a reason to live(17)

“Emma shouldn’t have been there,” he began. “She wasn’t cut out for war. I knew this and should have recommended her for a transfer, but I didn’t.” Now that he’d started, he wanted to cut his confession from his soul and lay it bare in front of her so she could tell him what a bastard he was. “If I’d followed my gut, she’d be alive today. As I said, your sister’s faith in me was misguided. I’m not who you think I am.”

Now she knew the ugly truth.

Sage was silent, her breathing shallow as she digested his admission. He held his breath while he waited for her recriminations and blame to begin. Instead of screaming, though, she turned her back on him and her shoulders shook. He could hear her all but silent tears, as he stood there motionless. He started to reach out to her but dropped his hand. He was the last person she’d want to comfort her. Instead, he turned and left Sage to her grief, erecting another wall to block out her tears so he could breathe.

If he’d been listening, though, instead of building that wall, he would have heard her tear-choked voice mumble, “You’re exactly who I think you are.”

When he entered the kitchen, his attention on Chester the whole way, Maxine asked with concern in her voice, “Is everything all right?”

“Fine,” Shane answered then ordered, “Outside,” to his friend.

He heard the back door open as he kept moving toward the front. He didn’t turn back to see if Sage was all right, and he didn’t wait to see if Chester followed him out the front door. Her tears were still echoing in his head, and he needed space before he put his fist through a wall.

When the door finally closed behind him, he turned to Chester and let loose his anger and frustration.

“You’re gonna listen to what she has to say and then you’re gonna do everything in your power as the chief of police to keep her safe. Do I make myself clear?” he clipped short.

“That goes without question,” Chester replied.

“You’re also gonna keep your fuckin’ eyes to yourself,” Shane rumbled low in a warning.

“That might be hard.”

Shane’s head jerked back as if he’d been punched. Deciding Chester must not have understood him clearly, Shane moved in closer and got right in his face. Chester didn’t budge. He stood his ground even though it was clear Shane was on edge.

“I saw that,” Shane replied sarcastically, his eyes lighting with fire. “But you’re gonna do it anyway or I swear to God you’ll answer to me.”

Chester finally swallowed and looked away.

Shane took a deep breath to control his anger and continued so he could leave quickly and end this night. “This bastard isn’t gonna stop, not if they harassed her for months. You need to be focused on that and not on her ass.”

“Leaving her ass out of it for a moment,” Chester answered, still not cowering to Shane’s mood, “I agree they aren’t gonna stop. But let’s assume for now they didn’t follow her here. She’s safe for the time being, but I’ll contact FPD and see if they’ve had any other reports of harassment. If someone is pissed off at Sage—”

“Miss Sloan to you,” Shane interrupted.

Chester grinned.

“If someone is pissed off at Miss Sloan for a ruling that she and others made, she’s not the only one who might be in danger. We might get lucky and whoever this is will trip up with someone else.”

“I don’t like the idea of assuming she’s safe just because she’s here. Don’t slack off hoping FPD does their job. Be vigilant, Chester.”

“You know I’d take that as an insult if we weren’t friends and I didn’t know you were looking out for the woman.”

“Take it however you want, just do your job,” Shane bit back.

“Speaking of my job, are we done here so I can go inside and interview the victim?”

“Yeah, just remember what I said. Eyes on the job and not on the woman. She’s been through enough.”

Chester stared at Shane for a moment, then he looked back at the cabin.

“You know, she’s an attractive woman, seems mellow enough, not prone to hysterics,” Chester stated. “Maybe she’d be willing to make Trails End home for the right man.”

“Nothin’ is gonna happen between us, so get that out of your head.”

Chester grinned slowly, and then he asked, “Who said I was talking about you?”

Chester’s meaning nailed a direct hit to his gut, and he scowled.

“Don’t piss me off.”

“I’d say you’re already there, my friend.”