Blake slid his eyes her way, then back to the road. “Yeah?”
“It probably looked like he upset me, but that wasn’t it. That was the first time anyone has reminded me that there are other alternatives to this for Kara. There’s still a chance she’s out there doing something completely normal with plans to go to Mom and Dad’s place as soon as she finishes.” Marissa just wished she could think of a few reasonable possibilities. “She’s carefree to the extreme. Sometimes a little flighty, but she’s smart. Just young. I said there was a fugitive in town. She wanted to hike, so she probably left town to do it. She’s like that, and I like thinking that she’ll still turn up today, happy and unscathed.”
Wisps of feathery gray clouds flitted into view as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. Barely after five o’clock and the world was already tinted by night’s approach. Whatever Kara was doing, she’d have to wrap it up soon. There was barely an hour of sunlight left.
Blake slowed for the turn at the resort entrance. “I used to ski here. The slopes are nice.” He cruised between large stone columns marking the final leg to their room on the hill. “Do you ski?”
She made a show of rolling her eyes and gave a small smile. “Of course. I’m a little impressed that you do.”
“I’m not any good.”
Marissa doubted that. “Did you know there are some beautiful caves on this side of the mountain? I’ve actually spent a lot of time here spelunking. I’ve gotten some amazing photos for the effort.”
“What kind of caves? Bear caves? Bats?”
“Probably both, but I didn’t run into either. The caves’ mouths are fairly well hidden by natural camouflage, jagged rocks, clay, that sort of thing. If you ever have time, you should see for yourself. The moss is gorgeous near the mouths, and the ecosystems inside are fascinating.”
He squinted through the windshield, presumably trying to see a hidden cave from their position on the road. A moment later he passed the hotel without slowing.
“What are you doing?” Marissa twisted for a view of the lodge sign disappearing behind them.
“I’m buying you dinner.” He pulled off at an old diner just outside of town. “Ever been here?”
“Not since I was young. We came here for ice cream after softball games.”
Blake loped around the front of the truck and opened her door. “Us, too. Baseball, then peewee football. I think we were here every Friday night for a decade.”
Marissa smiled, filled with nostalgia and renewed energy. “I bet we were here at the same time once or twice. I would’ve been in middle school during your last few visits.” She liked knowing Blake was from her hometown. There was a certain camaraderie in loving the same beautiful place and sharing childhood memories of the same locations.
He escorted her inside with a hand on her back and chose a table against the far wall.
The place hadn’t changed. It still smelled of stale black coffee and apple pie. Same brown tile flooring and cracked orange-vinyl seats. A bar ran the length of the narrow rectangular space.
Blake’s gaze made a continuous circuit through the parking lot and across the front door as the waitress took their order. Chili and coffee for him, chicken noodle soup and water for Marissa. Though she doubted she could eat anything until she knew Kara was safe.
She checked the large oval clock above the counter. “Kara should be home anytime. There’s nowhere to jog or hike after dark.”
Blake shifted forward in his seat, sliding his arms over the table’s cool surface, and clutched her trembling hands in his steady ones. He stroked the warm pads of his thumbs over her skin. “We’ll find her.” There was fierce promise in his eyes.
Marissa’s worried mind began to settle, but her body was winding up once more.
Too soon, the waitress ferried drinks and meals to the table, effectively breaking Blake’s spell. He pulled his hands back to his sides and dug into the chili with gusto.
Marissa rubbed her hands together beneath the table, wishing she could trade the noodle soup for more of Blake’s confident touch.
He tapped a packet of crackers against the table, seemingly unaffected by the moment they’d shared. “When we met, you asked me if I’d always wanted to be an agent. Have you always wanted to be a nature photographer?”
She dipped a spoon into her soup, dunking a thick homemade noodle and releasing rich buttery scents into the air. “No. I’ve always wanted to be a mom.” Her cheeks heated immediately, wishing she hadn’t been so transparent with a man who would probably never have the time or desire for a family of his own. Not that her life plans would matter to him. She stuffed the spoon into her mouth before she said anything else she’d regret.
“That so?” His cheek kicked up. “Would you just put the baby in one of those backpacks and hit the trails?”
“Probably.” Marissa sighed. Leave it to him to make her feel completely normal about making family plans when she hadn’t been on a date in over a year. “That’s pretty much what my mom did with us. She never stopped moving, and neither have we. What about you? Did you always want to be a fed? You didn’t answer me before.”
Blake gave Marissa a long, careful look. “Nah. I wanted to be a judge. They have the real power to make things right. I can haul criminals in all day, but it’s the judges who make the big decisions from there.”
“But judges can’t do any good if people like you don’t risk everything to bring the bad guys in.” She tipped her head, trying to understand how someone went from wanting a seat behind a bench to chasing murderers. “What happened?”
He shot a guilty glance her way. “I went as far as finishing law school before the allure of
