well-known. “And what did you do to deserve the demotion?”

Cops didn’t angle for small-town positions. They all wanted more action, like in Denver.

“It’s a faster climb to chief in a place this size,” he said with an impish smile. “I requested it.”

That might be true, but it was still a weird coincidence. He stepped past her over the threshold and ran a hand through his sandy blond hair. She was struck by the sheer size of him. How often did he pump weights to be that beefy?

“The place looks good,” Jack said. His brown gaze swept around the shop, landing once more on her.

She nodded, accepting his compliment. It did look good in here, and she was proud of it, but she had more pressing concerns right now. “Are you here for the note?”

“That was the idea,” Jack said. “This it?”

He reached for the paper on the countertop and pulled out an evidence bag.

“I’ve held it, touched it, smoothed it...” She winced. “I’m sorry. Of all people, I should know better than that.”

Jack put the paper into a bag anyway and regarded it for a moment.

“So who’s mad at you, Liv?”

“No idea.”

He looked over at her, and she could see that he didn’t quite believe her. That rankled.

“I don’t know,” she said more firmly. “I grew up here. I wasn’t anyone of consequence. I wasn’t beautiful or cruel. I didn’t even have a boyfriend until I left Eagle’s Rest for college. I have no idea who I managed to tick off.”

“Okay...” He nodded. “If you suspect anyone, you need to tell me, though.”

“Is this serious?” she asked.

“It’s...” He nodded again. “Yeah, it’s definitely concerning. When there are personal threats like this one and law enforcement doesn’t take it seriously enough, that’s when tragedy strikes.”

Liv’s heart sped up, and she crossed her arms over her chest as if that might protect her somehow.

“There were two others. But those were handwritten, and...” She sighed. “Looking back they were probably more useful to you. But I didn’t think they were serious.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. I thought they were kids being dumb, or a prank. The last thing I wanted to do was go to the cops and have some juvenile cousin laughing at me for being so jumpy. They just didn’t seem like an actual threat.”

“Until now.” He lifted up the note.

“Until now,” she agreed.

“Where are the other notes?” he asked.

“The garbage. I just...tossed them.” She sighed. “So who would do this? What do you think it is?”

“Do you suspect anyone is...abnormally interested in your life?” he asked, not quite answering her question but raising her anxiety yet another notch.

“No.” She sighed. “Would I know, though? I mean, if someone had issues...how obvious would it be?”

“What about Evan?”

Her heart constricted a little at her ex’s name, and she frowned, disliking the reminder. “Jack, Evan’s in Denver. He married Officer Hot Pants. You should know. You were at the wedding, weren’t you?”

Officer Hot Pants was actually Detective Serena Michaels, now Serena Kornekewsky. Evan and Serena had been partners, and the affair had been going on for some time before Liv had clued in... Serena was short, slim and as blond as a Swedish maiden—Liv’s polar opposite. That was insult to injury, especially after all the work Liv had put into slimming down.

“But does he hold any grudges?” Jack asked, those dark eyes still fixed on her with uncomfortable directness. “Divorces get ugly.”

“Marriages can get ugly, too,” she quipped. “And yes, we have some tensions, but this isn’t Evan’s style. And why should he care that I’m in Eagle’s Rest? That doesn’t make sense. His life went on.”

Jack nodded. “Okay. I’m just checking all avenues here. The thing is, Liv, these kinds of threats can be hoaxes, but most times someone won’t go to this much trouble unless they have some personal grievance. The more personal someone’s issue with you, the more dangerous it is. I’d feel better if I could keep an eye on you.”

Great. So she had some vengeful enemy that she didn’t even know about. Liv tried to calm her rising anxiety. But this was Eagle’s Rest. She knew this town like the back of her hand. She was surrounded by friends and family here...and Jack had picked Evan’s side in their divorce. While it might be understandable considering they were colleagues, it didn’t make him her favorite person right now.

“I don’t mean to be petty, Jack,” she said after a moment. “But I think I’d be more comfortable with another officer.”

“Look, I’m just going to say this. I’m a Denver cop. I’m the one with experience in the nastier side of things. The cops here—they just haven’t seen what I have.”

“You’re connected to my ex-husband, and I’m trying to make a fresh start here.”

“I worked with him,” Jack said. “That’s all.”

“You were at his second wedding,” she replied blandly.

Jack shrugged, then met her gaze. “It’s up to you, Liv. But I’m the one with the experience, and they’re short-staffed right now. Just ask the police chief. That’s why he requested I take this one.”

“And you think the local cops can’t protect me?” she asked. “Eagle’s Rest might be small, but—”

“I think they might be blinded to their own neighbors,” Jack interrupted. “And while they are fine officers, I’m a cynical guy, and that’s what you need right now. Whoever wrote this meant business—I’m willing to bet on it.”

