Terra didn’t want to reveal how scared she’d been, and that she felt like such an idiot on top of that. She didn’t want to show any weakness in front of Jack.
“I’m getting a towel and a blanket, and when I get back, you can tell me why you were on your way to see me. It must be important.” She shrugged free and headed for the bathroom, where she grabbed a towel and a wool blanket from a closet. Terra needed time to think through what had happened tonight and how to explain it. Repeating the words in her head—someone followed me and I hid and let them get away—almost made her wonder if any of it had really happened.
Mom would be so proud.
She forced an exhale. Dispatch had already recorded her message, and it was out there. No going back.
Terra returned and handed Jack the towel first. He’d hung his jacket over a chair.
“Thanks.” He took it and dried his hair. “I don’t need a blanket. I’m not cold.”
“Too bad.” With a soft smile, she wrapped the blanket around his broad shoulders for good measure, amused that he even allowed her to do so. When she was done, she looked into his face—his deep green eyes penetrating. She was much too close when she hadn’t meant to be. At his nearness, her heart thrummed.
Move. Step away. Something.
Jack peered down at her, a wry grin twisting his lips.
Terra forced her feet to move. “Have you eaten?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“Coffee then?”
“Your grandfather’s special roasted blend?”
The way he asked the question made her laugh. “I have the plain old store-bought variety too, if you prefer.”
“Sure. I’ll make the coffee while you finish eating.”
“Deal.” Terra could talk while she ate the leftover salad. “So, why are you here?”
“I was already over halfway here when I learned you’d made a call for assistance, and then another call that you didn’t need assistance. So, I’m here. If you’re not ready to talk about what happened, then I’ll go first.” He saw right through her. Knew her too well and knew that she would talk when she was ready.
“I’m listening.”
“I think we might have discovered the murder weapon.” Jack poured the coffee before it had finished brewing and explained about the deputy coroner’s initial findings, along with his visit to the museum. He pulled out a chair, and she pushed her empty plate forward.
He reached across the table and took her hand. His action sent a familiar charge up her arm. She slipped her hand free, ignoring the realization of just how strong her lingering feelings for this man were. How much had remained. She didn’t want those emotions and would do her best to ignore them. This was a man who had loved her, she was sure of it, and had been able to walk away with merely a note. That wasn’t something anyone could easily forget, even though she thought she understood why he did it. They were Jack’s reasons, and not necessarily good ones.
Okay. No going down melancholy lane. Terra straightened and downed a cup of coffee. She had to push away the exhaustion or else the day would get to her. And her emotional side, her heart, was already trying to take over.
“Now it’s your turn. Tell me what’s going on. You said someone followed you.”
Terra gave a brief summary of the events, and just like how they played out in her head, she felt ridiculous. “I didn’t feel comfortable facing off with whoever was pursuing me on a lonely mountain road without some sort of backup, so I got away from them. My plan was to follow them and get the license plate.”
Jack crossed his arms.
“Now the whole thing seems ridiculous. Maybe I got it all wrong. They turned when I turned and accelerated when I accelerated, and it was all a coincidence.”
“Where’s Owen and Robert?”
She shrugged. “They’re in Idaho meeting with horse people. Gramps is helping Owen get going with equestrian therapy for veterans.”
Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t like that you’re here alone tonight.”
“My grandfather has a state-of-the-art alarm system. I’ll be fine. I have a weapon too, and I know how to use it.” She fisted her hands, wishing she could have gotten them on the person who had trailed her tonight.
“Why do you think someone would follow you?”
“That’s the billion-dollar question, isn’t it? If I was even actually followed.”
“You’re trained, Terra. If you thought you were being followed, then you were. I suggest you stay at your apartment in town tonight.”
“Thanks for your suggestion. If they know about the ranch, they know about my apartment.”
“Maybe you’re being followed because of one of the cases you’re working on.”
She shook her head. “Timber theft. A meth lab. That kind of stuff. I’m not close enough to any of it for someone to trail me.”
“Past cases?”
Terra considered his question and shook her head.
“Why’d you come back?” Jack asked. “Did something happen in your previous job?”
“No. Nothing from my past job could be related to someone following me. What’s with the interrogation?”
He chuckled. “Just doing my job, ma’am.” That smile again. “But even if I weren’t, I’m just trying to make sure an old friend is okay and going to stay that way.”
Clutching her mug, she nodded, appreciating his concern. “Thanks for that. Now, let’s talk more about the murder investigation. I’d like to talk to the curator at the museum too, but let’s wait on any further communication with anyone there.”
“This is a murder investigation.”
“That’s linked to an artifact cache. The curator or his staff might not be connected to either crime, but then again, someone might be. But I want to know more before we question them. I wish you hadn’t gone to him about the knife without me. When I learn more about the things Jim kept, I can use that information while questioning the curator or those working for him. Working very closely on this
