A Cry in the Dark (Carly Moore #1) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,112
saw. I think that’s answer enough.” And I did. I told him about waking up and seeing the three men. About setting off my car alarm and watching, helpless, as that man shot Seth and then took off with the others in the red truck. About running out and finding Seth bleeding to death. Listening to Seth’s last words. Sending Max to find the gun and key fob only to learn they were missing. But I held back the numbers on Seth’s hand, because it might make him change his mind about going to Ewing. If his source knew something, I wasn’t going to give Wyatt a reason to cancel.
He was quiet for nearly a minute, and I could see he was processing everything.
“Somebody knows you’re lyin’. They have the proof with your gun and your key fob.”
“Max swears a deputy couldn’t have gotten it. Do you think he took them?” I didn’t think so, but Wyatt had known his brother far longer.
“No. Max is too protective of you to have set you up. He’s not lyin’.”
Relief rushed through me, I wanted to able to trust Max.
I gave Wyatt a tight smile. “When you came into the tavern and accused me of doing something, I wondered if you’d found them.”
His jaw tightened. “I’ve been an utter ass to you. I’m sorry.”
“No,” I said. “I like that you’re so protective of them.”
“I’m protective of the people I care about Carly.” Something in his words warmed my blood…and other parts.
We were closing in on Drum as I turned sideways in my seat to face him. “I am too.”
He slowed down and gave me a long, searching look. “I know.”
He pulled into a parking spot across the street from the library and put the truck in park. Tucking his leg at an angle on the seat, he turned to face me completely. “I don’t feel good about leavin’ you. I’m worried Bingham might try to snatch you and question you about what you know.”
I realized I hadn’t filled him in on that part. “He won’t. Unless he’s not a man of his word.”
His body stiffened. “What did Hank do?”
“It was my doing,” I said. “It seemed the safest way to get him to let me be.”
“What arrangement did you make?”
“We’re meeting in public for ten minutes, and we get to ask each other questions.”
His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “You want to ask Bingham questions? Have you lost your mind? Do you plan to tell him everything?”
“No. Hank said it’s never best to show your hand right off the bat, and in this instance, I think he’s right. I plan to tell Bingham as little as possible and let him sort the rest out.”
“Todd Bingham’s no fool. You can’t string him along, Carly.”
“I don’t plan to. And I’m counting on the public place to keep me safe.”
He grimaced. “Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. When and where are you meetin’?”
“I don’t know.” And it worried me more than I wanted to let on.
“All the more reason for me to stay close. Maybe Ewing’s a bad idea.”
“No, if there’s even the slightest chance your source knows something, you need to go,” I said. “And I have another purpose for going to the library—I’m hoping to get onto a computer to do some internet sleuthing.”
He frowned, looking like he was at war with himself. Finally, he said, “Don’t use the computer at the library. Go to the garage and use mine. In fact, when you finish at the library, call Junior and have him walk you to the garage and then the tavern. I’ll give you a ride back to Hank’s after you finish your shift. The old man will have to suck it up because I’m stayin’. I’m not leavin’ you alone tonight. If someone breaks in, I plan to be there to kick his ass to kingdom come.”
I smiled up at him.
“What?” he asked, his brow furrowed.
“Nothing,” I said, feeling like a fool. The last thing I should do was indulge in my feelings for him, or encourage any feelings he might have for me.
I released my seatbelt and started to reach for the door handle.
“Carly.”
I turned back to face him, then sucked in a breath when I saw the longing in his eyes. Every nerve ending in my body pinged.
His hand lifted to my cheek as he lowered his mouth to mine in a surprising gentle kiss. When he lifted his head, he smiled. “I’ve been wantin’ to do that