There are plenty of good obedience schools in the area, Im sure.
But Brooke, honey, I thought you could use the work. Lils caring was hard to turn down.
Oh. She felt foolish. Lil had been trying to help with her precarious financial position.
Look, theres Colbie. Pleased, Lil clasped her hands together. Did you find a parking spot close in, dear?
Would I be out of breath if I had? Colbie laughed raggedly as she broke away from security. She seemed to bring the sunshine with her. Liam, thanks for piloting Lil, but Ill take over.
I dont know. You know Im sweet on Lil. I might have to keep her.
Too bad. Youll have to fight me for her. With a wink, Colbie wrapped her hands around the grips and gave the wheelchair a practiced shove toward courtroom five. Are you ready, copilot?
Im ready, captain. Lils amusement lingered after she and Colbie headed down the busy corridor.
Leaving her and Liam alone.
Maybe she hadnt been completely wrong about Lils motives. She squinted at the man beside her. Tall, thick dark hair, granite face, rugged features, handsome enough to give most women in a five-mile radius butterflies.
Not her, but most women.
Looks like they dont need a navigator. What was she going to do about Liam? And what exactly were the chances of running into him two days in a row? What you are doing at the courthouse? Wait, dont tell me. Youre here for a trial.
You mean a trial of my own?
Sure. You dont strike me as a thief, but Ive learned you cant judge a book by its cover. She tried to keep her tone light, easygoing, just making conversation as she walked down the corridor. But the truth? She felt the pain of her past and the walls closing in. The courthouse brought back too many memories. You never know whats inside.
Funny. With me, what you see is what you get. He winked at her, shortening his gait to match hers. Well, most of the time. I dont have secrets.
Everyone has secrets. Secrets. Her secrets whispered until the past was all she could see. Youre being evasive.
Me? Im not the evasive sort. That grin of his could make a girls neurons fail completely.
Fortunately not hers. She was immune to a mans charm, thanks to her last boyfriend, Darren. Then why are you at the courthouse early on a Monday morning?
Im not a thief and, no, Im not a lawyer. Although if Id chosen differently, I might have been one. Both of my parents are, theyre off in L.A., and thats what they expected me to be. A summer volunteering in Ecuador changed that.
You volunteered? She raised one eyebrow. This man with his magazine-cover polish, perfect black suit and patterned tie? With a briefcase clutched in one hand? Wait, dont tell me. Probation?
Funny. His chuckle was as warm as she might have expected. I volunteered as part of my churchs youth group. We stayed in a village that had no electricity or running water. We worked to put in a water system and irrigation for crops. I liked it so much I volunteered every summer until I was out of college. Because I had to work for a living, I decided to stick closer to home with my volunteer efforts.
Im not impressed. Fine, maybe a little. But she didnt have to admit that out loud.
Didnt expect you to be. Dimples played at the corners of his smile. Let me guess. Youve done a lot of volunteering, too. Animal shelters?
Yes. Good guess. She hesitated, not knowing how to explain. She felt akin to those animals forgotten in cages. Shed lost so much of her life after Darrens betrayal and her trial, and shed lost herself, too. Helping in the city shelter gave her the chance to make a difference and to work with animals, something shed always wanted to do with her life. I put in a lot of time at the shelter close to where I lived. I was there so often, I knew every animal by name.
Busy? That on top of a job has to keep you hoppin.
His voice dipped low, interested.
At times. Uncomfortable, she shrugged. She didnt try to explain. A man like him, so polished and confident, would never understand. What did he see when he looked at her? She gave her thrif-store sweater a tug. I like to keep busy.
Busy is good, he agreed.
She risked another sideways glance at him. Strong profile, thick dark hair, a straight nose, square-cut chin, a man who radiated a quiet integrity that anyone would believe in. But did she?
Volunteering keeps me out of trouble.
Oh, sure. Me, too.
You volunteer still?
Guilty. I cant help myself.
They shared a smile. She could read in his eyes the truth, the same truth she couldnt say aloud. There was true need in this world. Shed never been able to turn her back on it. Neither could he.
See? His smile deepened, making his dimples irresistible. Were more alike than you first thought. We stand on common ground.
