Chapter 15 #2
“Tell me what happened, but start from the beginning,” Howell said.
Joel glanced at Justin. “We met Lisa several weeks ago when she was hiking the trails in the Bighorns. She got herself good and lost, so Justin and I headed out with our K9s to find her. Royal tracked her down after a couple of hours.”
“She became overly attached to Joel from the start,” Justin said. “She’s pretty, at least on the outside, but apparently isn’t accustomed to men not falling all over themselves to date her.”
“I wasn’t mean or nasty, but she once told me that she could have any man she wanted.” Joel grimaced at the memory. “I told her that didn’t include me and that she should find someone else.”
Howell frowned. “You’re saying she did all of this”—he waved his arm at their surroundings—“because you wouldn’t date her?”
“I know it sounds crazy.” Joel hunched his shoulders, hardly able to believe it himself. “It honestly never crossed my mind that she might be responsible.”
“Unbelievable,” Simmons said. “A woman who looks like that could have any man she wanted.”
Joel shook his head, remembering right from the start how he’d thought Lisa was too much like Bethany.
Used to getting whatever she wanted. “That’s the point.
She couldn’t have me. You need to ask her if she had help with the bomb she placed under my SUV at the rental cabin.
” He glanced at his K9. “Royal alerted on her scent, so I know she was there. But Royal did not alert anywhere around the cabin itself. So she either hid in the woods for hours, or she had help from some other guy.”
“I can do that. We have her on attempted murder and kidnapping a minor for starters. I’d love to add arson to the list.”
“She set fire to Trina’s home,” Justin said. “Unless she had help with that too.”
Howell blew out a breath. “Okay, I’ll need to reinterview Trina Warren again.”
“Give her some time.” Joel frowned. “She’s had a rough morning.”
“Sounds like you’ve all had a difficult morning,” Simmons said.
“Let’s get back to Trina’s.” Justin slapped Joel on the back. “You need to get that arm bandaged up.”
He nodded and moved past the officers. In a low voice, he asked, “Was it my imagination, or did you notice how Trina seemed to distance herself from me?”
His twin sighed. “She cares about you, bro. The same way you care about her. Try not to mess this up.”
Joel worried the warning was too late. That he’d already messed it up. Knowing that every moment Trina was in danger, barely escaping one incident after another, was his fault might be too much for her. Not that he’d led Lisa on in any way. At least, he didn’t think so.
Maybe he’d flirted a bit when he and Royal had first rescued her.
After all, he was single, and she was stunning, even with dirt and grime from being out in the elements all night.
But that was all he’d done. He’d never kissed her or anything close to giving her the impression that he wanted to date her.
“I don’t know, maybe we should head back to the ranch.” Joel didn’t want to pile on to Trina’s already emotional day.
“Don’t be a fool.” Justin’s tone was sharp. “I know a lovesick guy when I see one. You care about her and that little boy. Don’t assume you know how she feels.”
He supposed his brother had a point. At the very least, Trina deserved the truth. What she chose to do with that information was up to her.
“Come, Royal.” He picked up his pace, with Royal trotting along at his side.
Justin and Stone followed more slowly. When he reached Trina’s house, he hesitated, then knocked at the damaged front door.
He eyed the frame, thinking it wouldn’t take that long for him and Justin to replace the door and the surrounding frame.
A quick trip to the hardware store and they could have it repaired by lunchtime.
Upon opening the door, Trina looked surprised to see him. “Joel, I thought you and Justin would have headed home by now.”
He managed a grin. “Any chance I could borrow a few bandages? And maybe some coffee?”
“Of course.” Royal snaked past her as if he owned the place. Hearing Ben’s whoop of joy in greeting Royal gave him hope. At least Ben was on his side.
Or more accurately, Ben was on Royal’s side.
“Sit down.” Trina gestured to the kitchen chair. “I’ll get the bandages. You’re lucky I stocked up after Ben wiped out on his bike a few weeks ago.”
He sat, looking longingly at the coffee pot. Trina must have noticed because after dumping the box of first aid supplies on the table, she filled a mug and handed it to him.
“I hope you’re not left-handed.” She dampened a washcloth and began to clean the wound.
“Nope.” He sipped his coffee, watching her expression. She didn’t flinch at the sight of blood, which was a good thing considering she was raising an eight-year-old boy.
“I already fed Ben. He was starving.” She glanced at him briefly before turning her attention back to his wound. “I’d be happy to make more eggs for you and Justin.”
“Are you sure?” He felt as if he were walking on a swaying bridge that might collapse under his weight at any moment. “I don’t want to put you out.”
“It’s the least I can do.” She dried his arm and applied a wide bandage over the gash. “There. All set.”
“Thanks.” He didn’t want her to feed him out of gratitude. He glanced over when Justin and Stone came in.
“Hey, Ben, how about we take the dogs outside for a bit?” His brother didn’t hide the fact that he was giving Trina and Joel some alone time.
“Okay.” Ben tossed his handheld video game aside, the one that had nearly cost the boy his life, and jumped off the sofa. “Come, Royal.”
Royal seemed to understand it was playtime. His K9 followed Stone, Justin, and Ben outside.
Joel rose to his feet and caught Trina’s hand. “Will you sit down for a minute?”
“Ah, sure.” She looked flustered, her cheeks going pink. She dropped into the closest kitchen chair. “I—do the police need to talk to me?”
