The headache was gone. She felt fine except for the nervous trembling in the pit of her stomach.

Dallas stared at her cell phone as if willing it to initiate the call to Wyatt Caldwell’s number. If she called, he’d want to meet, which had been the whole purpose of her trip to Calypso, but now that she was here, she was scared.

What would he think of her? Would she be resented? Rejected? A disappointment? Would he know about the incident back in Bayville?

He must have some kind of evidence leading him to believe they were siblings. After all, he’d tracked her down. He knew things about her. She knew nothing about him or his family.

What if they were awful? Lowlifes, or worse, criminals? What if they wanted to extort money from her? What if she’d inherited something, and they wanted to lure her here and kill her rather than give it up?

She pressed fingers to each temple. “Stop. Just stop. You’re letting your imagination go wild.”

To prove as much, she sucked in a breath and pressed the number. The brrr continued for several moments and then, “Hello.”

It was him, Wyatt. She recognized the voice. “Mr. Caldwell, this is Dallas Langley. I’ve been thinking about your invitation, and I’m in Calypso.”

“That’s great. When can we meet?” He sounded exceptionally eager.

“This is rather an awkward situation. I’m not sure of the best plan.”

“We’re all out of our element on this, Dallas.” His deep voice was kind.

“We?”

“You, me, my family. You’ll get to meet them, too, if you’re willing.”

He said the last with a hint of question, as if he wasn’t certain of her wishes. She wasn’t either.

“I’d prefer to meet only with you at first, if that’s all right?”

“Whatever works for you. Name the time and place.”

The offer made her feel more in control. She could do this. Maybe.

“I’m staying at the Best Western. Perhaps the hotel lobby?” A nice, safe, public place that offered enough privacy for a conversation but not enough for murder.

“Okay. When’s a good time?”

“Tomorrow? Perhaps two o’clock?” The extra day gave her plenty of time to leave town if she changed her mind.

“Two tomorrow. I’ll be there.”

“Mr. Caldwell,” she hurried to say, fearing he was about to hang up. “Does anyone else know about…our relationship?”

“Only the family at the moment. We want to respect your privacy. Anything more is your call.”

“I appreciate the thoughtfulness. This has come as quite a shock to me.”

“To us, too. You must have a lot of questions.”

“Tons.”

“I don’t have all the answers, but I have some. Along with some questions of my own.”

“Including proof of your…claims?”

“Yes, ma’am. DNA is quite conclusive. You are definitely my half-sister.”

DNA. Oh. She’d taken one of those online tests on a lark more than a year ago but never checked for matches, afraid of discovering her birth father was a serial murderer or something equally as heinous. The possibility of siblings had never crossed her mind.

“Tomorrow, then,” she said, “at two.”

“See you then.” The line went dead, and Dallas tumbled backwards across the bed and lay there staring at the hotel sprinkler head.

Maybe the time had come to ask someone about the Caldwell family.

And Dallas knew exactly who to call.

“Sheriff, you’re never going to believe this.”

Lawson scribbled his name at the bottom of a report before looking up at Deputy Ronnie Shell. Lawson had been in rural law enforcement long enough to believe anything.

“Believe what?”

“I made a DUI arrest this morning.”

Nothing unusual about that, unfortunately. “Someone started pretty early.”

“Well, you see, Sheriff, it was Miss Pearly Wilson.”

“Miss Pearly?” Lawson knew the elderly woman enjoyed a hot toddy in cold weather—she’d offered him one a couple of times when he’d stopped in to do a security check, but DUI? “When did she get a car?”

“She didn’t.” The deputy waited, enjoying the telling too much to hurry. “She was riding a horse. Right down highway 62. And singing the Star Spangled Banner at the top of her voice while waving an American flag.”

Lawson laughed. He couldn’t help it. The thought of the scrawny old lady doing such a thing was too ridiculous not to.

“And you arrested her?”

“Yes, sir. I had to before a car hit her. She offered me a sip from her flask.”

Lawson shook his head. “Where is she now?”

“In holding, sleeping it off. Jeff Benson put the horse in his pasture for now.”

Lawson went to the coffee pot atop the filing cabinet for another cup. His office was small, mostly a desk and file cabinets with a bulletin board loaded with wanted posters.

“Take her home as soon as she’s sober and safe. Give her daughter a call, too. If Joan’s not available, make a safety check before nightfall.” As much as the incident tickled his funny bone, Lawson would rather be safe than sorry.

Deputy Shell left the office, and Lawson returned to his desk, pulling out another incident form. The vandalism at the cemetery burned in his mind. Such reckless disrespect got his back up.

A peck at the door drew his attention. He sighed. A mountain of paperwork rested on his desk. Some peace and quiet without interruptions would be nice.

