“Oh, I believe you.” Sheriff Douglas wiped a hand over his stubbled face. “But jeez, Jessi. Where’d you dig up this guy?”
Clearly, that was a rhetorical question, because he didn’t let her answer. He pointed an accusatory finger at me. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to get out of Hartley. I don’t care where you go, as long as it’s not here. I’m going to say you disappeared, and we’re going to forget about this.”
I was about to agree because he was right. If I left town, it would save him a ton of paperwork. And it would save me the trouble of making formal statements or turning over my ID. I didn’t need this to escalate into a bigger headache later.
But Jessi said, “No way. You can’t do that, Owen.”
“And why is that?”
“Because…” Her panicked eyes danced over me. “He’s my brother.”
CHAPTERFOUR
Jessi
I’d donesome impulsive things in my life, but this was a doozy.
“This is your brother?” Owen asked skeptically.
“Yep.” Now that I’d said it, I had no choice but to follow through. “This is Trace. I told you he was coming to town because of Jeremy.”
No one in town had ever met Trace or even seen his picture. I didn’t have any family snapshots with my half-brother in the diner or my apartment. We weren’t close that way. Like many aspects of my life, my relationship with Trace was complicated.
Now, even more so.
I hated to admit it, but I wasscared. And somehow, for a few minutes tonight, Aiden had made me feel protected. After what he’d done for me, was it right for me to let Owen drive him out of town? On a night like this?
Owen was still frowning, but he finally removed his hand from near his gun holster. Aiden watched me with a tiny smirk curling one side of his mouth.
“You don’t look alike.”
“Half-brother,” I said.
“Whatever. But if he’s staying in Hartley, Chester and his crew are going to have it out for him.”
“Then aren’t you supposed to do your job?” Aiden asked. “Protect and serve?”
Owen glared, and Aiden returned it. But when Owen spoke, it was only to me. “I’m trying my best to keep the peace around here. You know how things are, Jessi, and you’d better inform yourbrother.” Owen spit the word out like a curse. “He can stay long enough for things to settle with Jeremy and the Rigsbys. But I don’t want any more trouble. He’d better keep his head down. And you know I don’t enjoy saying it, but the same goes for you.”
I nodded. Owen’s frown turned apologetic, and then he walked back toward the bar. He’d parked his sheriff’s department truck out front.
Snow still gently drifted down onto our bare heads and shoulders. I tossed Aiden his jacket, and he tugged it on. “I don’t need you to explain how things are,” he said. “I can already guess. Your sheriff is either in somebody’s pocket, or he’s a coward.” Aiden raised his zipper to his chin. “I’m guessing Chester is related to somebody important. The mayor? Or the local judge?”
“You’re partly right, minus a few key details. Owen Douglas isn’t that bad. He’s in a tough situation. I’m sure you don’t want the entire history of Hartley, so I’ll keep it simple. Chester’s last name is Rigsby. The Rigsbys are an important family around here. Owen Douglas is part of the family, too. But Owen tries to be objective.”
“Even when it comes to a woman being harassed and threatened on his watch? I don’t think that’s an issue a person can stay neutral on.” Aiden’s words were pointed, yet he spoke calmly. I hadn’t heard him raise his voice once. Not even in the diner with Chester and Mitch.
“And I doubt Owen would have stayed neutral if I’d shown up at the station tonight bleeding and with my jaw broken. But understand, Chester’s friends would’ve given him and his brothers an alibi. They all would’ve sworn that nobody with the last name Rigsby attacked me. And it would’ve been my word against theirs. Trust me, I’ve been through that bull before, and I know how it goes.”
“With Jeremy?”
I sniffed, my eyes and nose stinging. I insisted to myself that it was just from the cold. The guy seemed determined to get my life story. Maybe it was a way for him to pass the time while he was stuck in Hartley. Rubbernecking on his way through town. But I knew that thought was unfair. Aiden hadn’t wanted to get involved, but he genuinely seemed to care about right and wrong.
Don’t trust it, part of me said. Instincts honed by harsh experience.
Yet I was the one who’d proclaimed him to be my brother, even though I’d known him for the sum of…two hours? I hadvouchedfor him. Claimed this stranger as mine.
I was all over the place tonight. I feltlost.
