Are you okay? He said the words as if he actually cared.
I think so. She took a breath, weighing what to say. I guess I owe you thanks for saving my life.
That didnt sound very gracious, but it was the best she could do right now. She didnt trust the man. How could she? Hed let her sister down. Hed brought danger to her home.
The chair scraped against the floor. He sat down across from her, planting his elbow on the table, making the pine surface instantly smaller. Obviously he wasnt just going to go away. That would be too simple.
Im sorry.
She looked up, startled, to meet his gaze. Sorry?
For your sisters death. For your trouble. He made a small, seemingly involuntary gesture with his hands, and his brown eyes darkened with what looked like genuine sorrow.
Her throat tightened. She wouldnt cry in front of him. She wouldnt. But it took all her strength to hold the tears back. Thank you. Her voice was husky.
He let the silence stretch between them for a moment. ThenYou knew Ruby was in Montana.
For a moment his persistence angered her. But what was the point in keeping it secret? She couldnt protect Ruby now.
I knew. She wasnt supposed to tell me, but she did.
How? Did she call you? Write to you? He leaned toward her, face intent.
She shook her head. She let me know near the end of the trial. The FBI agents brought her to the library where I was working to say goodbye.
Theyd have stayed with her the whole time. His tone showed he doubted her.
Ruby was an old hand at fooling people. She almost smiled at the thought. She fiddled with one of the reference books on my desk while we talked. I didnt think anything of it. Im sure the agents didnt, either. But afterward I found the slip of paper shed stuck in it. Montana, it said. Thats all.
She was in touch again.
She looked at him, startled. No. I told you. I never heard anything more from her.
Level brows lifted above stony brown eyes. You expect me to believe that you quit your job and moved across the country on the basis of that one word. Flat with doubt, his voice challenged her.
Anger flared. I dont know what to expect of you, Deputy Marshal McGraw, but that happens to be the truth.
He leaned back in the chair, putting a few more inches between them. Stared at her, his eyes dark and intense. Waited.
She waited, too. If he thought he was going to trick her into explaining an act she didnt quite understand herself, hed wait a long time.
Finally he lifted an eyebrow again. So. Thats it? You just moved out here on a whim. You figured fate would bring you back in touch with your sister if you were in the same state?
Pain twisted inside her. That was exactly what shed thought. But it hadnt.
If I thought that, then I was wrong, wasnt I? I didnt get to see her, and now shes dead.
You were supposed to protect her. She didnt say the words, but he was probably smart enough to know she was thinking them.
Lets go over it again, he said. Tell me exactly what happened when.
The back door opened before he could finish. One of the uniformed men met McGraws eyes, jerked his head toward the backyard.
McGraw rose. Ill be back in a few minutes.
She made no move, watching as he left the room. Then reaction set in, and her hands trembled. She clasped them, pressing her palms together.
She couldnt let the man get to her like this. She was not at fault in what had happened, and she wouldnt let him make her feel like a criminal.
Shoving her chair back, she got to her feet, grasping the table for a moment as if she were an old woman. Then she moved toward the living room door. Surely they were finished by now. Maybe she could straighten up in there.
She pushed the door open, stepped through and stopped. Stared. And caught her breath on a sob.
Get anything more from her? Arthur Phillips, Micahs immediate superior, blew out a breath on the frosty air, sending up a misty cloud.
Not much. Micah shoved his hands in his pockets. According to her, Ruby tipped her that she was being sent to Montana right under the noses of the agents who were guarding her. Says she moved out here but never heard from Ruby again.
You believe she actually came here just on the chance shed run into her sister?
Micah considered. Hed been skeptical, too, butWe might want to push some more on that, but it sounded genuine.
Could be, I guess. They were identical twins, so I suppose the bond runs pretty deep. Phillipss cold blue eyes surveyed him. Or she could be involved herself in the mess Ruby was in. That would account for the shooters coming after her.
