Page 62 of Counter Attack

“And they have two little ones running around.” Taylor stood. “If you don’t need us, I have a report to write.”

“Me too.” Dylan rose as well. He stopped at the door. “This is a good place to raise a family.”

Harvey and Mark said they had reports to work on as well, but before she dismissed them she requested a meeting later in the day. After everyone but Nathan left, Alex used the pretense of reading Marge’s text to gather herself, but the message blurred. The conversation had stirred memories she’d thought buried for good. Memories of growing up in Pearl Springs where people looked after each other.

Maybe she wouldn’t tell Nathan what she’d discovered just yet. Alex looked up to find him watching her. “What?”

“You’ve missed a lot, not coming home any more often than you have.”

“I’m beginning to see that.” She glanced at the message again. “Oh, Kayla is here.”

She quickly texted for Marge to send her in. A few seconds later, Kayla slipped into the room, wearing a backpack like the ones high school kids used.

“Hey, boss. I was passing by the jail and saw your truck,” she said. “I need a favor.”

“What kind of favor?”

“I talked to my college advisor about taking a criminal justice class, and it’s a really popular class. They have a max on the class, and students going for a criminal justice degree get priority. She said if you gave me a letter of recommendation, it would help me get in.”

“Sure,” Nathan said. “Tomorrow soon enough?”

“That’s perfect.” Then she turned to Alex. “And I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” Alex said. Kayla’s thoughtfulness touched her. “I hope you’ll seriously consider attending the police academy. We need smart people like you on our side.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. “That’s all I wanted. I’ll leave you to your police work and get to my job.”

After Kayla left, Nathan was quiet a minute, then he tilted his head. “Want to tell me about the problem with Mark?”

Had it been that obvious? She stood and walked to the window and looked out over the half-mile walking trail employees often used. Beyond the trail was another of the many groves of trees scattered around Pearl Springs. Did she want to air the sheriff department’s dirty linen? Not so much dirty linen as insubordination.

Alex felt Nathan’s presence rather than heard him approach. The electricity between them was like an early warning system. For years she’d been able to bury her feelings for him because she never saw him, but being around Nathan this last month had cracked the barriers. If she was around him much more, he’d tear them down.

That couldn’t happen. Why not? She liked the way Nathan had her back, and it went further than just being part of a team like in Chattanooga. But she had a plan for her life and it didn’t include Russell County or Nathan Landry, or at least it hadn’t until now.

“What happened?” he asked softly.

“Mark told me I should take myself off the Norman case. He thinks the killer is targeting me.”

“He has a point,” Nathan said. “I think you should back off and let your deputies handle the investigation.”

He was siding with Mark? “No! We don’t know for sure the killer is targeting me.” She fisted her hands. “And I’m not going to let my grandfather down by tucking tail and running at the first sign of trouble.”

“You wouldn’t be letting him down.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging them.

She couldn’t think straight with Nathan touching her like that. Alex resisted giving in to his touch but found herself leaning into his hands as he kneaded the tight muscles.Move away.Instead, she stood there.

Gently he turned her around and raised her face until she was staring into his sky-blue eyes. “I don’t want to see anything happen to you.”

Alex soaked in his husky words. Her gaze shifted to his lips that were so close. The years since the last time he’d kissed her melted away. Her heart swelled in her chest.

She almost quit breathing as he lowered his head, his lipscapturing hers. Nathan wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close, and she pressed into the kiss.

Banging came at the door, and Alex jumped back. What was she thinking? She had no time to formulate an answer before the pounding started again.

35

Nathan could not believe what he’d just done. Kissing Alexis was totally unprofessional. Not to mention totally unfair to take advantage of her when she was vulnerable.

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