The Search The Secrets of Crittenden Cou - By Shelley Shepard Gray Page 0,61
temper flared. “You make it sound like I didn’t tell you about them on purpose. As if I was trying to stop you from solving Perry’s murder. But it wasn’t like that at all.”
“Then how was it?”
“I didn’t mention them because I didn’t think they were important.” But of course that wasn’t the whole truth. She hadn’t told him because she’d feared they had meant something important to the investigation.
“You were wrong.”
She bit her bottom lip. Didn’t know what to say. Because, well, there really wasn’t anything to say.
“You shouldn’t have kept information from me, Frannie. It really was a mistake to do that.” His look was solemn, his words laced with disappointment.
Her mouth went dry. And that was when she realized that nothing she imagined was ever going to happen between her and Luke.
Because no matter how hard she tried, everything in her life always came back to Perry.
Glad to be of help, Beth wrapped an arm around Chris’s waist and helped him walk up the stairs to his room.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said.
“Nonsense. I’m stronger than I look. Now, come take a few more steps, if you will.”
Looking weak and sore, and like he was hiding a hundred hurts, he continued. With each step he climbed, his pace had become slower and more hesitant.
After another six or seven steps, he stopped to catch his breath. “Beth, this probably isn’t a good idea . . .”
“Don’t make this into something it isn’t. All I’m doing is helping you to your room.”
He frowned at her logic, but didn’t say another word. Instead, he continued his journey, taking a full five minutes to do something that usually only took a minute or two.
By the time he unlocked his door and reached his bed, the skin around his mouth had whitened with the strain. So much so, he hardly did more than bat a hand at her when she knelt down and unlaced his boots, then pulled them off.
Yet again, he tried to push her away. “I’m fine.”
“Shush. Now sit still and let me help you with your boots.”
As she placed her hands on his boot and pulled hard, he almost smiled. “Careful. These boots are smelly. Feet are, too.”
“I imagine I’ll survive.” She tugged off one, then with a grunt, tugged off the other steel-toed Timberland.
He gave a noise that sounded like a half-grimace, half-chuckle. “Looks like you have plenty of experience pulling off boots.”
“You have no idea how squirrely four-year-olds are in the winter,” she said as she carefully placed his boots in the corner of his room. “I’ve helped put on and take off more boots than you can ever imagine.”
“That’s to my benefit.” He lay down with a sigh.
He looked so pained, she stepped to his side.
“Don’t worry.” He turned his cheek to the down pillow. “You need to get out of here, Beth. It’s not right for you to be alone in here with me.”
Though she’d been aware of that, she flushed, not liking his tone. It sounded as if he was talking to a silly teenager. She was definitely not that. “I’m not some innocent young girl, Chris. Just because I’m Amish, it don’t mean I’m skittish.”
His ice blue eyes warmed on her before flickering away. “No one would ever accuse you of being skittish. You’re a brave woman.”
At the moment, she felt as far away from being brave as she did from the moon. “Don’t tease.”
“I’m not teasing. Actually, I’m pretty darn impressed with your breaking and entering abilities. If you weren’t a sweet Amish girl, why, there’s no telling what kind of cop you could make.”
Secretly, Beth thought the same thing. Oh, not about being a police officer, but oftentimes she, too, thought she could have done a great many things in the outside world.
If that had been her calling.
His eyes were at half-mast now. “You better go. I’m about to fall asleep. I didn’t get much rest last night.”
“They didn’t let you sleep?”
One side of his mouth turned up. “I’m afraid not, Beth. I wasn’t there as their guest.”
Embarrassed by her naiveté, she straightened and moved away from him. Though she ached to ask him exactly what happened, ached to discover how hurt he truly was, she knew he would never tell her. It was none of her business.
Realizing she’d stood too long at his side simply gazing at him and wishing that things were different, she clasped her hands together. “All right, then. I’ll go now and let you