“Where did you go these past few days?” Linx hazarded a glance at Grady’s solemnface.
His lips turned down. “I went to Redstone to look for Salem’s body. I can’t get over the feeling she deliberately turned her chute into thefire.”
“She committed suicide?” Linx gasped andcoughed.
“No. I took a closer look at the terrain, visualized the way it looked with the smoke and burning trees, and the drop area where we landed. Thing is, I might have gotten the directions reversed. The plane turned around several times during thejump.”
“Are you saying she’salive?”
“They never found herbody.”
“The area was burned to the ground, wasn’tit?”
“The place I thought she landed,” Grady said. He pursed his lips and shook his head. “Met Chief Montgomery on thetrail.”
“How’s he doing? Fire season must be busy,” Linxsaid.
“It’s a crazy season. They’ve had a rash of suspicious fires. Chief Montgomery’s house, Jake, Duane, Tim’s trailer all went up in flames three to six weeksback.”
“That’s a heck of acoincidence.”
Grady tugged his collar and nodded. “Especially since they all slept withSalem.”
“Wow.” Linx dropped her fork and reached for Grady across the woodpile. “That explains your parents’ cabin being set on fire. Is Paul indanger?”
“Paul bought the saloon about three weeks back. The fires stopped up there and started here, or at least one fire did.Coincidence?”
“You mean he might have set thefires?”
Grady shrugged and chewed on his steak. “What would be hismotive?”
“Revenge, especially if he blames you guys for Salem’s death.” A chill wiggled its way down Linx’s spine, and she glanced at Grady’s trailer. “Is it safe for you to spend the nighthere?”
“Now that you brought me a dog, yes. Plus, I’m packing apistol.”
“No, you’re staying with me.” Linx rubbed his arm. “You can still come up here and work on the cabin, but I don’t want youattacked.”
Grady rolled his eyes and twisted a corner of his mouth, looking halfway amused. “A man stands his ground. He doesn’t run and hide, especially behind awoman.”
“We have to report this to the police,” Linx argued. “I’ll askTodd.”
“To do what? Run a patrol every so often? Heck, your brother would rather I leavetown.”
“Not if he knew that Salem intercepted all of our messages. My family thinks you dumped me and denied the baby.” Linx moved her hand down Grady’s arm and held his hand. “Come to dinner with my family tomorrow night and I’llexplain.”
“It won’t change what you did.” He gave her hand asqueeze.
“I know, but it’ll change the way they think about you. It’s important tome.”
Since they were both standing in front of the woodpile, he leaned toward her. “Why do youcare?”
Linx felt the earth tilt on its axis, and her heart beat on overdrive. Why did she care? Was this crazy off-balanced feeling something more than sexualdesire?
After all, if she only wanted to get laid, why would it matter if her family hatedhim?
“You’re Jessie’s father. I don’t want them to think he’s ajerk.”
“You didn’t mind that before.” His voice deepened and he closed in, his expressionsoftening.
