she spoke. However it was her grip on his shirt, the other hand on his arm, that told the real story. She was scared. “We’re leaving now. Time to get somewhere safe.”
“Good.” She nodded. “I want to go through the backpack and see what there is to find in what I brought from the cabin.”
“Okay.”
“Hold up.” Jessica lifted a hand. She squared up on Dean. “You left her in the car. Alone. And got out to assist the accident?”
“We were closest, so Bill called me. We were first on scene.” Not that he needed to explain himself to her. “We helped, and now we’re leaving.”
He would talk to Ellie later about getting out of the car, even after that phone call. Though he understood fear driving a person’s actions. He’d seen it plenty of times in countries where people saw no rest from war, no refuge from a life in danger. Hunted every second of the day.
He just hadn’t thought he would see it at home where the world around him wasn’t at war. Which was the reason he hadn’t taken the boys up on their offer of joining their team. Dean was done with that. But personal protection detail for a woman he was drawn to? That was exactly what he wanted to do.
Physical protection. If he had to help her get a footing mentally, the way he had to do with Stuart—and a few others—that would only color what was between them. He wanted to be a boyfriend to her, not a therapist.
“You put her at risk. You’re done.” Jessica lifted her chin. “Ellie can come with me, and she’ll be safe at the police department while I finish out my shift.”
“And when you need sleep?”
“I’ll get a protection detail.”
“So do it.” His suggestion was a good one. If she thought she could do a better job protecting her sister, that was fine by him. Dean would step aside, but would probably remain part of the rotating detail she was likely to schedule. Conroy, who was the current chief of police, was a friend. Dean would at least be able to convince him.
There was no reason why he shouldn’t let Jessica take over her sister’s safety.
Except that tiny flex of Ellie’s fingers when he’d made that last comment. The thought of him handing her off to her sister made her nervous. Concerned. Scared. All of the above, or something else. Maybe he could get her to tell him. Or she would continue to keep it a secret from him. Either way, Dean realized he wanted the chance to prove it to her. She could trust him. No matter what, he was determined not to let her down.
Jessica pressed her lips together.
“You’re too busy,” he surmised aloud. “You don’t have time.”
The lip press curled slightly.
“It’s fine, Jess.” Ellie shifted to peer around Dean’s arm. “I’ll go with Dean, and it’ll be okay. I know you’re in the middle of a case.”
Dean nodded. “I’ve got this.”
Jessica sighed. “I know.”
She’d rather be the one protecting her sister. He didn’t blame her for that, and it was nice to know she felt about her sister the way he felt toward his little brother. Ted was his whole family, as far as Dean was concerned.
He wanted to know if the case was about Stuart, though. If she would tell him. “Big investigation?”
“This guy we’ve been trying to identify for months now.” She ran a hand back over her hair. “Or, at least, it feels like months. First, it was Summers. Then his uncle. Now we’re farther up the chain but… Ellie?”
He’d felt the change in her as well.
She’d let go of him.
Dean turned. Her face was pale, so much he wondered if he was going to have to catch her. “Are you—”
She lifted her hand, palm facing him. Dean stopped walking toward her. She bent double, hands on her thighs, and sucked in breaths. “I’m okay. I’m fine. He’s dead. Right?”
“Summers, or his uncle?”
Ellie whipped up straight with a gasp.
Jessica said, “I knew something happened to you. I’ve been thinking about who, and what. What did they do to you?”
Ellie shook her head. “They’re dead. It doesn’t matter.” She lifted her chin like that would convince either of them.
Dean glanced at Jessica. She was about to argue when her radio crackled and he heard Bill’s voice, though he couldn’t make out the specific words. Jessica twisted the radio to her face and pressed the button. “Lima Charlie six. Show me responding.”
She took two