She needed him—that’s what he was telling her. But she’d never known Jack terribly well, and something wasn’t sitting right with her about this whole situation.

“How come you’re acting like this is personal for you?” she asked after a moment.

“Because it is,” he replied. “You’re one of my own—you were part of the Denver family.”

“So what are you saying?” she asked. “Cards on the table. Should I worry?”

“Nah.” Jack shot her a grin, the smile softening his chiseled features. “Not while I’m around. You’ll be fine.”

She felt a smile tickle the corners of her own lips. If he was so dead set on standing guard, she’d be stupid to turn him down. Even if these notes turned out to be an elaborate prank, she’d at least rest easier until that was confirmed.

But worry still nagged at the back of her mind. Was it possible that this was connected to Evan? He did owe her something...they just hadn’t included that little debt in their divorce agreement... But would he go to these lengths?

“Thanks,” she said with a nod. “Just until we figure out what’s going on.”

* * *

JACK HADN’T EXPECTED Liv to suddenly confess her involvement in her ex-husband’s scam, but he had noticed her eagerness to get another officer to protect her. She said it was because of his nominal friendship with Evan, but if she were involved in a scam, she’d want him as far away from her business as possible. He’d worked in the fraud division, after all, and he was up for a spot in internal investigations if he proved himself on this case. She may need police protection at the moment, but she’d probably prefer someone easier to manipulate.

Jack could see how easy it would be for one of the local guys to fall right into her trap, too. Liv was not only beautiful, but she had wide green eyes that showed old pain and fresh hope. Even her clothes were soft and feminine in a most disarming way. Snug jeans that accentuated those womanly hips, and a loose white blouse that showed just a hint of flesh tone through the gauzy fabric. If he didn’t have all the facts in a file on the police chief’s desk, he might fall for her charms, too.

Heck, he had before...

“Maybe we should clear the air about Evan’s wedding,” Jack said.

“I don’t think there is much else to say,” she retorted.

“He was my colleague, and he invited the whole department to the wedding. It was...basically, it was a schmooze-fest. How did you know I was there?”

“Social media pictures,” she said, and then color flushed her cheeks. “And no judging. With all the tags from people I knew, I couldn’t avoid it. I saw you in pictures, and I’m sorry, but it sure feels like you chose his side.”

“I wasn’t choosing sides. I was just...going through the motions. Look, Liv—I never approved of what Evan did to you. But I do aim to stay out of other people’s relationships. No good can come of sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong.”

Frankly, a small and petty part of him had been thinking that he’d be glad to step in if Evan was going to walk away. He was still single at thirty-five, but not because he hadn’t been looking around at his options. But then they’d started investigating Evan and discovered that Liv had been delivering paperwork to the fraud victims. And he’d been disappointed in a way that stung and made him angry. She wasn’t supposed to be like her ex, but it looked like she was in this hip deep.

Liv picked up a book from a box on the counter and then headed for a shelf at the back of the store. She walked her fingers across the spines of the volumes already on the shelf. When she spoke, emotion choked her voice.

“Did you know he was cheating on me?”

She slid the book into place, then turned toward him. Some of the color had drained from her cheeks, and Jack heaved a sigh. Getting into this wasn’t going to help his cause here...but then again, if they could get this out of the way, she might trust him a little bit more.

“I did,” he confirmed.

She nodded briskly, then came back to the counter, reaching into the box again.

“The messenger gets shot in these sorts of situations,” he added. “You know that.”

“Everyone knew, didn’t they?” She tapped another book against her hand, and irritation snapped in those green eyes.

“A lot of people knew,” he confirmed. “And a lot of people told him he was making a mistake.”

“Did you?”

No, he hadn’t. He’d never been that close to Evan, and Jack didn’t like wasting his breath. Besides, he’d been afraid that his attraction for Liv would be obvious if he started in on Evan for his cheating ways, and he wasn’t exactly proud of the fact that he felt that way about someone else’s wife. Jack was the kind of guy who believed in right and wrong—it was why he’d become a cop to begin with. And lusting after a married woman fell solidly into the category of wrong. Too bad Liv wasn’t as different from her ex as he’d thought back then.

“No, I didn’t lecture Evan on his personal failures,” Jack replied. “And I know that isn’t a whole lot of comfort to you right now, but the thing is, if a man needs his colleagues to reprimand him into monogamy, he’s not much of a man.”

Liv was silent for a moment, then nodded. “I agree with that.”

“And for what it’s worth, I have no idea how he strayed when he had you to come home to.”

Besides the fact that they seemed to share a knack for real estate fraud. Jack’s department had found more evidence that pointed to her involvement in Evan’s schemes—this very bookstore, as a matter of fact. Complaints about some deeply unethical behavior during the purchase of this property five years ago had sparked their suspicions. They’d had enough to start a formal, albeit undercover, investigation six months ago, and their digging had brought them to Liv.

