“Jen?” he whispered.

  His tender tone almost had her moving closer to him. Probably what he’d counted on when he’d stepped so near. But she couldn’t give in. She needed to end this conversation. “I promise.”

  “Thank you. Even if I’m no longer a law-enforcement officer, I still can’t help thinking like one.” Looking down on her, he smiled tenderly.

  Her heart kicked into high gear. This moment felt more dangerous to her well-being than if a dozen thugs came after her. She took a step to the side, but he moved away.

  “Shall we go?” he asked.

  Breathing deep to clear out the cobwebs he’d spun around her independence, she went into the dining room and grabbed her gadget bag and purse before heading into the foyer.

  He caught up and stepped in front of her. “Me first, remember?”

  If he wanted her to remember his instructions in the future, then he shouldn’t stand close enough for her to inhale his freshly showered scent and get lost in eyes that seemed to see to her very core.

  He slipped on his sunglasses and moved outside, glancing up and down the street before letting her exit.

  “Stay by my side while I lock the door.” He twisted a key in the lock then escorted her to his truck.

  They rode in silence. Not a comfortable quiet. Not like that summer break when they’d driven with the top off his Jeep as mile after mile of beach disappeared while holding hands and just enjoying each other’s company. This was an awkward silence filled with questions and no answers.

  When he finally swung the truck into a space at the bank parking lot, she wanted to jump out and rush away, but she knew he’d try to stop her. He tossed his sunglasses on the dash then hopped out and met her at her door, seemingly oblivious to her mood. The warm tint to his earlier gaze was long gone, replaced with a hard-as-nails glint, raising her anxiety over walking through the lot.

  “Do you really think someone’s watching us?” she asked.

  “I doubt it, but let’s not invite trouble.” He took her elbow, directing her toward the door. “Stay close and don’t dawdle.”

  They slipped inside without incident, and she went straight to the fingerprint reader. She pressed her hand against the screen and the gate to the safe-deposit boxes opened. Ethan trailed her into the vault, where she retrieved her box and took it to a private table. She felt his eyes on her every move until he joined her.

  “How many negatives can you get in one box?” he asked as if interested in her work.

  “I keep the photos for my last three shows in here, so right now I have three boxes.” She lifted the lid.

  “Maybe you should invest in a good safe for your home, too. That way if a fire broke out here you’d still have a backup.”

  “I’ve thought of that, but I’ve only been in my house for about a year and just haven’t gotten around to it.”

  “I could arrange the installation of a safe for you.”

  She looked up at him. Why was he offering to help all the time instead of sniping at her for the way she’d ended things?

  She didn’t want to ask the question and take them back to the personal realm, but she had to know. “Why are you doing this, Ethan?”

  “Doing what?”

  “After the way we parted, I expected you to be angry at me, but you don’t seem angry at all.” She held her breath, waiting for him to tell her how much she’d hurt him, but he didn’t show any emotions.

  “I was furious. For a long time, actually.” His tone was matter-of-fact as if he’d distanced himself from any pain. “Not at you, but at whatever it was that made you lie to me instead of letting me help you work through it.”

  If he yelled at her or even told her how hurt he’d been, she’d know what to say. What to do. But this kindness and consideration were unnerving. The only thing she could think to do was apologize. “I want you to know how sorry I am, Ethan. I was wrong in lying to you and leaving without a good explanation. I hope you’ll forgive me for treating you so badly.”

  “I forgave you a long time ago.” He laid a hand over hers and the warmth echoed his gaze.

  She shook her head in wonderment.

  “What? Don’t you believe me?” he asked.

  “No… I mean, yes, I believe you. But it’s hard for me to imagine. If I were in your situation, I don’t think I could do the same thing.”

  “Sure you could.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Maybe you’ve never been brutally dumped.” He paused, and she cringed at his words. “But someone must’ve hurt you and you forgave them.”

  Sure, she had. Plenty of times. Forgiving others was the easy part. Forgiving yourself? That was the hard stuff. And Jennie still believed some things couldn’t be forgiven. A daughter, now fourteen, forgiving the woman who gave her up? Maybe impossible.

  “Who are you thinking about?” Ethan asked.

  “No one.”

  “C’mon, Jen. It’s me. I know when something’s bothering you.”

  Talking about her daughter was off-limits. Better to keep the focus on Ethan. “I’d like to hear how you let this go.”

  “I see you’re still dodging discussions of your past.”

  “Maybe, but you’re avoiding telling me how you did it.”

  He groaned. “I’m not avoiding anything. You ever hear of a two-way conversation? That’s all I’m trying to have.”

  She just looked at him and waited.

  “Fine,” he finally said. “It took time. Lots of time. And lots of help from a friend.” An easy smile played at the corners of his mouth as if he remembered this friend fondly. “I was hurt and I blamed you for it. Made my life miserable for a long time. Then my friend reminded me that we all make mistakes. We all fall short of God’s glory, and who was I to hold your sin against you if I didn’t want others to do the same thing to me?”

