Mariana reached for her hand. “What’s wrong?”
The girl swallowed. She had to be only around eighteen. “That was Johnny. Today was the last day we have our rental house, and he’s moving everything. He said if I don’t come get the rest of my things, he’ll take them to the dump. I wouldn’t care, but my grandma left me her Belleek china from Ireland.”
Tabi grabbed her keys off the sofa table. “Let’s go get your stuff. It’s okay. Johnny’s afraid of me after I beat him up last year and ended up in anger management classes.” She laughed. “The idiot attacked me along with a couple of his buddies. He won’t dare do it again.” Then she frowned. “Unfortunately. To be honest, I’d really like to kick him again.”
Louise faltered and then nodded. “Yes. Okay. I’m tired of being afraid of him. Let’s go.”
Mariana stood.
Tabi waved her back down. “Not you, sister. You’re supposed to stay here and under the radar until Raine gets back. I promised in exchange for the lattes. You take it easy and watch some television or something.”
Mariana sighed. “Where’s Evan?”
“He had a campaign breakfast,” Tabi said. “He should be home in an hour or so. Louise and I will be back probably before he returns. I’ll lock the door. Bye, Mariana.”
Maybe all immortals were bossy. Mariana watched the women go and then looked around. Well, she could watch some television. Two dogs played out back, and she could go throw sticks for them. Or she could take a little nap on the sofa.
She was a bit tired. Maybe it was the whole increase in chromosomal pairs or something.
A knock sounded on the door before she could make up her mind. “What did you forget?” She laughed and opened the door to see Sheriff Baker on the porch. “Sheriff.” Was he looking for his daughter-in-law? Well, his soon to be ex-daughter-in-law.
“Hi. There was a problem at the station, and Maxwell sent me to get you.” The sheriff’s buzz cut was sharper than ever and his uniform was creased mercilessly. “You can bring your coffee.”
Mariana frowned. “What kind of problem?”
The sheriff rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “He got into an altercation with two deputies, and the only thing that would calm the guy down was my promising to come get you.”
Her instincts flared wide awake but she kept calm. “Oh.” She nodded. “All right.” There was no way on God’s green earth that Raine would ever want the sheriff to fetch her. “Let me grab my purse.” She moved to slam and lock the door, but he put one foot in the way. She kicked his foot and tried again, but he shoved the door open, and she flew back into the sofa table. The edge caught her ribcage, and pain shot through her. She winced.
He pointed his gun at her. “That was so unnecessary. Get into the car before I cuff you. Now.”
“No.” She turned to run, and he caught her by the arm, pressing it up beneath her shoulder blade with enough pressure to draw tears to her eyes.
“Move.” He pushed her onto the porch and slammed the door, forcing her to his police car, where he put her in the backseat and shut the door.
She stretched her arm out, wincing as the tendons protested. “What the hell are you doing?”
He moved into the driver’s seat and started the car, driving away from the house. “I just wanted to talk to you. Is that so bad? Why do you have to make everything so damn difficult?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, not meaning it. How could she get out of this? Had he arrested her? If so, for what?
“You’re in danger, and I want to help you. It’s my job, and I’m tired of everyone fighting me on it.”
She winced. The guy sucked at his job, and he was right that nobody cooperated.
He stared at her through the rearview mirror. “When you received those three dozen white roses, I knew I could help you. That I could protect you. Why won’t you let me?”
She opened her mouth to appease him and then paused. “Three dozen? I didn’t tell you there were three dozen. I just told you that I’d received white roses.” Most people would assume it was a dozen, right? Her brain reeled. Wait a minute.
He parked beneath a tree in a vacant parking lot next to an abandoned fast food joint. “I really wish you wouldn’t have figured that out.”
Her chin dropped. “You sent me the roses?” How was that possible?
“I care for you. A lot. I know I’m married, but you’re special. You and I could have something really great together, if you’d just give me a chance.” He partially turned to face her, and the divider between the seats was open.
She tried to filter facts into place. “Did you send me flowers in Dallas?”
“No,” he burst out. “Of course not. However, when I first saw you, I did a background check and discovered your case in Dallas. So I sent you flowers here—”
