Page 26 of Wanted by the Lawman

CHAPTER 8

THE SECOND THE door closed behind Sheriff Graham, Agent Gaines and Zander, she raced upstairs, taking two steps at a time and dashed into the bathroom to glance at herself in the mirror. She felt like she was being ripped apart in several different directions, but she’d just witnessed Zander take control of the wild mess and wrangle some sense out of everything. What would she have done without him? Would she have ended up in handcuffs and sent to jail? Agent Gaines didn’t seem convinced that she was innocent.

How had she not known how deep Rory was into criminal activity? All those trips out of country for work had been a lie.

Where was Rory? Was he okay? Did he cross the wrong people as Gaines had suggested? Or was he looking for her? Chills washed over her. Inhaling deeply, she exhaled slowly. She wasn’t his keeper.

Her heart was still racing as she checked her reflection. Several strands of hair had fallen out of her top-knot, but that wasn’t the worst part. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. Her cheeks were red and she had a snotty nose. No wonder Zander wanted to help her. He probably felt sorry for her. She was a hot mess.

A Special Agent…wow. She was still working her brain around that tidbit, but it wasn’t so difficult to believe. After all, there were two types of people. Followers and leaders, and Zander was without a doubt a leader—a powerful, rugged leader.

Hurriedly, she redid her hair, splashed her face with cold water, and thought about applying a little make up, but then Zander might think she was trying to impress him which, maybe in a way she wanted to, but he’d already seen her puffy and disheveled. She settled on a light smear of lip tint and headed back downstairs.

Anxious, she stepped over to the window and lifted the curtain several inches, just enough to see outside without revealing herself.

Zander and Sheriff Graham were standing by his truck. Zander had his back to the house, but she could see how his muscles bunched under the thick checked shirt. His hands were buried in his front pockets and his hair was damp from the light snowflakes falling.

When he looked over his shoulder toward the house, she stepped back before he could see her. She wondered what they were talking about, but obviously they were discussing her. What would Zander think of her now? Did he also believe she knew what Rory was involved in? Would he build a privacy fence between their properties and never speak to her again? Why did her heart skip a beat at the thought?

Maybe the best thing to happen was to forget about Zander.

In truth, she was even less prepared now than earlier for the sudden rush of emotions for him. Now that she had an FBI agent showing up at her door was proof that her connection with Rory wasn’t exactly severed yet.

Clearly, she needed to pack up and hit the dirt—or rather snow—and make herself good riddance, but Agent Gaines specifically told her to stay in Crooked Creek. Anyway, where would she go? She should have known Rory wouldn’t make this easy. He could have maliciously set things up to make it look like foul play surrounding his disappearance. But, then again, what if he truly was gone? As in dead? Once upon a time, she’d cared for him and didn’t want to see any harm come to him.

Or rather, which she needed to think about, he could be on his way here. If the agent found her, why couldn’t Rory?

Shivers raced up and down her arms. He would be angry. But why would he risk coming to see her when he would know he was being sought out by the law? It didn’t fit…

She paced the floor, trying to fit all the pieces together. Wynn felt safer knowing she had Zander next door. He was gentle and understanding. Of course, she doubted he responded to every victim the way he had her, with a hug and a sweep of knuckles across her cheek in a mesmerizing caress.

Truth of the matter was, she was sexually attracted to him. On more than one occasion, she’d allowed her thoughts to wonder what it would be like to be held by his brawny arms. To be kissed by his plump lips. She could imagine what she’d find below his belt…

Stop right there!

A man like Zander wasn’t one to fuck with—literally. He’d fielded the questions from the FBI agent like a pro. He’d be on the cautious side now that she was under the scrutiny of the FBI. How the hell did she get herself in the middle of this circus?

When she heard the doorknob jiggle, she hurried to sit on the couch, managing to look somewhat in control, or so she hoped.

He stepped in, gave her a small smile and hooked his thumbs in his front pockets, his blue gaze on her. “So, that was eventful.”

“Yes, I guess it was.” She moistened her dry lips.

“Did you tell the truth?”

“Yes, of course,” she stuttered. “I have nothing to hide.”

“Do you think it was your ex that was here and opened the door?”

Although she could see her ex doing a lot of things, she knew without a doubt that if he’d been here, she would have known because he would have made himself visible. He was more of a get-to-the-point aggressor. “Although he can be very impulsive, he wouldn’t go to the trouble of coming all this way without seeing me.”

He nodded and rubbed his brow. “I guess I should be heading out.”

She stood, feeling a little disappointed. A part of her needed validation that he believed she was innocent, but how would she appear if she came out and asked him? Probably like a criminal. She very well couldn’t drop at his ankles and cling to him like she would do her parents when she was small. “Zander—”

“Yes?”

“Please sit for a minute. I believe we both have some questions we’d like to ask.”

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