From the Shadows (Buckhorn, Montana #2) - B.J. Daniels Page 0,58

saying magnanimously as Devlin had looked around at the others. Only one met his gaze: Jen. She smiled as if everything was fine. Or was it a knowing smile?

“Just tell me what to buy,” Jason said as he borrowed a pen and pad from the bartender and began to make a list. “Who’s up for making it back at the kitchen?”

Devlin ordered another drink as Jason and Patience climbed off their bar stools to head to the store, with the others following shortly after them.

That had been hours ago. Why hadn’t he left the bar with them?

* * *

FINN STILL FELT shaken because he’d almost kissed Casey, something he’d been wanting to do since the first time he’d laid eyes on her. He’d come so close. And then that damned door had slammed.

He shook his head. Not even Megan’s ghost was going to keep them apart. But, given the note, someone was certainly trying to come between them, someone human and alive. He had to question the person’s motive—and how far they would go.

For months, he’d believed he was alone in the hotel—just him and the ghosts. It hadn’t been his imagination that he wasn’t. Had someone been trying to chase him away? Failing that, were they now trying to do the same with him and Casey?

“Whoever is behind the note and the perfume, they’re after something,” he said and saw that he’d hit a nerve. “They’re clearly trying to divide us.” Divide and conquer, he thought as he realized that the person’s agenda could quite possibly be at cross-purposes to his own. He’d been looking for Megan’s killer. “If the killer thought that you knew something that could help me...” He saw the color drain from her face for a moment. “Casey?”

“I can’t help you,” she said a little too quickly. “Nor can I imagine why anyone would think that.” She looked nervous and upset.

He swore under his breath. Shit, she did know something. Or at least the killer thought she did. “If Megan’s killer even thought you had information—”

“I don’t.” She took another step back. “I really need to get back to what I was doing.”

Finn nodded, angry at himself but even more angry with the situation. Whoever wanted to come between them, it was working. He could feel her pulling away. Worse, he had no doubt now that she knew something. He just worried it could get her killed.

She started to turn away, but he put his hand on her arm to stop her. “Casey, we have to pull together. You can trust me.”

* * *

CASEY MET HIS GAZE, furious with herself. Finn knew that she was holding back. She saw it in his eyes. Someone knew she’d taken the diary. If Megan suspected who had wanted to kill her and had written it down... If the killer thought Casey had read it... Was the killer worried that the one person she might confess the truth to would be Finn?

Then the killer would be right, she realized.

She stared into his handsome face and knew that he was right. They needed to stick together—and she did trust him. Someone wanted her to think she couldn’t trust him because of the note. It made her angry that she’d played right into the person’s hands.

“There’s something I need to tell you.” But even as she said it, she knew that telling him about the diary could be the one thing that could divide them.

She felt a tug at her heartstrings. She didn’t want to see his disappointment when she told him. How could he ever trust her after she’d lied to everyone about the diary? He’d saved her, by being here when she needed someone desperately. He’d done nothing but help her. He was buying the hotel and land, paying her more than Devlin had offered. He’d provided a barrier between her and the town and the reunion staff.

If there was one person here she could trust, it was Finn. Except maybe not with her heart.

“I did something I’ve regretted—”

Patience’s voice startled her and Finn as well. They both turned to see her coming toward them. From the look on her face, she’d heard at least some of what they’d been talking about.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“WE WERE LOOKING for you two,” Patience said when she reached them. She had a quizzical expression on her face, making Finn wonder how much of their conversation she’d overheard. “Dinner’s ready. Taco salad. We set a place for both of you. Now we’re just trying to