of tension by the time she and Riley found Joe waiting in the den.
Joe didn’t waste time on the niceties. “A reporter from a Casper TV station who works out of Jackson Hole broke the story. They have your name and some of the details of the attack.”
“How?” Riley asked tersely.
“He says an anonymous source, but it almost has to be someone from the hospital. I think Jim Tanner runs too tight a ship for it to be anyone from his department.”
“Could have been an EMT,” Riley suggested. “They were first on the scene, had access to her driver’s license. Someone could have greased somebody’s palm.”
“Why is it even a story?” Hannah asked, torn between anxiety and confusion. “I’m nobody famous. I didn’t even get hurt that much.”
“You’re a tourist,” Joe answered. “If someone’s out there attacking tourists, this close to two national parks-”
“It’s news,” Hannah finished for him.
“How much do they know about the attack?” Riley asked.
“Less than we do. No mention of the cop-car angle, and of course, nobody’s connected it to any of the other murders, although I’m beginning to think it’s only a matter of time before someone puts two and two together and realizes that the murder at Grand Teton is connected.”
“That’s odd, isn’t it?” Something tugged at the back of her mind. “The anonymous source didn’t think to add the part about the fake cop car. I mean, that would be a pretty sensational detail to omit.”
“Maybe the leaker didn’t know that detail,” Joe said.
“Or he didn’t want the press to know,” Hannah replied.
Both men turned to look at her.
“What if the killer is the one who leaked the information?” she asked.
Riley’s expression darkened. “To flush you out?”
“Using the press to do it,” Joe added.
“Half the town knows Hannah’s here by now,” Riley said in alarm. “We need to move her somewhere else.”
“No,” Hannah said firmly. An idea was clicking into place in her brain, perfect and terrible.
“No?” Riley looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
“He wants to flush me out, right?”
“Looks that way,” Riley agreed warily.
She lifted her chin. “Then let him.”
Chapter Eleven
Riley turned abruptly toward Hannah, ceasing his rapid pacing. The stubborn set of her jaw, which he generally found appealing, had started to get on his nerves over the last half hour, as he and Joe had tried in vain to talk her out of her dangerous, hare-brained idea. “That’s it. You’re not doing it. Discussion over.”
Next to him, Joe took a deep, swift breath. He gave Riley a warning look that Riley ignored.
“You’re not my keeper,” Hannah retorted, crossing closer and coming to a stop in front of him. Her eyes blazed with green fire. “You don’t order me around.”
Riley looked over at Joe, completely at a loss. “Tell her it’s a bad idea.”
“I’ve spent the last thirty minutes doing just that,” Joe reminded him. “But she’s right. It’s her choice. Even if it’s wrong,” he added sternly, giving Hannah a look of pure frustration.
“I don’t have a lot of time left to help you catch this guy, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to go back to my nice, safe life in Alabama if I don’t do everything I can to stop that monster from killing another woman.” Her expression softened, her green eyes pleading with Riley to understand. “Emily would do the same thing, wouldn’t she?”
He pressed his lips together, biting back a harsher retort. “That’s below the belt, Hannah.” He slanted a look at Joe, who got the message and headed out of the den to give them some privacy.
Her expression softened more. “I’m sorry. I just need you to understand.”
He closed his hands around her arms, desperate to make her see what she was asking of him. “I understand. But I don’t think you do.”
“I lost Emily three years ago this week,” he said, trying not to let too much of his emotion spill over into his words. He wasn’t looking for her pity. He wanted her to understand the stakes. “She wasn’t doing anything crazy, just driving home from work, and suddenly she just wasn’t there anymore. Everything we’d built together was gone, in a heartbeat.”
She lifted her hand to his face, her palm warm and soft against his jaw. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want you to be sorry. I want you to see that I don’t need this bastard to kill someone else I care about.”
Moisture pooled in her eyes. “I don’t think it has to be that risky,” she answered. “Listen-we already know he’s taking more risks than he usually does, or he wouldn’t have killed the woman near Moran. I’m the one who got away, and it’s driving him crazy.”
She took his hand in hers, drawing him with her to the sofa. They sat together, silent for a minute, as if they’d mutually agreed to let their passions cool so they could talk more reasonably.
She folded his hand between hers, her grip gentle but firm. “He’s the one who’s out of control. If he really did tip off the press, he’s the one taking a risk. The reporter he talked to knows who he is.”
“He’s not going to burn his source.”
“It doesn’t matter. It was still a risk, and the killer took it because he can’t stand that I’m the one who got away. I’m the one who was smarter than he was. That’s how he sees it. He can’t let that stand.”
“What makes you think we can do this thing safely?”
“We hold all the cards. We know he’s after me. We’re on alert. He’s the one taking stupid chances.”
Riley pulled his hand away from hers and stood. “No. It’s not worth the risk.” He paced away from her, a bleak resolve stiffening his back. No way in hell would he let her put herself in the kind of danger she was talking about. There was only one choice left. One he hated more than he ever imagined he would. But it was the best way to keep her safe.
He turned and took in the sight of her slowly, thoroughly. Committing her to memory. When he spoke, his voice was tinged with regret but full of calm resolve.
“It’s time for you to go home, Hannah.”
“YOU’RE GOING TO LEAVE A MARK.” Jack took the grooming brush from Hannah’s hand and patted Bella’s side. They were alone in the stable; Joe and Riley were back at the house, talking about new strategies for going after the killer without Hannah’s involvement.
She’d made her escape to the stable soon after Riley’s calm announcement that her time in Wyoming was over, using the horses as an excuse to get away from him before she said something she’d regret.
“He’s not trying to get rid of you, you know.”
She knew. She’d seen the regret in Riley’s eyes. Somehow that only made things worse.
“And for what it’s worth, I think you’re right about talking to the press.” Jack handed the brush back to her. “If we have a chance to catch that monster-”
Hannah touched his arm, knowing that his need to catch the killer was even greater than her own.
“What are you going to do now?” A thoughtful look darkened Jack’s eyes.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, trading the grooming brush for a mane comb. “I don’t have a death wish, but I don’t have a lot of time left here. I just don’t think I can leave without doing all I can to help stop this guy from killing again.”
“I’ll help you, if you want to do it.” Jack’s dark gaze met hers. “I know a guy with the paper in Jackson. I can set up an interview with him. He’s a good guy-he won’t take advantage. He’ll agree to whatever precautions we think are necessary to keep you safe.”
“Riley will be furious with you.”
