'You sound funny. Is something wrong?' Sam asked.
'I was on the back porch. I ran.' Elizabeth took several deep, soothing breaths. 'What did you find out?'
'You've gone and gotten yourself involved with a real bad boy. Reece Landry's been in trouble since he was a kid.'
'I know that. Reece told me all about his childhood run-ins with the law. So what else did you find out?'
'Look, kiddo, there's a possibility that Landry murdered B. K. Stanton. A lot of people who know him agree that he has a real killer instinct.'
Elizabeth sighed. How could she persuade Sam that he was wrong? 'Reece may have a killer instinct, but he doesn't possess the soul of a killer. You, of all people, should understand the difference.'
Sam didn't respond. Elizabeth felt the hesitation, knew he was having difficulty accepting a truth he could not deny. Finally he said, 'Point well taken.'
Elizabeth sensed Reece's presence behind her before she turned to face him. She mouthed the words 'It's Sam.' Reece nodded.
'There are other suspects, aren't there?' Elizabeth asked. 'You must have found out something.'
'Hey, I've had less than twenty-four hours to dig up information,' Sam said.
'So tell me what you've found out.'
'There's a chance Landry is innocent.'
Smiling, Elizabeth glanced at Reece, the trust and confidence she felt showing plainly in her expression. 'Go on. Tell me more.'
'The whole thing was too neat, too pat to suit me. Landry's gun, no fingerprints on the gun, some of the tests were inconclusive, eyewitnesses who caught him at the scene, a motive of hatred and revenge and the strange coincidence that Landry had been invited to Stanton's home that night, for the first time in his life.' Sam paused for a moment. 'I'd say the man was framed.'
'Who could have framed him?'
'Now, that's the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question. But I'd say other members of Stanton's family are prime suspects. Especially the son, Kenny. Seems he and his father didn't get along, and Kenny hates Landry.'
'Sam, Reece is going to need your help. He's planning on leaving today to go back to Newell. I want to go with him, but-'
'Dammit, Elizabeth, you aren't putting your life at risk by going with that man! Do you hear me?'
'The elephants in India can hear you.'
Reece grabbed the phone out of Elizabeth's hand. 'Dundee, you don't have to worry. I'm not taking her with me.'
'Damn right you're not!'
'I'm borrowing Elizabeth's Jeep, but I'll make sure she gets it back, somehow. I don't want her involved in this any more than she already is. If you've found out anything that can help me, I'd appreciate you telling me now.'
'From what little I've found out, I'd say there's a good chance you were framed. A smart man would turn himself in to the law before they shoot first and ask questions later. Your lawyer can appeal the case.'
'What good would an appeal do if we don't have another suspect?' Reece asked.
'What chance do you have of discovering anything while you're on the run?'
'I'm not turning myself in,' Reece said.
'Then you're a damned fool!'
'Would you turn yourself in if you were me?'
Sam grunted. 'No.'
Reece handed the phone to Elizabeth. 'Sam, I'll call you back. Reece will be leaving soon, and I.. .we'll talk later and I'll explain things.'
Hanging up the phone, Elizabeth turned to Reece. He stared at her, hoping she wouldn't ask again to go with him. As bad as he hated leaving her, he hated even more the possibility of anything happening to her because of him.
She stood there looking at him, those big blue eyes of hers pleading. She'd left her coffee brown hair loose today instead of French braiding it, and its dark, silky mass hung to her waist. She wore a pair of old, faded jeans that fit her round hips and legs like a second skin. Her nipples pressed against the ribbing of her beige sweater. Her golden skin glowed with youthful vibrancy and good health.
The temptation to scoop her up in his arms and carry her away with him became unbearable. He broke eye contact with her, wondering if she was messing with his mind, sending him subliminal messages of persuasion.
Reece took several tentative steps toward Elizabeth; she moved forward, reaching out for him. MacDatho inched his big body between them, accomplishing his obvious objective of separating them.
Elizabeth reached down, petting MacDatho's head, soothing him with her touch. She relayed a mental message to him that she needed a private goodbye with Reece. Mac nuzzled Elizabeth's leg, then removed himself from between Reece and her. Seating himself by the door, the wolf-dog waited patiently for Reece's departure.
Reece drew Elizabeth into his arms. She clung to him, running her hands up and down his back. 'Don't go yet. Stay.'
'I can't.' He kissed her forehead. 'If I stay here any longer, I not only jeopardize my own life, but yours, too. You've done more to help me than I could have ever asked of anyone.'
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist. 'Since you won't allow me to go with you, to lead you off the mountain and safely back to Newell, I'll draw you a map of the back roads. The police won't have any idea that you'll know about the back roads.'
Reece held Elizabeth away from him. 'Draw me the map, but do it quickly.'
She dashed over to the desk beneath the windows, fumbled inside the middle drawer and pulled out paper and pencil.
'If the deputies find any evidence that I've been here with you, tell them I held you at gunpoint. Tell them I threatened your life.'
She held up the completed map, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. 'Don't worry about me. I won't have to talk to any deputies. Besides, they'd never believe you held me at gunpoint for four days. Not in the shape you were in, and not with MacDatho around.'
Reece took the map out of her hand, shoved it into his jacket pocket, then grabbed her by the waist, drawing her up against him. 'Take care, huh, Lizzie. And don't shed any tears over me.'' He wiped the tears from her eyes with the tip of his finger. 'I'm not worth crying over. I'm not worth anybody caring about me.'
'You're wrong about that.' She kissed his chin. 'You are worth somebody caring.' She kissed his jaw and then his cheek. 'You deserve someone's tears.' She kissed him lightly on the mouth. 'You deserve to be loved, Reece Landry.'
'Damn you, Lizzie. Don't do this to me!' His kiss consumed her with his brutal need, with his savage passion. All the loneliness, the pain, the anger that had been building inside him since the day he'd been born verged into one obsession. To have Elizabeth Mallory be that somebody. The somebody who'd care. The somebody who'd cry for him. The somebody who'd love him.
Feeling his desperation, Elizabeth tried to give him what he needed, to respond with an open heart. As her tears clouded her vision, she clung to him, whispering his name over and over again as he buried his face against her neck, his nose nuzzling her hair.
Mustering all the control he possessed, Reece released Elizabeth and stepped away from her. 'Say a prayer for me, Lizzie.'
More afraid than she'd ever been in her life, she stood motionless. She watched Reece walk to the door, pat MacDatho on the head and pick up the large duffel bag from the floor before opening the front door.
When he walked out onto the porch, Elizabeth forced her legs to move. She lingered in the doorway while he got into the Jeep and drove down the road, away from Sequana Falls.
MacDatho waited patiently at her side, finally circling her as a signal that he thought it was time for them to go inside. Elizabeth glanced down at Mac, nodding in agreement, suddenly feeling the frigid air seeping through her clothing.
