Page 38 of The Secrets She Keeps

“Colesons speak the truth. Even the littlest ones,” Heather told Alex. “Keep that in mind, Neighbor Alex.”

Powell listened to them talking around her. But her focus was on Gunnar. He was so tense. Unlike she was used to seeing him.

The man seemed so alone sometimes. Like he waswiththe other guys of Major Crimes, but on the outside now. In ways he wasn’t before.

She stepped over to him. “Are you okay?”

He surprised her by slipping his arm around her waist. Lifting her close. Her hands spread over his perfectly muscled chest.

He smelled good. Perfect. And never had she wanted to cuddle against a man like she didhim.No matter who was watching.

“It was just a lot more complicated and crowded than I thought it would be. Are you feeling okay? Not sick? What did you do all morning?” His fingers slipped into her hair, cupped her cheek. He pulled her even closer.

She loved it when he touched her. She could be touched by him for a lifetime. Powell shivered at the feelings that one single thought evoked.

“I’m okay. Alex and I mostly stayed here with Cara and the girls to kill time. Brandt and Mac went back to Brandt’s place for a while. To go over some paperwork Brandt has and talk about something Mac was worrying over, but Alex and I stayed here. I really didn’t want to leave Cara alone. She’s good at taking care of the girls, but I think she was getting a bit overwhelmed or overstimulated in the lobby. She usually only takes care of them for a few hours at a time, she said. And it’s always in their home. Familiar surroundings are best for her, I’ve noticed.”

“I don’t know how many more hours it’s going to be,” he told her. “Promise me you’ll stay with your brothers—and Cara. The idea of an extra bodyguard nearby right now keeps me sane.”

“Ariella had guards around too, but she went upstairs rather early to nap and video chat with her kids before she came down again. I’m not leaving the hotel. We may take Frankie down to the game room later. There are kids’ activities down there, Charlotte’s aunt said. They also have movies for the projector, something about a McBubbles movie? I think it’s that movie with Quade Davis. He’s supposed to be here tonight, someone said. He’s going to read the younger kids a story, I believe.” She waited until the rest of their group had moved a little bit ahead. “Is Heather okay? She has a look in her eyes.”

“She and Dan are really butting heads. She’s reacting with hostility, and, hell, I don’t really know what’s going on in his head. He hasn’t been the same since the night Haldyn and Hope were hurt and we learned what Wilson had done to Heather. Now I think he’s conflicted—he doesn’t know how to deal with her. Or what to do next.”

“He looks at Heather. Like he used to look at Haldyn. I saw that the night Haldyn was shot.” Powell had just watchedeveryone that night. To distract herself from the fear. To try to figure outwhyit had happened in the first place. She still wasn’t entirely sure she’d figured it all out.

“Like how?”

“I think he’s very attracted to her, and may be feeling very protective. But since she’s on your team too, he doesn’t know how to treat her professionally while still being attracted to her personally. I think Dan had more trouble separating those two things with Haldyn than he realized. And that’s why they never got together. I think he was possibly subconsciously protecting Haldyn from himself too. He has some hang-ups from his parents’ varied relationships, I think. Haldyn told me they were all highly dysfunctional. Mac said the same thing.”

“Possibly.” Gunnar pulled her closer and waved the rest of the group on. “We’ll catch up with you all in a minute.”

Her brothers eyed him suspiciously. She didn’t think her brothers were really that clueless. Theyhadto know something had happened between her and Gunnar. Or was happening, maybe?

Her brothers would find that out for sure in a few weeks. Or maybe when her kid was five? Telling her brothers ranked right up there with the top ten scariest things she had ever done. No denying that.

Her brothers were the top barbarians of all. She was convinced of that more and more every time they were together. They would tear Gunnar apart on some sort of brother principle or something.

She needed to think. There would be a best way to tell them. She just had to figure out what it was.

Maybe when her mother was there to protect her? Distract them?

In the meantime, Gunnar’s arms were around her, and they felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be right now.

Powell just pressed closer for the short time that she could.

26

Daniel disconnected the call,and waited. He bit back every curse he could think of. This—how in the hell had this happened?

He had ordered that evidence guarded.

And he knew Madison, the woman running the lab right now with Haldyn out, never would have made that kind of a mistake. Not Madison.

But Stillman and his goons were pointing the finger at the Finley Creek lab. Putting Madison right in the crossfire. In the middle of it all. Purposefully.

Of course, they were. Madison had been out there that night with Haldyn and Hope. She was a threat. Just like Haldyn, Hope, and Heather.

Something else was going on. And that scared him. With Jarrod off, and him and Gunnar and Heather in Wyoming, that left Madison far too vulnerable right now. And Daniel didn’t trust that the rank and file of the TSP weren’t dirty up to their eyeballs.

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