Died. She repeated the word. It was odd that no tears sprang to her eyes. Maybe because she couldnt picture Rubyvital, eager, annoying Rubyas anything so final as dead. She took a harsh breath. You mean, killed, dont you? Murdered.
That would be the way it ended. That was the only thing that would bring a U.S. Marshal to her door.
She was shot in her garage. He paused, as if editing what he was saying. Im sorry. She would have died instantly.
Was that supposed to comfort her? She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came. Instead her knees buckled.
She sensed him move. He guided her to the sofa, lowered her to a seat, steadying her with a hand on her elbow.
Easy. Just take it easy. Take a deep breath.
She wanted to snap at him that deep breathing wasnt going to help her, not when her twin would never breathe again.
Why, God? Why? The plea formed before she thought about it.
Why did she bother? Ruby had always said you couldnt rely on anyone elsecertainly not God. Once shed have argued the point, but in the past year shed begun to think Ruby had it right. If God cared, why was her twin dead?
She sucked in air. She had to say somethinghad to make him stop hovering over her.
Last night. She swallowed. They say identical twins can sense it if something traumatic happens to one of them. I didnt feel a thing. But weve been apart so long.
Have you?
She gaped at him, not sure shed heard correctly. Hed moved a step away, taken off his heavy jacket and tossed it on the back of the sofa. Now he sat, pulling the straight-backed chair up so that they were knee to knee.
II dont know what you mean. She stammered the words, mind racing. Ruby had broken some rule, probably, in letting Jade know she was being sent to Montana. A vague need to protect her sister moved through Jade. I havent seen Ruby since she went into Witness Protection. You must know that.
His gaze probed, as if he looked for a chink in her armor. Youve corresponded with her. E-mailed, maybe.
No. What was he getting at?
What are you doing in Montana then, Ms. Summers? This is hardly normal stomping grounds for an Easterner like you.
She had control now. She wouldnt let him rattle her. I cant think of any reason why that would be your business, Marshal McGraw.
It wouldnt, he said. Except that if Ruby broke the rules in order to bring you here, that might explain what happened to her.
For a second she stared into those stern brown eyes, feeling like a jackrabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming pickup. Then a cleansing wave of anger washed through her.
What are you saying? Are you accusing me of contributing to my sisters death?
He looked as if he might respond, but before he could speak, she swept on. How dare you? How dare you imply such a thing? Ruby testified in that Mob case because you people offered her a fresh start. You promised youd protect her. You said no harm would come to her. You cited all kinds of statistics to prove shed be safe. If anyones responsible for my sisters death, its you!
McGraw rose, and for a second she thought he was threatening her. But he raised his palm, signaling her to silence.
She heard what he must have picked up firstthe sound of a vehicle coming down the lane.
Are you expecting someone? The question was low and sharp.
No. She got up, shaking off the atmosphere of fear hed brought into her house with him. Its probably a neighbor. She took a step toward the door. Ill get
He caught her, pulling her against him, his hand going over her lips. Her first instinct was to struggle, but his grasp was protective, not menacing.
Stay here. He whispered the words against her ear, his breath moving her hair. Ill check.
Ridiculous, one part of her mind said. But some instinct kept her glued to the spot, watching as he moved silently to the window. Keeping to one side, he peered out cautiously.
Then his body stiffened, and his hand moved toward his gun.
Micah forced himself to remain motionless, assessing the odds. Two of them, both armed, with their weapons out in the open, obviously not fearing any interference in this isolated location. Even as he watched, one man signaled the other to go around the back of the small house, cutting off any retreat.
His hand was on his weapon. If he were alone
But he wasnt. The woman had to be their target. His first priority was to protect her, and he only had seconds to make a decision.
He reached her in three quick strides, yanking out his cell as he did.
A place to hide, he murmured the words as he punched in numbers. Think.
To his surprise, she didnt argue. She touched his hand, guiding him to the stairs. They went up swiftly even as he identified himself and gave terse instructions to the local police dispatcher.
She led the way into a bedroom, across it, to a closet.
