LITMIR.BIZ

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death.

      She hesitated before asking her next question. “How’s your father?” Warren was a touchy subject for both of them.

      A muscle flickered in Court’s jaw. “He’s out of surgery but still unconscious. We don’t know just how bad the damage is yet.”

      He might have added more, might, but a sound outside stopped him. Sirens. They were from the ambulance that was coming up the road. Since her house was the only one out here, they were here for her.

      “I don’t want an ambulance,” she insisted. “I’ll go to the hospital on my own.” And it wouldn’t be to the one in McCall Canyon. She would drive into nearby San Antonio.

      “That’s not a very smart thing to do.” No pause for Court that time. “We’re not sure what’s going on here. Plus, your ribs could be broken. You don’t need to be driving if they are.”

      She couldn’t help it. Rayna gave him a snarky smile before she could stop herself. “Worried about me?”

      That earned her another glare, but this one didn’t last. And for a moment she saw something else. Not the sympathy this time, either. But the old attraction. Even now, it tugged at her. Apparently, it tugged at Court because he cursed again and looked away.

      “I just wanted to make sure I didn’t hurt you when we fell on the floor,” Court said.

      “You didn’t.” That was probably a lie, but Rayna was hurting in so many places that it was hard to tell who was responsible for the bruises and cuts.

      Court’s gaze came back to her. “Was there anything...sexual about the assault after you got hit on the head?”

      “No.” Thank God. That was something at least. “In fact, I’m not even sure he intended to kill me. I mean, he could have shot me the moment I walked into my house—”

      “Maybe he didn’t have a gun. He could have been robbing the place and got spooked when you came in.”

      True. But that didn’t feel right. Neither did the spot on her ribs, and Rayna had another look. Too bad that meant pulling up her top again, and this time Court examined it, too. He leaned in, so close that she could feel his breath hitting her skin.

      “It looks like a needle mark,” he said. “And you mentioned something about passing out?”

      She nodded. “But the man was gone by the time that happened.” Of course, he could have come back. Heck, he could still come back.

      That made her stomach tighten, and she gave an uneasy glance around the front and side yards. There were plenty of places on her land for someone to hide.

      “You’re sure it was a man?” Court asked. He was using his lawman’s tone again. Good. That was easier to deal with than the old attraction. “You said you didn’t get a look at the person, so how do you know it was a man?”

      “I’ve had a man’s hands on me before, so yes, I’m sure he was male.” She immediately hated that she’d blurted that out, even if it was true. But Rayna didn’t like reminding anyone, especially Court, of just how wrong she’d been about Bobby Joe. After all, she’d let Court go to be with him.

      “After he clubbed me with the lamp,” Rayna added, “he hooked his arm around my throat. My back landed against his chest, so I know it was a man.”

      Court took a moment, obviously processing that, and he looked at the lock on the front door. “There’s no sign of forced entry. Was it locked, and did you have on your security system?”

      Everything inside her went still. With all the chaos that had gone on, it hadn’t occurred to Rayna to ask herself those questions. “Yes, it would have been locked, and the security system was on. I never leave the house without doing that.”

      “Even if you were just going to the barn?” Court immediately asked.

      “Even then.” She gathered her breath, which had suddenly gone thin again. It always did when she thought of the woman she’d become. “I honestly believe Bobby Joe is alive and that he could come after me.”

      Court looked ready to grumble out some profanity, but Rayna wasn’t sure if that was because he felt sorry for her or because he thought she was crazy for being so wary about a man he believed was dead.

      “The front door was unlocked when I got here,” Court continued several moments later. “Is it possible your intruder had a key?”

      “No. And I don’t keep a spare one lying around, either.” She kept her attention on the ambulance that stopped behind the cruiser. “Plus, he would have had to disarm the security system. It’s tamperproof, so he couldn’t have simply cut a wire or something. He would have had to know the code.”

      With each word, that knot in her stomach got tighter and tighter. She had taken all the necessary precautions, and it hadn’t been enough. That hurt. Because she might never feel safe here again in this house that she loved. Her gran’s house. That didn’t mean she would leave. No. She wouldn’t give Bobby Joe the satisfaction of seeing her run, but Rayna figured there’d be a lot more sleepless nights in her future.

      Egan was still on the phone when the medics got out of the ambulance and started for the porch. Rayna went out to tell them they could leave, but she spotted another vehicle. A familiar one.

      Whitney’s red Mustang.

      “You called her?” Court asked.

      Rayna shook her head, but it didn’t surprise her that Whitney had heard about what happened and then had driven out to see her. They’d been friends since third grade, and even though that friendship had cooled a little after Rayna had gotten involved with Bobby Joe, Whitney had usually been there for her. Whitney was also one of the few people who’d stood by her when Rayna had been on trial.

      Her friend bolted from the car and ran past the medics to get to Rayna. Whitney immediately pulled her into her arms for a hug. An uncomfortable one because Rayna felt the pain from her ribs, and she backed away.

      “I came as fast as I could get someone to cover for me at work.” Whitney’s words rushed together. “My God, you’re hurt.” She reached out as if to touch the wound on Rayna’s hand, but she stopped. “It must be bad if the ambulance came.”

      “No. They were just leaving.” Rayna made sure she said that loud enough for the medics to hear.

      “They’re not leaving,” Court snapped, and he motioned for them to wait. No doubt so he could try to talk Rayna into going with them.

      Whitney volleyed puzzled looks between Court and her. “Is, uh, anything going on between you two? I mean, you’re not back together, are you?”

      “No,” Court and Rayna answered in unison, but it did make Rayna wonder what Whitney had picked up on to make her think that.

      Whitney released her breath as if relieved. Maybe because she knew Rayna wasn’t ready for a relationship. Especially one with Court McCall.

      “What happened here?” Whitney asked, glancing inside.

      “Someone broke in,” Rayna settled for saying. She planned to give Whitney more information later, but her friend filled in the blanks.

      “And you think it was Bobby Joe,” Whitney concluded. But she immediately shook her head after saying that. “It seems to be more than that going on. I mean, what with Warren being shot.”

      Court made a sound of agreement. “Do you have a key to Rayna’s house? And no, I’m not accusing her of anything,” Court quickly added to Rayna. “I’m just trying to figure out how the intruder got in.”

      “No key,” Whitney answered. “Bobby Joe wouldn’t have one, either. Rayna changed all the locks after she was acquitted. She had the windows and doors wired for security, too. Did she tell you that she has guns stashed all around the house?”

      Rayna

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