Tempted to yell, “Go away,” he squinted through the rain glass in his office door but couldn’t see a thing.

“Come on in.” His tone was about as aggravated as he felt.

The door eased open. A blond head poked around the edge. “Did I choose a bad time?”

Lawson’s gut lurched. Dallas Langley. Forget the paperwork. He stood. “Didn’t mean to yell at you. Come on in.”

“You’re busy.”

“Always, so don’t worry about that.” He motioned toward a chair across from his desk. “Sit. What can I do for you?”

She sat, and so did he, though his mind tumbled with questions and his veins buzzed with renewed energy. She was only in Calypso temporarily but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy her company for now.

“Did you get your niece enrolled in school?” she asked, as if she were genuinely interested.

“I did. She wasn’t excited, but the principal called in another student to show her the ropes today. Hopefully, that’ll help.”

“Being the new kid’s tough.”

“Her attitude doesn’t help matters. But you impressed her. She thought you were cool.” He didn’t add the rest, that Madison had asked if Dallas was his girlfriend. “But you didn’t come to ask about my niece. What can I do for you?”

“I need some information. But before I ask, I’d like your assurance that our conversation won’t leave this room.”

“All right. As long as it’s legal.”

“It is.” She fiddled with the clasp on a pink clutch purse. Sparkly rhinestones glittered under the fluorescent lights. “I’m in town to meet some people I don’t know. I want to be sure it’s safe to do so.”

Lawson folded his hands on the desktop and leaned toward her. “Are you asking me to a run a background check?”

“Nothing like that.” And then more eagerly, “Would you?”

He chuckled. “Why don’t we start with what I know? Do you have a name?”

He could think of dozens of unsavory characters around the county. Hopefully, she wasn’t hooked up with any of them.

“Caldwell. The man I spoke to was Wyatt Caldwell.”

Lawson sat back, hiding a smile. “Bad hombre, that Wyatt.”

Dallas leaned forward, eyes wide. “Seriously?”

He laughed. “Not serious at all. Wyatt Caldwell is a great guy, a good friend of mine, as is the entire Caldwell clan. If you have business dealings with them, you can count on a fair deal with Christian people who’ll treat you like family.”

She winced and lost her smile. “That’s the other thing.”

“What other thing?”

“Mr. Caldwell believes we’re related. Closely. As in, I’m his half-sister.”

Lawson felt his mouth dropped open. He, a law dog who’d seen and heard everything, was stunned.

“Do I resemble them at all?”

“Not a bit.”

“Oh.” She seemed disappointed. “Maybe he’s mistaken. Things like that happen. This could be a wild goose chase.”

“Which parent does he think you share?”

“A dad. I never knew mine, never even knew who he was, so the possibility is there.”

“Clint Caldwell.” Clint had been devoted to his late wife. He didn’t fit the stereotype of philanderers, and he sure wasn’t the kind of man who would abandon his child.

“Is that his name? My…possible father?”

“You really don’t know anything about them, do you?”

“No, I got the completely unexpected call from Wyatt the day I came here.”

“And ended up in our fine medical facility.”

“Right. When Wyatt first called, I’d already had a stressful day, so I didn’t ask many questions. I think I’ve been too stunned, and I haven’t had time to do any investigating on my own. I suppose I could have Googled them.” She gazed down at her lap, her fingers fiddling nervously with her wallet clasp. “I can’t believe this is really happening. Can’t believe someone would call me out of the blue and claim to be my brother. It’s weird and scary.”

“But you drove all the way here from Texas as soon as you got the call. Wyatt must have said something to convince you.”

“Truth is, I’d just gotten fired from my job and…” She glanced away, pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, let it go. Oh, it was a lush and lovely lip. So was the top one, kissed with the faintest blush of color. “I needed to get out of town for a few days. Get my head together and make some decisions. Calypso was a good excuse.”

“And yet, your head came apart.”

She laughed softly, titling that pretty head. “That’s certainly the way it felt.”

He rubbed a hand down his shirt front, felt the thud of his heart. Dallas was easy to talk to, pretty to look at, had a sense of humor. And was way out of his league. Probably a fashion model in Dallas or an executive in some very smart firm. And he was a small-town sheriff with cowboy in his blood.

“What did you do back in the great state of Texas?”

She hesitated long enough to raise his curiosity and make him wonder why she hadn’t wanted to answer. “I hosted a radio program. Medium market, but a great start. Tunes and talk with some of the sweetest callers.” Sadness crossed her features.

“You miss it.”

“And you’re very observant.”

Lawson tapped his badge. Dallas smiled. And he got a light, airy feeling in his chest.

Ridiculous. He appreciated a pretty face as much as any red-blooded American male, and he’d had his share of propositions, particularly from law-breakers. But he’d just met this woman. How could he be this attracted so soon?

