The Best Man to Trust - By Kerry Connor Page 0,56

of his hands on her cheeks, the softness of his skin, slowly sank into her system. The thumb of his right hand gently stroked over her skin. His gaze slowly lowered, drifting down her face. She finally realized where that thumb was placed, just above her upper lip. He focused there for an infinite moment, and she suddenly had the feeling that he was about to kiss her.

But he didn’t. The corner of his mouth quirking with what seemed like a trace of regret, he had raised his eyes to hers but moved no closer.

“Are you okay?” he asked, the low timbre of his voice seeming to vibrate right through her.

She managed a small nod. “I think so.”

“I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

As much as part of her couldn’t help but respond to hearing that sentiment from this man, it still grated. Meredith slowly leaned back, pulling out of his grasp, forcing him to let her go. “You’re not responsible for me. And I don’t need a babysitter.”

“I didn’t say you did,” he said. “But given everything that’s happened, we should have realized it wasn’t safe for anyone to be alone in this place.

“We had no reason to believe I was in danger. This all seemed to be centered around you and your friends.”

“There’s a killer on the loose. Everyone is in danger.”

At the moment she could hardly argue with that. “Why would somebody want my keys?”

He appeared to consider the question, his eyebrows drawing together. “Only two reasons I can think of. They’re afraid of someone else getting access to their room and want to get the keys before someone else can—”

“Or they’re the one who wants access to someone else’s room,” Meredith finished.

Tom nodded gravely. “And if that’s the case, that most likely means the killer has another intended victim.”

It certainly made the most sense. After what happened to Jessica, everyone was going to be far more cautious. The killer’s only chance of getting to another victim might be to break into their room.

She automatically placed her hand over her pocket, feeling the reassuring shape of the keys through the fabric. “At least they didn’t get them,” she murmured. “Unfortunately, I don’t think this is going to stop them from trying another way to get to whoever they want.”

“Or from trying to come after you again,” he suggested, his voice tight with anger. “Let’s go find out where everyone is right now. Maybe we can narrow down who could have done this. It might give us an idea who’s behind the murders.”

“All right,” she said, starting to push to her feet.

Tom immediately rose to his, bending to offer his hand to help her up.

She hesitated for a slightest instant, then slowly slid her hand onto his. The warmth of his skin sent a charge straight through her. She did her best to keep the reaction from showing on her face, even as her whole body seemed to buzz from the effects of it. Once she was on her feet, she quickly pulled her fingers from his. “Thanks.”

He let her lead the way to the front hall, following so close behind she could feel him there. By the time they reached the staircase, she was feeling better. Stronger.

Angrier.

She plunged up the stairs, ready to get some answers.

They were halfway up when a muffled cry of pain cut through the air.

They both froze for a split second. Meredith’s gut clenched painfully. Oh, God. No.

She took off in an instant, bursting up the remaining steps, Tom right by her side. Finally arriving at the second floor, she skidded to a stop, taking in the scene before them.

No!

The word was screaming in her mind, but Meredith couldn’t utter a sound.

Greg lay facedown in the hallway, the back of his head coated in blood.

Chapter Fifteen

“Greg?”

Meredith took off down the hallway, Tom right at her side, her heart lodged in her throat at the sight of the big, unmoving form lying on the floor.

A split second before they reached him, he shifted slightly, the sight sending fresh shock ripping through her. At the sight of him, she’d immediately thought he had to be dead. The fact that he wasn’t was almost as much of a shock as finding him there.

He rolled partway on his side, then flopped back onto his stomach, placing a hand on the floor to steady himself.

“Take it easy,” Tom said, dropping to his knee at Greg’s side. “You’re hurt.”

“Am I?” Greg asked, sounding bemused.

“What happened?” Meredith asked.

Greg pushed himself fully