“Too bad Evan didn’t feel the same way about monogamy,” she said bitterly. “Whatever. It’s in the past, and this is a fresh start.”

How fresh, though? Was this a part she was playing—stung woman starting over? Or was her fresh start going to involve a nice influx of cash? If she and Evan were parting ways in business now, Evan might owe her an awful lot.

“I’m just curious,” he said. “When did you buy this place?”

“Evan and I bought it about five years ago,” she replied. “Evan figured it might be a good investment, and I’d been hoping to put it to good use. Never thought that would be after our divorce, of course, but...” She shrugged. “I asked for this building when we divided our assets.”

“Evan was okay with that?”

“This is Eagle’s Rest. We bought it for a song from an old woman who needed the money. In exchange for this place, I didn’t contest some other stuff. So Evan was happy.”

That was strange, considering that Evan had gone out of his way to buy as many surrounding properties as possible. But he’d let this one go? Maybe Liv wasn’t planning on parting ways with her ex when it came to their scam, after all. Money might mean more than wedding vows to some people.

“So Evan cheats on you, and you accept a piece of worthless property?” He wasn’t supposed to be cross-examining her, but he was curious how she’d defend that.

“It’s not worthless,” she retorted. “It’s chock-full of sentimental value. I was looking at the life I wanted now that I was single, and I wanted to come home. Besides, there’s something to be said for low property taxes—especially when you’re just starting out.”

“Has he shown any interest in this place since?” Jack asked.

She shook her head. “No. Look, Jack, I’m not Evan’s biggest fan right now, but he has no reason to try to scare me away from this store. I’m out of his way. He’s got the woman he wants, and he’s got Denver. Frankly, I think he’s glad to be rid of me.”

Before Jack could think too deeply about her defense of her ex-husband, Liv glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to finish up with these shelves before lunch.”

That was a dismissal—he could hear it in her tone. Should he push it today? Maybe not...

“Okay,” he said. “But I want you to keep your doors locked and your alarm system activated for the time being.”

Her cheeks colored. “I don’t actually have an alarm system yet.”

So the sign in the door’s window was a decoy. That was good to know if they got a search warrant and they needed to take a look around later.

“You should look into that,” he said. “And be aware of your surroundings. Make a note of anyone who hangs around or shows a little too much interest in your store.”

“I need people to show interest, Jack.” She shook her head. “I’m opening a new business! I need customers.”

“Trust your gut,” he replied. He was hoping that her guilt would make her gut a little more touchy than usual, and she’d call him back.

“I will.” Liv looked like she wanted to say something more, then gave him a tight smile. “Thanks, Jack. And you guys will be patrolling this street, right?”

You guys. She was still banking on the rest of the police force here.

“You bet,” he replied, pulling a card from his pocket. “I’ll be in touch. In the meantime, if anything seems weird or uncomfortable—day or night—you call me.”

She took the card from his fingers, her gaze lingering on his for a beat longer than necessary. She looked worried, and while he was only doing his job in an undercover fraud investigation, he felt a faint pang of guilt. The testosterone-fueled part of him didn’t like tricking a woman into letting him get closer. In fact, while it was perfectly legal to be dishonest in order to get a confession out of a suspect, it never felt morally comfortable to him.

Still, these were the tactics available to the police, and what was worse: some dishonesty to catch a criminal, or letting a criminal go to victimize someone else? When someone was trying to lie and deceive, they didn’t tend to come clean with straightforward questioning. Like any undercover operation, there was going to be some deception. A lot of people from his community growing up in a poor section of Denver had been the victims of some illegal police deception in the past, so it was a little harder for him to rationalize it away. Still, for all he knew, he was saving Liv’s life before she got in too deep to some criminal ring. There were some seriously scary people who would do anything for a big enough payout. And he was pretty confident that she was in league with them.

“You’ve got my number there,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said, then licked her lips. “I appreciate it.”

“I mean that.” He caught her gaze and held it. “You call me.”

Liv nodded and glanced away. He’d done what he could today—planted a few seeds. He’d suggest to the chief that they leave another threatening letter overnight just to complete the process. Undercover operations required some careful setup, and she was still a little resistant to letting him in closer.

Jack headed for the door and pulled it open. “Take care now, Liv.”

And when he glanced over his shoulder, he caught those clear green eyes fixed on him, her lips slightly parted and her cheeks pale. She clutched a book in front of her in a white-knuckled grip.

Blast. He wasn’t supposed to be feeling anything more than professional satisfaction at what he’d accomplished today, but instead, he was experiencing a mixture of regret and pity. She was scared. Later on, his job would be to make her feel safe again—make her open up. He was looking forward to that part of the job just a little too much.

If he was smart, he’d get these errant feelings under control. She might be beautiful, but that didn’t change the evidence.