saying you aren’t capable or anything.” He shrugged.
“We’ll find this guy, Locke. Probably tonight. I’m not worried.” She lowered the hood of her poncho now that the rain had stopped. She wasn’t fooling Locke. Greer’s hand had a tremor and the truth showed in her eyes. She wasn’t only shaken, she was scared. It had crossed her mind that he would try and finish the job. Even if it was a fleeting thought. It was there. Locke could read it on her face. “I have to get back to work.”
An awkward silence ballooned around them.
“Be careful chasing those storms,” she said. “Hope you find what you’re looking for, but also I kind of hope you don’t.” She grinned. Genuine again. Sincere.
No one wanted tornadoes ravaging their towns, and about twelve years ago, three had come through this county, tearing them to pieces. A state of emergency had been declared. But over time, the community had rebuilt, with some outside help. That’s why this research was so important.
“And thank you. For...being in the woods and coming to my aid. All that martial arts training paid off.”
Finally, a real thank-you. The soft side of Greer. The side he’d always admired. One of the many facets he fell in love with. “Well, when you have uncontainable, boundless energy and your dad’s military, and a cop, he finds a way to burn it off and prepare you for your calling.” One he never felt called to. He ran his hand through his wet hair and shivered. “But you’re welcome.”
“I really gotta go now.”
With that, she spun and disappeared into the rain-soaked night.
* * *
Sitting in her car, soggy, freezing, exhausted and sore, Greer laid her head on the driver’s seat and closed her eyes. After stomping away from Locke, she’d worked with the sketch artist and hung around a little longer at the scene until Sheriff Wright basically tossed her in the car and sent her home. Too much had happened tonight. Death. Her near-death and then Locke showing up. She was grateful that he’d been there. His usual self. Brave. Kind. A little snarky and humorous and attentive. For being a man she was sure had ADHD, he never seemed to have an issue giving her his undivided attention, and it hurt beyond belief, so she’d avoided him. Old feelings. Fear. Guilt. Locke had a daughter, and he didn’t even know. He’d never wanted children. He’d been adamant about that up front. They got in the way and wouldn’t fit into his lifestyle—his words. They would cramp everything. So Greer had taken the chicken’s way out and not told him.
But tonight proved in a small way that she had made the right decision to protect her daughter by not telling him the truth. He’d said it himself, years ago—he would not be boxed in. Locke had always rebelled against social norms and family expectations. He wanted to live the way he chose. No chains. No being tied to what the world said being an adult ought to look like. And no children.
They’d been dating a year when the conversation came up again about having a family, and it had turned into an argument. Locke hadn’t changed his mind and never would. Greer had been so head over heels in love with him that she’d agreed and wouldn’t bring it up again. But Greer had always wanted a family. A husband who wouldn’t leave. Who wanted his child always and forever. Clearly, that man wasn’t Locke. She’d considered breaking it off after that last heated discussion, but she’d loved him too much and couldn’t make the tough choice.
Then Mama got sick. And she found out she was pregnant. That made the decision for her.
Besides, Locke was finally getting his dream, making a mark on the storm-photography world. Greer didn’t want to rob him of that. But mostly, she was terrified he would give it all up for them and one day he’d do exactly what her father had done—abandon them. Locke would feel imprisoned by his own daughter. Greer’s pregnancy would be nothing but a trap, a means to get her way of having a family—at least that’s how he’d eventually see it. He’d blame his child and Greer for all the years he lost. Just like Dad. Then he would walk out and Lin would have to live with the same fear, the same guilt, the same heartache as Greer. Dad’s words to Mama echoed in Greer’s ears every day.
“You got pregnant and trapped me! I never wanted this life. I want to do what I want. I want my life back.” And Dad had left Mama.
And Greer and her older brother, Hollister.
The pain had been overwhelming. Greer would never let Lin experience that kind of heartache. She was no one’s prison. She would never have to grow up feeling unwanted or unloved. Greer would never reject and abandon her.
But now, as she sat in her driveway, she wondered how in the world she was going to keep Locke from finding out. Deep in the marrow of her bones, a whisper formed that he had every right to know and always had.
Fear held her hostage from listening to it.
She climbed from her vehicle, exhausted. Her best friend, Tori, had already offered to keep Lin for the night since it was so late, and she was available to watch her tomorrow. Tori’s job as a nurse at the hospital allowed her to keep Lin a couple of days and nights a week, depending on what shift she was working. Greer didn’t have a lot of money for day care, so she appreciated having friends who could help. She still had medical bills for Mama. A house payment. Insurance. Ugh. The thought of bills only further soured her mood.
Trudging up the walkway to the small home Mama had lived in, Greer held back tears. Being a single mama was no joke. No one to help her. No one to help carry the pressures of daily life, finances or parenting. Fear and dread of how she was going to manage each day, how she was going to provide for Lin. But she wouldn’t change it. And she’d move heaven and earth to make sure Lin was happy and had everything she needed to feel loved and successful. Like her own mama had, working extra shifts and jobs at Christmas to provide for Greer and Hollister. As children they’d never appreciated or understood the sacrifices Mama had made.
Greer knew now.
She unlocked the front door and entered. Still smelled like Mama’s White Diamonds perfume. The ache swept through her empty stomach and clutched her ribs.
As she switched on the lamp in the cozy living room, Greer’s hairs on her arms rose. She froze and scanned the area. Nothing looked out of place. Her adrenaline raced again. Too much commotion and devastation tonight. She was paranoid.
Creeping down the small hallway, she entered the only bathroom in the two-bedroom home and switched on the shower to scalding hot, then closed the door to let the steam rise. Greer popped into the nursery, turned on the light and inhaled Lin’s scent. She missed her baby girl. She entered her bedroom, which the bathroom separated from Lin’s, and stripped off her outer hoodie, tossing it into the hall to wash. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. She had dozens of carnies to question. Hopefully they’d find this guy tonight. Maybe she should have stuck around regardless. But she was no good to anyone or to the investigation right now with so little sleep.
Hairs on her neck spiked.
She whirled toward the closet, reaching for her gun as the killer from the woods lunged and knocked her to the bedroom floor before she could grab it.
Locke haphazardly punched his steering wheel, sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He needed a haircut, but during storm-chasing season he didn’t
