Dana R. Lynn - Plain Target

“I think it started because I was asking too many questions.”

He wasn’t going to like this. “Asking questions about what?”

Those soft lips started to tremble. She squished them together. “I know that people think my brother was guilty of something, what with him dying the way he did and all. But I can’t believe that of him. He was the most gentle, sincere person I have ever known. I have been trying to find evidence to take to the police to clear his name.”

He knew something dicey had happened, although he was foggy on all the details.

“What is it that they think he’d done, exactly?”

For a long moment, she stood, jaw clenched. Clearly it wasn’t a topic she enjoyed discussing, and he felt a twinge of guilt for even bringing it up. But he needed to know what they were dealing with if he was going to help her.

“My brother had started a rescue foundation for abused racehorses. Several months ago, one of his volunteers noticed that money was being stolen. The police suspected Cody. The fact that he spent so much time at the race track was suspicious. I guess there was suspicion that he was using funds to support a gambling habit. They questioned him, and there was an investigation. It was never closed. Cody was never even officially charged—they didn’t have enough evidence against him. But when he took his own life, everyone seemed to take that as an admission of guilt. People who had contributed to the foundation felt hurt, betrayed. I can understand that,” she admitted, “but that doesn’t mean I’m all right with people continuing to say such horrible things about him when no one has been able to provide a scrap of evidence proving that he did anything wrong.”

“So you spoke up in his defense,” Seth concluded, “both when he was first questioned, and then later after his death. And that’s turned people against you?”

She nodded.

“Including the police?” he asked.

“Especially the police. Not only was I unable to convince them he was innocent, they made it clear that I was also on their radar, since I worked for the foundation in a minor role. They wouldn’t listen to me.”

Frustrated, he shoved a hand through his hair. “You have to let the police know about the other accidents, Jess. This is no joke.”

She started to shake head. “Don’t you understand? There is no way they will believe me! And the stables are already losing clients. If these things keep happening, then I will have to sell the horses and the stable.” Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Seth, owning a training stable has been my dream for as long as I can remember. I have already lost my brother. I can’t lose this, too.”

A constriction formed in his throat. It was necessary to swallow several times to ease the tightness. A sudden thought popped into his head.

“Wait a minute! Jess, my brother-in-law is a lieutenant in the LaMar Pond Police Department. You can talk to him.” Why hadn’t he thought of that earlier? Dan was pretty easygoing. And he was head-over-heels ridiculously in love with Seth’s half sister Maggie, which meant he’d do just about anything Seth asked—including hearing Jess out, and giving her the benefit of the doubt.

“I didn’t know you had siblings.” There was that suspicious look on her face again. He was going to have to work hard to earn her trust.

“It’s a long story. But Maggie is my half sister. I met her almost a year ago for the first time, but we’ve gotten close. And her husband, Dan, is a good guy.”

A humorless laugh left her mouth. “I can’t believe I’m considering listening to you. Seth, we knew each other in high school, but that was eleven years ago. And you betrayed my trust back then. Why should I give it to you now?”

Why, indeed.

TWO

Seth’s teeth snapped together with a loud click. He knew his jaw would ache later. Turning away from Jess, he began to pace as he battled to keep the anger and fear simmering beneath the surface from exploding out of him. The temper he had learned to keep under wraps for so long threatened to overwhelm him. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to lose it now.

When he had himself under control, he faced Jess again. She eyed him warily.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Unbelievable. He rolled his eyes.

“Am I okay? I’m not the one whose stable was set on fire and I haven’t been the victim of any strange accidents. I’m amazed you’re not a basket case right now.”

Jess shrugged. Her attempt at nonchalance didn’t fool him. She was scared. He had to admire her determination to tough it out on her own.

But enough was enough.

“Jess.” He took a step closer. Close enough to smell her perfume. Her eyes widened. He needed to make sure he was completely understood. “Come with me to my sister’s house. My brother-in-law is off today so we should be able to talk with him in private.”

He braced himself to argue with her. Turned out, he didn’t need to. She met his eyes, and slowly nodded her head. Reluctant surrender was written all over her face.

“Will you stay? Just in case I need an interpreter?”

Why did he think she actually wanted him there for moral support? She didn’t say it, but the plea was in her shadow-filled eyes.

“I won’t leave your side,” he promised.

Some of the tension drained from her shoulders, and the corners of her lips tilted in a slight smile. The urge to comfort her with a hug crept up, but he resisted. The last thing she would want would be to be touched by him. He was well aware of the fact that he had a long way to go to make up for the jerk he’d been eleven years ago.

Leading her out to his truck, he held the door while she pulled herself up into the cab. Good thing he hadn’t parked next to a puddle. As he shut the door behind her and jogged around to his side, he ignored the anticipation dancing through him at the thought of spending more time in her presence. It wasn’t as if they were going on a picnic. It started to rain again once they were underway. The overcast sky and the loud patter of raindrops on the roofs made the space inside the cab seem close. The fragrance of her light perfume added to the impression. Perfume? Since when did he pay attention to perfume unless it was too strong? Weird. Just weird.

He glanced into the rearview window, frowning at a car riding right on his tail. “Back up, buddy,” he muttered. Seth slowed the car, then made a right turn. The dark green sedan continued to keep pace with him. The tinted glass made it difficult to see who was driving the vehicle. Someone was in a hurry.

“What?”

He shot a reassuring grin at Jess. “Sorry. Talking to myself. We have a tailgater.”

Jess looked back over her shoulder, and froze. Seth stopped grinning as he saw the look of fear on her face. Her hands were fisted on her lap, the knuckles white.

“Jess? Jessica! What’s wrong?”

“I have seen that car almost everywhere I have gone in the past couple of weeks. I can never tell who’s driving it.”

The thought of someone shadowing her, stalking her, set his teeth on edge. “Are you sure it’s the same car?” He used one hand to sign the question so there would be no mistake.

Jess shook her head. “Sure? No, I have never gotten close enough to see a license plate. And there are hundreds of cars that look like that one. Except for the dark windows.”

Without considering his actions, Seth spun the wheel and started to pull off onto the berm. The green car slowed down. Then it suddenly shot forward. Its tires hit a large puddle, and water splashed Seth’s windshield. His left hand shot out to activate the wipers, hoping to clear his view in time to get a glimpse of the license plate, but it was too late. The car whipped around the corner. And another car was coming far too fast for Seth to get back on the road and follow him.