“They are, but if this guy is really trying to kill Kat, she won’t want them mixed up in this.”

  “I don’t follow.” He checked a bedroom with a small bed and more boxes piled to the ceiling.

  “She’s a worrier. She’s seen too many people she loves die and lets it get to her. So if there’s any chance they’ll get hurt, she’ll keep them out of it. She doesn’t even date. As she says, why find someone just to lose them.”

  Mitch understood that. How he understood it. Losing his parents and Lori, plus his sister Angie’s plunge into the black hole of drugs, guaranteed that. Still, it didn’t fit the woman he thought he knew. “I never figured her for a worrier.”

  Tommy laughed. “She puts on a tough front, but when it comes to people she loves, she’s a bowl of jelly.”

  “Good to know. Still, I’ll have to insist she call them.” He went on to the next bedroom. This one was obviously Kat’s—neat, orderly and box free.

  “Of course you will. Just wanted you to be prepared when she balks at it.”

  Mitch opened the closet door. “You about done at the scene?”

  “Yeah. I’m heading back to the office to get a jump start on this if you want to come in.” Not a request. More of a plea to help find the person who’d manhandled and almost killed his former partner.

  “Want me to bring a pizza?”

  “Yeah, man. That’d be good.”

  “I’m putting mushrooms on it, so deal.” As he disconnected, he heard Tommy laugh over their longstanding debate about where fungus belonged. According to Tommy, it wasn’t on a pizza.

  Mitch cleared the small bathroom, checking behind the shower curtain, then went to the stairs where the nutty aroma of fresh coffee drifted up.

  Kat was standing at the bottom. She still wore his jacket and held a steaming mug. “I made coffee. You want a cup?”

  Not really, but with the way she looked up at him all wounded and sad as if she needed him, he couldn’t say no. “Sure.”

  She went to the kitchen, and he considered how he was going to convince her to let a family member spend the night. She had a reputation for being stubborn and headstrong. Not something he had much experience in dealing with when it came to women.

  “I’m assuming we’re clear,” she said, joining him with a second cup.

  “Yes.” He took the mug and put some distance between them. He waited for her to say she could’ve done that herself, but she just gave a sad, halfhearted nod. Not a good sign.

  “You shouldn’t be alone tonight, Kat.” He took a sip of coffee and nearly groaned at the strong, freshly ground taste he loved.

  “I’m fine.” Her shoulders went up a notch.

  He regarded her for a moment and she held her rigid posture under his scrutiny. She was trying so hard to keep it together, but he saw the crack in her strong veneer ready to crumble with the least little blow. “I’m not sure you’re a good judge of how you’re doing right now.”

  She raised a brow as if daring him to protest. “I appreciate your concern, really I do, but there’s no need to bother anyone else.” She gave him a tough-as-nails look, then walked into the family room almost aimlessly as if she had no idea what to do with herself. She paused staring ahead. Then, as if reaching a decision, she put her mug on a table and dropped onto the sofa.

  He followed and decided to take a firmer stance as he sat next to her. “I’m going to call one of your brothers or your sister.”

  “No! It’s late and they don’t need to get involved in this mess.”

  “Truth time, Kat. What’s going on here?” he asked, expecting her to reinforce Tommy’s take on things, but hoping if she did, he’d find a hole in her logic.

  “It’s nothing, it’s just—” She looked down and started frantically rubbing her wrists where the skin was angry and raw. “This is the first case I’ve headed up at the agency. Ethan and Cole have pretty much been in charge. Makes sense, I guess. They’re the oldest and have the most experience. But still, I begged for a case. Told them I was ready. Now I screwed up and...” Her voice faded away.

  Not the answer Tommy had prepared him for. “And you don’t want them to know about it.”

  “Yeah.” She kept picking at her wrist.

