“Settle down. I know it’s the right thing to do. It also might be right to stare him in the eye while I do it.”
“And what the hell does that mean?”
“Hey—didn’t you tell me you looked the man who almost killed you in the eye and said, ‘He’s the one’? And did you change your identity? Hide in Virgin River? No, you pointed at him, put him away and got on with your life.”
She was shaking her head. “There was no evidence he was connected to dangerous people, people he could commission to come after me for revenge!”
Conner chuckled. “Don’t you watch TV? He’s been in prison for years now. If he wanted to, he could make a partnership. I doubt he will, but he could. Revenge is a hot poker, kind of hard to forget. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to scare you or anything. I bet I’m not telling you anything you haven’t already thought of.”
“I’m just trying to help keep you safe. And you’re making me very nervous.”
“You’re not the one who should be nervous. I’ve been thinking a lot and I think maybe what I’ll do is ask Max to unload all that property. Sell it. The furnishings and personal property in the two houses. He can launder the money, so to speak, so the proceeds of the sale aren’t made out to Danson Conner. We’ll liquidate, make a fresh start. It’s what we were going to do anyway. When it’s time, I’ll go to Sacramento and testify and come back here. I’ll start over here with my new name and my family.”
“Your family?”
“I don’t know what Katie wants for herself and her boys, but we’ve talked. We know we’re not going home. But I want them here. This is the right kind of place for them. Maybe I’ll work cabinetry for the rest of my life. Maybe I’ll do something else.”
She took a step toward him. “And Leslie, as well? Mathis had your store burned down! Your life was threatened!”
Conner looked down. When he lifted his eyes, they were blazing. “I never saw it coming. He won’t take me by surprise again.”
“Conner, what you’re proposing is dangerous to you and your ancillary connections, like Katie and her boys. Like Leslie. I think what we should do is move you. I’ll call Max and tell him we have a complication and have to get you away from here before anyone can make the connection.”
“No. I’m not going.”
She shook her head. “If you care about her, you have to reconsider.”
“I care about her, and before I make any moves, I’ll give her the choice.” He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Maybe she’ll tell me to be on my way. She’s not here to find the right guy, she’s here trying to get her idea of the right guy out of her head—that ex-husband who cost her so much. Besides, she’s close to her family—no way she’s going into hiding. I wouldn’t even ask her to.”
“You love her.”
“Don’t get ahead of me. We’re enjoying life. We haven’t said those kind of things to each other.” He swallowed. “I don’t want to crowd her.”
“You’re talking about just ignoring the threat Mathis and his people impose.”
“No, sir,” he said. “I’m talking about defending my loved ones, something I never knew I had to do before, something you and the D.A. have made a point of suggesting is impossible for me to do. I have a gun and I have—” He broke off and laughed cynically. “I have the Virgin River posse. Even though all I’ve done for these good people is help out here and there, I have no doubt they’d back me up.”
Brie was quiet for a long moment. Finally she said, “They deserve better than that.”
“I haven’t done anything yet,” he reminded her. “I haven’t told anyone. I haven’t changed our game plan. But if you push this, I will. Because Les and I deserve a break. Just a break to see if maybe we found something worth the risk. That’s all I’m saying.”
“You’re not in charge,” Brie said forcefully.
“Yes,” he said. “I am.”
That night, as Conner held Leslie, the temptation to tell all was overwhelming. He didn’t, but he wanted to. He wanted to say, This thing happened and testifying is the right thing to do and I can keep you safe. I know I have to keep the people I love safe.