Micah nodded slowly. It still doesnt make much sense. Why did they need to kill both twins? And I told you what I heard the shooter say.
What if this isnt the right one, either? Phillips repeated the words that had been echoing in Micahs head for the past hour or so. What did he mean? Why was Ruby not the right one? And if she wasnt
Like I said, it doesnt make sense.
Phillipss scowl said he didnt like things that didnt make sense. Whatever it means, the Summers woman needs both investigation and protection. You think you can talk her into moving somewhere safe?
I can try. She doesnt seem to trust us too much.
Try hard. Convince her were the good guys. I want to be sure shes safe and someplace where we can get our hands on her until we figure out whats going on.
Phillipss tone dismissed him. Nodding, Micah turned back to the house.
Hed said Jade didnt trust them, but as far as he could see, that mistrust was aimed straight at him personally. And he suspected Jade had a fierce stubborn streak behind her prim, soft exterior.
He pushed into the kitchen. She wasnt there, but a sound came from the living room beyond. He went through the room in a few quick strides.
Jade knelt over the remains of a curio shelf the shooters had knocked off the wall. Her shoulders shook and tears rained down her face.
Are you all right? As he neared, he saw that the shelf had contained a collection of crystal bells, shattered now beyond any hope of repair. Careful. Dont cut yourself.
I wont. She stood, keeping her face averted, probably not wanting him to see her cry.
Im sorry. Im afraid theyre a total loss. Were they a special memento? The bells must mean something, to bring her to tears.
No. Her voice turned cool as she swung to face him. Its nothing. Id just like to clean up in here, if you people are finished.
She made it sound as if theyd done the damage. Jade Summers must have steel in her backbone, to react as calmly as she had to the events of the morning.
She had been shaken but dry-eyed at the news of her sisters death. Now she wept over a few broken bells. He didnt have a clue to what went on inside her. His chief was letting him play a lone hand with the woman, and he had to do it right.
Cleaning up will have to wait. I have a few more questions.
Her lips tightened. Ive already told you everything I know. Whoever led those men to my sister, it wasnt me.
Then why did they come after you? He shot the question at her.
She raked her fingers through deep red curls, clenching her hands for an instant as if pulling on her shoulder-length mop would clear her brain. How would I know? Youre the professional. You tell me.
Maybe we should go to my office in Billings to have this discussion. It was a pretty safe bet that she didnt want to do that.
I cant do that. Her voice went up. I have to get to work.
The library will exist without you for as long as necessary. But if you answer my questions here, itll go faster.
I told you I dont know anything that would help you.
We dont know ourselves what will help at this point, he countered. Humor me.
She shot him a look of active dislike, but then she shrugged, giving in. What do you want to know? Ive already told you that I havent seen Ruby since that day at the library.
He wasnt sure he believed that, but he set it aside for the moment. Had you been seeing a lot of her before that? Even before her case came up, I mean.
No. She hesitated for a moment. Sometimes people did that when they were trying to fabricate a lie, but he thought she just didnt want to talk about it.
I hadnt seen much of Ruby in quite a while. Her voice was slow, reluctant. I dont know how much you know about our backgrounds
She stopped, maybe waiting for him to fill in the blanks.
I know enough. It was all there in the records, and hed been Rubys contact.
Her lips pressed together for an instant. Our father was out of the picture. Our mother was an alcoholic and an addict. Our childhood was a nightmare. All I ever wanted was to get outto make something of myself so I never had to live like that again. Rubywell, Ruby didnt agree.
So you parted company, did you? Truth to tell, he didnt see much of his half brother, either. Sometimes siblings just didnt have much to say to each other.
Not exactly. I mean, we didnt have a fight or anything. Her gaze slid away from his, as if there was more to it than that. Ruby found my life boring, I guess. And I found hers she searched for a word dangerous.
You knew she was involved with a guy who was Mob-connected?
No, no. She pushed that away with both hands. Is that what this is about? Did they kill her because she testified?