“I loved my work,” she was saying, “and even though it’s only been a few days, I miss it terribly.”

“I’d bet you were good.” Considering the quality of her voice, warm, velvety, low enough to be sensual without being suggestive, she’d attract people like an ice cream truck at summer camp.

“I am good. And I’m determined to get back in the business very soon.” She shifted, straightening. “But right now, my focus is on meeting the Caldwells.”

He picked up a pen and tapped it on his desk calendar. “I’d be happy to introduce you.”

Dallas gave her head a negative shake. Lawson shouldn’t have been disappointed, but he was.

“I appreciate that, Sheriff, but Wyatt and I are meeting tomorrow afternoon in the hotel lobby. Now that I know he’s a solid human being and not some maniac who found my phone number on the internet.”

“Actually, he probably did. He’s a computer expert for the army. But he’s not a maniac. That would be his oldest brother.” When she looked up with a shocked expression, he lifted a hand. “Joking. You’re in good hands. And don’t be surprised if they invite you to dinner at the ranch. If they do, smile and agree. You won’t regret it. Connie is the best cook in Calypso County.”

“Connie?”

“She’s the Caldwell’s…” Lawson pressed a finger to his upper lip. “Hmm, how to describe Connie. She’s their cook and housekeeper, but she’s a lot more. She raised the Caldwell kids after their mom died. They consider her part of the family. We all do.”

“That’s good to know. Thank you. You’ve made this easier.” Manicured hands smoothed the sides of her long, pink sweater. A calming technique, Lawson recognized. He was good with body language. Had to be in his line of business. He waited her out. Let her talk. The fact that he liked hearing her smooth voice was a bonus.

“Now that I know I’ll be in a town a few days,” she said, “let’s talk about that dinner I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“Then consider it a dinner between new friends. Turns out I’m available tonight after all. How about around six-thirty? The Roadhouse Turf and Surf?”

“My favorite restaurant. How did you know?”

She shrugged, a graceful lift of shoulders. “Except for the fact that I asked the hotel desk clerk for recommendations, I never knew a man to resist a big, juicy steak with all the trimmings.”

“Certainly, not this man. But I’m buying.”

“No way! I invited you.”

“You’re unemployed.”

She pretended insult. “Thanks for that painful reminder.”

Lawson laughed. She joined him.

And suddenly he was looking very forward to tonight.

Walking into a restaurant with the local sheriff was like being on the arm of a celebrity. Even the wait staff greeted him by name, though he’d left his uniform behind and wore dark blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a blue button-down that only added to his appeal. The black leather bomber jacket didn’t hurt either. He was definitely easy on the eyes, as every female in the place seemed to notice.

If Dallas had known him longer, she might be jealous. As it was, she felt a certain element of pride being the woman on his arm. Now, how silly was that? A career-minded woman running away from a relationship that ended in the worst possible way shouldn’t even consider getting involved again.

But a dinner didn’t mean involvement. Right now, she was looking for a distraction. Between the Caldwells and Lawson, she’d found plenty.

“The scent in here is divine,” she said.

“Nothing like steaks sizzling on the grill.” He touched the small of her back, guiding her through the maze of customers and waiters to a booth near the back. She liked that, too, the courteous way he treated her, the light touch of a warm, masculine hand. “Their lobster is good, too, if you’d rather.”

“Steak sounds fabulous. My appetite returned with a vengeance this afternoon.”

He politely held her coat while she slid it off, and then removed his jacket so that she had a pleasant view of his fit chest and shoulders. A man didn’t get this honed sitting behind a desk or riding in a police car.

The buzz of attraction grew louder in her ears.

Or else, the migraine was coming back.

Her lips curved at the silly thought. The good-looking sheriff and a migraine headache were too very different things.

She slid into the booth across from Lawson and took the menu offered by the waiter.

“I’m Kenny,” the red-haired waiter said. “I’ll be your server tonight. Would you like to start your meal off with wine or beer?”

“Not for me.” Lawson said. “Sweet tea’s good.”

Kenny was young, probably a college student. He scribbled on his pad. “I knew you’d say that, Sheriff. How about for the lady?”

“Tea for me, as well.” Dallas smiled up at the waiter. “Unsweetened with lemon.”

After the waiter left, she folded her arms along the table edge. It seemed odd to feel this relaxed with a man she barely knew.

“Wyatt called me shortly before you arrived at the hotel.”

“Any new developments?”

“He sent some documents to my email, but I only gave them a glance. I don’t like reading on my phone screen.”

“You could use my computer. I have a laptop at home.”

“That’s a thoughtful offer. Thank you.”

“After dinner, we can drive out to my ranch if you’d like.”

She tilted her head, realized she was flirting. “Why, Sheriff Hawk, are you offering to show me the proverbial etchings?”

