happens to be the prime suspect in the Pauline McClure case. Has been from the beginning.”
“Is there any chance this girl’s a drug user?” Rachel asked. “Or sells drugs? If there is, then I—”
“I’d never steer you toward somebody like that. Even if I didn’t know what happened to you, I wouldn’t do it.”
She looked into his eyes until the depth of compassion she saw there became unbearable. Nodding, she said, “I know you wouldn’t.”
“But she might go down that road someday if she doesn’t get out of there. She seems smart, but kids who start out poor don’t have much chance to get ahead if they stay around here. If they’ve got Melungeon blood and dark skin, that’s another strike against them.” He raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes burning. “It’s no wonder a lot of them get hooked on drugs. The dealers get them when they’re young, and that’s it, their lives are over. It’s damned frustrating because I can’t do a thing about it.”
This passionate anger was a side of Tom that Rachel hadn’t seen before, and one she couldn’t help admiring. She’d always been a sucker for crusaders. “You can help one person at a time, which is what you’re doing now. I’d be happy to talk to Holly Turner about a job. I’ll call her before I go home.”
Rachel held out her hand for the slip of paper, but Tom hesitated, frowning at the name and number. “Why don’t I find out a little more about her first, make sure she’s what she seems to be? If you’ve got doubts about her.”
“You took care of my doubts.” Rachel snatched the paper from his fingers. “You can’t give me a speech like the one I just heard, then back off.”
“Okay, but I have to warn you, the grandmother’s a problem. She doesn’t like Holly talking to strangers.”
Billy Bob barked and Tom opened the door to let him in. Rachel attached the leash and handed it to Tom. “Shannon has your bill at the desk. I need to lock up for the night back here. I’ll let you know if things work out with the girl.”
Instead of saying goodbye and leaving, Tom got the look on his face that usually preceded an invitation. Rachel hated this, hated struggling to say no in a firm but pleasant way. It was harder every time.
But all he said was, “Can you make it home okay in the snow?”
“Oh, sure.” So much for my irresistible charms, Rachel chided herself, but she was relieved. “My Range Rover can go anywhere. Good night, Tom.”
“I’ll see you again soon.”
His smile brought a flush of warmth to her cheeks. The door swung shut behind him and his dog, and Rachel heard his footsteps recede up the hall.
“Don’t push me,” she whispered. “Please.” Despite the front Tom put up, she felt his loneliness and pain when she was near him. She’d heard about the freak road accident that killed most of his family, leaving only Tom and his small nephew alive. Rachel could imagine the grief and survivor’s guilt that made him quit his job as a homicide detective with the Richmond Police Department and move back home to be part of his nephew’s life as the boy grew up. She’d heard that Tom left behind a fiancée who didn’t want to live in the mountains.
More than once Rachel had wondered if Tom was attracted to her because he thought they were alike—two wounded people who could lean on each other. The thought made her cringe. She couldn’t let herself get close to his grief when she was struggling to live with her own problems.
As she flipped the deadbolt into place on the back door, she thought about Perry Nelson plotting his revenge on her, she thought of Luke and the life she’d left behind, and she felt the familiar sinking, the descent from the light into a darker place. So much of her energy went into staying up, sailing far above the reality of her life. If she relaxed her guard for a second, she crashed like a broken kite.
Chapter Five
Rachel didn’t want to wait till she got
“Is there any chance this girl’s a drug user?” Rachel asked. “Or sells drugs? If there is, then I—”
“I’d never steer you toward somebody like that. Even if I didn’t know what happened to you, I wouldn’t do it.”
She looked into his eyes until the depth of compassion she saw there became unbearable. Nodding, she said, “I know you wouldn’t.”
“But she might go down that road someday if she doesn’t get out of there. She seems smart, but kids who start out poor don’t have much chance to get ahead if they stay around here. If they’ve got Melungeon blood and dark skin, that’s another strike against them.” He raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes burning. “It’s no wonder a lot of them get hooked on drugs. The dealers get them when they’re young, and that’s it, their lives are over. It’s damned frustrating because I can’t do a thing about it.”
This passionate anger was a side of Tom that Rachel hadn’t seen before, and one she couldn’t help admiring. She’d always been a sucker for crusaders. “You can help one person at a time, which is what you’re doing now. I’d be happy to talk to Holly Turner about a job. I’ll call her before I go home.”
Rachel held out her hand for the slip of paper, but Tom hesitated, frowning at the name and number. “Why don’t I find out a little more about her first, make sure she’s what she seems to be? If you’ve got doubts about her.”
“You took care of my doubts.” Rachel snatched the paper from his fingers. “You can’t give me a speech like the one I just heard, then back off.”
“Okay, but I have to warn you, the grandmother’s a problem. She doesn’t like Holly talking to strangers.”
Billy Bob barked and Tom opened the door to let him in. Rachel attached the leash and handed it to Tom. “Shannon has your bill at the desk. I need to lock up for the night back here. I’ll let you know if things work out with the girl.”
Instead of saying goodbye and leaving, Tom got the look on his face that usually preceded an invitation. Rachel hated this, hated struggling to say no in a firm but pleasant way. It was harder every time.
But all he said was, “Can you make it home okay in the snow?”
“Oh, sure.” So much for my irresistible charms, Rachel chided herself, but she was relieved. “My Range Rover can go anywhere. Good night, Tom.”
“I’ll see you again soon.”
His smile brought a flush of warmth to her cheeks. The door swung shut behind him and his dog, and Rachel heard his footsteps recede up the hall.
“Don’t push me,” she whispered. “Please.” Despite the front Tom put up, she felt his loneliness and pain when she was near him. She’d heard about the freak road accident that killed most of his family, leaving only Tom and his small nephew alive. Rachel could imagine the grief and survivor’s guilt that made him quit his job as a homicide detective with the Richmond Police Department and move back home to be part of his nephew’s life as the boy grew up. She’d heard that Tom left behind a fiancée who didn’t want to live in the mountains.
More than once Rachel had wondered if Tom was attracted to her because he thought they were alike—two wounded people who could lean on each other. The thought made her cringe. She couldn’t let herself get close to his grief when she was struggling to live with her own problems.
As she flipped the deadbolt into place on the back door, she thought about Perry Nelson plotting his revenge on her, she thought of Luke and the life she’d left behind, and she felt the familiar sinking, the descent from the light into a darker place. So much of her energy went into staying up, sailing far above the reality of her life. If she relaxed her guard for a second, she crashed like a broken kite.
Chapter Five
Rachel didn’t want to wait till she got