Undercover Protector. Elizabeth Goddard
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you were swerving around the dangerous bends in the mountain road. I would have called him myself, but I left that up to you. It’s your business.”
“And the steering? Anybody tamper with that? With no brakes and no real way to steer, I should have gone right over the edge.” Then she allowed the truth she’d wanted to ignore to sink in. Gemma was sitting on the sofa before she even realized it. Somebody tried to kill me?
“No.” Gray huffed a laugh. “The steering was just shot. That was just unfortunate.” Gray frowned.
A chill crawled up her spine and around her throat. Gemma pressed her hand to her neck. When Gray took a step toward her, she instinctively stood from the couch and stepped around it, putting the furniture between her and Gray Wilson. It had been sheer chance that her steering had failed—and then sheer chance that she’d survived. That she’d been able to keep the Jeep from going over the road. That she’d screamed for help and someone had come. Chance...or was it? He had appeared out of nowhere today.
She studied him even as he watched her. Had he been the one to tamper with her brakes? He would have had to follow her up the mountain. Done his work while she’d left the Jeep alone. He’d definitely had the opportunity. But what about motive? Why do that only to save her?
“You were conveniently on the mountain today.” What was she doing? She shouldn’t accuse him right here and now, but she had to know. And in her heart of hearts, she didn’t believe he would do such a thing. But if not Gray, then who?
“What? You think...” Gray threw up his hands. “You think I did that? I don’t even know you. And if I wanted you to crash, why would I try to save you or tell you someone tampered with the vehicle and that you should call the sheriff to start an investigation?”
“Why indeed.” To gain her confidence? Gemma scraped her hands through her hair. “I’m sorry. I know it sounds absurd, but I had to bring it up. You know the sheriff will.”
Gray tensed. “Yeah, he’ll ask if you bring it up.”
“I won’t have to. He’ll want to know about anyone new who is working on the sanctuary.” Gemma looked again out the window.
“Just anyone new? Why’s that?”
“He’s already looked into anyone who has been here longer than two months. Checking on the neighbors too.”
“Why? What aren’t you telling me?”
“I didn’t want to scare you off so soon. There have been a few happenings.”
“Happenings?”
“Up to now, it’s just been vandalism and a little petty theft.” She hadn’t wanted to get into this with Gray before he even had a chance to meet the tigers and fall in love with them. “There are a few people around who don’t want the sanctuary to succeed. So, once in a while, we have trouble. Vandalism that amounts to sabotage.” Please don’t ask me more...
“But do you think they would go so far as to try to kill you?”
“No. I can’t believe that. Or, at least, I couldn’t until just now. I don’t...I don’t know anymore. And I don’t know why you would care so much.”
Gray closed the drapes for her. “I’m just a volunteer who happened to show up on the day someone tried to kill you, Gemma. I want to help you—keep you from getting hurt. And that’s why I’m telling you that you need to call the sheriff. And be on your guard. Keep your blinds and curtains drawn. And keep your head about you. Be careful around strangers.”
Gray Wilson was a stranger to her, so it seemed odd he would say that, though it was good advice. He arched a brow.
“And be even more vigilant around people you know.”
* * *
Gray watched Gemma’s reaction to his warning.
Wariness lurked behind her gaze. Lightning flashed again and thunder sounded as though it was on top of them.
“I didn’t mean to scare you by telling you about the brakes. But you needed to know.”
“I’m not sure whether to thank you or not.” She gave a nervous laugh and then released a long sigh.
Through a cracked window, he heard the tiger roar. Gemma glanced over, apparently still worried about the big cats—maybe even more than she worried about herself. That could be dangerous, but he admired her dedication.
“Why don’t you wait to go out there until the worst of the storm passes? I’ll go see the tigers with you. After all, that’s what I volunteered for.” He grinned, hoping to lighten the mood.
She smiled in return, appearing to relax. The only trouble was Gray didn’t want her to relax too much. She needed to take the brake tampering seriously. Gray hoped the sheriff encouraged her in that. He’d met Sheriff Kruse but didn’t know him as well as Cooper did. He hoped that the sheriff was a man who could be trusted. Gray didn’t think anyone in local law enforcement was involved, but there was no way to know for sure—that was why it was so important that his cover remain intact, so he’d have to be conveniently absent when the sheriff showed up. And while working undercover, he could do a little investigating into the saboteurs she’d mentioned and anyone else who might want the sanctuary to fail. More importantly, he needed to learn why someone would want Gemma dead.
Were the vandalism and the attempt on her life connected? The two acts seemed different enough that they could be from two different people. Gray had a friend—a forensic investigator—who might be able to offer advice on the profiles of who might be behind these two very different crimes.
But first, he’d need to ask her what sort of things the saboteurs had done. Why the sheriff hadn’t stopped them. But then he’d come across as an investigator. Besides, the way she shivered and hugged herself, he wanted to dial down the fear and tension. He needed to gain her confidence before he moved too fast.
He had taken a step out of his role as a nobody volunteer in coming to her cabin. In making the disclosure about her brakes. Maybe it would have suited his purposes better to keep the information to himself to see what developed, but he had a moral and ethical obligation to let her know what kind of danger she was potentially in.
“We can head over to the resource building while we wait. Get the keys for one of the utility vehicles. It’s quicker to get in and out,” she said.
“I guess now would be a good time for you to give me that tour I never got today.”
“Maybe. Except it’s dark out. You can’t see everything. But, yeah, I can show you some things.”
Gray followed Gemma, who was ably walking with her cane, noting she hadn’t locked her door. “Aren’t you going to lock up?”
She paused, turned to face him. “What? No... I—”
“You don’t usually lock up?”
She shook her head. “Never had a reason to.”
“Until now. You are taking me seriously, aren’t you?”
Frowning, she headed into the house and returned with keys and locked the door. “There. Satisfied?”
“Yes.”
She headed toward the main building. Gray caught up to her in two long strides. “I know it’s kind of awkward and all. First I pull you from the wreckage and carry you across a mudslide to safety only to learn that you’re the woman I’m supposed to interview with. And now I show up at your cabin and tell you someone tampered with your brakes. Believe me, it’s weird for me too.”
“I’ll admit it’s a lot to happen in one day.” Gemma paused beneath the security light on the porch of the main office and tried the door. It didn’t open, and she jingled the keys. “Good thing I went back for them. Someone locked up.”
“I hope that’s the usual practice.”