Page 103 of Crosshairs

“What changed your mind?” His tone hadn’t softened much.

She glanced at Linc. “A very wise friend pointed out a fewthings.” Again, not a lie, although she didn’t understand why it was so important for her not to lie to him. “And I wanted to give you an update on Cora.”

“How is she?” Cora at least warranted a warm response.

“She’s still confused but does seem to be improving.”

“Good. How about the diary you have? Are you going to give it to me?”

She took a deep breath. He was making this easy. “Not right now. I’m putting it in a lockbox at the bank tomorrow until Cora can make the decision of what to do with it.”

His obvious dislike of her decision came through in a loud huff. “She would give it to me, is what she would do.”

“She didn’t before when you asked for the first one.”

“She wasn’t finished with it.”

“And she hasn’t even read this one.”

“Have you even asked her about letting me have it?”

Cora was in no condition to make a decision on anything. “I’ve been waiting for her mind to clear.”

He was silent for a minute, then he asked, “Have you read it?”

“I haven’t had time.” Ainsley had meant to scan through the diary last night, but she’d been too shaken. “But I plan to read it when I get back to the house tonight.”

“Where are you?”

“Oh, I’m on my way to Cora’s right now, but Linc and I are going out to dinner at the Duck’s Nest. I’m hoping to be home by around nine so I’ll have time to read it before bed.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear you and Linc are spending time together,” he said, and it sounded as though he meant it. “I ... kind of blame myself for what happened to you two. Someday I want to talk to you about it, but face-to-face.”

“Sure,” she said. “See you maybe this week?”

“I have rallies up around Oxford and the Northern District the first part, but I’ll be free later in the week.”

“Okay then...”

“Ainsley, I hope you know I’d never do anything to hurt you. I’ve only ever wanted what’s best for you.”

His version of what was best without any consideration of what she wanted. But was it possible she was wrong about him? He sounded sincere, humbled, even. “See you later this week, maybe.” If not before.

After they disconnected, she turned to Linc. “How’d I do?”

“Very good. I know you two have always had differing opinions of what’s best for you, but maybe he’s changing.”

“Thatwould take a miracle,” she said.

53

At eleven p.m., Sonny stood in the copse of trees outside Cora’s house, his hand resting on the semiautomatic in his belt. At least this time it wasn’t raining. The house looked empty, but if it wasn’t ... he was prepared to do whatever it took to get the diary.

Shouldn’t have spent more than your take of the drug money. “Shut up!”The words came hissing out. He scrubbed his face like that would make the voice go away.Just get in the house, get the diary, and leave.

It’d been pure luck that he even heard the news broadcast about Ainsley Beaumont. She had found the diary he missed the night of the tornado. He’d read the one he snatched, and it hadn’t been worth his time to steal. But it did reference a diary written in 1870, a year earlier. And if J.R. Beaumont got his hands on that one, Sonny could kiss his money goodbye. Maybe his life as well.

The ranger probably had it all this time, and according to the interview, she planned to stash it in a lockbox. If she did that, he’d never get it.

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