Natural-Born Protector

She set the bottle back down on the bar, then leaned closer to Hank. “I just need to do this,” she said. “You don’t have to help me, but I have to do this, with or without you.”

For a long moment his gaze held hers and the noise, the crowd and their entire surroundings fell away as she felt as if he were looking deep inside her and saw her need. He covered her hand with his and smiled. “Bodyguards in training don’t quit before the job is done.”

She smiled at him gratefully. “Thank you.”

“And now, let’s head out back and see what your waitress friend has to tell us.”

It was almost midnight when Hank and Melody left the Edge with precious little information gained. As they got back into his car he could feel her depression weighing heavily on her.

Kerry hadn’t known who Lainie was seeing at the time of her death, although she did mention both Dean and James as men in Lainie’s recent past. Harry, the owner of the tavern, had also had little information to give them, except mentioning that Lainie had been talking about wanting to have a baby.

They’d spoken with him in his cramped office in the back of the building, and he’d told them that he didn’t remember any customers having problems with Lainie or her talking about having any kind of trouble with anyone else.

“I guess it was silly of me to think I’d just waltz right in and find out all the answers that Zack hasn’t been able to find,” she said, breaking the silence that had built between them. She released a weary sigh.

“Not silly, just a bit unrealistic,” he replied.

“I hope your mother isn’t upset that we stayed so late.”

“She’s keeping Maddie overnight so it’s not an issue.” He turned into the parking lot of the town houses, surprised to discover that he was sorry the night was about to end.

It had been a long time since anything or anyone had captured his interest. Certainly he was interested in seeing Lainie’s murderer brought to justice, but he had to confess that he was quickly becoming equally intrigued by Melody.

When he’d first arrived at Lainie’s place that evening, her appearance had punched him right in the gut. She’d looked hot in her tight jeans and turquoise blouse, and throughout the evening he’d hardly been able to keep his eyes off her.

He’d had one brief affair a year ago with a woman he’d known had no expectations of a happily-ever-after. He had a feeling that Melody Thompson wasn’t at all like that.

As they’d sat in the bar watching the crowd, the toetapping music had made him want to grab Melody in his arms and swing her out on the dance floor. He’d wanted to feel her body pressed against his, move in the rhythm that mimicked sex.

Rebecca had loved to dance. Almost every Friday night she’d asked Hank to go with her to the local honky-tonk for a night of dancing. Most Friday nights he’d declined. He’d been too tired, preferred spending his evenings alone with Rebecca and Maddie rather than in a bar with loud music and drinkers.

When Melody wasn’t asking questions about her sister, they’d talked, passing the time and getting to know each other better. She was easy to talk to, both intelligent and quick-witted.

He parked and they got out of the car. “You want to come in for a little while?” she asked when they reached her door. “I know it’s late but I’m a little wound up. I could make some coffee.”

He smiled. “Coffee is the last thing you need if you’re already wound up.” He could tell by the soft plea in her eyes that she didn’t want to be alone. “But, I would come in for a tall glass of water.”

She flashed him a grateful smile and unlocked her door. He followed her through the living room and into the kitchen where he sat at the table while she got out the glasses and ice.

“Thank you for tonight,” she said as she placed his glass of water in front of him.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied as she sat in the chair opposite him. “I want Lainie’s murderer caught, too.”

Melody took a sip of her water, then stared out the window where the blackness of night was profound. “She hated the night,” she said softly. “She read a poem when she was younger. I don’t know who wrote it or where she found it, but it started out something like…‘When night falls and takes the day, that’s when evil comes out to play.’ I don’t remember the rest of it. She told me once that when night fell and she was alone, she feared she’d disappear. It was her biggest fear and it breaks my heart that it came true.”

Melody looked at him, her eyes filled with pain. “As silly as it sounds, I think it would have been easier if she’d been murdered during the day instead of at night when she was most frightened anyway.”

Her words broke his heart. Once again he had the desire to pull her into his arms and offer comfort, promise her that the pain would pass and life would go on. But how could he promise her that when he wasn’t at all sure it was the truth? It had been two years, and his pain was still as raw as it had been the night that Rebecca slipped from this world.

“Tell me about your life in Chicago,” he said, hoping the change of subject would take away the shadows from her eyes. “Lainie told me you’re a teacher.”

“Third grade. I love kids that age, around Maddie’s age.”

“You always wanted to be a teacher?”

“Not always.” She leaned back in the chair and for the first time since the evening had begun she looked relaxed. The tiny line of stress that had streaked across her forehead had disappeared and her mouth looked less tense. “For the first two years of college I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life.”

“You went to Maple Park College?” he asked, knowing the small school was a mere twenty minutes away.

She smiled. “I think almost everyone who lives in Cotter Creek attends Maple Park Community College at one time or another.” She took a sip of the water, then continued. “For a long time I thought my job in life was going to be taking care of Lainie. She never wanted me to be too far away from her.”

“But you moved to Chicago.”

She leaned forward, the line of stress once again creasing her forehead. “By the time I graduated and realized I wanted to teach, there were no jobs here in Cotter Creek. Actually, it was Lainie who initially encouraged me to take a job wherever I could get one. She was feeling particularly good at the time, strong and independent. So I got the offer from the school in Chicago and decided to take it. I was thrilled when I heard that Lainie had decided to move out of Mom’s home and into her own place. But I could tell by her phone calls that she wasn’t having an easy time without me.” She sighed, as if the long explanation had exhausted her.

“Lainie mentioned you didn’t date much. You have somebody special in Chicago?”