Close To Danger (Westen #4)(90)

“Trust me, it’s not normally like that,” he said with a half-shrug as he maneuvered from the outer belt ringing Columbus onto I-71 headed south to Cincinnati. The state road crews had managed to get the urban highways cleared of snow, although the snow still piled up on and around the side roads they drove past. In fact, the most hazardous part of their trip so far had been leaving Westen.

“You know it says a lot about you that so many people stopped by,” Chloe said.

He arched a brow at her. “I suspect it had more to do with you being my house guest, than anyone’s concern over my health, especially your sister and my boss.”

“Well, yes, you’re probably right about Bobby and Gage coming and spending every evening, as aggravating as it was. But I’m pretty sure the doc, the vet and Harriett were there to be sure you two were healing and getting some rest.”

“True.”

“Then there were all the Baptist Women’s group members dropping off meals, along with Lorna and her daughter. Don’t get me wrong. I’m very glad they did.”

“Cooking isn’t your thing, then?” he asked, glad that for the moment she wasn’t focusing on the mess in her condo or the crazed person who’d trashed it.

“Oh, I can cook enough to not starve.” She laughed, the depth of honest humor making him glance her way in time to see her smile. “Bobby made sure of it. One day when I was a teen and she’d been home sick from work, I was complaining that she hadn’t gotten up to make us dinner. She told me, ‘There’s soup in cans and boxes of macaroni and cheese with directions. There’s a pot and a stove. If you starve, then you’re not as smart as you think you are.’ I learned a quick lesson in self-sufficiency that night. Also learned to appreciate the efforts Bobby made daily to feed all three of us.”

“Trust me when I tell you that bringing food by was as much for their benefit as it was ours.”

She shifted in her seat and he felt her staring at him. “What do you mean by that?”

“One thing about living in a small town, everyone wants to know your business. You and I will be fodder for the gossip mill for a while.” Until they realize there is no future for us.

“You can’t accept that people care about you, can you?” she asked, making him wonder if he’d said that thought out loud. “Maybe everyone coming to see you and bring you meals was simply friends and neighbors who’ve come to count on you to keep them safe. No wonder you and W?den have bonded. You’re exactly the same. Two lone wolves.”

She shifted again, this time to stare out into the wintery landscape.

Maybe she was right. Since coming to Westen he had slowly let his guard down, gotten to know the people in town, learned about their lives. He’d considered it just part of his job. Had they somehow come to know him, as well?



*



“You had me so scared,” Dylan said, engulfing her sister in her arms when they got to Chloe’s condo an hour later.

“I was worried about you, too,” Chloe said, hugging her tight.

Wes nodded over the sisters’ heads at Bulldog, who rolled his eyes at the two weepy women. With a little nudge of the duffle bag with Chloe’s things in it to her butt, Wes got the pair to make room so he could squeeze in and close the door.

“We tried to clean up as much as we could, once the police were done,” Dylan said, her voice a tinged with warning.

Chloe let go and stepped around her sister to look into the living room. “Oh. Oh, God,” she whispered. Wes grabbed her around the middle as her knees started to give out. He turned her trembling body away from the sight on her walls. W-H-O-R-E and S-L-U-T could still be seen through the fresh white paint on the walls.

“The guy at the paint store said it would take at least two coats of the primer to cover up the metallic orange,” Bulldog explained holding up the can of paint. “After that you can go back to the taupe you had up before.”

“Taupe?” Wes asked.

Bulldog gave him the don’t-piss-me-off-I-can-hurt-you look. “Taupe. Somewhere between beige and brown for Neanderthals like you, Chief.”

“Do you want me to take you somewhere else?” Wes asked Chloe.

“You can stay at my place until this is all cleaned up,” Dylan offered. “I’m off tonight, but have to work the next thirty-six, so we won’t be on top of each other.”

“Maybe for a few nights,” Chloe said, her emotions back under control. “Don’t think I can take your snoring for longer.”

“I don’t snore!” Dylan said.

Bulldog snorted.

Dylan slugged him in the arm. “You can just finish painting by yourself.” She turned to Chloe and took her hand. “We got the bedroom all cleaned up. I hope you don’t mind, but I threw out all your underthings yesterday and we went and bought new ones today.”

“We?” Chloe asked.

Dylan gave a sideways nod at Bulldog as they exited. “The big guy won’t me do anything by myself except pee and shower.”

“You got dragged into the women’s lingerie section, huh? Even straight guys hate going there.” Wes couldn’t help ribbing his friend.

“It was like touring a foreign country. Nice to visit, but ain’t planning on living there. The only silk I like is on sheets or in boxers, but you said stick with her and keep her safe.” Bulldog grew serious and nodded at Wes’s right side where all his injuries were. “Speaking of keeping safe, you good to go?”