Jill Elizabeth - Season of Danger

“The multiple romances—often at one time—weren’t staged, were they?”

“You think he might have dated a killer?”

“At least he finally had the sense to know a good woman when he saw her,” Sean said, rubbing his knuckles over her cheek. “You’re an amazing woman, Tess.”

She swallowed daintily and looked up at him, her olive complexion deepening a shade. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him.

A woman walked past them toward the connecting secondhand store and drop-off facility, and the moment was gone.

Sean straightened. “But Tanner also aligned himself with unsavory people of both sexes, if you ask me.”

“Been reading the rags?”

“Let’s just say I did a few background checks.”

“While I was engaged to Tanner?”

He nodded. For a moment, he couldn’t bring himself to reveal what he’d discovered.

She tilted her head, obviously intrigued. “You never told me this stuff.”

“You weren’t the one who made enemies—he was.”

“The crime wasn’t solved, Sean.”

“An entertainer doesn’t behave the way he did without making enemies. You’re not being fair to yourself. I don’t like to accuse a man who isn’t here to defend himself, and I certainly don’t want to hurt you, Tess, but Tanner lived a self-indulgent life and he didn’t give two cents for who he hurt.”

“He cared about me.”

“His actions didn’t back up his words or the ring he put on your finger.”

“You’re saying he dated another woman when he was engaged to me?”

For some reason, she didn’t sound surprised. Had she guessed? She also didn’t sound devastated. “Women. Plural.” Sean studied her expression, confused. “I’m sorry, Gerard and I had decided not to burden you with some of the information we dug up about him, but in my opinion, the guilt is proving to be more destructive to you than a broken heart.”

But he saw no signs of a broken heart. What he saw was a brief whisper of, what—simple sadness?

“There’s no danger of that,” she said, confirming his suspicion. Intriguing.

More people walked past them. The drop-off and the store were getting busier.

“Want to go upstairs?” Sean asked. “Maybe we should discuss this further.”

“Megan needs help.”

“She has a very efficient nurse, two more techs just walked in to help Mamie, and you brought her the supplies she needs. I’m not saying there is any more danger from Tanner’s killer, but if there is we should see if we can get to the bottom of it.” Or at least divert her attention from the break-in and dial down the stress a few notches.

Tess hesitated, then sighed and nodded. “Don’t you dare tell Gerard I’m doing this.”

“Doing what? Struggling because you see people suffering?”

“Don’t tell him I’m being paranoid. Again.”

At least she was admitting it. Sean pulled two keys from his pocket, gave Tess one and used the other to unlock the door to the administration offices. “Changed the locks myself at first light this morning.”

She took hers from him, took his hand, looked up at him. “Thank you, Sean. How can you be so many places at once?” Her voice was suddenly soft, tremulous. Some light had returned to her eyes.

“Believe me, I wish I could be.”

“You’re always there when I need you. You always have been.”

His skin felt the warmth of her skin, and he couldn’t resist losing himself, for just a moment, in that vulnerable, dark gaze. “Ever think that’s a touch from God?” he asked.

She smiled, then nodded. “I think that’s exactly what it is.”

It seemed an appropriate time to reassure her. He pressed a light kiss on the top of her head. “Don’t want to miss my calling.”

Her smile widened. She pulled out her key ring. As they went up the steps, she switched the new key for the old one on her ring, and Sean watched her steps for her. He was being overprotective, and he knew it. She’d pick up on it soon if she hadn’t already, but doggone it if she hadn’t settled over his heart like moist, rich chocolate frosting on a dried-up cake.

He unlocked his door and drew her inside. His office was the largest in Admin, with extra chairs. This was where they held their meetings, and this was where he or Gerard interviewed potential employees. Gerard also insisted on background checks on those volunteers who might be working with the homeless for a long period of time. He was protective of his people, and he’d grown especially so since Tanner’s death. Sean suspected that Gerard also worried that there might be another attempt to hurt Tess.

“Have you heard anything about the straw and manure we found last night?” Tess asked.

“Yep. At first glance they decided it was straw, manure and mud. Sorry. Hard to be any more specific yet, but it’s most likely from a nearby barn lot. They’re running more tests at my request.”

“Did Megan send out any blood and stool samples yet?”

“She did. Mamie had Joni take some of them to the lab to get started,” Sean told her. “They’ll check for Norwalk virus and rotavirus since there are sick children—and salmonella, Shigella, and E-coli, as well as the usual intestinal parasites. Those are all the scientific words I can remember.”

“What about the food?”

“Volunteers are scouring through the stores of food we have right now.” As he talked, he was aware of the warmth of her beside him, the smell of her hair, and his hands still felt the touch of hers.

“They won’t find anything off in our kitchen. No one will,” Tess said.

“All seems fresh so far. Dates are good, freezers have worked perfectly, and if anything, the cooks overcook the food. The stomach pains seem to have hit the Hispanics harder for some reason.”

“You think this might be a racial thing?”

“Megan doesn’t see a reason for racial profiling. There just happened to be more Hispanic people in the line yesterday and Monday because Angel and Sandra did a great job of bringing in their church members to help, and word spread in their community.”

“I called Gerard on my way here and left a message,” Tess said. “None of this makes sense, though. If it isn’t a virus, and we’re sure it isn’t our food, then what?”

Sean allowed the silence to return as he watched Tess nibble at her lower lip. She was really obsessing over this. “Tess, we can’t go around second-guessing every action we take simply because we might accidentally make it convenient for some psychopath to commit murder.”

She sighed, resting her chin in her cupped hands.

“Just don’t jump to any conclusions yet, okay?” Sean bumped shoulders with her. “Hey. Okay?”

She leaned back, as if to leave some space between them. “A psychopath did kill Tanner, but that psychopath also sent the threatening notes to me, not to him.”

“You showed them to the police, to us, to Tanner. You’re off the hook completely.”

Tess held Sean’s gaze, looked down at her hands. “Remember last Christmas? When Mom and Dad took that cruise on the Mediterranean, and the rest of us came to Gerard’s for Christmas dinner?”

Sean hesitated. That was a sudden and uncomfortable change of subject. “Not willingly.”

“I’m sorry. I promise I don’t mean to bring up bad memories, I’m just trying to make a point.”

Sean took a deep breath and braced himself. He had brought a date—a sales rep from Houston—simply because he had known Tess would be there with Tanner, and he was a little too sensitive about that. His date turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life. If only he’d never met Kari Ann. He’d allowed things to go way too far. They’d used no protection. He didn’t find out she was pregnant until she’d already decided to abort.