Page 50 of Home Town Knight

Trace didn’t push me for details, and I appreciated the show of deference. He was the leader of the Protectors, but I was still the sheriff. I told him I’d be back for the weapon he’d found and to keep it safe for the moment.

When I left the room, River got up and followed me. “Do you still want the background check info on Genevieve?”

I hesitated. “No. And don’t give it to Aiden either. Gen is my responsibility.” But then immediately I said, “Wait. You can send it to me, but only me. I’m going to share it withher, so make sure there’s nothing that would be too upsetting.”

“There are details about her father. I’ll edit them.”

“Thanks.” It wasn’t going to be anything that Gen didn’t know, but it was possible River had included crime scene reports and photos. He was thorough. I didn’t want her to have to see anything like that. “She said you carried her into the storage room earlier.”

“On your behalf. You said to find her and keep her in one place until you got there. That’s what I did.” He smirked. “I’m not the guy with heart eyes for her.”

I sighed, but I was smiling. Just a little. It was hard not to when River was around, even when he drove the rest of us nuts. “I have no idea what I feel about her. I just know I can’t let anything happen to her.”

“And I’m sure you won’t. Let me know if you need anything else from me.”

“I will. Thanks, Riv.” We parted ways, and I went to the office to get Gen. I was her Protector now. Anybody who intended to hurt her would have to go through me.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Genevieve

After Owen left,I dozed for a bit, but then awoke when Jessi came into the office. She had a cup of chamomile tea and some cinnamon cookies on a plate. “How’re you doing?”

I sat up, Owen’s jacket slipping off of me onto the couch. My throat was dry, but a sip of the warm tea Jessi handed me was the perfect antidote. “Feeling better.” I didn’t want to make a big deal of my panic attack. There were far bigger things going on. “How’s everyone here? Cece and her mom?”

Jessi settled onto the cushion next to me. “They’re back in their cabin for the night. Everyone was anxious, as you’d expect, but they were relieved that our security setup held. There was no real danger to any of our guests, which is exactly as it’s supposed to be. I assume you learned a bit about why Diane and her daughter are here?”

I nodded. “From Cece. I didn’t even know Diane’s name. I haven’t been fishing for information about them, I promise. I never would’ve wanted to make their stay here more difficult.”

“I know,” she said, and the sincerity in Jessi’s words andexpression confirmed she meant it. “Aiden told me you shielded Cece when you heard the gunshot.”

“It’s what anyone would’ve done.”

“If only that were true. But I’m grateful that you did.”

I grabbed a cookie, not wanting the praise. “It’s likely my fault, though. Not because I had anything to do with that article revealing I was here. I didn’t know about it until Owen told me. But now that the killer knows I’m the witness…”

How could I possibly stay here?

Jessi leaned over and put her hand over mine. “You don’t need to make any decisions tonight. You heard what I said, right? Our security held.”

“But it might not next time. Or your brother or boyfriend could get hurt.” Or Owen. “Maybe I should get in my car right now and go back to Denver. Then I wouldn’t be a danger to anyone here.”

“You’d go back to your job after your employer published that article?”

I put the cookie back on the plate. “I don’t see how I can. That was pretty egregious, even for my editor. I’ve toyed with the idea of quitting for a while. This could be the sign that I should do it.”

Even though I didn’t have any other attractive job prospects without that big story I was hoping to uncover. I didn’t have many friends in Denver either. Tons of sources and acquaintances. People I could grab drinks with at happy hour after work, sure. But close friends? People who would always have my back, the way that Jessi and her family here seemed to?

“When I first came to Hartley,” Jessi said, “I was looking for a new beginning too. My journey took some turns I didn’t expect. There was a whole lot of down before there was up.But I found my way here. Hartley has a way of being sticky. Just ask Aiden. He never expected to wind up here either.”

I shook my head. It was ridiculous to think of staying in Hartley. In fact, this was the exact place I shouldn’t stay. A killer was looking for me here.

Jessi smiled. “Hey, sometime I should show you the oldHartley Gazettebuilding. It’s next to my diner on Main Street. The paper is defunct, and there was a small fire there last year.” She winced, glancing to the side. “Nobody else has taken the space. The storefront is just sitting there, waiting for someone to start the paper up again. Why not you?”

Before I could express what a far-fetched ideathatwas, Owen walked into the office.

I stood up, wobbling a little. My hand shot to the back of the couch to steady myself. “Did you find out who the intruder was?”

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