Chapter 13 #3
“When you receive your medical degree you can give me advice on your condition. Until then, I’ll leave it to the professionals.”
Bea parted her lips, but before she could insist that she was fine, there was movement near the back door. Jesse turned her head to discover the short, stocky form of Sheriff Adam Tillman.
“What’s going on?” he demanded, his gaze narrowing at the sight of Bea on the floor.
Straightening, Jesse placed herself in front of the injured woman. She didn’t trust this man. “Why are you here?”
“You called 911.”
Jesse grimaced. If she’d known that hitting 911 would summon the devil, she would have driven Bea to the hospital personally.
“I called for an ambulance, not the sheriff.”
“I’m here to find out what happened.”
“Bea isn’t in any condition to be questioned.”
Adam scowled, and Jesse felt Bea shove herself into a seating position. “It’s okay, Jesse.” Bea interrupted the looming battle, giving the sheriff a condensed version of how she ended up on the floor.
When she was done Adam turned his scowl back to Jesse. “You weren’t here when she was attacked?”
“No. We were at the Ice House for dinner. When we came back we found Bea lying in the doorway.”
“We? Who was with you?”
Jesse resisted the urge to tell him to mind his own damned business. “Parker Moreau. He’s a friend from Chicago.”
Adam glanced over her shoulder, trying to peer into the main bar. “Where is he now? No one should leave the scene of the crime until I’ve interviewed them.”
“He didn’t leave. He’s searching the building in case the intruder is hiding inside.”
“That’s my job.”
“Obviously you weren’t here.”
“You should have called me.”
Jesse folded her arms over her chest, meeting him glare for glare. “And be attacked by some crazed intruder while we waited?”
Frustrated he couldn’t arrest Jesse or her boyfriend, Adam glanced back at Bea. “You’re sure you didn’t see who hit you?”
“Absolutely sure. It was dark in here and I wasn’t paying attention. I thought it was Jesse.”
The shrill sound of sirens brought a thankful end to Adam’s interrogation, and Jesse shoved past him to direct the ambulance into the alleyway.
They were fortunate enough in Canton to have local EMTs because the nearest hospital was over a half hour away.
Leading them to Bea, she watched as the older woman was loaded onto a gurney.
“This is so unnecessary,” Bea muttered, fidgeting in embarrassment.
Jesse grabbed Bea’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “Go with them and get checked out. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Absolutely not. You stay here with your boyfriend.”
“No arguments.”
Bea clicked her tongue. “As stubborn as Mac.”
With reassuring efficiency, Bea was loaded into the ambulance and the doors slammed shut. A few minutes later, it was pulling away with the lights flashing, although the sirens had been turned off. They obviously didn’t feel as if Bea was in a life-threatening situation.
Thank God.
“What’s this?”
Jesse’s momentary sense of relief was destroyed as she turned back to face Adam. He was standing near the back door, which he’d pushed closed to reveal the spray-painted warning.
“Obviously someone doesn’t want me to be in Canton,” she said.
He rubbed a pudgy finger against the paint as if trying to determine if it was a recent addition.
“Did this happen tonight?”
“No.”
He stared at her, as if waiting for her to elaborate. She didn’t. He planted his fists on his hips, his chin tilted to an aggressive angle.
“Why didn’t you report it?”
“To you?”
“Yeah, to me.”
Jesse’s humorless laugh echoed through the alley. “You can’t be serious?”
His jaws bulged, as if he was gritting his teeth, but he wasn’t stupid enough to pretend he cared. Instead, he lowered his hand to pull open the door, bending down as if he was inspecting the knob.
“Was this door locked when you left?”
“Of course.”
“Doesn’t look like it was forced.” He straightened to glance in Jesse’s direction. “Who has a key?”
“Just me.”
“Interesting.”
“What’s interesting?”
“The door wasn’t forced, and only you have the key.” Adam sucked air between his teeth, rocking back on his heels as if he thought he’d scored a point.
Jesse rolled her eyes, but before she could say something that would get her locked in a cell, Parker jogged down the stairs and stepped into the open doorway. His expression tightened at the sight of the stranger.
“Who’s this?” he demanded.
Adam flicked a glance over Parker, inspecting the hard, leanly muscled body before taking in the younger man’s exquisite beauty. Like most men, he puffed out his chest, instantly intimidated by the knowledge he could never compare.
“This is Adam Tillman.” Jesse moved to stand next to Parker, not bothering to hide her amusement.
“Sheriff Tillman,” Adam snapped, his jaw jutting out even further. “And you are?”
“Parker Moreau.” Parker turned his attention to Jesse, ignoring the sheriff’s prickly attitude. “There’s no one here. Whoever hit your friend must have taken off before we got back.”
Adam stepped forward. “I should take a look around.”
Parker shifted to the side, as if he intended to block the lawman. “I just did.”
“There was a crime committed. There might be evidence I need to collect.”
Jesse shook her head. She didn’t have the time or energy to deal with the bubbling testosterone.
“Collect whatever you want,” she told Adam. “I’m going to the hospital to check on Bea.”
“Wait.” Parker turned toward her, grabbing her shoulders in a tight grip. “You’re leaving?”
“I have to make sure Bea is okay.”
“Why you? Doesn’t she have a husband? Or kids?”
“No. And even if she did, I would go.” Jesse was annoyed by the defensive edge in her voice. She didn’t have to explain her choices. Not even to Parker. “She was hurt on my property.”
“That’s not your fault.”
Jesse cast a quick glance toward Adam. It was her fault, of course. If it wasn’t for her return to Canton, there wouldn’t be a stalker hanging around the Tap Room whacking unsuspecting people on the head. But she wasn’t going to admit that in front of the sheriff.
“I’m not saying it is, but I do feel responsible,” she finally muttered.
Parker’s fingers dug into her flesh, threatening to leave bruises. “Jesse, I know you’re worried, but I’m leaving in the morning. I’d like to spend some time together.”
She pulled away from his painful grasp. “I know. I’m sorry, but I’ll be back in a couple of hours. I promise.”
“Jesse.”
He reached out a hand, but with a sudden need to be far from the bar and the two men glaring at her in frustration, she turned to rush down the alleyway. She would circle around the building, where she’d parked the truck.
Once she was sure that Bea wasn’t seriously injured, she would return and apologize to Parker in a more tangible way. One that included lots of bare, sweaty skin and tangled sheets.