Shelter Mountain (Virgin River #2)(26)

“Having a little trouble, yeah. I’ll go in a minute.”

“Want some company?” He had a strange look on his face. “Oh, I guess you want a little time to yourself.”

“That’s okay…” he said.

“No, I understand. You’ve been here alone all this time and now you have people underfoot. I’ll just see you in the—”

“Sit down, Paige,” he said, somber. Unhappy.

“Is everything all right?” she asked, pulling out a chair.

He shook his head. “It’s not so good. I didn’t want to do this tonight. I wanted to save this for morning.”

“Did I do something?” she asked, frowning. “Is there something I need to—”

“You’re perfect,” he said. “It’s not you—you’re perfect. I got some bad news a little while ago. Wes did it—what you expected. He finally did it. Reported you and Chris missing. Almost two weeks ago.”

She was stunned speechless for a moment. She sank weakly into the chair. While she was settling in, growing more comfortable with her surroundings, her new friends, he had crossed her mind often. She’d look over her shoulder; she couldn’t help it. A shudder would pass through her now and then and often her heart would start to beat a little wildly and she’d have to focus her energy on breathing evenly, reminding herself he was nowhere near, and it would pass.

She closed her eyes briefly. “I’ll go up and pack,” she said softly. “I’d better get going. Get back to the plan…”

“Don’t pack yet, Paige,” he said. “Let’s talk about it.”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about, John. He’s after me—I have to get us away. I can’t afford to take a chance.”

“If you run, you’re taking a bigger chance. If they pick you up, they’re going to take Chris to him and arrest you. You have to do it, Paige. Face him down,” Preacher said. “I’ll help. I’ll find a way to get you through this.”

“There’s only one way through this—I have to get out of here. You said it yourself, he’ll outsmart me.”

“I never said that,” he argued. “I said you’re not devious. But I think you can beat him. I know a couple of people—my buddy the cop, for one. There’s a judge in Grace Valley I’ve been fishing with—I know he’ll help if he can. Jack’s little sister, Brie, is a lawyer—a hotshot lawyer in the state capital—and she knows everyone. Brie—she’s so smart, it’s scary. We have to ask some of these people how you can get out of this mess and have a real life. I’ll see it through with you, till you’re free and safe.”

She sat forward in her chair. “Listen, why are you doing this? What do you think you’ll get out of it?”

“Me? Sleep, that’s what. When this is over, I’ll sleep at night knowing you’re not getting beat up, knowing Chris isn’t growing up mean, learning how to beat on women. Paige, I saw. That first night, when I brought you clean towels, the door was open a little and you had your shirt pulled…” He stopped and hung his head. Then he raised it and looked her dead in the eye and said, “That was no little slap. No little argument.”

She looked down into her lap. It was unbearable to think he’d seen that awful mess.

“Listen,” he said, lifting her chin with a finger. “I was okay with my life until you walked in the door that night, with your kid and your bruises. It was all right with me to fish and cook and clean up—I never minded being alone. I’m never going to get married, have kids of my own—I know that. But I can do something about this—”

“This isn’t your business!”

“It is now! Even if you’re not counting on me, that kid is! He counts on me every day, from the time he comes running down here in his jammies until he’s finally sound asleep! When you and Chris leave here, I’m going to know we did everything we could to keep you safe from that bastard!” He took a breath. “Sorry,” he said. “I can sound as scary as I look.”

“You don’t look scary,” she said so softly he barely heard. “And if this doesn’t work?”

He straightened. “Then I’ll help you get to someplace safe. I’ll do whatever it takes. Jesus Christ, Paige, if I don’t do this, what am I gonna do with my life? When something like this hits me square in the face and I ignore it, what am I worth then, huh?”

She gazed at his pleading expression and shook her head almost sadly. “How do you know you’ll never get married and have kids?” she asked him.

“C’mon,” he said, frustrated.

“Really.”

“To start with, there’s not a single unmarried woman over eighteen and under sixty in this town—that might be one clue.”

“There’re lots of towns…”

“Jesus, do we have to make this about me? Your kid, he’s the only kid ever came near me. Christ, they hide behind their mothers when they see me.”

She smiled at him. “You’re swearing like mad. I bet your mother’s turning in her grave….”

“Spinning,” he agreed. Then, pleadingly, “I know you’re scared. Are you too scared to try to stare the bastard in the eye and face him down if I swear I have your back? If you have lots of help?” He took a breath. “Did you know, when you come face-to-face with a bear, you never run? You straighten up tall as you can. Puff up and try to make yourself big. Make a lot of noise. Act tough, even if you’re not tough.” He shook his head. “You’d have trouble doing that, little as you are. But you should think about the theory. If you act like you’re not scared and you have help, good and strong and smart help—you might get this behind you. We’ll help. The judge, Mel, Jack, Brie. Mike.”