Danger in a Small Town. Ginny Aiken

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СКАЧАТЬ wait until she got home for her fix.” He glanced at the runner. “And this is…?”

      “Oh! Sorry. Tess Graver, my cousin Ethan Rogers, formerly of the DEA. In Chicago. I called him for help. Had to twist his arm, but he’s here now.”

      Ethan held out his hand.

      Tess clasped his fingers. Hers trembled, and he felt an unexpected urge to comfort her. He knew how tough it was to watch someone die. And from a probable overdose…The sight of that would hit a person deep inside.

      “Glad to meet you,” he said. “In spite of the circumstances.”

      She smiled, not much of a smile, but at least she tried.

      The sound of thrashing vegetation came from the woods. Ethan glanced over his shoulder and saw the EMTs carrying the gurney, a zippered body bag strapped on tight. The undergrowth was too heavy to roll the gurney.

      Tess moaned.

      Ethan turned, saw her falter.

      She shuddered, then started to fall.

      He reached out and caught her in his arms.

      “Oh!” She blinked then met his gaze.

      Ethan felt a sudden awareness, a strange sense of pieces falling into place, a warmth that didn’t make any sense. His urge to comfort Tess took over, and he held her upright.

      How could a stranger feel so right in his arms?

      TWO

      Tess stared up into intense blue eyes, only too aware of Ethan Rogers’s strength. She couldn’t help feeling comforted, protected, supported.

      Very odd, since he was a stranger.

      “Th-thanks,” she murmured. Calling on her last reserves of strength, she placed her hands on that broad chest and pushed away. “I’m okay. It’s just…” She waved toward the ambulance. “It hit me hard again to see that bag.”

      Ethan nodded. “It doesn’t get any easier, either.”

      Which, she assumed, was why he wasn’t an agent anymore. And he’d still come out when his cousin asked. Interesting man.

      The ambulance pulled away silently, the unfortunate young woman past the need for a siren.

      “Who is she?” Ethan asked.

      Maggie gave a humorless chuckle. “We’d all like to know. I suppose we’ll find out when we check her belongings. A couple of guys are still in there, gathering evidence.”

      He frowned. “You don’t know her? Isn’t she local?”

      “Loganton might be small,” Maggie said, “but not that small. I don’t know everyone in town.”

      “Point taken.” He glanced toward the woods. “Did you see anything back there? You said you thought it was drugs.”

      “I only took a quick look around, but I did see a syringe, and her face was a mess. Looks like meth to me.”

      “Meth.” Ethan winced.

      Even Tess knew about the horrors of methamphetamine. Newspapers and the evening news carried more stories each day—gangs, robbery, murder. Not only did meth bring crime in its wake, but it also ravaged every part of the user’s body. “How awful.”

      Maggie flipped her notepad shut. “It’s our third death in about a year. One was a vagrant. The other was a teen. There’s always a greedy supplier somewhere, ready to make a buck off someone who’s hurting and thinks drugs will make the pain go away.”

      Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Where’s it coming from?”

      “Your guess is as good as mine,” Maggie said. “We hadn’t had even a hint of meth before these three deaths.”

      “Bad deal.”

      Maggie snorted. “I’ll say.”

      Tess struggled to accept what she’d heard. “Does this mean Loganton really has a drug problem? I can’t believe it. It’s such a small, quiet town.”

      “Hey, Maggie!” the other officer yelled. “What’s the deal? We gotta get to the hospital. You’re not at one of those five-minute musical-chairs dating parties here, ya know.”

      Maggie blushed under her tan. “Gotta love him. Otherwise I might kill ’im.” She turned to her partner. “He’s my cousin, you goof!”

      “Go ahead,” Ethan said. “I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

      “Can you make sure Tess gets home safely?”

      “Of course.”

      Tess watched the cops get into the cruiser. Then, siren blaring, they sped off toward town.

      “If you don’t mind my asking, how’d you wind up in the middle of…?” Ethan waved.

      “Believe it or not, all I wanted was some fresh air and a good run.” Tess was surprised by how easy he was to talk to. Maybe it had something to do with the way he focused all his attention on her every word, how he nodded in agreement every so often, how he met her gaze and let his compassion show.

      But by the time she finished, his smile was gone, and anger twisted his features. “Sounds like meth.”

      Tess bit her bottom lip and looked toward town. What could have led that woman down the path of drug abuse? She couldn’t imagine seeking refuge or escape that way, no matter how tough life got. She started to ask, but when she faced Ethan again, something in his gaze held her back.

      He stood statue-still, staring down the street, eyes narrowed, jaw tight. His thoughts had left Loganton for another place and time—his past, she was sure. A story lurked there somewhere, but Tess didn’t have the right to pry. “Ah…I guess I’ll see you later, Ethan. If you live in town, that is. It’s small and…”

      He didn’t answer.

      She wasn’t surprised. She doubted he’d heard a word she’d said. The strangest urge to reach out, to comfort him came over her. But of course she didn’t have that right, either, so she turned and gave him time to deal with his thoughts.

      That’s when she heard the other cops come out of the woods. She glanced back to see the older of the two men carrying what she thought was a tote bag. But it wasn’t a tote bag after all. The most pathetic sound escaped the sack.

      “Don’t know anyone who wants a dog,” the officer muttered to the other one at his side.

      Another wail came from the bag.

      It affected Tess more than she would have thought. “Is the dog okay?” she asked.

      The officer turned. “Beats me. We haven’t looked. We’ll probably take him to the pound, now that his owner’s dead.”

      Before СКАЧАТЬ