“Yes, but not now. Later.” Still holding her hand, he sat beside her. “Trina, I want to apologize for everything you’ve been through. I swear if I had any idea Lisa could do something like this, I’d have told you.”
“I don’t blame you.” She dropped her gaze to their clasped hands, then shook her head. “I was surprised too. She always seemed nice. A little standoffish maybe, but nice.”
“I never led her on or indicated I liked her more than a casual acquaintance.” Joel hesitated, feeling as if he was handling this wrong. Words were Trina’s strength, not his. “If you want the truth, I purposefully avoided her.”
That caused her to look up in surprise. “Why?”
“She struck me as the kind of woman who used her looks to get what she wants.” He sighed. “I dated a girl like that in high school and decided never to go out with anyone like that again.”
“Bethany was like that?”
He was caught off guard that Trina knew Bethany’s name. “Yeah. Big time. Although it took me a while to figure it out. I was young and stupid, letting my hormones override my brain. I was so much happier without her.”
“I had no idea.” Her brown eyes were wide. “I thought you and Bethany were perfect together.”
“Not even close.” He tightened his grip on her hand.
“I’ll be honest, Trina. I avoided relationships for a long time.
Had no intention of settling down like so many of my siblings have.
But spending these past few days with you has made me realize that you are everything I’ve always wanted in a woman. ”
“Me?” She gaped at him. “That’s impossible. I’m nothing like you!”
He tipped his head to the side. “Are you sure about that? You’re brave, fiercely protective of your family, and easygoing.”
“But, Joel, I could never camp in a tent overnight in the woods. Or do any of the search and rescue stuff you and your siblings do. I’m a homebody.” She tugged her hand from his. “I appreciate your kindness, but I don’t see how this can work out.”
“I never asked you to go camping.” He didn’t hide his exasperation.
“Or to go on any SAR missions. I don’t care if you’re not the outdoorsy type.
I think you’re amazing. Not just your ability to write books, something I could never in a million years do, but the way you put your entire life on hold for Ben?
That alone tells me everything I need to know about your character. ”
When she still looked at him skeptically, he tried again.
“You’re pretty, smart, unselfish, and is it okay if I kiss you now?”
Now her cheeks went bright red. “Joel, really, you don’t have to...”
He threw up his hands in a gesture of frustration.
“I love you, Trina. I wasn’t interested in settling down one bit until I met you and Ben.
And if you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine.
I’ll walk away right now.” He held her gaze.
“But I need you to say the words. To tell me you don’t feel the same way. ”
She stared at him for a long moment, then rose and stepped closer. “I can’t, Joel, because I do feel the same way.”
“Really?” It was his turn to be taken by surprise.
“I’ve fallen in love with you too.” She smiled up at him, rose up on her tippy toes, and kissed him.
This was where Trina belonged, in the circle of his arms. He pulled her close and deepened their kiss, trying to tell her without words how much he loved her.
“Hey, bro, whoops.” Joel wanted to kick his twin for his lousy timing. “Ah, sorry, but Griff is here and wants to talk.”
Rotten timing. Joel ended their kiss but didn’t even look toward his brother. “Later.”
“Now.” Justin flashed an unrepentant grin. “He wants to talk to Trina too.”
“Me? Why?” Trina took a step back, breaking off their embrace. He reluctantly let her go but was reassured by the way she’d kissed him.
“I guess he found your sister’s ex, and the guy actually admitted to being there when she crashed her bike into the tree.” Justin gestured behind him. “He’ll give you the details.”
Trina blanched. Joel took her hand, and said, “I’m here for you.”
“I know.” She squeezed his fingers. “Let’s do this.”
His FBI brother-in-law-to-be was outside talking to the local police about the events surrounding Lisa Schilling and her kidnapping Ben. When Griff saw him and Trina, he excused himself and crossed over. Eyeing the bandage on Joel’s arm, Griff shook his head. “Good thing it’s not serious.”
“Just a scratch.” Joel placed his right arm around Trina. Ben was still in the yard playing with the dogs. “What’s up with Peter Thomas being with Trina’s sister when she died?”
“I grilled Peter for hours late last night when I finally tracked him down at his favorite bar.” Griff looked slightly annoyed that the Laramie cops hadn’t found him first. “I finally got him to admit he and Evie had gone biking together. They also had a rip-roaring fight again over the money he owed her, one that had Evie storming off in anger.” Griff’s gaze was apologetic.
“It sounds to me like Peter took off after your sister, which only made her go faster down that hill. That’s when she lost control of her bike and crashed into the tree. ”
Trina gripped him hard. “Are we sure he didn’t push her or mess with her bike?”
Griff hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t think so. To be honest, I believed his story. Peter appeared relieved to have the truth out in the open. I think his role in the crash has been haunting him.”
“Any chance you can find the bike to make sure?” Joel asked.
“The police had what was left of the bike inspected, and as far as they could tell, the brakes weren’t tampered with.” Griff looked at Trina. “Are you okay?”
“Better now.” She smiled and hugged Joel. “Much better now.”
Griff looked from Joel to Trina and back again. Then he grinned. “Glad to hear it.”
Joel knew his feelings were plain to see. He continued to hold Trina close, and Griff turned back to the cops.
“I love you so much,” he whispered.
“I love you too.” She rested her head in the hollow of his shoulder. “I’m not sure what I did to deserve someone like you.”
“That’s my line.” He watched Ben with Royal and Stone, realizing he’d been wrong all this time.
He absolutely wanted a family of his own. And without his even realizing it, God had answered his prayers.