He looked at her intently, his eyes searching her face for what? Proof that she could pull a miracle out of thin air? Just because she’d had the joy of FBI training and had married an employee of the great American institution, didn’t mean she suddenly had superior skills that he didn’t.
“I’ll do the best I can, but I doubt I’ll make more headway than you did.” A bitter taste formed in her mouth as it did whenever she came across a child’s case. Since she’d become a mother herself, it had gotten worse.
“Somehow I doubt that, Ryder. Seems to me that you’re more intuitive than you give yourself credit for. Your old boss likened you to a mini tornado if I recall correctly. Said you were more stealth but with the same effect of a full force storm. You managed to read a crime scene better than anyone he’d seen in a long time. That’s what I’m hoping you can do here. These parents need to find out what happened to their children.”
“That’s unfair and you know it.”
“Never said I was fair and I have to say I disagree. I’m using what expertise I can find to do the best job I can within my employee base. If that means taking advantage of the skills you have, then so be it. I fail to see the need to apologise for asking you to do the job you signed on for.” He tilted his head to one side and frowned. “What is it that you’re afraid of, Ryder?”
She bristled at the words. “I’m not afraid.”
“Failure, is that it?”
A lump rose in her throat and she turned away from him, opening the top folder again to keep her hands busy. The words blurred as she fought back the tears welling in her eyes. Damn it, she was over this. The sudden onslaught of emotions that wouldn’t let her move on with her life. The guilt she felt every time she thought about that fateful day. Gabe would be alive if it wasn’t for her.
She didn’t need to be reminded that she’d failed nor did she need to be tested to see if she’d fail again. Ryder knew that it was only a matter of time before she did. Perhaps she should have taken up another profession, put herself out of the equation when it came to risking other people’s lives. But there was a perverse need to try and atone for her mistake. To try and make up for it somehow. Even though she knew it would never bring her husband home.
Ryder didn’t know if she wanted it to be on the back of missing children that nobody else had managed to find. There was no way she would turn down the request from Jake. She wanted—no needed—to help find these missing children. Not for herself but for their parents. She’d die if anything happened to Eb.
“Fine. Leave it with me then. I’ll go over them soon as I get a chance.” She blinked and met his gaze, refusing to let anyone get the better of her. This was her chance for a new life with Ebony away from the constant reminders in the States. If it took immersing herself in something so raw and draining, she might be able to move on. She closed the folders and pushed them into a drawer to deal with after she’d done her morning walk around the town.
When her partner arrived at work, she put the missing children out of her mind and tried to concentrate on the here and now, intent on fitting in and cementing her place in the town she now called home.
Ryder walked her normal beat with Mick, smiling at people as she passed them by, trying her best to get the locals to warm up to her. Some returned her greetings, some merely glanced at her. “How long does it take for this town to warm up to someone?”
Mick coughed and colour raced up his cheeks. “Not sure really. You being born here, I thought they’d take to you right away.”
“Oh well, might have to grow a thicker skin then ‘cause I can see icicles coming off of some of them. Not exactly over the top welcoming committee type, if you know what I mean.” They continued on their path, making sure to talk to the locals as they walked, answering questions from travellers and giving advice of the best place to eat and where to get the cheapest fuel. Mick introduced her to more people. An elderly gentlemen refused to shake her hand and Ryder took it in stride. It was his comment that needled her.
“Fancy one of you Stubbens being in uniform. Guess they’ll never get called to account now.” He ambled off, giving her a deadly backward glance.
“What the heck was that all about?” She grabbed Mick on the arm and stopped him walking away until he told her. “This is the reason some people are being cold toward me. It’s not a stranger in town kind of thing, is it?”
“Uh, maybe you’d better ask Jake. He knows more about it than me.” He shook his arm free and walked ahead of her.
Confused and a little wary, Ryder followed and tried to forget the creepy sensation that’d walked up her spine at the mans words. Small towns could be clique and she thought she was prepared for that. Seems she may have been wrong after all.
Chapter 4
By the time Ryder picked up Ebony from day care, she was tired and hungry, her mouth sore from trying to keep a genial smile in place. A hot bath, a glass of wine, and a snuggle on the couch with her little girl seemed like the ideal end to her day.
“Hi, Amy. How’s Eb settling in?” Her cousin looked up from