Maybe a tile or two, she quipped, feeling uneasy again because the lights in his blue irises shone genuinely, with no falseness.
Everyone hid things, she reminded herself before she could start to believe him. Everyone had places within them they kept secret. Buried disappointments, shortcomings, failures. She swallowed hard, looking at the yawning doors, fighting the trace of panic setting in.
She hadnt been in a courthouse since her trial. This was a different place, but the sounds were the same. The buzz of conversation echoing in the corridor, the tap of her shoes on the cold white tile, the cavernous seriousness that wrapped around her like a tomb. Trying not to remember, she played with the hem of one sweater sleeve, seeing in her mind the judges bench, the witness box and the empty chairs for the jury. She blinked hard until the memory faded.
Brooke McKaslin? Is that you? An aggressive woman tore through the crowd. A brown, curly cap of hair, assessing eyes and a cats grin locked on her. Tasha Brown with Action News. Tell me, how does it feel to step foot in this courtroom?
A reporter. Shock rocked her back on her heels. She hadnt prepared for this. She despised reporters, always digging up dirt and thriving on it. Why did someone have to unearth it now? It happened so long ago. The shame of the past struck her hard. She gasped, fisted her hands, lost sight of the doorway. Her vision blurred.
No comment. The words squeaked out of her, full of pain. But did the reporter stop?
No. The woman jabbed her handheld recorder closer. Your family isnt any stranger to courthouses. First your father
Excuse me, she interrupted, unable to see a way out. People surrounded her in every direction, closing in to get to the courtroom. Panic raced through her veins. She couldnt breathe. There just wasnt any air. And how could she escape? She was trapped by people everywhere.
A steady hand clasped around her elbow. Liam. Strong but gentle. The comfort of his touch reminded her she wasnt alone.
Over the whir of panic she heard the resonate rumble of his voice, keeping the reporters at bay. He tugged her close to the wall and blocked her with his body.
Thank you. She drew in a ragged breath, feeling a little foolish. She definitely felt wrung out.
No problem, he answered kindly. I
No problem, he answered kindly. I
There you are! Colbie burst into sight like a fish swimming against the current, weaving around people filing into the chamber. Her violet eyes shone with caring. Court is about to start. Cmon.
Brooke felt her sisters unspoken sympathy wrap around her like a hug. Colbie understood. Colbie who had so faithfully written letters all those years when Brooke had been away, cut off from life, behind barred doors and windowless walls.
Lord, help me to do this. She gathered all the strength she had. She could walk into that courtroom, sit beside her sisters and ignore the reporters. She was strong and tough. Not once would she remember being perched in her chair beside a defense attorney with her world in tatters. Colbies hand slipped around hers as Liam let go.
She turned to him at a loss, unsure what to say. Hed witnessed her panic attack, the remnants of which were still quaking through her. But did he ask questions? No. Kindness softened his deep eyes and made him amazing.
Just amazing.
With Colbies hand in hers, she set her chin, squared her shoulders and walked into the courtroom as if the past had no claim on her.
* * *
At times his fellow colleagues miffed him, and it burned through the morning session. Liam sat in the back where he could watch the entire courtroom, not that there was much going on other than opening arguments and preliminaries. He was on assignment, so he was interested in the case but he had a hard time concentrating. He could still hear Brookes gasp of pain at Tasha Browns question. Interrogating family members outside the courtroom. He clenched his jaw, hands fisting.
Fine, so he felt protective of Brooke. He would respond the same way toward anyone in a similar situation. And if a little voice in the back of his head wanted to argue, he simply ignored it.
She hadnt glanced his way once all morning. He had a perfect view of her, seated with her family down front. They nestled together in an unbreakable circle around Brianna. Brookes sleek dark hair glinted in the lights, and he remembered the feel of her arm, fine-boned and soft beneath his hand. Asking her for a quote hadnt even occurred to him. Why had Tasha done it?
The Backdoor Burglars had been big news a while back, before hed moved back home. Thieves had preyed on restaurants when employees were cleaning up for the night. The robberies escalated until several people were killed and more were injured. Hed been out of the country, but his grandfather Ed Knightly had covered the series of crimes. A real tragedy.
He recognized Juanitas family, a young woman killed in the robbery, her mother teary-eyed and trying to stay strong.
