“How tired are you right now?” Shane asked.
“I was exhausted until all the excitement started. As long as my adrenaline lasts a while longer, I’ll be wide-awake.”
“Good.”
He scooped up the dog and grabbed Jamie’s hand. She gladly let him do both. The aftereffects of their shared embrace that evening were still so vivid she didn’t think she’d ever forget them. Nor did she want to. There was no time in her entire life when she had felt so safe, so comforted, so certain that all was well in spite of outward manifestations of evil.
Being totally truthful with herself, she had to admit that Shane’s being a Colton and a dedicated citizen of Serenity bothered her less than it once had. It was the person, the man, who impressed her. He was honest. Brave. Intelligent.
She blinked back tears as she climbed into his truck beside him. Most important of all, he was on her side.
She was truly not alone anymore.
ELEVEN
Heading out Highway 9, Shane telephoned the sheriff’s home and convinced him to meet them at the station. They were sitting in Harlan’s office, with Useless curled up on Jamie’s lap, when he arrived. His hair was mussed, his shirt tucked in haphazardly and his chin showed stubble. Add to that his reddened, sleepy eyes and Shane was glad they had solid clues to present.
The heavyset lawman circled his desk and dropped into a groaning swivel chair. “All right. Let’s have it. This better be good.”
His scowl was impressive. If Shane hadn’t known him all his life, he might have been intimidated. “I know who’s been stalking Jamie Lynn.”
“How’d you figure it out? The DNA on your blood sample didn’t help.”
“I’m convinced it’ll match one of the Lamont brothers. Probably Roger.”
Lacing his fingers together atop his desk, Harlan leaned forward. “What makes you think so?”
“Because I came face-to-face with the guy who broke into Jamie’s motel room tonight and he reminded me enough of the Lamonts that I’d be willing to testify to it in court.”
“Whoa!” Harlan was instantly on full alert. He straightened and pushed back in his chair. “There’s been another attack? Why didn’t you say so?”
Shane shrugged. “I figured you’d already know. Don’t you listen to a scanner?”
“Usually. I was so beat when I got home we shut it off. Anything in my jurisdiction comes straight through to my pager, so I’m covered.”
“This was another police matter,” Jamie Lynn offered. “The motel is inside the city limits. That’s probably why nobody notified you.”
“Humph. We’ll see about that in the future.”
“The important thing is, I got a pretty good look at the man in her room,” Shane went on. “He was big and husky and his jacket smelled like diesel fuel.”
“That’s hardly conclusive,” the sheriff argued.
“No, but it should be enough for you to exercise your right to bring them in for questioning. If they think I’ve recognized them, they may be scared or foolish enough to admit what they’ve been up to.”
Shane felt a light touch on his forearm and looked to Jamie.
“And who sent them,” she added. “They have no reason I know of to target me. Their names weren’t in the transcripts.”
Harlan’s eyes narrowed. He studied her, then Shane. “Transcripts? Will somebody please tell me what’s going on here?”
“It’s complicated,” Shane said. “We’d rather not say just yet.”
“Complicated?” Sheriff Allgood lurched to his feet, palms flat on the desktop, body arching forward. “Beating around the bush is for lawyers. I deal in facts. If you want me to haul in possible suspects, you’d better level with me. Otherwise, I’m going back to bed where I belong.”
One quick glance at Jamie Lynn gave Shane the idea she wasn’t ready for full disclosure. A barely perceptible shake of her head clinched it.
Setting his jaw, he eased out of his chair and reached for her hand. “I’m sorry we bothered you, Sheriff. Good night.”
“Hold on, hold on. Not so fast. There’s no hurry. How about if I drive out to the Lamont place in the morning and have a little talk with those boys?”
Shane felt Jamie squeeze his fingers, so he said, “Okay. That’s better than nothing. Will you assign a guard on her motel room for the rest of the night?”
“Can’t do it, son. Don’t have the authority.” He arched a bushy eyebrow. “Why don’t you look out for her?”
“He is not going to stand outside my room all night long,” Jamie said flatly. “And I don’t intend to put his family in jeopardy by staying with them, either.”