slid out behind him so she could stand with her hands on her hips.
“Not really, no. It’s either you come to the cabin with me, or I sleep here with you. I’d rather be at my place where I can hear someone coming five minutes before they get to the cabin and can leave my gun out without worrying about the kids.”
“Your gun? What? Do you think she’s in danger?” Mary Ellen’s hands wrung the dishcloth nervously.
“No,” Nadya said. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Maybe. Someone spent a great amount of effort to trash your car and make it appear like an act of violence.”
“Appear like an act of violence? It was one!”
“No. It was cold calculation. The windshield and headlights were cracked using one of those emergency glass breakers.”
“But I saw the brick.”
“The windshield is made of safety glass so it didn’t break all the way. He must have heaved a brick afterwards for effect. It came from the neighbor’s landscaping so he picked it up along the way.”
“Brick or glass-breaking tool, whatever—my car is still trashed.”
“I know, but there’s something hinkey about this. My gut is telling me it’s more than someone being mad you’re in town. Bill told me about the offer Hornblower gave you. Did you tell anyone else about it?”
“No. I didn’t have a chance. Besides, who would I tell?”
“What about your half brothers? Did they know about the offer? It’s a lot of money.”
Nadya felt like she’d been punched in the gut. She hadn’t really processed the idea of having brothers yet. The idea they could hate her enough to trash her car shook her.
“I don’t know. Hornblower said something about meeting with them. They know I exist, that’s about all I know.”
“Look.” He held her hands in his. “I’m not trying to scare you, but I want to keep you safe.”
“I really don’t think someone is out to hurt me.”
“Maybe not, but do you want to risk Mary Ellen and the boys if you’re wrong?”
“Hey! That’s not fair. Don’t use us to pressure her. Bill has a gun—he can protect her too.”
Nadya winced. She absolutely did not want to bring trouble to this house. It would kill her if something happened to any one of the Michaels. There was no way she’d put them in danger. “It’ll only take a minute for me to get my stuff,” she said in defeat.
“But…but…what’s she going to do all day out there alone in the woods?” Mary Ellen wailed.
“I’ll bring her back here on the way to work. It should be safe enough here during the day. Especially if I make it clear she’s coming back to the cabin with me.”
“Oh, great. I can hear it already—like mother, like daughter. I’ll be known as the town whore within the hour.” Nadya tried to convince herself she didn’t care, but her gut clenched all the same.
“No. They’ll know you’re under my protection and they’ll have to go through me to get to you.” He tipped her chin up so she had to look him in the eye. “You’re not alone this time. I will protect you.”
With a certainty she felt straight to her soul, she knew he meant every word.
Chapter Eleven
J.T. picked up some potato salad and sandwich fixings for dinner. He wasn’t much of a cook, but any idiot could put a ham sandwich together. Nadya hadn’t said much after she’d given her statement at the station. He’d made Parker take it so there wouldn’t be any conflict of interest.
At least that’s what he told her. It was all he could do to hold back the rage that stormed through him, and he didn’t think he could maintain any professionalism if he had to focus on her as the victim. She was so certain it was someone from town who did this to her, and the thought she could be right made his blood boil.
Goddamn, but he was pissed. To serve and protect was more than just a catch phrase to him. He’d spent the last five years of his life protecting the citizens of this town. All of them. He thought he knew just about everyone in Dale. How could he be so wrong? His gut screamed that this wasn’t anyone he knew, but what if that was his pride talking? Could he just not admit he didn’t have his finger on the pulse of the town?
“How old is Officer Parker?” Nadya asked.
“Jim? I don’t know. Twenty-one, twenty-two? Old enough to have gone through the police academy. Why?”
“I