Caleb let out a low whistle. “Good luck trying to get Griff to buy your theory.”
“I know.” Declan understood their boss dealt with facts, not feelings. “Although it doesn’t really matter if he believes me, since he’ll expect us to cover all possibilities as we investigate anyway. All I have to do is come up with a plan to keep Tess safe.”
“Well, good luck with that, too,” Caleb said, flashing him a wry grin.
Yeah, he already knew Tess wasn’t going to like his idea of forcing her to go underground, but he wasn’t going to accept no for an answer. Not when her life was potentially in danger.
As he walked closer to Tess, he couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from her. Even wearing her business casual teacher’s attire—gray slacks paired with a bright pink sweater—she was more beautiful now than she’d been ten years ago, decked out in her fancy prom dress. Why on earth had that Jeff dude let her go so easily? Something didn’t seem right with that scenario, and he silently promised himself to double-check the guy’s whereabouts for the time frame in question.
“Did you find anything?” she asked, breaking into his thoughts.
He hated seeing the fear lurking in the depths of her amber eyes. “No, but we couldn’t get underneath your car to really check things out.”
“So now what?” she asked wearily. “I really need to get home.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, wishing there was an easier way to get her to go along with his plan. “I’m going to take you to my place for a while,” he said slowly. “Just until we can verify that your car and your home haven’t been tampered with.”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t think so,” she said firmly. “My younger brother gets out of school at three o’clock, and I intend to be home when he gets there.”
“Your brother?” Now he was the one who was taken by surprise. “I didn’t know you had a brother.”
“Bobby is ten years younger than I am, so you wouldn’t remember him,” she explained. “He’s a senior at Greenland High School.”
Deck frowned. “And he lives with you and not your parents?”
She hesitated and then nodded. “My parents died in a car crash right after my college graduation. Bobby was only eleven, so I used my science degree to become a teacher and moved into my parents’ home so he wouldn’t have to switch schools.”
He was impressed that she took on the responsibility of raising her brother, and that also explained why she didn’t follow her dream to become a doctor. There’d be time to find out more about that later, because right now he needed to stay focused.
“Okay, then you can both come to stay at my place.” Declan understood Tess wasn’t about to expose her brother to danger, and he didn’t blame her. “At least until we know you’re safe.”
Tess sighed. “Look, I know you’re being extra careful, and I do appreciate your concern, but I’m not at all convinced that I’m really in danger. Why is it so hard to believe this bomb was just as random as the other ones?”
“What makes you think the others were random?” Declan countered. “If my memory serves me correctly, you worked at the custard stand during high school. And I’m sure you stopped by the minimart at some point, too.”
The way she dropped her gaze told him he was definitely on the right track.
“In fact, the more I think about it,” he continued, “the more I’m convinced that you really are the target. And I plan to protect you while we figure out what connection you have to the mastermind behind the bombings.”
* * *
Tess didn’t like ultimatums, especially those given by a bossy, take-charge guy like Declan. He was crazy if he thought she was going to let him run her life.
She’d been taking care of herself and her younger brother just fine for the past six years. Jeff had tried to run her life, too, demanding she do things differently, which really meant his way. He’d specifically expected her to be stricter with Bobby which she refused to do. As a result, she’d broken things off with him a few weeks before he’d gotten his promotion. Jeff’s moving away was a blessing in disguise as far as she was concerned.
She refused to believe she was a failure at being a parental role model. She knew firsthand what it was like growing up in a super strict household. Her father had controlled almost every aspect of her life and she’d refused to do the same thing with her brother. Granted, Bobby was going through a rebellious phase, but she didn’t think his behavior was that much different than most teenagers’. Deep down, she knew her brother still loved her. Even if he didn’t often show it.
“Tess?” The way Declan called her name made her realize she’d been lost in her thoughts.
“What? Oh, I’m not going home with you, Declan. I’ll give you an hour to clear my car, and then I plan on picking up my brother and we’ll go to a hotel if that makes you feel better.”
She sensed he wanted to argue with her, but he gave a curt nod. “Fine, I’ll agree with one minor change. You need to let me drive you to pick up your brother and take you both to a hotel, because I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to clear your car that fast.”
“Deal. Where are you parked?” she asked, glancing around the area.
Her gaze fell on the man wearing the green baseball cap who was lingering near the maple tree where she’d parked her car. She narrowed her gaze, squinting against the sun. He had to be the same guy she saw earlier. And as before, she thought he seemed familiar. “Who is that guy?” she asked, talking more to herself than to Declan.
“Who?” Declan asked sharply.
“That man in the baseball cap standing near my car. I saw him earlier, too.”
As if the guy in question could feel their gaze on him, he turned and disappeared behind the tree.
“Caleb!” Declan shouted, sprinting off after the guy. “Come on! We need to follow him.”
“Who?” Caleb demanded as he ran after Declan.
Tess couldn’t tear her gaze off the two men as they raced toward the area where the stranger had disappeared. She was so intent on watching them that she didn’t notice Griff Vaughn, Declan’s boss, come up beside her.
“What’s going on?” he demanded with a deep scowl.
“I saw a guy over there, the same one who was here earlier,” she explained. “But I don’t get why Declan is so concerned about him. I’m sure he’s just some curious bystander who wants to know what’s going on.”
“Maybe, but sometimes criminals return to the scene of the crime because they like to watch the chaos they’ve caused.”
“I never thought of that,” Tess admitted with an involuntary shiver. She was about to tell Griff about how the guy seemed familiar, when she noticed Declan and Caleb were on their way back.
Their boss jogged over