That was the first place theyd look. He shook his head, but even as he did so, she pushed clothes back to reveal a small door. Hidden at the end of the closet, it probably led into a storage space. Not great, but the best they could do.
The sound of the door being kicked open downstairs decided it. He shoved Jade through the small door, pulled clothes back into place to hide the opening, and slid in after her, closing the door.
Their hiding place was a narrow, confined space under the eaves, redolent of mothballs, the ceiling so low he had to stoop. He hoped she wasnt claustrophobic. They were close enough that he could feel her breath on his skin.
She had to be afraid, but she was handling it well, at least so far.
Another thud, another door kicked open. The second thug was in the back now. Kitchen, probably. If hed seen the rest of the house, hed have a better idea.
He heard their noisy progress through the downstairs. A mutter of voices came, and then one rang out loudly.
I tell you they have to be here. His cars still there, isnt it? Check the cellar!
Heavy feet on wooden floorboards, followed by the crash and tinkle of breaking glass.
Jade moved on a swift intake of breath. He put his palm over her lips again, holding her immobile against him, shaking his head in warning, not that she could see it in the darkness.
They must be upstairs. The one who seemed to be in charge spoke. Lets go.
Footsteps on the stairs muffled whatever response the other man made. Then his voice rang out, probably as they reached the top of the stairs.
maybe this isnt the right one, either. What do we do then?
Jade stiffened, straining against him as the import of the words seeped in for her, as well as for him. The right one? What on earth did that mean?
Thought was cut off as the door to the bedroom crashed open. Micah shoved the woman behind him as best he could in the tiny space. He pointed his gun at the opening. He might not be able to take on both of them, but he could do some damage to the one who opened that door.
Im telling you, they musta got out the back before I got there. Theres no place to hide in here.
Check the closet anyway. Ill cover you.
Micah held his breath, steadying his gun hand, a silent, wordless prayer forming. This was itanother second, maybe two
The faint cry of a siren, growing louder, mounted to a wail. He managed a breath. That had to be the sweetest sound hed ever heard.
The gunmen reacted even faster than he did. Thuds marked their progress down the stairs, across the lower level, out the door. The car roared down the lane.
Jade moved, squirming around him as if to open the door. He caught her, holding her still until he heard the cop cars pull up below. Then he got out of the closet first, holstering his weapon, holding both hands in the air, his badge opened in one.
Up here, he shouted when he heard them enter the house, having no desire to start downstairs until he was sure he wouldnt be met by a trigger-happy inexperienced kid. Deputy U.S. Marshal Micah McGraw.
Two uniformed officers burst into the room, weapons focused on him. He stood perfectly still.
Whod you say you were? The older man barked the question, gesturing to the younger, a tow-headed kid who didnt look old enough to be a cop. The kid edged up on him carefully and took the ID from his hand.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Micah McGraw, he repeated patiently. Two armed men broke in. Their car
We saw it. The older man checked his identity card thoroughly, then nodded to him to put his hands down. Already put out an APB. He tossed the ID back. Sorry, Marshal.
No sweatId do the same in your place.
What about Ms. Summers? She here when this went down?
Shes here. He held the door open, and Jade crawled out of the closet.
You okay, Ms. Summers? The officer holstered his weapon.
Im fine. She stood, straightening her shoulders.
All right, then. He shot a glance at Micah, as if waiting for an explanation.
There wasnt one he could give, not now. Hed have to call in, get his people here
First, he had to make sure Jade Summers really was all right.
As if aware of his gaze on her, she raked her fingers through her shoulder-length red curls in an attempt to restore order. She dusted off her pant legs and looked up at him. Eyes green as glass in a pale, heart-shaped face seemed to measure him.
Is it over?
Was there an honest answer to that? He wasnt sure. Her likeness to Ruby shook him, and he tried to ignore the image of Rubys lifeless body.
For the moment, he said.
TWO
Why dont you just come home with me? Ellen Trask asked the question for the fourth or fifth time since shed sat down in the kitchen with Jade. Ill convince them its okay.
