Shirlee McCoy - Running for Cover

A handsome, charming liar.

Just like Cody.

So why was she almost sorry to see him go when he climbed into his sporty black car and drove away?

“Because you’re an idiot. That’s why,” she muttered as she slid into Jake’s police cruiser.

“You say something?” he asked.

“Nothing important.”

He nodded and closed the door, leaving Morgan in silence as he rounded the car and got in. She wanted to break the quietness as they drove toward her house, but could think of nothing to say. There were too many thoughts and too many memories, none worth the effort it would take to put them into words.

She’d fallen in love with Cody. She’d married him. He’d broken her heart. Now he was dead.

What could she add to that?

“You sure you’re okay?” Jake asked as he pulled into Clay Treasures’ parking lot.

“I will be.”

“I’m not so sure you should be heading off to Washington, but I’m not going to tell you not to go. What I am going to tell you is to be careful. Your ex-husband is dead. I’d hate for you to be next.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“Seems your ex might have been more than just a murderer.”

“What do you mean?”

“Two men came here tonight looking for something Cody said he gave you. Cody was killed three days ago. It could be someone has decided to go to a lot of trouble to make sure Cody never reveals what was on that disk.”

“You think he was murdered to keep him quiet?”

“I don’t know, but I plan to find out.” Jake got out of the car and opened the door for Morgan, waiting as she climbed out. “The apartment should be clean. I told the crew to take care of that first. It may be a while longer before they finish in the gallery.”

“That’s fine.”

“You go on up to your apartment. I’ll wait here until the cleaning crew is done, and then lock up. There’ll be a marked patrol car parked outside tonight, so don’t worry that you won’t be safe.”

“Thank you, Sheriff Reed. I really appreciate it.”

“No need to thank me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He held the gallery door open, and Morgan walked in, frowning as she saw the carnage. Clay vases and pots had been smashed. A slick, wet spot stained the tile floor. All Morgan’s hard work, all the time she’d spent creating a gallery that matched her dreams, and this is what it had come to.

“You’ll get it back the way it was,” the sheriff said quietly, and Morgan nodded.

Maybe she would. Or maybe she’d take the destruction of her gallery as a sign that it was time to move on.

A sign?

She didn’t believe in signs. She believed in well thought out plans and carefully considered options. At least, that was what she used to believe in.

She sighed, waving to two women who were sweeping up shards of pottery, and hurried up the stairs to the apartment. The door was cracked open, and she gave it a gentle push, bracing herself for whatever she might see on the other side.

The coffee table had been righted. Someone had thrown pillows over ragged tears in the sofa, and Morgan could barely see the slashed fabric. The kitchen had been scrubbed clean, all the evidence of the brutal attack swept away. The ugliness of it still seemed to hang in the air, the choking fear and vicious pain of the time she’d spent trapped in her apartment seeping into Morgan’s pores as she checked the den and the bedroom.

Maybe she should have stayed at Lacey’s place for the night.

Morgan made another circuit of the house, checking the locks on the window and pulling the bolt on the door. Since she’d come to Lakeview, she’d been lax about keeping the apartment door locked. Mostly because she always locked the gallery below.

No more. If she returned to Clay Treasures after her trip to Washington, she’d never again sleep with the apartment door unlocked.

If?

When.

She would return to Lakeview and her pottery gallery. Cody had caused her enough pain and heartache. No way would she allow him to take away the dream she’d worked so hard to achieve. She frowned and walked into her bedroom. A large window looked out over the parking lot, and she hurried to close the curtains, blocking out the darkness beyond.

She should grab her laptop and boot it up, buy a plane ticket and pack her bags. She should do a lot of things, but all she wanted to do was lie in bed, close her eyes and forget that she’d almost been killed, forget that it had taken a stranger to save her life.

Forget that Cody was dead.

She blinked back hot tears and closed her eyes, wishing she could forget. As much as Cody had hurt and betrayed her, as much as she’d resented him, there’d been a time when she’d truly believed she would love him forever.

She sighed.

Cody was dead, but she was alive. There had to be a reason for that, and she wouldn’t waste the second chance she’d been given.

She glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was midnight in Lakeview, but only nine in Spokane, Washington. Morgan took a deep breath, lifted the phone and dialed her parents’ number.

Jackson loosened his tie as he stepped out of the sanctuary and joined the crowd lining up to offer Jude and Lacey congratulations. The wedding seemed to have gone off without a hitch, but it wasn’t the beautiful bride or peacock-proud groom that Jackson was anxious to speak with. Morgan was several guests ahead of him in line, her bruised jaw and swollen lip only partially camouflaged by makeup. Despite the obvious injuries, she walked with her head up and her shoulders back, her quick stride seeming to dare people to take a second look.

For his part, Jackson didn’t need a dare to want to look again. Glossy black hair, pale blue eyes, slender figure encased in a curve-hugging dress. Even without the bruises, she was an attention grabber. What man wouldn’t take a second look?

As he watched, Morgan offered Lacey a hug, said something to Jude and then hurried toward the exit. Jackson stepped out of line and followed. He and Jude had spoken at length before the wedding, and Jackson knew what his friend expected. Twenty-four-hour guard until the men who’d attacked Morgan were caught. Jackson didn’t have a problem with that, but he was pretty sure Morgan would.

The day had the crisp, cold feel of late fall, the clear blue sky and bright sunlight belying any danger that might lurk nearby. Jackson followed Morgan across the parking lot, wondering if she realized how vulnerable she was. Despite the nearly overflowing parking lot and the buzzing crowd of people exiting the church, Morgan made an easy target. Buildings, trees and even cars were perfect hiding places for a sniper, and she was doing nothing to escape notice, nothing to keep her out of the line of fire.

He picked up his pace, reaching Morgan’s side as she opened the door of a beat-up Chevy.

“Heading over to the reception?”

She jumped, whirling to face him. “Jackson, what are you doing here?”

“Same thing you are. Attending a friend’s wedding.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

“If you’re asking why I’m standing here talking to you, I’d think the answer was obvious. I’m following through on a promise to a friend.”

“You weren’t serious about that.”

“About making sure you stay safe until Jude and Lacey get back from France? Sure I am.”

For a moment she said nothing, then she shook her head, her eyes flashing with amusement. “I’ve got to admit, I’m surprised. I thought it was all just an elaborate scheme to put Lacey at ease.”

“I don’t lie and I rarely scheme. Especially not when it comes to people who trust me. Lacey and Jude are both concerned about you. If it helps them feel more at ease, helps them enjoy their wedding and honeymoon, I’ve got every intention of following through on my promise to keep you safe.”