  His mind flashed back to the moment he found her. Bound and helpless, a terrified glaze to her eyes. These very wrists strapped behind her. She seemed now as if she could hardly bear the memory. He took her hands, stopping her from damaging the skin even more. He held her icy fingers as he waited for her to look up at him. When she did, he smiled to help ease her anxiety, but she stared at him looking lost so he plunged ahead. “Your family will hear about this on the news by morning. Maybe you should tell them before that happens.”

  “I just can’t handle facing them tonight. Tomorrow, but not tonight.”

  He could feel the tension radiating off her. He wanted to do more than hold her hands—maybe give her a hug—but this wave of uncertainty would be gone by morning. Her feisty personality would return, and she wouldn’t remember the hug too fondly.

  “I still don’t like the idea of you staying alone. Not with a killer on the loose.”

  Fierce independence replaced the uncertainty in her eyes, and she jerked her hands free. “I was a cop, Mitch. I know how to protect myself.”

  “I know you do, but you’re upset and not thinking straight.”

  “You’re right. I’m upset. Of course, I’m upset. I lay right next to my friend’s body. But don’t think that means I’m falling apart. I’m thinking clearly, and I’ll be fine on my own.” Her shoulders jerked higher.

  He wasn’t going to get anywhere with her. He had no choice but to back off. But he wouldn’t leave her unprotected. He’d arrange for an officer to sit outside all night.

  “You’re tired. I should be going.” He started to rise.

  “Wait.” She grabbed his arm stopping him. “We haven’t talked about the investigation.”

  “What about it?”

  “I want to be part of it.”

  He should’ve known this was coming and prepared a way to say no without hurting her more. “You know I can’t do that. You’re a civilian now and the closest thing we have to a witness.”

  “No one needs to know I’m helping.”

  He opened his mouth to object but she jumped on it.

  “You know Tommy will agree.” She crossed her arms as if she felt it necessary to defend herself from his questioning gaze. She didn’t, though.

  He was the one who needed defending from these eyes imploring him to give in. Spending time with the one woman who’d gotten beyond his defenses and made him almost agree to date a coworker wasn’t a wise move.

  “I can’t let you help, Kat, without jeopardizing my job.”

  “What if you were me?” she asked, her eyes going wide. “What would you want?”

  “Wouldn’t matter what I wanted, it’s what I’d make sure happened.”

  “Exactly. You’d make sure you were included in the investigation. I’m just trying to do the same thing.” She put a hand on his arm and the warmth of her touch melted his resolve.

  Having her by his side would be a good thing, right? If she wouldn’t let her family surround and protect her from this killer, if she worked with him, he’d be able to keep an eye on her.

  “Please,” she said softly, and her big brown eyes pleaded with him.

  Eyes he’d once looked into where he’d found the same longing he’d felt in his own heart before hurting her. He couldn’t do it again. He’d let her work on the case, but he’d lay down some ground rules. “You don’t call any of the shots. You’re just an observer. You got it?”

  “I got it.” She squeezed his arm and smiled. “Thanks.”

  He nodded, keeping his look neutral even though he liked the warmth of her hand on his arm.

  “So where should we begin?” she asked.

  Her sudden enthusiasm made him smile. “It’s late. We’ll start first thing in the morning.”

  “No!” The word shot out like a bullet. “If I bring you up to speed on what I know about Nathan, we can hit the ground running in the morning.”

  Staying for a few more minutes wouldn’t be a problem, right? “Tell me what you’ve done so far.”

  “I started by investigating Nathan Bodig. Everything about the man checks out. He was an all-around good guy, and I couldn’t find any obvious reason why someone would want to kill him.”

  “What’d he do for a living?” Mitch picked up his cup and took a long sip.

  “Social worker for the Oregon Department of Human Services. He worked with kids at risk. Monitoring them at home and placing them in foster homes.”

  “So he dealt with troubled families and might’ve made someone mad. Wouldn’t be the first time someone in a position like his was threatened.”

  She nodded. “I was going to talk to his coworkers, but I hadn’t gotten that far yet. With your credentials we’ll have better access to them.”

