CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Life got fast. Real fast.
Deputy Little and Deputy Gavin came out to the house and then the former Sheriff Trouble, Liam’s wife, came too. It was one thing to bluff about having Winnie Collins. It was another to threaten her.
Price was at the helm of their meetings that took place in the dining room. JJ took part at first, but she had found herself in the bonus room, idly staring. It was only when Winnie came in after a while that JJ realized she had made a decision.
It wasn’t a want.
It wasn’t a need.
It was amust.
Still, JJ’s feet were slow about it.
Maybe it was that space in between again that Price had talked about. She was getting lost in it.
She couldn’t keep that going for too long though.
Seeing Winnie pretend to not be scared was a good reminder of that.
“Did you get kicked out too?” The teenager pointed down at the floor. The kitchen wasn’t far off from their spot above. “I tried to join, and Dad used his cop voice on me. I appreciate that he never lies to me, but it still feels like I’m missing out on some things I might need to know.”
Winnie came to a stop next to JJ. She was standing next to the crib of all things. Winnie peered over the edge and at the cow saltshaker collection that was resting inside. She didn’t seem to need JJ to respond. She went on, just like her father did.
“This isn’t the first time that he’s been nervous, but I think that’s when Dad really shines. I know he can be lame and goofy and sometimes just won’t leave you alone, but he’s also really good at his job. He’s really good at keeping people safe. So, I wouldn’t worry too much. He’ll figure it all out.”
JJ’s heart tore.
She looked over at the girl, who was light-years ahead of her age.
There she was, trying to comfort JJ when it was JJ’s fault she was the one being threatened.
A life for a life.
JJ had no doubt that it had been Lawson behind that message, using his father’s old adage and twisting it for revenge.
Because the manshehad fought in the woods had died.
No matter which way JJ looked at the situation, she was the cause of the trouble now in Seven Roads.
She was the reason Price’s daughter—the person he loved most in the world—had gotten a death threat by the same people who had killed her father. Who had tried to kill her. Who now wanted to kill her brother.
JJ didn’t ball her hand into a fist because she didn’t want to damage what was resting on her palm. Instead, she looked at it for what felt like the hundredth time since Price had slyly given it to her without a second thought.
Winnie inclined her head to look.
“Oh, that’s pretty,” she said.
JJ smiled. It was one of the few she truly felt.
“Isn’t it? My mom actually made it for me all by herself.” She laughed. “This was actually the third attempt. My mom was really, really not a crafty person. It was a rule in my house that me and Dad wrapped all the presents and made the birthday banners and did anything that included tape, glue or having to deal with a billion little pieces.”
JJ moved the earring closer so Winnie could see it better.
“So when she gave these to me for my tenth birthday, I really understood how special they were,” she continued. “Then, when my dad let me know that she had been trying to make the perfect pair for weeks, I decided right then and there thatthesewere my favorite pair of earrings that I’d ever own.”
She ran a finger over the scratch mark that split the worn flower painted on the side.
