Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls #1)(62)

But damn. He couldn’t seem to let go of the soft woman in his arms.

She sighed, and her body relaxed. She shifted, leaning back. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Her warm brown eyes filled with empathy. “That this all happened to you. You haven’t had time to grieve.”

A small shudder passed through him, followed by a wave of need he couldn’t explain or deny, except that his soul was an empty shell. He pressed his lips to hers and let the taste of her fill the void inside him. Instead of resisting, she clutched his shirt and let him in. What started out tender and innocent shifted. Desire warmed him and pooled low in his groin. A hungry groan eased out of her throat.

He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, tilting her head and angling her mouth for a deeper invasion. She wound her arms around his neck. His free hand slid around her body and splayed at the base of her spine. He urged her hips closer. There. Right there.

“Grant.” She moved her mouth an inch away from his.

“Mm.” There was nothing more he’d like to do than strip Ellie naked and make love to her. And even though he knew there was no way that was going to happen at this moment—he didn’t have a condom, there were too many children and other family members in the house, and they were in the middle of searching for a key piece of evidence—he wasn’t ready to let her go yet. Holding her, kissing her, thinking about making love to her, eased his loneliness. She gave him hope.

She squirmed. “We can’t . . .”

“I know,” he whispered against her cheek. “Just give me another minute. Please.”

He wanted an hour or ten. Hell, since he was fantasizing, he might as well wish for a whole day of Ellie without distractions.

But that was not to be.

Reluctantly, he pressed a kiss to her temple and eased away from her body. “Thank you.”

Her mouth tilted in a sad smile.

“Were you close to Lee and Kate?” he asked, getting back to business.

“I worked with Lee for years, but since I moved next door, Kate became a good friend. We had a lot in common. They were new to the neighborhood, too. They’d just moved into this house a few months before me.”

“I don’t know much about Kate.” Grant sighed. “I spent two weeks of my leave with them each year, but I feel like I didn’t know her as well as I should have.”

“You can hardly help being sent to Afghanistan.”

But he could have visited more when he was stateside. He’d been so focused on his career that he’d neglected his family.

“Kate was quiet.” Ellie turned away from him and walked to a small octagonal window. “She and Lee were proud of you.”

He shoved his thumbs into the front pockets of his jeans. “I still wish I’d been here more.”

She nodded in understanding. “I’m sorry you can’t change that, but being here for Carson and Faith is what’s important now.”

And that was only temporary.

“I guess. I really don’t know where else to look.” He scanned the attic. A row of storage containers was lined up under the eave. “We’ll check these boxes, then start on the guest rooms.”

The boxes were full of clothes Carson had outgrown. Had they been saving them for a future little boy? Grant closed the lid before the sadness enveloped him. There was no point speculating. He moved containers and lifted insulation but found no secret hiding places.

They moved downstairs to the guest rooms and did the same checking of floorboards and spaces behind and under heavy furniture. They had no more luck on the first floor.

Two hours later, Ellie emerged from the laundry room. “Did you find anything?”

“Nothing.” Grant righted the sofa. They’d torn apart every cabinet and closet in the house. All that was left was the detached garage, and he doubted the file was under the lawn mower or in Lee’s workbench.

She brushed a cobweb from her hair. “What next?”

“I don’t know. I’m out of ideas.”

Her eyes went round. “What am I going to do if I can’t find the file?”

Grant stood and crossed the room. He took her by the arms. “You’re not alone.”

“He’s going to hurt my family.” Her horrified whisper rent his soul in two.

“I won’t let him.” But what would happen if he had to leave and the threat hadn’t been eliminated? “We have to figure out what Lee discovered the hard way. Lindsay Hamilton skated at the same rink as Julia. Do you know her parents?”

Ellie dropped onto the sofa. “No. I’ve never met them. Lindsay was older. Plus, Julia isn’t a serious skater. She only goes to her lesson and one team practice a week. Once in a while, Kate would talk her into practicing in a free skate, but Julia hated it. The advanced skaters are aggressive on the ice.”

“Aggressive?” Sitting next to her, he thought of the combative hockey players.

“They act like they own the rink. They’d skate in her path or spin close enough to make her uncomfortable.” Ellie rubbed her hands together, pushing at the skin until it reddened. “Julia likes skating, but it’s a hobby, not a passion. She certainly doesn’t love it enough to put up with the hassle.”

“Do you know Regan and Autumn’s parents?”