Hey, Liam. Roger, a fellow journalist, interrupted his thoughts. Want to grab lunch?
He blinked, realizing the session had adjourned for noon recess. He hadnt even noticed it. Some reporter he was. He tucked his notes and laptop into his briefcase. Sorry, cant. Ive got to buzz home and check on my dog.
You have a dog? Rogers eyebrows arched in surprise. You?
Hey, whats wrong with me? He eased off the bench. Im a good dog owner.
Yeah, but you are gone a lot. Wont that be a problem?
Why would it? Oscar used to spend his time locked in a cage, and now he has a whole house. Wheres the problem in that?
He got ahead of the crowd streaming toward the doors, catching one quick glimpse of Brooke. She bent to speak to Lil, dark hair cascading over her shoulder, strain tightening the muscles along her delicate jaw line. The trial was obviously taking a toll on her. It was a lot for a family to go through.
Hey, maybe theres no problem. What do I know? Roger kept pace with him as they broke out into the wide corridor. Noise and people streamed around them. My mom had a dachshund, and that little wiener dog ate the entire house whenever she left him alone. Thats all Im saying.
The only danger would be if Oscar ever learned how to open the fridge or the pantry doors. He thought of the ham incident and grinned. That dog was sure livening things up. See you in an hour.
Right. Good luck!
I dont believe in luck. God had led him to Oscar, God had put the wish for a dog into his heart and God would not abandon him now. Liam headed down the hall, glancing over his shoulder to steal another glimpse of Brooke. The crowd was too bighe couldnt see her. He stumbled out the door and into the bright May sunshine, fighting the feeling hed left something important behind.
His cell sang a cheerful note as he started his trucks engine. One glance at the screen had him grinning. It was a text message from Colbie.
Mom told me about your need for a dog trainer. Brooke is great with dogs, shed written. Call her, text her, just dont hire anyone else. Promise?
I dont need a trainer, he tapped out with his thumbs. His dog was unruly but overall just fine. And on the off chance Colbie was playing matchmaker, he didnt need that, either. He knew how to hold his ground.
Famous last words, Colbie wrote. Im sending Brookes cell # anyway.
The drive home was quick and uneventful. He lived in an older section of Bozeman where the neighborhoods were tree-lined and straight out of the 1940s with white picket fences, carefully manicured yards and Craftsman-style homes. He parked in front of the detached garage, hopped up the back steps and turned his key in the lock. The ringing bark of welcome put a spring in his step as he swung open the kitchen door.
A golden streak launched toward him, emitting a high-pitched whine of relief. Eighty pounds of Lab hit him in the chest, rocking him back on his feet. Paws settled on his shoulders, his knees gave way and he stumbled as the dog plastered canine kisses across his face.
Im glad to see you, too, buddy. Now, down. Laughing, he grabbed two paws and lifted them off his suit jacket, wiped his face with his sleeve and pushed through the door.
Thats when he saw the kitchen. Disaster. Air squeaked out of his lungs in shock. He blinked, but the scene remained. Trash littered the tile, the garbage can overturned and empty. One ladder-back chair remained in place at the small nook table, but the other three sprawled on their backs in various places around the room. One was missing a leg.
You ate part of a chair? He jammed one hand through his hair, too stunned to do anything more than stare. Cushions had been torn off the chairs and were almost intact with white flashes of stuffing showing. One cupboard door hung askew.
I cant believe this. He shook his head, stunned by the devastation. A mini tornado could not have left as much damage. Oscar, how could you?
The Lab whined and sat on his haunches. Doggy brows furrowed sorrowfully. Big chocolate-brown eyes beamed a message that seemed to say, Forgive me. I was bad.
Oh, Oscar. Liam rubbed the pounding tension settling in behind his left temple. How could he be mad at that face? He could only hope the rest of the house hadnt suffered the same fate.
Chapter Three
How are you holding up? Her big brother Luke leaned in to ask, his voice so low it was difficult to hear him in the bustling sandwich shop.
Fine. All morning shed endured sympathetic looks and comforting hugs and encouraging smiles from her family, but no one had said the words aloud. Pain clamped around her ribs. Her hands shook as she dug in her purse for a couple of twenties to help pay for the family meal.