He laughed. “Not with a surly thirteen-year-old in residence.”

“Why didn’t she come with you tonight?”

“Refused. Said she didn’t want to sit around and watch a couple of old people stare at each other and talk about stupid, boring stuff.” His lips quirked. “Her words, unfortunately, and her general attitude. She probably had too much homework.”

“Has she lived with you very long?” She couldn’t imagine a law-and-order cop tolerating that kind of bad behavior. Her stepdads certainly hadn’t.

“Arrived a few days ago. Unexpectedly.” One of his eyebrows twitched, expression serious. There was a story there. If she’d been on air, she would have pried a little. Maybe she would anyway.

“She’s defensive, isn’t she?” She’d noticed an edge, a chip, this morning when talking to Madison, and as a professional listener, she’d felt the undercurrents in the girl’s comments. Madison wasn’t a happy child.

“Defensive. Belligerent. Resentful.” He blew out a sigh. “I don’t know what to do about it. Taking on a teenage girl, even short term, is outside my wheelhouse.”

“Give you an armed robber or a drug runner any day, huh?” she asked lightly.

His lips curved. “Any day. I know what to do with them.”

Dallas put down the spoon, interested. The girl had tweaked her sympathy, and so had the man. Especially the man. And offering advice was one of the things she did best. At least on the radio.

The waiter returned with their drinks, took their orders, and left again. The restaurant hummed with activity, but Dallas barely noticed. Lawson Hawk had her full attention.

He had an ease about him that drew her, as if they’d known each other far longer than a few days.

“Girls that age are going through a lot of crazy emotions,” she said, “most of which they don’t understand. Did she want to come for this visit? Or was that someone else’s idea?”

“Her dad’s choice, without my permission.”

“Wow. That says a lot.” She folded her hands on the tabletop. “What did he do? Just drop her off at the mailbox and drive away?”

“Worse. He took off to Nashville to be a star, and she hitchhiked to my place.”

Dallas sucked in a gasp. “Unbelievable.”

“Isn’t it? But that’s my irresponsible half brother.”

“Poor Madison. Talk about rejection. Hitchhiking is so scary.”

“And I don’t suppose I’ve helped. I’m a busy, single guy.” He spread his hands, palms up. “Never much interested in kids. I don’t know what to do with her.”

She used her best Dallas after Dark voice—kind, but gently probing. “She probably feels your reluctance, Lawson, and feels equally horrible because being here is out of her control. She didn’t want to come. You didn’t want her here.”

He rotated his tea glass and exhaled, a heavy breath. “I sound like a jerk.”

“A jerk wouldn’t be concerned.”

“I suppose.” He sipped his tea, pondered. “I don’t really know her, but I care about her, and I want her to be happy. So far, all I do is make her angry.”

“More defenses. Could she be afraid if she lets down her guard, she’ll like you or get attached? And caring might bring her more rejection?”

Their food arrived, steam wafting up from the steaks and loaded baked potatoes. They took a few seconds to organize their table and dab sauce on their KC Strips. The waiter brought fragrant yeast rolls and refilled glasses.

When he’d left, Lawson cut into his steak and said, “You’re good at this psychology stuff, you know that?”

“Tricks of the trade.” When he tilted his head, questioning, she went on. “My radio show is a mix of music and advice and friendly conversation. I started out as a host on the morning drive show, but my bosses quickly realized I had a knack for getting listeners to open up and talk, which led to more call-ins and listeners.”

“And your own special show?”

“Dallas after Dark.” As soon as she spoke, Dallas wanted the words back. Lawson might look the show up online, which would lead him to the situation she was trying to get away from.

She guided the conversation back to safe ground. “Does Madison have an aunt or grandma nearby? Another female to talk with might help her.”

“No one. Poor kid. She’s stuck with me, a crotchety old Uncle Sheriff.”

Dallas’s lips curved. Lawson Hawk was a charmer. She wondered if he even knew?

She sliced another portion of the succulent meat and let the scent fill her nostrils. “This steak is delicious. Tender, perfectly cooked. No wonder you like to eat here.”

With a half smile, Lawson saluted her with his fork. “Eat. Enjoy. Sorry to bore you with my personal problems. You have enough on your mind.”

A truer statement than he knew. But for a few hours today, she’d had enough distractions to keep her from thinking about Aaron. She’d cared about him, at least in the beginning, and now, she ached for what had happened. But nothing she did was going to change the outcome.

Lawson touched her forearm. “Hey, where’d you go? Why so sad?”

She shook off the memory, intentionally brightening. The sheriff wouldn’t be interested in her personal heartaches. He, too, had enough on his mind.

“Unintentional, I assure you. I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. And I don’t mind talking about your niece. I like helping.” It was who she was, what she did.

Except she hadn’t been able to help Aaron.