  She should have known God brought him through this. “You’re lucky. Your faith was always so strong. Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy for everyone.”

  “Are you talking about yourself, Jen?”

  “No,” she said, though she hadn’t forgiven herself, either.

  “Well, whoever you’re thinking about, it’s never too late for forgiveness.” His words were comforting, but they did little to get rid of her turmoil.

  What if this man caught up to her and killed her? If she didn’t forgive herself for giving up the baby, she’d carry her guilt to the grave. And if she didn’t ever try to find her daughter, she’d never give her child the chance to know her mother if she wanted to. She’d never really thought of it from this angle before, but this wasn’t something to discuss with Ethan.

  She smiled at him. “I don’t know what to say, other than thank you for forgiving me.” And for being the kind of man you’ve become. One who is willing to help me even after I hurt you.

  “You’re welcome.” He squeezed her hand then let go. “Maybe someday we can talk about whoever put that look on your face a few seconds ago, and you can let it go, too.”

  She dragged her gaze away and focused on loading the negatives into her tote bag. She wanted to tell him about her daughter, but his soft gaze filled an empty hole in her heart, and she didn’t want the warmth to go away. The moment she told him about her past, he’d never look at her the same way again.

  * * *

  Ethan followed Jennie down the sidewalk to the door of the Photo Grotto where she’d be reprinting the photographs. She’d been quiet since their discussion at the bank. They’d stopped by her friend’s shop to have the negatives scanned, and she’d barely said a word while she worked. Maybe she was thinking about whatever it was in her past that she couldn’t talk about or maybe she was as uneasy about walking down this public sidewalk as was he.

  No one had tailed them. He’d remained attentive and focused to make sure of that, but still, his radar beeped at full alert. He had no concrete reason for the feeling, but his intuition rarely led him astray.

  “Stay behind me,” he said and opened the door to the Grotto.

  A caustic smell assaulted his nose as he took in the lobby area filled with displays of every imaginable kind of camera and other items he could only assume photographers used in the darkroom. A cashier’s counter ran the width of the room and stood empty.

  “That’s odd,” Jennie said from behind. “Ashley never leaves the front desk.”

  “Who’s Ashley?”

  “Daytime receptionist and salesperson. Ashley, are you here?” she yelled and started to move around him.

  He stopped her. “This doesn’t feel right, Jen. Let me check it out.”

  “She’s probably just in the bathroom.”

  “Would she leave all this expensive equipment unattended?”

  Jennie looked around the room then shook her head. “No. I guess not.”

  “Wait here.” He lifted his gun from the holster and advanced toward the counter, pausing at an open doorway. “What’s in there?”

  “The darkrooms and a classroom.”

  He’d check that next, but first he needed to make sure no one was behind the counter. He moved closer and glanced behind it. Spotted movement. He jerked back.

  “You’re scaring me, Ethan,” Jennie said.

  He fixed his gun in front, took a deep breath and swung around the counter again.

  A young woman lay on the floor, blood oozing from her chest. Likely the missing Ashley. He needed something to stop the bleeding. He searched the room.

  “What’s wrong?” Jennie asked.

  He caught sight of a brightly patterned scarf tied around the handle of her tote bag. “Give me your scarf.”

  “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “She’s been shot.”

  “What?” Jennie rushed forward and peered over the counter.

  “No!” She fanned her face as if she might faint. “No. Not Ashley.”

  He locked eyes with her and forced her to focus on him. “I need your scarf to stop the bleeding.”

  “Yes. Okay.” With shaking hands, she untied it from her bag.

  Instead of taking it from her, he led her into the space, alternating his gaze between the victim and the hallway leading away from them.

  “I need you to take care of Ashley while I see if our shooter is still here.”

  She stood as if in shock. He gently urged her down to her knees and settled her hand with the scarf over the wound. “Press as hard as you can and don’t let up.” He made eye contact. “You understand?”

  “Yes.” Her hand trembled but she kept the scarf in place.

  “Is there usually anyone else here at this time of day?”

  “I don’t know. I’m always at work.”

  He dug out his phone and pressed 9-1-1 then handed it to her. “Give the operator the details and make sure you tell them we’re in the building.”

  She nodded.

  Adrenaline shot through his veins as he jogged to the front door and turned the lock so no one could enter while he checked out the rest of the building. One last glance to make sure Jennie talked with the 9-1-1 operator, and he went to the hallway. Long and narrow, it held three doors on both sides with lights above each one, none of them glowing.

  Good, the darkrooms didn’t seem to be in use.

  At the end, another door. No light. Probably the classroom. He went to the first door. Jerked it wide and whipped around the corner. No one, but everything was trashed like the gallery and Jennie’s house.

