Page 80 of Mountain Refuge

“You’re putting my niece in danger.”

“She’s in danger here. We might as well all stay together.” He slapped jelly on a slice of bread. “I’m not a fan of PB & J, but it’ll suffice in case we don’t have time to grab a burger.”

“Listen to me!” Taya rarely raised her voice, but sheer frustration rose.

“I am listening. Are you?” He set down the knife he used to spread peanut butter. “You need backup. I can stay in the Jeep with Tracy. I’ll make sure her hair is stuck up under a ball cap. It needs to be redyed by the way. So does yours. I’ll stay back unless you need me.” He held up a hand. “I promise to stay back, but I am not letting you go alone.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I know I’m not really your husband and can’t make you do anything—”

“You couldn’t even if you were.” She narrowed her eyes.

“But…the sheriff assigned me the task of bodyguard. I can’t guard you if I’m not there.”

“You have peanut butter in your hair.” She reached up and smeared it into the tresses. “Sorry. I made it worse. Fine.” She whipped around and marched to her room to get her weapon and ammo. With a huff, she leaned against the bed. No one in a very long time had cared enough about her to dig in their feet like Ryan just did. She smiled. Knowing he’d do anything in his power to keep her and Tracy safe warmed her heart. Maybe they’d succeed at this after all. Then what?

Could she stay in Misty Hollow with Tracy? See what the future might hold for her and Ryan? She shook her head. Why would she think that? He’d never made a single mention of them being anything more than what they were—two people after a common goal.

Once she had her gun secured in a shoulder holster, she headed back to the living room where Ryan and Tracy awaited. “Both of you, listen to me. You stay in the Jeep. No matter what. Understood?”

Ryan nodded, his features grim.

“Tracy?”

“Sure. Whatever. Come on, Betty.” She yanked the front door open.

Taya shook her head and followed, not wanting to let her out of sight. She’d given up on warning Tracy not to go outside until the coast was clear. If Astro and Boris weren’t acting as if something wasn’t right, she let it be.

In the passenger seat of the Jeep, she punched the first address into her phone. “When you reach Langley, take the second exit.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He backed away from the house and headed down the mountain.

She cut him a sideways glance. From the curtness in his voice, it wasn’t hard to determine that he wasn’t happy with her. “The sheriff asked for my help.”

“Hmpff.”

“This is too important to say no.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Why are you so upset?”

He jerked the steering wheel to the right and parked on the side of the road before turning to her. “Because I care about you. Is that so difficult for you to see? I don’t want anything to happen to you or Tracy.”

He cared about her. She opened her mouth, then snapped it closed, not knowing what to say. Instead, she nodded like an idiot and stared at her phone.

“Wow,” Tracy muttered from the backseat. “Talk about awkward.”

Taya giggled.

Ryan laughed and pulled back onto the road.

Thank you, Tracy, for your snarkiness.

“Do you have experience questioning grieving parents?” Ryan asked.

“Not much. I usually stayed in the shadows and shot the bad guys.” Which she preferred rather than sitting across from parents worried sick about their child. “I suppose you don’t either?”

“No. I make that kind of stuff up as I go.” He pulled onto the interstate. “Just be empathetic. Don’t make light of their suffering, and don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

She nodded, dreading the task more with every mile they drove. When Ryan took the second exit, she continued giving directions until they pulled in front of a red-brick house on an established, residential street. She shoved her door open. “Wish me luck.”

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