Page 56 of Preying Game

As her body shook, he stroked her tenderly, pressing her face to his shoulder.

“I’m getting you all wet,” she said between sobs.

“It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.”

“I mentioned the farm, and it made me think about my family.”

“I figured.”

“It just struck me that I’m never going to see them again.” She gulped as she struggled for control of her emotions.

“Do you want me to take you back?”

“Could you?”

“I don’t know.”

She swallowed. “I think it was hard to get me here—judging from the reaction of the people at Decorah.”

“Yes.”

She raised her face, dashing away the tears on her cheeks with the side of her hand. “You said you might be able to take me back. What if we could go back and stop Hayward?”

“What do you mean?”

“Find out when he started kidnapping women. Stop him from doing it.”

“I don’t know. That sounds like a hard job.”

She knew he was right, and she wasn’t going to spoil this first evening with him by pressing the issue.