  She so desperately wanted to find Nancy’s killer that she was rushing ahead. As they worked the case, he’d need to keep an eye out for that and make sure they stayed on solid footing. “I’d like to hold off on that until we have evidence that proves the crash wasn’t an accident.”

  “You doubt it?”

  “Nancy’s death could have nothing to do with her brother’s, and I don’t want to jump to conclusions.” She appeared to get upset with his reluctance to embrace her theory so he moved on before she argued. “Where exactly did the accident occur?”

  “On Highway 30 near Clatskanie. Nathan was dating a woman he met at a conference. She lives in Astoria and he was on the way to visit her.”

  “And you checked her out, too?”

  “She’s as squeaky clean as Nathan. She was the one who reported Nathan missing. When he didn’t show up as scheduled, she tried calling him. After a few tries with no answer, she contacted Nancy. Nancy set out, planning to retrace his route, but by that time, a trucker had spotted the car burning in the ravine and called it in.”

  Good. At least Kat hadn’t let her emotions keep her from following strong investigative techniques. If Nathan really had been murdered, then the girlfriend would be a prime suspect and someone they’d need to scrutinize. He was glad Kat had already gotten the basic story—it was a place to start. “You talk with the officer who investigated the accident?”

  “That would be Senior Trooper Ed Franklin. I tried to talk with him, but he shut me down.” She crossed her arms. “He said I was no longer a police officer and I’d have to go through proper channels for my information.”

  “He was just following protocol, Kat.”

  “You and I both know he could’ve helped me if he wanted to.” She ended with an adorable little pout that kicked up his pulse, and he knew it was time for him to get out of there before he did something he’d regret.

  “Well, he won’t have a choice with me.” He stood and headed for the door before she tried to stop him again. “We’ll start with him first thing tomorrow.”

  She rushed ahead as if she thought he was going to change his mind about including her in the investigation and wanted him to leave before he said anything to that effect. Now that her pleading expression had disappeared and he could think straight, he wanted to do just that.

  She shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to him with a sweet smile.

  The softness took him by surprise. She’d always been so tough. So independent. Not needing anyone. The very reasons he’d been attracted to her. But this vulnerable side of her tugged at something in him that he’d only felt for his family and Lori. He wanted to protect Kat. To take care of her. But that wasn’t the end of his interest and the rest wasn’t at all familial.

  He took the jacket and stepped outside. “Tommy and I’ll pick you up at nine. Make sure you lock the door.”

  He heard her snort as he walked away and a smile found his lips. She was starting to get a bit of her spunk back. Good. With a killer running free, she’d need every bit of her determination and then some to stay alive.

  THREE

  Morning sun filtered through the blinds as Kat laid her Bible on the table and got up to see if Mitch and Tommy had arrived yet. Her usual morning devotions reminded her to let go of her fear. God was here, by her side. Walking before her, beside her. He would take care of her.

  Just not those you love, huh, Kat? The thought came from deep inside, and she squelched it. She trusted God. She just wanted to help Him to make sure things didn’t go wrong.

  She scissored opened the blinds and saw the same squad car she’d spotted when she’d peeked outside around 3:00 a.m. after a noise woke her. Not a pleasant discovery. Tommy knew how she detested her birth father’s iron control, and she rarely tolerated people making decisions for her. So it had to have been Mitch. Still, she wouldn’t ask them to cancel the unit. Her siblings would be more likely to keep their distance if they thought provisions had been made for her safety.

  She let the blinds fall and pressed her only sister’s speed dial number.

  “Hello,” Dani answered on the fifth ring, sounding sleepy.

  “Hey,” Kat said, trying to be cheerful though the loss of her friend weighed heavy on her heart. “I have something I need to tell you about.”

  “Does it have to be this early in the morning?” Dani was so not a morning person.

  “Sorry, but it does.” Kat launched into a description of the attack and Nancy’s death.