Jade didnt doubt that. Ellen might look like a elderly kewpie doll with her gray curls and cheeks as round and shiny as apples, but she didnt take anything from anyone.
Shed already gone one round with a patrolman whod tried to get her to leave. She had come out victorious. That seemed to have her geared up to take on anyone to protect the tenant she tended to mother.
Thanks, but Id better stay. She tried to manage a smile, but was sure it failed. Id rather be here, in case they want to talk to me again.
Ellen didnt argue. She just got up, her boot crunching on a bit of broken plate on the floor, and poured hot water from the steaming kettle into their tea mugs.
I still dont see why they wouldnt let me sweep this floor. Ellen hadnt liked it when the patrolman had taken the broom from her hand with a warning not to disturb a crime scene. Whats a bit of shattered china going to tell them, Id like to know?
She didnt know, either, so she just shook her head, wrapping her fingers around the mug. But even its warmth couldnt penetrate the cold place inside her. Ruby, the twin sister whod once felt like the other half of her, was dead. She didnt think shed really absorbed it yet.
It didnt help that her cozy home no longer felt like her own. The living room, the upstairs, even the front yard thronged with various people in uniform, doing goodness knew what. Strangers had taken over her house, beginning the moment Micah McGraw came to her door, bringing with him that aura of menace and danger. If hed never come near her
Well, that was a stupid thought. Theyd had to tell her that Ruby was dead. Theyd had to admit theyd failed to protect her.
And now theyd brought Rubys killers to her door. Another shiver went through her.
Ellen, probably seeing the involuntary movement, patted her hand. Its an awful thing, those men breaking in, just awful. I never heard of the like in the whole time Ive lived in this county. Things like that dont happen here.
That was what shed thought, too. Apparently theyd both been wrong.
What do you suppose they wanted? Ellen fixed an inquiring gaze on Jades face.
She didnt know what to say. Anything but the truth, she supposed. I dont know.
She had to struggle to get the words out. Probably someone like Micah lied easily in his job, constantly dealing with people who werent who they said they were. Falsehood didnt come so readily to her.
Ruby had lied all the time when they were younger. The unpleasant memory seemed disloyal, but it was true. Ruby had always said you might as well tell people what they wanted to hear. She hadnt seemed to realize that people had eventually come to distrust her.
Maybe because of that, Jade had tried always to tell the exact truth, no matter how much it hurt. But she couldnt tell Ellen, or anyone else, about Ruby.
Fortunately Ellen was off on a string of speculations of her own, coming up with one reason after another for the peculiar happenings. Jade could stop paying attention as long as she nodded once in a while. She could let her thoughts worry at the events of the past hour, trying to make sense of it all.
Lucky for you that marshal happened to come along when he did.
Yes, it was. Jerked back to attention, she tried to sound noncommittal. McGraw had saved her life. She couldnt deny that. On the other hand, he might have been the one to lead those men right to her.
The back door rattled. She jumped, tea sloshing onto the tabletop. Herb came in, with Micah McGraw looming behind him.
We better get along home, Ellen. Herb always looked somewhat like an elderly bloodhound, and at the moment, the lines of his face had deepened. The marshal here needs to talk to Jade.
Ellens feathers ruffled instantly. Not if Jade wants me to stay, marshal or no marshal.
Ellens friendship warmed her. But she couldnt tell Ellen the truth, and obviously neither she nor McGraw wanted to talk in front of her.
Thats kind of you, but Im fine. I cant thank you enough for coming. Her voice wobbled a little on the last word.
Ellen rose and swept her into a hug. You call us anytime, day or night. Better yet, come stay with us tonight. Or at least come over for supper.
IllIll let you know.
She must be more shattered than shed thought when such simple kindness brought her close to tears. She tried to stiffen her spine. Right now she needed time to collect herself, to mourn her sister, to restore order to her life. And to get rid of the authorities, in the form of the man who stood like a rock in her kitchen.
When the door closed behind Ellen and Herb, she slumped back into the chair. McGraw still stood, hands braced on the back of the chair opposite her, his gaze focused on her face.