Permanent Vacancy. Katy Lee

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      But the director was the least of Colm’s concerns. Someone had set out to hurt Gretchen. She could be vulnerable for another “accident” that could leave her dead.

      Colm studied the shortened strap length of his hard hat and estimated that it should fit her well now. He’d make sure she wore it 24/7.

      He would keep her in his line of vision at all times. And he had to have a talk with his crew right away, tell everyone to be extra careful on the site.

      If nothing happened, he could chalk up the floor as a bad accident and move on. In the meantime, the extra security wouldn’t hurt anyone, and the view—Gretchen’s lovely face—would be right pleasing.

      Colm held up the hat and pictured Gretchen’s golden curls and petite face peeking out below it, her small jaw jutting in determination. The woman had real neart istigh, an inner strength as rare as the near extinct Old Irish Goat. Only prettier.

      “What are you smiling about?” The door to the trailer opened wide in front of him, and his newest crew member, Ethan Hunt, crossed the threshold.

      “Smiling?” Colm felt his grin drop. “Well, look at that. I guess I was.” He put down the hat and brushed it against his thigh. “Glad you’re here, though. I was actually heading out to find you.”

      “Putting me straight to work on my first day, I see.” Ethan plunked his duffel bag on the bunk he would be sleeping on for the next three weeks. “What do you need me to do?”

      “No orders yet. Besides, it’s Troy who hands those out.”

      “Then why did you want to see me?”

      “I’m a little concerned this construction site could contain some unusual hazards. I want the crew to be extra careful. Keep a watch out, especially where the home owner is concerned.”

      “Ah, now the truth comes out. It’s that cute blonde that made you smile.” When Colm opened his mouth to negate the idea, Ethan raised his hands. “Hey, I don’t blame you. I’d want to protect her, too. She’s a real looker.”

      Colm’s stomach churned. Ethan’s praise for Gretchen was true, but hearing the man voice such things felt offensive. At one time in Colm’s life he would have dropped the hat, then dropped Ethan to the floor. Thankfully for Ethan those fighting days were over.

      “Keep things professional, Hunt. We don’t need a lawsuit.”

      “Of course, sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. I guess I’m just excited to be working on the show. It’s a real step up from painting real-estate flips. I’m grateful to you for taking me on.”

      “Your credentials were stellar. Troy and I both agreed right away you would make a great fit. I said I wouldn’t have to babysit you, and Troy said you had a great face for the lady viewers to chat about with their girlfriends.”

      Ethan laughed. “Glad to hear you really put some thought into it.”

      Colm smiled in return, letting his ill feeling toward the man slide away. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t thought the same thing about Gretchen. She was a striking beauty, and Colm was positive every person she met thought it. What did he plan to do—fight every man who found her pretty? He couldn’t. He’d made a promise that there’d be no more using his hands for anything but hard work, preferably woodwork.

      “I heard about Miss Gretchen’s fall earlier today.” Concern replaced Ethan’s pleasant smile.

      “You’ve heard already?” Colm gripped the hard hat a little tighter.

      “Everyone’s talking about it. She looked well enough when I saw her walking an old man out to his car, but still, it’s disturbing. Are you sure the house is sturdy enough for us to be renovating, or should we demo it instead?”

      “It’s safe. The construction is old, but it’s solid. That’s the problem with this whole situation.”

      “Problem?” Ethan asked with a quizzical expression.

      “The house is too sturdy for a break like that to occur unless it was done on purpose.”

      “Whoa. You think that break was more than old floorboards rotting away?”

      A rap on the trailer door saved Colm from speculating further.

      “Let’s go, Colm,” a female voice called through the flimsy steel. “Troy’s ready to film you introducing the home owner. Now.”

      “That’s Wendy from makeup. Not a word. Understand? Just keep an eye out around here.” Colm headed out the door and allowed Wendy to sponge some stage makeup on him.

      “No shiny foreheads allowed,” she said in a sweet singsong voice as she gave him a cheeky grin. She looked straight into his eyes when she finished up. “You’re the best canvas an artist could ask for. Just handsome.” She sighed and stepped back to let him pass.

      “You’re such a flirt, Wendy. I’m glad I know you’re like this with everyone. Do me a favor, though—go easy on the new guy. I need him focused.” Then Colm caught Gretchen walking in front of the camera and thought of Ethan’s praise of her beauty. “On second thought, have at him,” Colm called back to Wendy and walked forward with the hard hat in hand, getting ready to place it on Gretchen’s head. He smiled again thinking how adorable she would look in his hat. For the camera, of course. It was only for the camera.

      Colm saw Gretchen taking Troy’s direction about where to stand. The man had her backing up against a lumber pile. With all this beautiful scenery? The ocean was off in the distance on one side, the conifer forest on another. What about the clapboard Victorian they would be working on? So many places would be great backdrops. What was the man thinking?

      Gretchen turned, and that was when Colm saw the hazard. A piece of lumber protruded from the pile, level with her head. Troy wanted her to bump her head?

      Colm picked up his step, ready to call her to watch out. Only, the next second she reached up and pushed the wood back.

      Colm opened his mouth to yell but the spillage of lumber happened so fast that even Gretchen’s scream was cut short by the tumbling pieces. All he could see of her as he raced forward was a clump of her corkscrew hair fanned out on the ground around the pile.

      “Gretchen,” Colm rasped out as he reached her and fell to his knees, not knowing where to start.

      “I think it’s too late for the hat.” Ethan appeared beside him and Colm looked down at the hat still in his hands. “Two mishaps in one day. You just might be onto something, McCrae.”

      Colm threw the hat aside and dug in. “Help me by clearing some of the wood. Carefully.” Colm found a hand and felt for a pulse. “Gretchen, can you hear me?”

      Behind him Nate loudly cleared his throat and whispered, “Colm, Irish accent.”

      Colm ground his teeth at being reminded that he wasn’t in charge, but he put his pumping adrenaline into helping Gretchen. “I’m right beside you, Goldie,” he assured her with his native accent, but at the same time he thought that no matter how far he distanced himself from Dublin, he still lived and breathed under the weight of a bully.

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