Chapter 18 #2
Hell, for all she knew, someone was there. Waiting. Watching. Ready to finally take what he wanted.
Her.
The door swung open and Madden stood in the doorway, a scowl on his chiseled jaw. “Come on in.”
Reid waited for her and Tara to step inside before entering behind them and closing the door.
Lily stood in the foyer, hands clasped in front of her. She hurried to welcome Eve and Tara with hugs then walked them to the tan leather couch in the middle of the living room.
“Thank you so much for letting us come over,” Eve said, sitting next to Tara.
“Are you kidding?” Lily took a seat on the overstuffed chair beside the large stone fireplace. “You’re always welcome here.”
Madden and Reid spoke in hushed whispers as they stepped into the room.
“With this guy strolling around town like he doesn’t have a care in the world, I’m not sure how I’ll ever be safe.” Eve trusted Reid and knew he’d do everything possible to protect her, but she’d underestimated just what they were dealing with.
Reid shook his head. “I still can’t believe he’s just walking around town. If I’d gone to the coffee shop with Tara, I could have put a stop to this once and for all.” He crossed to stand beside where Eve sat on the couch and anchored his arms over his chest.
She reached up to grab his hand. “He’s not stupid. If you’d been around, he wouldn’t have shown his face.”
“He shouldn’t be able to show his face anywhere around here without the cops grabbing his ass and throwing him in a cell,” Reid said.
“That’s something I plan to speak with the sheriff about,” Madden said.
“We know who this guy is. Know his face, his name, his target. His picture should be plastered all over. The town is swimming with people right now, which makes it easier for him to blend in, but if his photo was out there, it’d also make it easier for people to spot him. ”
“People don’t always pay attention,” Lily said.
“I agree, there’s more that could be done, but the sheriff’s department is short-staffed right now as it is.
That’s why Sunrise Security is helping with crowd control at the rodeo and needed to hire more specialists.
That’s a tough enough gig, but with the parade tomorrow, I’m not sure what else can be done besides keeping Eve out of sight. ”
“Damn, I forgot about the parade.” Reid slipped his hand from hers and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Tara bounced her gaze between them all. “What parade?”
Eve sighed, hating that she’d forgotten for a second about another tradition she looked forward to every year.
“At the end of the rodeo, the town puts on a parade. Everyone dresses in historical costumes and puts together floats. There are awards for fan favorites, and people take it very seriously. It’s usually one of the most fun activities to close out the summer. ”
“And one of the most hectic,” Reid added. “Sunrise Security already committed to working the event. We’d started discussing hiring Ben and Dax to prepare for that, and now they’re needed elsewhere.”
“That’s a problem for later,” Madden said. “I’m more concerned with finding Tyson and throwing him in jail. Are you working today, Eve? It might be best if you keep a low profile until he’s caught.”
Eve sighed. “I’ll talk to Becca about closing the restaurant for a couple of days starting tomorrow. I hate losing the revenue, but I don’t want anyone else to come into the line of fire.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Reid said. “Maybe we should head out of town for the day. Find something to keep us busy while the sheriff’s department focuses their attention on Tyson.”
She nodded, unsure what they could find to do that would keep her hands busy and her mind off her troubles.
“What about me?” Tara asked. “Maybe I should book a ticket for the next flight out of here. Come back when things settle down.”
The tortured expression on Reid’s face announced his uncertainty about Tara going back home. He hadn’t told her the details of what brought his sister to Cloud Valley, but Eve understood it was important for her to stay. “I’d hate for you to leave so soon. You just got here.”
“What if Tara stays with us?” Lily asked. “I can give you the full dude ranch experience, and you can stick close to Eve until this is over.”
“Seriously?” Tara asked. “I don’t want to impose.”
A smile finally cracked through Madden’s gruff expression. “Lily’s favorite thing is to show out-of-towners what our part of the world has to offer. There’s plenty of space, and if I know my fiancée, she’ll have no trouble putting you to work.”
Tara straightened. “Really? I could do like chores and stuff?”
Chuckling, Reid shook his head. “Don’t get too excited. Mucking stalls gets old fast.”
“I’m no stranger to getting my hands dirty. Dad had me helping on the farm since I was old enough to walk. A dairy farm might be a little different than a dude ranch, but I bet I can handle my own. As long as I’m not putting anyone out. I mean, I really would hate to go home.”
Something in Tara’s voice as well as the look she shot Reid twisted Eve’s stomach. He’d told her parts of his past made him ugly. Curiosity gnawed at her, but now wasn’t the time for questions.
“We’d love to have you.” Lily beamed. “Did you bring your stuff?”
“I can head back to the apartment and grab it,” Reid said.
Madden gave a subtle nod. “Problem solved. What are you two going to do?”
A tiny smile lifting the corner of Reid’s mouth piqued Eve’s curiosity even more. “I have a couple of ideas.” He held out a hand to Eve. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” She laced her fingers with his and stood. She was ready to follow Reid anywhere he wanted to go. She just hoped that once things settled, he’d still want her with him.