there would be no contest. He would choose obligation every time.
She withdrew into silence once again.
“Where are you two heading?” he asked eventually.
The question seemed innocuous enough, no more than casual conversation, except the man was a cop. Patsy hesitated.
He glanced her way and she cursed those reflective sunglasses that prevented her from getting a good look at his eyes.
“Don’t you know?” he demanded. “What kind of mother leaves home with a sick baby if she doesn’t have to?”
Her temper flared and she clutched Billy a little tighter. “He wasn’t sick when we left home.”
“When was that?”
“A few days ago,” she conceded.
“And the baby’s father?”
She’d known the question would come up sooner or later. She’d been praying for later, long enough to have manufactured a believable story. Forced to improvise quickly, she said only, “He’s not around.”
“I see,” Justin said slowly, his expression thoughtful. “You know, if you don’t have a place to go, Los Piños isn’t a bad little town.”
Startled by the suggestion, she stared. “You wouldn’t object? Under the circumstances, I was sure you’d want us as far from your town as possible.”
He glanced over at her. “You ever stolen anything before?”
“No.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because it’s the truth,” she said fiercely. “If it hadn’t been for Billy getting sick, I wouldn’t have done it this time. I would have come here, found a place for us to stay, gotten a job. We’re looking for a fresh start, Deputy Adams, not trouble and definitely not a handout.”
Even from behind those damnable sunglasses, she could feel his penetrating gaze. It was enough to make a liar squirm. Patsy sat perfectly still and withstood it.
“What’s your name?”
“Patsy Gresham,” she said, resorting to her maiden name. If he checked the car tags, he’d know better, but if not, if luck was on her side, she could preserve the illusion for a little while at least.
He nodded. “Okay, then, Patsy Gresham. I suppose having you stick around won’t be a problem. Just know I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”
She could just imagine. He’d probably spread the word from one end of town to the other that Patsy Gresham couldn’t be trusted. What kind of life could she make for herself with a cloud of suspicion hanging over her head?
“I won’t tell a soul about what happened today, if that’s what’s worrying you,” he said, his expression softening as if he’d read her mind and wanted to reassure her. “You’ll move into town with a clean slate.”
“Why are you being so nice?”
Once more, the suggestion that he was anything other than a tough, by-the-book lawman seemed to make him uncomfortable. “Damned if I know,” he said eventually. “Just don’t make me regret it.”
If Patsy had her way, not only wouldn’t he regret it, he’d never set eyes on her again. Even in a town the size of Los Piños, it ought to be easy enough to disappear if she wanted to make it happen.
Then she took another long look at the man beside her. Of course, Justin Adams struck her as the kind of stubborn, determined man who could find whomever he set out to find. She’d just have to make darned sure he never had any reason to hunt for her.
* * *
Justin was losing it. He knew because there was no way in hell under normal circumstances he would have let a criminal off the way he was letting Patsy Gresham go free, despite what Sharon Lynn wanted.
What was it his cousin had asked? Was it the green eyes or the tears that did it? Neither, he had wanted to shout. Now he wasn’t so sure.
Every time he glanced into the woman’s sad, wary eyes, he felt some subtle change deep inside him. He wanted to strangle whoever had brought such sorrow into her life. She was entirely too young to look so beaten. And yet there was a surprising strength and feistiness about her. She might be down, but she definitely wasn’t out. He found such resilience admirable.
On the way back into town he’d reached a decision. Until he knew more, he wanted Patsy Gresham right where he could keep an eye on her. He could just imagine the kind of razzing he’d take for that. No one in his family would believe for an instant that his motives were altruistic. He could explain from now until every head of Adams cattle was counted that he was being cautious, trying to prevent a more serious crime from taking place,