Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls #1)(48)

A hand on his elbow jolted him. He whirled, a hand raised on instinct.

“Oh.” An attractive brunette woman about his age pressed a palm to the center of her chest.

With a throbbing yet relieved heart, Grant forced his mouth into a smile and lowered his fist. “I’m sorry. You startled me.”

“I didn’t mean to.” She smiled back. “It’s just that you look familiar. Did you go to Scarlet Falls High School?”

“No. Sorry.” Grant edged toward the exit, but she fell into step beside him. Their footsteps echoed on the concrete. Guilt slowed his steps. Blowing the friendly woman off would be rude. He sighed. “I went to the military academy, but my three siblings went here. Maybe you know Hannah or Mac.”

“Could be. Is Hannah tall and blond like you?”

“She is.”

They reached the front door.

The woman dipped her chin and glanced at him through her lashes. Was she flirting with him? “I think she graduated a year behind me. Tell her Lisa Shayne said hello.”

“I will.” Grant ducked out. Cool air hit his face.

First pretty Ellie Ross piqued his interest. Now a cute skating mom flirted with him. If he wasn’t headed back to Afghanistan, he’d have some interesting options in Scarlet Falls. But he was going back. His whole career—his whole life—was based on being an army officer. He didn’t know what else he’d do. Now that he thought about it, he couldn’t remember making an active decision to join the army. He’d been raised to be a soldier.

The civilian suburban life wasn’t so bad, though, full of kids, parents, friendly people not actively trying to blow him up. Maybe if he lived like this for a year or so, he wouldn’t reflexively react to a stranger’s touch with violence.

He’d nearly struck that woman.

His realization settled into his lungs, choking him like Afghan dust. There was no getting around it. After this deployment, he needed some downtime from combat.

Shifting the box into one arm, he dug his keys from his jacket pocket. A vehicle pulled into the space next to him. Ellie Ross was behind the wheel. He dumped the box in the cargo bay and walked around to her car door just as she swung her legs out of the vehicle. She was still in her work clothes. Her coat was open and her skirt rode up a few inches, treating him to an inch of thigh. The skating mom a few moments ago might have been cute, but she didn’t make Grant’s chest expand the way it did when Ellie was nearby.

“Grant.” Ellie stood, tugging her skirt down with a surprised frown. Leaning back into her van, she lifted a box from the passenger seat. “What are you doing here?”

“I had to pick up Kate’s things. You?”

She avoided eye contact, and her face was pale. “I’m supposed to be at a parent meeting, but I’m going to have to just drop off these programs for the spring carnival and run.” She closed the van door and shoved a piece of long, dark hair behind her ear. Her hands and voice were shaky. “Now that Kate won’t be coaching her, I’m not sure Julia will even stay with the club.”

She’d been nervous at the hospital, but she should have calmed down now that she knew her grandmother was fine. She almost seemed more upset.

“Are you all right?”

“Fine.” Still avoiding his gaze, she faked a smile and glanced at her watch. “I have to hurry. I dropped off Nan’s prescription at the pharmacy. It’ll be ready in twenty minutes. I don’t want to leave her for long.”

“How’s the ankle?”

“Painful.” She sidestepped toward the arena.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you.” Ellie turned away. “Bye, Grant.”

“Bye, Ellie.”

Returning to the minivan, Grant watched Ellie hurry across the pavement and disappear inside the building. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Ellie Ross was hiding something.

And he had every intention of uncovering her secret.





Chapter Eighteen


Ellie glanced over her shoulder. Grant was folding his big body into the minivan. Once again, she was tempted to tell him everything. He radiated capability. But this morning’s text and the package on her doorstep reinforced Hoodie Man’s assertion that she was being watched. She scanned the salt-dusted parking lot. Her neck tingled, and her stomach clenched. Hoodie Man could be anywhere. He could be staring at her through a windshield right now.

Once her initial panic had passed, she’d realized the heart he’d sent her was far too large to be human. Still nasty, though. She’d hidden the box with its bloody contents in the chest freezer in her garage until trash day. Seeing the bloody organ pinned to her daughter’s picture made his point clear. Hoodie Man wasn’t screwing around. She swallowed her fear and pushed through the door into the building, then walked back to the meeting space. Even away from the ice, cold seeped from the concrete floor into the soles of her shoes. She hadn’t taken the time to change since leaving work. Normally, she’d wear thick boots and a heavy sweater to the arena. She walked past the rink, the temperature dropping with each step.

Voices drew her into the long, narrow all-purpose room. Two dozen adults, a mix of coaches and parents, packed the small area. She only recognized a few faces. Two rectangular laminate tables were set up end to end to form an impromptu conference table. Plastic chairs surrounded it.