“JB, I appreciate you rushing back to Crayton. Especially because of me, and don’t try to say it’s only because you’re the acting sheriff. I’m not that naïve.” Betsy pushed past Cain and started walking to the truck. “But dang it all. Now I have to worry about you, too.”
Cain clicked off the speaker phone. “Hey, JB?—”
“What was that all about?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure.” He absentmindedly pushed the remote start on his key fob. By the time she got to the truck, the heat should be warming the interior. He just hoped she wouldn’t drive away with his truck.
“How’s she doing?” JB asked, sincerely concerned.
“It’s been a hard twenty-four hours for her. What with the lookie-loo customer being killed in the car lot last night. Now all the destruction at the dealership and her house today, I think she’s about reached her limit.”
JB sighed. “Makes sense. She’s tough, but we all have our limits.”
Cain could relate. He knew his limits. One reason he was considering leaving the DEA was because he didn’t want to cross a line that took him to playing on the wrong side of the law. He’d seen that happen to agents. Usually ended bad for the agent or someone who had put their trust in the person. Wasn’t a pretty sight for either one.
The day he’d reached that line, he’d turned and walked away. Even took the leave of absence his boss had offered him. Now that he’d returned to Crayton, the idea of leaving the DEA entirely seemed to be inching closer and closer with every second.
“Have you had a chance to stop by Betsy’s house? Or the dealership?” Cain asked.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m calling.”
A few minutes later, Cain ended his call with JB. A second later an incoming text from his DEA boss caught his attention.
Hey, Cain—Just checking in to see if you’ve found what you’re looking for yet?
Had he? How would he even know when he found it? Could be staring him in the face. Could be nothing but a mirage. Was Betsy his future? The lake? Crayton? Or was he being played by her? Set up by the person orchestrating the destruction at the dealership and her house as a way of distracting him? He hoped like hell Betsy didn’t fall into that category.
Hey, boss, thanks for checking in. I’m still tied up in this consulting case with the Crayton police. Outcome iffy. May be blindside. Still looking for my place—Cain.
Starting up the hill, a gentle slope made the first three-quarters of the walk easy. It was the last section that turned into a steep incline. If anyone put a driveway in, there’d be that moment of trust as you pulled over the edge to drive down. Kind of like that one type of roller coasters that have their cars built long in front. Gives the illusion you’re going to fly straight off the rail if you keep going on the same trajectory.
Illusions happened in cases, also. He’d been an agent long enough to know things weren’t always what they seemed. So, he’d stay vigilant. Keep his eyes open. Hope he was just being paranoid. Trouble was—trust was easily shaded by emotion. Illusions by dreams.
With only a few more steps before he reached the parking pad, he saw Betsy get out of the passenger’s side door and walk in his direction. Avoiding eye contact would probably be in each other’s best interest.
“I’m sorry, Cain,” she said as she stepped in front of him, deliberately blocking his way. “I was way out of line.”
Reactively he raised his head to see if this was a joke of some kind. What he found was a genuinely serious look on her face. And she was close. Really, really close. In fact, they were actually face to face, since he was still a couple steps below where they’d be standing on even ground.
The effort it took to keep his mind, and other regions of his body focused attacked his senses. And his heart had jumped with nothing more than the sound of his name on her lips.
“That’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” he said.
She kept staring at him as she raised her hand to keep him from going around. “No, what I said wasn’t okay. And I own…I try to own my mistakes.” Lowering her hand, she lifted her chin and blinked. “I hope you’ll accept my apology.”
Was this what life with Betsy revolved around? One second, she was strong and ready to take on the world. The next, trying to make things perfect for other people. Suddenly a rapid flash back to her in high school, and he remembered she was always trying to help the weaker ones in class even then. Sometimes with their studies. Sometimes with being berated or embarrassed by others. On those occasions, she’d end up chastising the bully or mean girl who’d caused the problem in the first place.
“Well, do you accept?” she asked, now rapidly blinking as her forehead wrinkled in worry-lines.
Blowing out a heavy sigh, he slowly swiped his palm down his face. “Yeah, I accept your apology. Thank you.”
“Good.” A smile spread on her lips, and she nodded. “Can we stop to eat on the way back to town? ’Cause I’m really hungry. In fact, I’m bordering on hangry.”
“Can do.”
They stood still, as if this moment in time meant more than either of them had ever dared imagine. He teasingly pulled her ski hat off and her cheeks rounded as she smiled.
“Cain, I don’t ever want to lose you as a friend.”