  He moved down the hall. Next room. A mess, but clear. Moving fast, he zigzagged down the narrow space, wrenching open doors to small rooms with photographic equipment and supplies. At each door, his pulse rose, and at the end of the hallway, he took a deep breath. He didn’t know what to expect on the other side, and his heart thumped double-time.

  Back against the wall, he listened. No sound.

  He jerked open the door and charged in. He made a slow sweep with his weapon. A classroom. Chairs lined up. A projector. Back door wide open. Another door leading to the left.

  He rushed to it. Ripped it open. The bathroom. Empty. He went to the alley. Glanced out. Back in and out again. Clear. He hissed out a breath and dragged in another. Their shooter was gone.

  Sirens wound through the air. A shooting would bring every available officer in the area. Probably an ambulance wail mixed in, too.

  He ran back to Jennie. Her eyes were glassy with shock. One hand pressed firmly against Ashley’s stomach, the other circling her own waist.

  “You okay?” He dropped down next to her, stowing his gun so he didn’t draw fire from arriving officers who could mistake him for the intruder.

  “No,” she answered, her voice not more than a whisper.

  Her glazed eyes coupled with her admission weren’t good signs. He hoped the medics hurried. She looked as if she might pass out.

  “Let me take over.” He reached out.

  “No! She’s my friend. I’ll do this.”

  “Okay.” He backed off, glad her determination still lived underneath the fear. It would help her get through this.

  “This isn’t a random shooting, is it?” she asked.

  “The darkrooms were trashed like someone was looking for something.”

  “If they read the newspaper article they’d know I have a second set of negatives. I’ll bet they thought I stored them here and trashed the place looking for them.”

  “Likely.”

  She looked at her friend. “Do you think she’s going to die?”

  “I hope not.”

  “I wish we’d warned her. If she dies, it’s all my fault.”

  “You’re not to blame in this, Jen.” He didn’t think she was at fault, but the break-in did have everything to do with her.

  This wasn’t a burglary gone wrong. They didn’t tamper with the register or the expensive easy-to-fence cameras that filled the shelves. This was a targeted attack with higher stakes. Her foe just proved his willingness to kill, and Ethan needed to step up his game to make sure Jennie didn’t become the next victim.

  CHAPTER SIX

  In the Grotto’s restroom, Jennie peered at her reflection in the mirror and rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate a headache. The shock of finding Ashley hung in her eyes and left her pale, but at least the panic had receded.

  Some, anyway.

  She’d cleaned the blood from her hands and arms, but the knees of her favorite jeans were stained. Not that ruining her jeans was important. The paramedics had told Jennie that Ashley needed emergency surgery to save her life. Nothing else mattered right now. Nothing.

  Jennie planted her hands on the sink and closed her eyes.

  Father, please guide the surgeon’s hands and bring Ashley safely through surgery. Heal her and restore her to the happy young woman she used to be before the tragedy. And, Father, please end this whole mess before someone else gets hurt.

  Jennie didn’t want to leave this room to discover what was waiting for her, but she wouldn’t hide out and let others take care of everything. She drew her shoulders back and went into the classroom.

  She found Ethan perched on the edge of a table. His back was to her and he talked with Kat, who caught sight of Jennie and lifted a hand in acknowledgment. Ethan jumped to his feet and spun.

  “You doing better?” he asked, his gaze softening as he approached her.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine, Jen.” He reached out as if to touch her, and she took a step back. He let his hand fall, but he looked hurt from her rebuff.

  She honestly hated hurting him, but any physical contact with him and the tears she’d fought off for the past hour would flow. “I’ll be okay.”

  “It’ll take time to get over this. A shooting will stay with you for the rest of your life.” His sympathetic gaze was nearly her undoing so she looked away.

  “You’re blaming yourself for this, aren’t you?” he asked.

  “I don’t know…maybe. If it weren’t for my photos, Ashley wouldn’t have been shot.”

  “You can’t hold yourself accountable for what the shooter decided to do.”

  “He’s right, Jennie.” Kat came forward. “None of this is your fault. Every bit of the responsibility is on the shooter.” She pulled Jennie into a hug and her fruity, fresh scent covered the caustic odors drifting down the hall from the darkrooms.

  Jennie let Kat hug her, enjoying the warmth and not wanting to back off. She could get used to this family surrounding and caring for her. But then what? Return to her solitary existence when this was over? It would be far easier to keep her distance from all of them and stand on her own two feet. She’d made that decision years ago and was still certain it was the right thing to do. The Justices were way out of her league.

  She pushed away. “Have we heard anything more about Ashley?”

  “Not yet,” Kat answered.

  “The officer in charge of the investigation promised to call us the minute they know anything,” Ethan added, his tone reserved. “Right now we need to move you to a more secure location.”

  Jennie wondered if she would be safe anywhere, but she had to get out of here. “Where do you want to take me?”

  “We’ll head to our office for a debriefing and to make a plan. Dani and Cole are waiting in the car.” He tipped his head at the back door but never let his eyes stray from her face. “Kat first, then you.”