  “Thanks for calling me last night.” Her sarcastic reply hurt, but Kat deserved it and more for shutting out her sister. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine, and I’m sorry about last night. I couldn’t very well tell you about this and ask you not to tell the others. Then everyone would rush over here, and I couldn’t handle that.”

  “So no one else knows?”

  “No.”

  “You should’ve called Cole first. You know how mad he’ll be when he finds out this happened and you spent the night alone.”

  Cole was the last person Kat wanted to tell. With their oldest brother, Ethan, on a month-long honeymoon, the usually quiet Cole had taken charge and was very vocal of late.

  “That’s why I need your help,” Kat said. “He’ll want to take me off this case and keep me under lock and key until the killer’s caught.”

  “And you don’t think he should do that.”

  “I have to work on this case, Dani. Nancy was my friend. Plus I screwed up and have to prove myself or I’ll never be in charge again.”

  “I don’t know, sis.”

  “C’mon, Dani.” She used her most persuasive tone. “With the way Ethan and Cole want us both to sit behind desks all the time, you of all people should back me up on this.” She and Dani had fought their brothers treating them like helpless females instead of trained law enforcement officials for two years now. Their brothers had only recently started letting them get more involved, but this situation would make them pull back.

  “You have a point,” Dani said, although grudgingly.

  Kat almost had her cooperation. “I’ve already gotten approval to work with the detectives in charge of the case so I’ll spend most of my time with them. They’ve also posted an officer outside my door for when I’m home. I’ll be perfectly safe.”

  “I’m not sure this is a good idea....”

  “Please, Dani. I need to do this.”

  She sighed. “You’re sure you’ll be okay?”

  “Yes. I’m positive.”

  “Fine. I’ll tell Cole about it when I get to work, and I’ll try to convince him to stay away. But don’t blame me if he comes after you.”

  “Thanks, Dani. I owe you one.” The doorbell rang, and Kat jumped. “Tommy’s at the door. I gotta go.”

  “Tommy. Wait. This means you’re working with Mitch Elliot, too. When were you planning on telling me about that?”

  Never. “I’ll call you later.” Kat hung up before her sister, who knew all about Mitch’s rejection, had a chance to grill her.

  She went to the door and found Mitch leaning on the wall, his legs crossed at the ankle. Her heart did a little free fall as she tipped her head back and ran her gaze up the strong column of his neck to meet his eyes. She was rewarded for the effort with a slow smile spreading across a rugged face with a hint of stubble to match his dark hair. He wore boot-cut jeans, a white dress shirt and tie covered with the same Portland Police Bureau windbreaker as last night. The memory of his scent as the jacket circled her in warmth still lingered in her mind and she had to take a deep breath to clear it out.

  “Where’s Tommy?” she asked and stepped back as the ramifications of spending the day alone with him sunk in.

  “He’s taking care of something, and he’ll meet us later.”

  The only reason Mitch would be so vague on Tommy’s whereabouts was if they thought it would bother her, making it easy to guess his location. “So he’s at the morgue?”

  “Yeah.”

  She appreciated the two of them trying to spare her from the gruesome details, but she couldn’t let them continue to tiptoe around her. “You guys don’t need to treat me with kid gloves, Mitch.”

  “Okay,” he said, and something that looked suspiciously like relief flared in his eyes for a brief moment.

  She got it. He didn’t want to be burdened with her fragility brought on by grief. She’d have to make a point today of showing him she could do her job no matter her pain. And that started with making sure Nancy’s parents had been notified of her death.

  “Has anyone located Nancy’s parents?” she asked.

  “They’re meeting Tommy at the morgue right now.”

  So they were at the viewing window for the second time in a few months identifying their child. Kat couldn’t imagine their pain. She offered a quick prayer for them before looking back at Mitch. “I didn’t know them, but I’d like to offer my condolences. I don’t suppose you’d break the rules and give me their contact information.”

  “We can get it from Tommy when we meet up with him.” He sounded as sad as she felt. “Trooper Franklin’s expecting us so we should get going.”