Chapter

46

As Brodie navigated the dark road, I focused on the last couple of hours. What had I learned? For one thing, the car in the Gett garage was less damning than I’d hoped. Rue had laid out an explanation for the car like the best criminal defense attorney. She poked holes in my theory without blinking. My narrowing suspect list was again wide open.

Oddly, Rue hadn’t seemed to mind being my number one person of interest.

And she surely didn’t deny it.

In fact, the only time I saw any real emotion on her face was when I mentioned the calls and how they coincided with Roger’s embezzlement. She looked both horrified and shocked. But, more so than anyone, I could spot a good actress a mile away. Rue was good. She faked shock as well as she faked her sudden illness, leaving Brodie to spend an uncomfortable meal with me.

For a second I wondered if she’d planned that all along. Brodie mentioned that she’d been trying to set him up with women around town. Did I seem that desperate for male attention? I was being paranoid. Rue had to know Brodie didn’t even like me, let alone want to work together to heal a family feud that had been going on for generations.

“I heard you and Nancy Jeanne had quite a chat today at the service,” Brodie said as he pulled into the driveway of my family home. The lights, normally blazing inside, were dark. Jack must’ve gone to bed. I would be quiet so as not to wake him. “Charms,” Brodie snapped. “Are you listening to me?”

I blinked. Perhaps I had a little too much whiskey. “Sorry. What?”

He smiled, a grin so wicked and sexy my toes curled. “I asked if you wanted me to come tuck you in …”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I did have a conversation with Nancy Jeanne. What of it?”

He licked his lips and my treacherous body tightened. “Just wondering what she told you,” he said in a whiskey whisper.

“Why?” The heat in my lower regions turned to ice as his question penetrated. “Are you worried she told me the paternity of her baby?”

He shrugged.

“Seriously, Brodie,” I said with disgust and a fair amount of righteous anger. “She’s barely twenty-one years old. You’re a pig.”

For a second, he sat in stunned silence, and then his face grew hard. “Gee thanks.”

I straightened. How could he? “Don’t act all hurt. How could you let your grandmother deal with your mistake? I walked in on her offering to buy Nancy Jeanne off.”

His shoulders lifted again.

“I thought you were better than this,” I said through clenched teeth.

“I guess I’m not.” He shoved the Jeep into gear before my feet hit the ground. “Do me a favor,” he said. “Keep this to yourself.” His eyes grew hard, almost as much as when he punched Boone. “Promise me.”

I frowned at the request. Everyone in town knew Nancy Jeanne was pregnant. They only had the wrong Gett brother as the culprit.

“Charms, swear it!”

I nodded numbly.

“Good,” he said. He revved the Jeep and drove off. My eyes stayed fixed on his taillights until they faded into the darkness. What was that about? What did it matter if I told the world? Soon enough Brodie would have to deal with his illegitimate child. Unless Rue had her way and Nancy Jeanne and her baby left town no one the wiser.

The Brodie I knew, the alpha who relished being in control, wouldn’t let his grandmother pressure his lover like that. Something else was going on. Something I was missing.

I headed for the front door, lost in thought. As my fingers touched the cold knob, a crack of thunder exploded close overhead. It wasn’t until wood chips rained down on me that I understood.

Someone had just taken a shot at me.

I dropped to a crouch, yanking the door open with one hand. I prayed Jack wouldn’t wake and come to investigate. He’d be in the direct line of fire. This was bad. Very bad. Slipping through the door, I continued to stay low while I searched my pockets for my cell phone. Finally, I found it, and punched in 9-1-1.

“9-1-1,” the operator answered. “What’s your emergency?”

“Someone is shooting at me,” I said in what I thought sounded like a controlled voice.

“Ma’am, please calm down.” She paused. “Did you say someone shot at you?”

“Yes.” I took a deep breath. “Please hurry. I think they’re still outside.”

The front window exploded, showering me in glass. It ripped into my skin, but I barely felt it, adrenaline acting as the best pain killer. I threw my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream. I didn’t want to give my location away.

“Ma’am, are you still there?”

“Yes, please hurry,” I sobbed. This was it. I was going to die, on the floor, in my family home. I just hoped Jack wouldn’t be the one to find my body. He didn’t deserve that.

Tires screeched in the distance, followed by bright headlights through what used to be our window. I crawled behind a recliner and risked standing up to look. Close together headlights, like those that ran me off the road. The light blinded me. I held my hand up, hoping to see the make and model of the vehicle. Not that the knowledge would do me much good against a bullet. But it just might convict my killer. I stifled a half-crazed laugh.

Glass crunched outside as footsteps approached and I hit the floor again.

“Oh, God,” I whispered into the phone. “It’s too late.”