unable to believe she was being forced to defend herself in front of bank robbers.
“Did you or did you not skip town without warning? You left nothing but a note, Kari. You played with my heart like it was a football.”
The bank robber glared at her. “That wasn’t very nice.”
She glared right back. “I was eighteen years old, okay? I apologized in the note.”
“I’ve never gotten over it,” Gage said, emotional pain oozing from every pore. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a package of gum. “You see before you a broken man.”
Kari resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She didn’t know what Gage’s game was, but she wished he would play it with someone else.
Her confusion turned to outrage when Gage took a stick of gum for himself, then offered the pack to the bank robber. Next they would be going out for a beer together.
Gage watched the anger flash in Kari’s eyes. If she could have spit fire, he would be a scorched stick figure right about now. In different circumstances, Gage might have worried the issue, but not now.
The gunman shook off the gum, but that wasn’t important. The gesture had been made and well received. Gage had established rapport.
“She went on up to New York City,” Gage continued, tucking the gum package back into his breast pocket. “Wanted to be a fashion model.”
The robber studied Kari, then shrugged. “She’s pretty enough, but if she’s back, then she didn’t make it.”
Gage sighed heavily again. “I guess not. All that pain and suffering for nothing.”
Kari stiffened at his words, but didn’t try to break away. Gage willed her to cooperate for just a few more seconds. While every instinct in his body screamed at him to jerk her free of the gunman, he forced himself to stay relaxed and focused. There were more people to protect than just Kari. Between the bank employees and the customers there were fifteen innocent citizens within the old walls. Fifteen unprepared folk and four men with guns. Gage didn’t like the odds.
Using his peripheral vision, he checked on the progress of the tactical team circling around the building. Just another minute or two and they would be in place.
“You want me to shoot her?” the gunman asked.
Kari gasped. Her big blue eyes widened even more, and the color drained from her face.
Gage chewed his gum for a second, then shrugged. “You know, that’s mighty neighborly of you, but I think I’d rather deal with her in my own way, in my own time.”
The team was nearly in place. Gage’s heart was about to jump out of his chest, but he gave no outward sign. Another few seconds, he thought. Another—
“Hey, look!”
One of the robbers near the back turned suddenly. Everyone looked. A tactical team member dropped out of sight a moment too late. The gunman holding Kari snarled in rage.
“Dammit all to hell and back.”
But that’s all he got to say.
Gage lunged forward. He jerked Kari free, yelled at her to get down on the floor, then planted a booted foot firmly in the robber’s midsection.
The bad guy gave a yelp of dismay as all the air rushed out of his lungs and he fell flat on his ass. He scooted a couple of feet backward, but by the time he sucked in a breath, two armed tactical team members had guns on him.
But they weren’t as quick to capture the man by Ida Mae. A gunshot exploded.
Gage reacted without thinking. He turned and threw himself over Kari, covering her body with his. A half-dozen or so rounds were fired. He pulled out his sidearm, looking for targets, and kept his free arm over Kari’s face.
“Don’t move,” he growled in her ear.
“I can’t,” she gasped back.
After what felt like a lifetime, but was probably just seconds, a man called out. “I give, I give. You shot me.”
There were muffled sounds, then a steady voice yelled, “Clear.”
Five more “clear”s followed. Gage rolled off Kari and glanced around to check on the town folk. Everyone was fine—even Ida Mae, who had kicked the wounded gunman after she climbed to her feet. The leader of the tactical team walked over and stared down at Gage. He was covered in black from head to toe, with a visor over his face and enough firepower to take Cuba.
“I can’t figure out if you were a damn fool or especially brave for walking in on a bank robbery in progress,” the man said.
Gage sat up and grinned. “Someone had to do it, and I figured none of your boys was going to volunteer. Plus we know these were small-town criminals. They’re used to seeing someone like me around. One of you all dressed in the Darth Vader clothes would have scared ’em into acting like fools. Someone could have gotten killed.”
The man nodded. “If you ever get tired of small-town life, you’d be a fine addition to our team.”
Gage didn’t even consider his offer. “I’m flattered,” he said easily, “but I’m right where I want to be.”
The man nodded and walked off.
“You knew they were there.”
He turned and saw Kari staring at him. She still lay on the ground. Her once long blond hair had been cut short and stylish. Makeup accentuated her already big, beautiful blue eyes. Time had sculpted her face into something even more lovely than he remembered.
“The tactical team?” he asked. “Sure. They were circling the building.”
“So I wasn’t in danger?”
“Kari, a criminal was holding a gun to your head. I wouldn’t say that ever qualifies as safe.”
She smiled then. A slow, sexy smile that he still remembered. Lordy but she’d been a looker back then. Time hadn’t changed that.
He suddenly became aware of the adrenaline pouring through his body. And the fact that he hadn’t had sex in far too long. Eight years ago, he and Kari had never gotten around to that particular pleasure. He wondered if she would be more open to the experience now.
He got to his feet. If she was back in Possum Landing for any length of time, he would be sure to find out.
“Welcome back,” he said, and held out his hand to help her up.
She placed her fingers against his palm. “Jeez, Gage, if you wanted to find a unique way to welcome me home, couldn’t you just have held a parade?”
“You can go now, Ms. Asbury,” the wiry detective said nearly four hours later.
Kari sighed in relief. She’d given her statement, been questioned, been fed and watered, and now she was finally free to head home. As far as she could tell, there were only a
