Expired Cache - Lisa Phillips Page 0,75
you.”
“He didn’t.”
“He could have raped you.”
Her breath hitched in her chest. “He didn’t.” The same way she’d been saved from worse, years before. “It was bad, but I think God kept me from worse. He allowed it to happen—that, but no more.”
“For what reason?”
“You’re the one who believes. Why would that be?”
“Psalms says, ‘You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.’”
“What does that mean?” she asked. “Hedges?”
“He puts boundaries around us. Evil happens, but He wants to use it for His glory. And for our good.”
“Like your father?”
“I have to have faith.” He took a breath. “I don’t know the extent of what he did to Ted. But I can be here now, helping. Praying.”
“Being a hero.”
“Maybe it’s too late.”
She touched his arms. “It isn’t. I’m proof of that.”
“You can say that because you aren’t the one who has to live with the fact you didn’t catch him. And I didn’t keep you from being taken in the first place.”
“Yes.” She squeezed his arms. “I can say that. Because you found me. You’re right, no one can prevent what is supposed to happen. I just have to find the good. Like being here with my sister. Putting a wrong, right. Sticking it to Professor Tumbleweed, because I’m going to write a better book than he ever could.”
Dean grinned again.
“And I can do it because you’re here.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“That’s why I feel like I have the strength to go up that trail and find out the secret someone is willing to hurt me and destroy my grandfather’s things over, in order to keep it hidden.”
“I can’t be your strength. But I will be here.” His expression intensified. “Whoever it is, they’re serious.”
“I know.” She touched her neck. “And they might destroy it before I can find out what it is.”
“They probably already did, and this is a last ditch effort to keep anyone from finding out.”
She said, “I need to try.”
Dean pushed out a breath.
“I know this isn’t what you want to be doing. You’re supposed to be setting up your therapy center.”
That was why her grandfather gave him that land. Not for some wishful idea of hers that she be hedged, behind and before. Protected by a hero.
He frowned.
“But I do need you.” She wanted him to understand. “When it’s done, you won’t need to protect me anymore. I’ll be gone.” It hurt to say the words, considering what her heart seemed to want from Dean.
That wasn’t the point though, was it?
She didn’t live here. Now that fire had destroyed it all, Jess could rebuild. While Ellie figured out her own path.
And she wasn’t going to run, the way she’d done before. Too quickly jumping at the chance to start over somewhere no one knew her. Hiding in books, in history. Pretending nothing bothered her. Ellie’s mom had train wrecked her life, making poor choices. Driven by her emotions.
She refused to do the same.
As soon as she could get back to her life, she would figure out what was next for her. Ellie wanted to land somewhere she felt at home. Despite how her future seemed to fit in with Dean, too much had happened here.
She didn’t feel safe.
She needed him. “Until this is over, I need your help. I don’t think I can do this without you. I’m independent, and I want to think I’m strong…”
“But everyone needs someone to watch their back.”
She nodded, pleased he understood. Dean didn’t look happy, though. He looked kind of mad about it. “I can’t help feeling like we’re running out of time.”
She shoved at a few more things on the floor, only succeeding in getting ash on her fingers. The music box. The books. She still had no idea what her grandfather’s clues were.
She’d failed.
“Let’s go check out that trail.” He crouched beside her. “Okay?”
Ellie nodded, her gaze snagging on the box. “What is…”
Dean saw what she had zeroed in on. He scooped it up and pulled the bottom section of the box apart. “Looks like a secret compartment.” He tugged out a folded paper. It disintegrated in his hands and fell to the floor.
A map.
Twenty-Nine
He had his gun holstered, but that didn’t mean Dean couldn’t have it up and firing in less than two seconds.
Which was the only reason he allowed Ellie to come up here.
There was no point considering whether he should have told her no. She thought he was her hero? Fine. Dean was going to walk up this mountain with her on