We dont know that yet.
But thats what you think. What you were trying to protect her from by moving her here.
That could be. So youre telling me you were living in the same city with your sister but you didnt know who she was seeing?
I wasnt living in the same city, not for most of that time. I went to work for the Baltimore County Library System after I got my degree. I only came back to Pittsburgh when that whole business about the trial came up. I thought Ruby might need me.
She was looking down at the shattered glass on the floor again, and her hands worked as if it caused her pain not to be able to clean it up.
Baltimore. That was something to look into, at least. If Jade had been that far away, it seemed unlikely that she could have been involved in anything having to do with the Mob in Pittsburgh.
Theyd check on it. Just like theyd check on hundreds of other details. And in the meantime, the shooters were out there on the loose, maybe waiting for another crack at killing Jade.
Is that all? She glanced up at him, looking like a kid longing to hear that an ordeal was over.
Unfortunately he couldnt believe that hers was. Not entirely. Wed like to move you to a safer location for a time. If youll pack what you need
No. Im not going anywhere. That soft jaw managed to look amazingly stubborn. This is my home.
Youre not safe here. Let us take care of you.
Anger flared in her eyes. The way you took care of my sister?
His fists clenched. Those men could come back. Do you want to face them on your own?
Her face whitened, but she didnt drop her gaze. They stared at each other, wary as strange cats, and he felt the force of her determination pushing against him.
Footsteps thudded on the front porch, and the county sheriff came in, knocking snow off his boots.
There you are, McGraw. Weve got some good news for you. Looks like youre not going to have to worry about those two gunmen anymore.
What do you mean?
And why was he talking in front of a witness? Overweight, overage and out of shape, the man was obviously too full of his news to be discreet.
I dont know where they were for the past couple hours, but a few minutes ago they tried to run a roadblock wed set up out on the highway.
Youve got them? Maybe now theyd get some answers.
Well, not exactly. The mans pudgy face expressed disappointment. Thing is, they tried to bust their way through the barrier, lost control of the vehicle, ended up wrapped around a utility pole. Ones dead, the others on his way to the hospital in critical condition.
And probably not able to talk, the way their luck was running. Youve got a guard on him?
Of course. The sheriff looked offended.
That means Im safe, Jade said, drawing his attention back to her. Theres no reason why I have to go.
All his instincts screamed at the thought of leaving her here alone, no matter what had happened to the shooters. Youd still be safer in a hotel in Billings.
Her jaw set. Im staying here.
Well, shoot, well look after Ms. Summers, Marshal. We think highly of her around here. The sheriff beamed. You federal boys dont need to think we cant take care of our own.
Hed argue, but he was on shaky ground. Jade could be right, and the threat to her could be over. The sheriff could be right, and he was capable of looking after her.
Could be. But he doubted it.
He looked at Jade and imagined her lying on a cold concrete floor with two bullet holes in her. His gut twisted.
He nodded. Ill be in touch, he said. It was all he could do.
THREE
The briefing seemed to be stagnating, and Micah shifted restlessly in his chair. Theyd gone over and over the little they knew about Rubys murder, and it seemed to him they were no further.
Phillips tapped a pen on the tabletop, the only sign of frustration he allowed himself. Mac, whats the scuttlebutt from Pittsburgh? Does the organized crime team there have anything?
Mac Sellers straightened at being appealed to. Years behind a desk had softened his belly and soured his disposition, but hed learned how to work the complicated threads that bound law enforcement agencies together, and that could be invaluable.
Nothing that moves us forward. No indication that the Pittsburgh Mob was interested in sending any messages by tracking her down. Why would they? The guy she put away was a low-level soldier, easily replaced.
What about him? Phillips snapped. He might be carrying a grudge.
Thats more promising. Mac seemed to like drawing out his moment of attention. Joey Buffano, his name was. Seems Joey got himself a fancy lawyer, got his sentence reduced on some technicality or other.