Page 2 of Operation: Integrity

“Not a problem. Glad we can help. Let me know when they arrive.”

“Will do.” He hung up, feeling slightly better about the situation but not about his relationship with Lacy. If only there were still hope for them.

Chapter One

Flakes of snow drove home the point that Thanksgiving would descend upon Wyoming in three weeks. Kelly was supposed to have arrived a month before, but odd circumstances had kept her. He’d tried not to let his curiosity get the better of him as to why. Sam Elsner moved a pitchfork that had been left in the wrong place in the barn as a nondescript black car drove up the driveway.

A blonde head appeared as a woman stood from the car. It soon disappeared under a stocking cap with a poof on top as she shoved it down over her ears. Even that brief sighting was enough to know exactly who she was. Kelly was now at Wayside.

Sam stepped back from the window and tugged his wool vest tighter around him. His immediate response was to worry. She looked rail thin, with sharp cheekbones. What could he do to make her comfortable? That was what Wayside men always did. But she wasn’t for him to worry about. In fact, after what she’d been through, hemight never be able to step into the role of protector for her ever again.

She ruined all that. He’d caught her with another man.

Kelly hugged herself tightly as she rushed to the front door. She wore no coat, only a fleece vest. Sam reached for the windowsill, anchoring his feet to the floor. She looked so vulnerable. A man got out of the driver’s seat and headed to the trunk, opened it, then pulled a suitcase from the back. Sam had seen carry on luggage bigger than that. The driver delivered it to the porch, said a few words to Kelly that Sam couldn’t hear, then headed back to the car.

Sam couldn’t tear his eyes from the scene. She looked so distressed, so lost, eyes wide, standing on the porch and searching in place like she wasn’t sure where to go or what to do. Connor stepped outside the front door and held it for her, beckoning her inside. Kelly still didn’t move, and Sam couldn’t look away. She swung her head from side to side like she was looking for an escape. She looked . . . trapped.

He glanced all around quickly. Where was Lacy? Usually, she was the one who met guests as they arrived. At least, as far as he knew, that was how it happened. He’d never taken the time to watch anyone arrive at Wayside. That part of the process wasn’t his concern.

Kelly followed Connor inside, and Sam breathed a heavy sigh as the door closed. Just like the last time he’d seen her, he felt shut off from her. Life wouldn’t be the same while she was there. He’d known this was coming, but part of him had never wanted to accept that Kelly would come to stay at Wayside.

He’d watched as his buddies reconnected with thewomen from their pasts. Some of the women had been successful, others had been near poverty. Thankfully, none of them had been trafficked like Kelly had. The sound of voices drew his attention back to the window.

Connor led Kelly toward the cabins, and they spoke in lowered voices. He’d assumed the initial meeting with Kelly would’ve lasted longer than a few seconds, but there was another of his assumptions proven wrong. Now he had to escape the barn in case Connor was giving her a tour.

Connor pointed toward the dog kennel, where Sam spent most of his days, then pointed right at the barn where he stood. For a split-second, he was sure she saw him. He backed away from the window a few steps, guilt slamming into his chest. He shouldn’t be standing here staring at a guest, whether he’d known her in the past or not.

Sam gathered the security schedule from the barn office and headed for the back so he wouldn’t have to walk right by Connor and Kelly as he showed her around. Edwyn pushed through the back door just in front of him, preventing his escape.

“Sam, Edwyn, one minute of your time.” Connor’s voice carried through the barn.

He held his breath for the count of two. Edwyn glared at him for a moment, then headed toward Connor. Edwyn was a rule follower, so if Connor told him to jump, Edwyn would ask how high, and he expected the same from the others. Sam turned and wished immediately that he’d avoided the barn completely.

If Kelly had looked uncomfortable on the steps, she looked mortified at seeing him. She whipped around so her back faced him and wrapped her arms around herselfin a protective hug. Her actions made him feel as ifhe’dbeen the one to send her into trafficking.

Edwyn stood far closer to her than Sam ever got to someone he worked with, at least before he knew their comfort level, leaving him wanting to grab his friend and yank him out of Kelly’s personal space. He strode toward them, but hung back, giving her room, though she didn’t turn around to face him.

Connor gave her an encouraging look. “These are the two men who will be helping you. I think you know Sam . . .”

Kelly nodded with quick, abrupt head movements, making the pom on the top of her hat bob.

“The other is your wrangler, Edwyn Brookings.”

She glanced his way for a split second but didn’t turn.

“If you’re ready, I’ll leave you with them.”

She slowly turned to face him, and he couldn’t miss the accusation on her face. Why would she be accusing him of anything? She’d cheated on him. She hadn’t even tried to hide it.

“I’m fine. I can handle myself,” her delicate sniffle undermined her fake bravado.

“Great!” Edwyn’s voice boomed in the quiet barn, making Kelly shudder.

“Edwyn, cool it.” Sam tried to intervene. He wouldn’t let himself care about Kelly in any way beyond what she needed to heal, but Edwyn was already overstepping.

“Sam. Let’s get this straight. You may have known Kelly before, but I’ll be helping her.”

Anger pooled somewhere deep inside him. He wasn’t trying to take over Edwyn’s job, but he was doing it wrong. “All I said was to cool it. You’re scaring her. You’d best take it easy on her.” He wouldn’t threaten Edwyn. That wouldonly make Kelly even more uncomfortable. She’d probably witnessed plenty of altercations and male swagger in the last few years. That wasn’t needed now.

---