“What’s that smile for?” Rome’s rich voice broke into her thoughts. She wasn’t even aware she was smiling, but she knew she couldn’t admit why.
“Just glad to be clean and dry,” she answered instead, which wasn’t a lie.
“Look”-he reached over and gently covered her hand on her lap with his own warm one-“after this, we’ll get you some things. Okay?” His fingers squeezed hers with gentle reassurance.
“That’s fine.” She tried not to notice how nice his touch felt against her skin and thigh. Shifting in the heated leather seat, she gazed at his profile. He had a strong nose that looked like it had been broken at the bridge several times but somehow maintained a solid shape. Though he’d shaved that morning, his rugged cheeks were darkened by a perpetual shadow. His corded neck disappeared into the collar of a black T-shirt under a black leather jacket.
“We’re close?” he asked, not turning to face her even though she knew he could tell she was checking him out by the ticking muscle in his jaw. She moved her inspection from the attractive view inside to the abundant landscape outside.
“The next turn, actually,” she answered, recognizing the familiar sights. “Just about two more miles, then make another right.”
And they’d be back to where it all began.
Quiet reigned until they reached the turn.
Bitter, aching memories flooded over her as the car maneuvered onto the isolated roadway. Approaching the hidden turn to Bobby’s house, Rome slowed the vehicle. Her breathing caught as she saw the charred pavement where Bobby’s truck had burned. With Bobby inside. Nothing remained but a disturbing sooty stain on the road.
Harper raised a palm to her forehead, desperately trying not to let her emotions swirl out of control. Her pulsing mind began to spiral, and she closed her eyes, taking a few deep, calming breaths.
A firm squeeze of her other hand caught her attention. She snapped her eyes open.
“Harper.” The tone of his deep voice rolled over her name, soothing her churning insides. She looked into his clear blue eyes. “It’s going to be okay.” Squeezing her hand once more, he said, “You can do this.”
“How can you say that?” she whispered, wanting desperately to believe him. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know all I need to know.” His confidence in her was reassuring. She let it settle around her like a cozy blanket, warm and secure. “You’re strong. Inside and out. You can do this.”
Nodding, she covered their entwined hands with her other one. He gave her a quick nod back and put the car in motion down the isolated bumpy road. Clearing the last of the heavy trees, Bobby’s inviting home came into view.
The two-bedroom house was more like a log cabin, built of rich wood and surrounded by various small firs and cedars. And the dogwoods whose leaves added vibrant color when they adorned the now-bare branches. Acres and acres of forest enveloped the property, which was how Bobby loved it. It was his private haven of timberland. Serene and alive. But now it seemed still and lifeless.
Gravel crunched under the Land Rover’s chunky tires as they rolled to a stop near the back door. She’d told Rome to park in the back when he’d asked her earlier about cover. There was no garage, just a cleared space out front, enough for two, maybe three cars, and the one-car spot here in the back. He turned off the powerful engine with a twist of his wrist and jiggled the keys.
“Let’s go around front,” he said, opening the door and hopping out of the driver’s side.
She unlocked her door and slid out of the seat, hitting the gravel with a thud. Shutting the door, she saw Rome come to her side and pocket his keys. He gave her a soft, encouraging smile and nodded toward the house.
They moved around the side and approached the entryway, the aging floorboards creaking with their footsteps. Rome pulled out his gun and held it ready.
Harper gave him an inquiring look at the aggressive motion. He quirked a half smile at her. Should she be worried about something? Stepping ahead of her, Rome grabbed the doorknob and turned it. The door opened easily when he slowly pushed inward. Pressing a finger to his lips in a shushing movement, he gripped his gun tightly and eased low through the door and disappeared. Harper remained silent outside on the porch.
A long moment later, Rome opened the door wide and gestured for her to go inside.
“It’s clear, but it’s been run through,” he said, expelling a breath and holstering his gun.
Gazing around the familiar confines in miserable shock, she saw what he meant. It did look like it had been run through. By a herd of wild animals.
Everything was wrecked. Everything. Furniture was upended. Books and papers littered the hardwood floor. The minimal knickknacks that Bobby had were either broken or discarded haphazardly. The inviting dark wood walls that made the home comfy and charming were bare. All the woodland paintings and mountain photographs were on the floor, with broken glass and bent frames.
Harper took a slow, deep breath and blinked away heavy tears. Somehow she’d known this was coming. After the vicious scene in the lab, she’d known this was a possibility.
But to be slapped in the face with this stung and was harder than she’d imagined. Seeing Bobby’s personal things treated like they were worthless and tossed around like yesterday’s trash was utterly devastating.
A strong hand on her back made her jump forward, knocking her shin hard against the solid leg of the upsidedown coffee table.
“Yow!” Harper exclaimed, bending over to run her hand across the quick-forming knot on her leg. “Don’t do that again. Please.”
“Sorry.” Rome rubbed her back with warm strokes. He could do that all he wanted. She was eternally grateful not to have to face this alone. “Let’s take a look around. We’re looking for anything they might have left behind. Anything that seems like it was gone through.”
“Everything looks like it was gone through,” she murmured, straightening.
Harper nimbly maneuvered through the debris toward the heavy brick fireplace that monopolized half the far wall. In the corner was a thick wooden shelving unit. Most of the shelves were missing, thrown about the room, except the middle one. The one that had held the carefully maintained glass cases of her swimming medals. The cases that were now shattered on the floor at her feet.
Bobby had asked to keep some of her medals here so that he could share her triumphs with her, even if they weren’t together.
She carefully picked up one of the fallen golden discs. It felt enormously heavy as she peered at it, the memories flooding her vision while she scanned the words.
U.S. Champion, 400-meter Individual Medley. Her best race. She’d set a record. And won this medal. The first of three golds at the Olympic team trials.
Running her thumb over the raised etchings, she remembered how proud Bobby had been. How proud she’d been. She’d won other competitions, but that was her first big one. Her first national gold. The one that set her on the path to reaching her dream to compete at the Olympics. And put her among the elite in the nation.
Harper gripped the medal tightly, realizing that she may never earn another one of these ever again.
“Is there an office or something?” Rome asked as he moved to her side, running his hand along the smooth wood of the empty shelf. His other hand rested on her shoulder, warm and encouraging. “Maybe he was working on a project of interest.”