with a lawman, the woman who had Emily would panic and run, and Sunny would lose her baby forever.
As the last of the police cars pulled away and Griff walked back up the steps toward her, she blocked the doorway.
“Thank you,” she said, putting on a mask of relief, as if the knowledge that Burt Means was locked up had calmed all her fears.
He didn’t stop, didn’t acknowledge her gratitude. He stalked right past her into the house. With no other choice but to be overrun, she scrambled out of his way.
Standing in her foyer, he pushed his wet hair back with both hands, and slung the water away.
“All right. The police are gone. I want to know what the hell is going on.”
She stared at him. “What—what do you mean?”
He sent her a disgusted look. “You gave the officer a good story.”
“A good story?” Fear skittered up her spine. Griffin Stone was too perceptive. Sometimes he terrified her.
Griff scowled. “You lied to the officers. How did Means get inside? The door wasn’t forced, and I know you didn’t let him in.”
“He—” She couldn’t think. “I’d gone outside. I was getting something out of my car.”
His gaze drilled through her bravado. He was the enemy, standing between her and her baby. If she thought he would help her, she’d beg him. But he couldn’t, not with this. She had to rescue Emily alone.
“Something out of your car,” he repeated derisively. “What?”
Sunny was too tired and too beaten down to spar with him. At this moment, she couldn’t remember what she’d told the police.
“My—my suitcase. I needed to unpack.”
“Unpack.” His voice held a cold derision. His eyes were hard as amethysts.
“Yes.” She raised her chin. “Like I told the officer, I’m a terrible procrastinator. That suitcase has been in the car for over a week, since—since a trip I took.” Her attempt at lying was a miserable failure. But she was desperate. She had to get rid of him and get on the road. Every minute wasted was a minute closer to too late.
His eyes accused her. “Right. Your suitcase, your purse, your baby’s diaper bag. I listened to your statement.”
She nodded, her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.
He emitted a soft, sharp laugh and shook his head. “You’re a really bad liar, Ms. Loveless.”
“I’m not lying.” Sunny clenched her teeth. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m tired.”
He started toward her. She stepped aside, out of his way, but he didn’t head toward the door. He headed for her.
He wrapped his fingers around her upper arms in a grip that was surprisingly gentle, and sat her down on the window seat, then dragged a chair over in front of her. Sitting down, he took her hands in his.
Sunny shivered at their comforting warmth.
“The kidnapper called you, didn’t he?”
“No, I—” Sunny squeezed her eyes shut. He was so sure, so strong. And she was so tired. It was so hard not to just tell him everything and let him help her. She shook her head.
His grip tightened. “Look at me.”
She didn’t want to meet his gaze, but something in his voice, something in the way he cradled her hands in his, made her feel safe.
“You may have fooled the officers, but you aren’t fooling me. I’ve been doing this for eight long years.” His expression was solemn.
“You would never have opened your door to Burt Means. You were outside, and you weren’t getting anything out of your car in a rainstorm in the middle of the night. He caught you outside because you were putting something into your car. Your packed a suitcase, your purse and Emily’s diaper bag.”
He rubbed his thumbs across her knuckles. “You were very lucky I was here. Otherwise, you might be in the clutches of a man who thinks you ruined his life and stole his child.”
Sunny shuddered. He was too close. His hands holding hers felt too good. “What were you doing here?”
“I called to see if you were okay. You didn’t answer.”
Tears gathered in Sunny’s eyes. She tried to pull away, but he held on.
“Now Means is out of the picture. He’ll go back to prison for violating his parole. The police will check on him and Brittany, but I think you’re right. He doesn’t have Emily. The kidnappers called you, didn’t they?”
“No, I—”
“Can the act, okay? I know you didn’t receive a call on your house phone, or the police would have been notified. So the kidnapper called your