Kane dropped onto the soft leather sofa beside Jenna and handed her a bowl of popcorn. She had been distant on the drive home, and after taking a shower, she had called him to walk her over to his cottage. The murders had spooked her more than she was prepared to admit and spending the rest of the evening watching a romantic comedy seemed the right thing to do. He hit the play button on the remote, and to his surprise, she sniffed and he noticed her eyes fill with tears. “Relax for a while. It has been a tough few days. Don’t take everything so personal; you’re human not a machine.”

“But I’m the sheriff.” Jenna swiped at a single tear streaming down her cheek. “I need to crack the whip and act tough.”

He grabbed a handful of tissues from the box on the coffee table and handed them to her. “You are tough. In fact, you’ve surprised me many times. I think you are a great sheriff and so do the townsfolk. They voted you back in for another term, didn’t they? What more proof do you need?”

“That’s because no one had the guts to stand against me.” Jenna dabbed at her eyes. “What if I missed something and Kate died because of it?”

He let out a long sigh. “Then we all missed a clue, didn’t we? You have to stop blaming yourself for everything that happens in town. People commit crimes, and nothing we do can change anything. It’s called free will: People decide to keep the peace or break the law, their choice. Our job is to catch them and send them to jail.”

“In the car, I remembered Aimee and Kate mentioned they spoke online.” She lifted her tousled head and looked at him. “They spoke online. I didn’t put that in my notes. If the killer is stalking them online, and I missed that crucial part of the conversation, I could have saved Kate.”

“No. The killer is to blame. You have to stop doing this to yourself, it’s not healthy.” He reached for his cellphone, called Wolfe, and put his device on speaker. “Just a minute. I’ll clarify your worries with Wolfe.” He placed the cellphone between them. “Ah, sorry to bother you. I need some info. How long would it take you to trace a Black Hat’s IP address?”

“Dammit, Dave, you know that’s impossible. They bounce the signal off so many towers in so many countries, it could take weeks, and they change computers all the time. I’m good but if you are alluding to our killer hacking the girls’ computers, it’s possible but highly unlikely. One, maybe, but not all of them. Is that all? I need to finish up here and get home to my kids.”

“Yeah, thanks, man.” Kane disconnected and looked into Jenna’s distraught face. “See, it made no difference, plus the fact Wolfe already considered the idea. Now blow your nose, drink your wine, and watch the movie. We said no shop talk.”

“Okay.”

---

Sleep had crept up on Kane way before the end of the movie, and he woke with a stiff neck sometime in the early hours. The temperature in June dropped considerably overnight, and Jenna was the only thing keeping him warm. He glanced down at her in the blueish light from the flat screen. She had fallen asleep against him. Her long black lashes brushed her pink cheek and one hand gripped his T-shirt. Dressed in soft, white pajamas and her pink slippers, she had a vulnerability that tugged at his heart. If she needed him as a friend, he would be there for her. Soon the darkness and self-doubt would slide away and she would be back in control of her emotions.

Edging carefully away, her long fingers tightened in the fabric of his shirt and she made a disgruntled moan. He lifted her onto his lap, gathered her into his arms, and stood then carried her into his bedroom. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and shrugged. What am I doing?

Right now, Jenna needed him as a friend. Holding her would ease the nightmares and ensure she enjoyed a good night’s sleep. He lowered her gently to the bed, pulled back the blankets, and rolled her onto her side. When she moaned and her hands trembled, he let out a long sigh. I’m going to pay for doing this in the morning. Shaking his head, he strolled back to the living room, turned off the TV, and made a quick trip to the bathroom to brush his teeth then crawled into bed beside her.

It had been a long time since he had spooned, and the thoughts of Annie, his wife, hammered his mind. They had discussed the fact he might not survive a tour of duty and he insisted she should move on with her life. He could still feel her hands cupping his face as she made him promise he would do the same. I’m trying, Annie, but I’ll never forget you. He touched the scar covering the metal plate in his head then allowed sleep to claim him.

Since his first tour of duty, he could not fall into a deep sleep. His mind remained on constant alert and woke him at the slightest threat. He opened his eyes a crack, remembering with a rush of apprehension he had taken Jenna to his bed. Under his arm, her muscles tensed but she kept her breathing steady. She is pretending to be asleep. He let out a long sigh, abstained from farting, and rolled onto his back. “I know you’re awake. I woke up about two this morning and carried you in here because you were freezing. That’s all that happened.”

He heard her snort of derision and rolled out of bed then headed for the bathroom. “It’s too late for a workout this morning. I’m taking a shower and heading for Aunt Betty’s Café. I’m famished. I’ll see you at work, ma’am.”

As he reached the bathroom door, he heard swearing he would regard as classic with a touch of the macabre. Heavy footsteps followed by the front door slamming hard enough to loosen it from its hinges. Not a happy camper this morning? He grimaced at his reflection, pulled out his shaving gear, and started to get ready for work.

---

After a hearty breakfast at Aunt Betty’s Café, Kane drove to the sheriff’s office and parked in his usual spot beside Jenna’s new SUV, the replacement for the old cruiser she had been driving since her car wreck last winter. When she had a bone to pick with him, she usually arrived well ahead of time, and he gathered his day at the office would be one he would remember for some time to come. He pushed through the glass doors and into the sheriff’s department, surprised to see a young blonde-haired girl at the front desk with Magnolia. He strolled toward them and smiled. “Good morning. Lovely weather today.”

“Well, aren’t you all sunshine and roses, and the sheriff rolled in here like a thunderstorm with threatening hail.” Magnolia’s brown eyes flitted over him. “Know what’s going on?”

He shrugged and kept his expression blank. “I have no idea. She hasn’t spoken to me this morning. The cases we’re dealing with are complex and she is under a lot of pressure right now.”

“Dreadful is the word I would use.” Maggie’s expression changed to sadness. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

He frowned. “Did the sheriff ask you about the janitor at the college campus? We need his name and address.”

“Hmm, she stormed in here without a word but you won’t find anyone up at the campus for the first two weeks of the summer break. That’s when all the staff, cleaners and the like, take their vacation, then they all come back and the maintenance crew comes in to fix up the place for the new semester. The janitor is back by then. I’ll get his name and address for you and I’ll give his house a quick call just to see if he is at home.” Maggie raised both dark eyebrows. “Oh, have you met our intern for the summer? This fine young lady is Emily Wolfe.” She waved the young girl forward. “Meet Deputy Dave Kane.”

“Nice to meet you. My dad mentioned you called last night.” Ice-gray eyes an exact replica of Shane Wolfe’s gave him a once-over.

He shook her hand and smiled at her haughty air. “Yes, Shane has mentioned you too but I wasn’t aware we were getting an intern. Are you planning on becoming a deputy or are you here for the administrative experience?”

“Neither.” She tossed a lock of white-blonde hair over one shoulder. “I’m planning on studying forensic science like my dad then I can work with him. The school likes seniors to do some type of internship during the break, so here I am. It will be interesting to watch the process of the law in a small town. Of course, I’ll need to be aware of such things if I plan to work beside my dad.”

The idea the young girl had Wolfe’s almost ghoulish predilection for examining the cause of death in murder victims surprised him. “I’m sure you’ll be a great asset to the team.” He noticed Jenna’s door swing open and, wanting to avoid her fury, turned toward his desk. “I’d better get to work. It’s fifty lashes if I’m late.” He grinned at her astonished expression and strode to his cubicle. Of her tongue.