Circle of Fire (Damask Circle 1)

“I can’t let you go back to the inn, not after I’ve just confronted Hank. And I don’t want the cops to get hold of you, either, simply because interviewing you will take them away from tracking the real criminals. So like it or not, I’m stuck with you.”

What a great way to put it! She held out her hand. “A partnership, then? No more trying to get rid of me?”

“A partnership could be dangerous. The less you know, the better off you’ll be. I’m only trying to protect you.”

“Protect me from what? Death?” She laughed bitterly. “Believe me, I’ve faced death, and it doesn’t scare me. Not half as much as I …”

She broke off. Heat crept through her cheeks as she stared at him. She’d done it again. Confused his words with past pain, and in the process, had almost revealed entirely too much.

She had to get a grip on herself. She couldn’t let her emotions run loose. People died when she did.

She took a deep breath and met his narrowed gaze.

His eyes were vivid and powerful. The same color as her husband’s, and yet so different. Brian’s eyes had been cold and calculating, his gaze that of a man who liked to control. The blue of Jon’s eyes was warm and inviting, even if the man himself appeared somewhat remote.

“You’re right,” he said, his voice lacking the hint of warmth it had held a moment earlier. “I have no right to try to protect you. A partnership, then. Together we’ll track the bad guys and find the kids.” He hesitated, then shrugged. “But that’s all I’m offering, Maddie.”

She saw the warning deep within his eyes. Don’t expect anything more than tolerance, it said. Don’t expect anything more than friendship. Not that he’d actually offered anything more than friendship. And it wasn’t as if she wanted anything more. “Fine,” she replied stiffly, and tore her hand from his. “Are we going to start looking at cabins today?”

He nodded and patted his coat pocket. “I brought a detailed map of the area. We’ll start looking at the old logging huts first and hope we get lucky.”

The cabin in her dream had been old and made of wood. It took a long leap of faith to say it was a logger’s hut, but they had to start somewhere.

“What about the police?”

“I’m hoping they’re watching your truck, not mine.” He tossed his keys in his hands, then gave her a somewhat grim smile. “Go out the back way. You’ll find a small alley. Follow it. I’ll meet you at the third cross street.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Is that really necessary?”

He shrugged. “I have no idea if they’re watching your truck, but we can’t afford to have them tailing us. If I’m followed, I’ll dump my truck and get rid of them before I come back for you.”

“Just make sure that you do come back.” She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and glared at him.

He returned her gaze evenly, giving nothing away. “A partnership won’t work without trust.”

Yeah, right. But he didn’t really need her, did he? She nodded and spun away, heading for the back of the café. His gaze warmed the middle of her shoulder blades, but she didn’t turn around.

The sun came out from behind a cloud as she pushed open the back door. She stopped and peered up at the mountains high above her.

Evan was up there somewhere. And so was the woman with the cat-green eyes. She shivered and walked toward the street.

Her brave words to Jon only moments before were nothing more than a lie. She feared death, all right. She’d seen its specter twice, now, and somehow had escaped its touch. And she’d seen it again through her visions, in the woman’s odd gaze.

Something told her that if she met death a third time, she would not be so lucky. But she had to save Evan, no matter what the cost. She owed that much to the ghosts of the past.

“ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.” MADDIE SIGHED AND SAT DOWN on the top step of the old hut. “We’ve found ten cabins that match my description and haven’t found a sign of the kids.”

And wasted entirely too much time doing it, Jon thought, sitting down beside her. The sun had disappeared behind the tree line, and the night’s shadows were beginning to close in around them. A chill wind had sprung up with the onset of dusk, bringing with it the smell of rain. If they didn’t leave soon, they’d get drenched.

Maddie shivered and rubbed her arms. He’d asked her several times during the day if she was warm enough, and her answer had always been yes. He had a feeling she’d freeze to death before she admitted to being cold. He took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders, then saw the brief flash of indecision in her eyes and realized she didn’t want to be seen as a burden. Didn’t want to get in his way.

Maybe he was taking the bastard act too far if she thought that simply borrowing a coat would anger him in some way. “Keep it,” he said softly. “I’m not cold.”

She nodded her thanks and tore her gaze away from his. “I saw a couple of flashlights in the back of your truck,” she said after a moment. “I don’t mind going on.”

Her stubborn expression made him smile. She was so tired she could barely lift her feet, yet she was willing to continue. “We can’t do much more here tonight. We’d best head back to the inn. I’m tired and hungry, even if you’re not.”

A touch of relief winged through her eyes before she pulled her gaze from his again. “I guess it would be stupid to stumble around in the dark. We could so easily miss the kids.”