nodded. “Okay. We’ll do that.” Now was as good a time as any to figure out where she was coming from. “You want to tell me why that guy was after you?”
She lifted her chin. “As soon as you tell me why you were out there when a drug deal was about to go down.”
He caught the note of challenge in her voice. Trust between them was tenuous at best.
He wasn’t going to get any information out of her just yet. She was still too defensive and suspicious of him. “Let’s hike to that cabin.”
“It should take less than half an hour to get there,” she said.
Joseph kept pace with Sierra as they made their way along the shore. Even though he had protected her from harm, it was clear she still thought he was up to something.
He didn’t know what to make of her, either. Was she telling the truth about being out there to help a kid? One thing he knew for sure—he had to protect his cover. If she found out who he really was, it could cost him his life.
Sierra hurried along the beach. Her friend’s cabin was set back from the shore, nestled in some trees. The terrain around this part of the lake was more treacherous and not as developed as it was closer to town.
She was determined to find out what Joseph’s involvement was with those two men. Was he a rival drug dealer, and it somehow benefited him to keep her alive? That assumption didn’t seem to fit his gentle demeanor.
They entered a forested area. She sprinted along a path that could barely be called a trail. The cabin, surrounded by trees, came into view. Her friend had wanted a place that was low profile to get away to write and pray.
It must have been three or four in the morning. The sun wouldn’t be up for another couple of hours.
The cabin was primitive, with only a generator for electricity. She found the key hidden in the coffee can behind a bush. She pushed the door open and glanced back at Joseph. He looked like he’d been dragged behind a truck.
She touched her own hair self-consciously. She probably looked just as bad.
He stared down at his muddy shirt. “Yeah, neither of us is exactly ready for prom night.”
She laughed. He’d picked up on what she was thinking without her having to say anything. He had a nice smile...whoever he was.
She gritted her teeth. Was all that charm just to lure kids into the dark world of drugs? She hoped not.
She stepped inside. “I’ll build a fire. There should be some canned goods in the cupboard.”
Though her clothes had dried out somewhat, she still felt soggy and chilled. Within minutes, the fire sparked to life and heat filled the room. She collapsed in one of the overstuffed chairs that faced the fire.
Joseph spoke to her from the kitchen. “Looks like there’s beans and peaches. Unless you want me to heat something up.”
She touched her growling stomach. “Anything would be nice.” She closed her eyes, feeling like she might cry. Because they welcomed at-risk kids into youth group, she was used to sticky situations. She had seen her own share of violence when she’d stepped into the dark world of drug use. She wanted to help these kids the way she had been helped all those years ago. But she’d never had her life threatened like it had been tonight.
Joseph moved around the kitchen opening and shutting cupboards. The kitchen was only partially visible from where she sat.
He emerged holding two glasses of water. “Thought you might be thirsty.”
She took the glass. He sat down in the other chair and stared at the fire, twisting the glass of water in his hand. “There’s a little cookstove in there. I’ll heat something up for us. If you like, I can make you a warm cup of tea.”
His kindness seemed so genuine. Was he buttering her up for some reason? Drug dealers were good at winning people over. She supposed if he had wanted to harm her, though, he would have done it by now.
She took a sip of her water. The cool liquid traveled down her throat and splashed in her empty stomach. She tilted the glass and took a bigger swallow. “Hot food and tea sounds really good. Let me catch my breath and I’ll help you.”
He gulped down his water.
Her muscles were heavy with fatigue, and she longed for sleep.
Joseph held the empty glass and stared at the fire. “Some crazy night, huh?”
She glanced over at him. She could see why all the teen girls had a crush on him. He was tall. The sun had created honey-colored highlights in his brown wavy, shoulder-length hair. His brown eyes were the color of dark chocolate, and his voice held just the hint of a Southern accent. His skin was deeply tanned. He looked like a surfer who had gotten lost on the way to the coast.
She could feel herself becoming guarded. His question was meant to open up a conversation. He was probing for information for some reason. “Yeah, it was a crazy night.”
He straightened in his chair and stared at the floor for a long moment. “I don’t know what you think about me. But please believe me, I don’t want you to come to any harm.”
He had pulled her from danger more than once. And though he’d had an opportunity to harm her, he had kept her safe. “Okay, I’ll give you that.”
He turned to face her. “Why were you out there?”
She watched his unwavering gaze as a tiny bit of trust grew inside her.
“Like I said, I was out there to get a kid. I talked him out of getting involved with the drug trade. I’m not sure why he ran. I’m worried about his safety, but I’m also concerned that he decided to throw in with the drug dealers after all. Those dealers must have shown up early. I thought I had time to get him out.”
Why would he ask the same question over and over, expecting a different answer? That sort of questioning technique was something a cop would do. Was it possible Joseph was on the other side of the law?
“Do you know why the guy in the baseball hat tried to strangle and drown you?”
Yeah, he was definitely acting like a cop. Her whole body convulsed when the memory of nearly dying rose to the surface. She wrapped her arms over her chest.
Joseph reached out and touched her arm. “You’re safe now.” He rubbed her forearm in a soothing way. His touch calmed her. His kindness seemed to break down even more walls.
Joseph put his empty glass on the wood floor. The fire in the fireplace crackled.
She took in a breath, appreciating that he waited until she was ready to talk. “That second man, the one who came out on shore and then disappeared into the trees when we were in the boat—”
“I didn’t get a good look at him. I was trying to start the boat.”
“I
