Love at First Sight Part 6

The answer to any problem. Except this one, Mom. Except this one, Mom. But Karen smiled and kissed her mom's cheek, the scent of her perfume taking Karen back to her childhood. That was why she'd come here, she thought, as she turned and left. Looking for that childhood sanctuary where the worst that could happen was a skinned knee or a broken vase. But Karen smiled and kissed her mom's cheek, the scent of her perfume taking Karen back to her childhood. That was why she'd come here, she thought, as she turned and left. Looking for that childhood sanctuary where the worst that could happen was a skinned knee or a broken vase.

As she drove away, she realized there was no place to run that she would feel safe. But at least now she knew where to go.

JACK'S CELL PHONE rang just as he climbed into his Jeep. "Yeah?" he said, still mulling over his conversation with Denny, still worried and concerned that his partner had gotten entangled in all this. rang just as he climbed into his Jeep. "Yeah?" he said, still mulling over his conversation with Denny, still worried and concerned that his partner had gotten entangled in all this.

"It's Henderson," a female voice said with official quickness.

A wave of apprehension hit him. "You still have her?"

"Affirmative. As per your instructions, I followed her from the doughnut shop and have been with her ever since."

"Good work." He began to breathe a little easier and was glad he'd called former cop Janet Henderson this morning. She'd retired a few years back but he'd helped her when she was having trouble with her teenage son. She'd told him if he ever needed anything to just call. And he had. He didn't want to think about why he'd called in an IOU for Karen Sutton, a woman he barely knew.

"I thought I'd better give you an update," Henderson said. "She went straight to her apartment after the doughnut shop and remained there until you came for her. After her meeting with you and Denny at the bar, she went to the Missoula Public Library. Thirty minutes later, she drove to a house in Rattlesnake Canyon owned by her mother and got out, sans suitcase. Ten minutes later and alone, she headed west out of town."

Toward that strip of new motels, he thought.

"To the Birch Industrial Park. She parked her blue Honda and went into one of the larger metal buildings about forty minutes ago, again sans suitcase. No sign since."

"What is she doing at an industrial park?" he asked.

"Got me, me," Henderson said. "You want me to go in and check it out?"

"No, I'm on my way. Mind staying until I get there?"

"Not at all."

"Thanks, Janet," he said. "I really appreciate this."

"No problem."

On the way to Birch Industrial Park, Jack realized he still had the answering-machine tape Karen had given him in his jeans pocket. Already in deep, he called the evidence room and asked that a copy of the Liz Jones case file be expressed to his apartment. Fortunately, the person on duty didn't question the request. Probably didn't realize Jack was supposed to be miles from this case, miles from this town.

Darkness hunkered between the buildings as Jack turned off his headlights and drove slowly into the industrial park. He spotted Henderson's pickup and waved to her. It wasn't until she'd pulled away that he parked and got out of his Jeep, his shoulder holster snug against his ribs, the pistol feeling heavy.

Karen Sutton's blue Honda was parked outside a large, nondescript metal building at the back of the industrial park. According to his calculations, she'd been in the building for over an hour now.

He'd expected her to go to one of the motels on the edge of Missoula, certainly not to come to an industrial park. When was he going to learn to expect the unexpected from this woman?

He stared at the building in front of the Honda, asking himself what he was doing here. Chief Baxter wasn't going to like him b.u.t.ting in. Denny already didn't. And Karen Sutton didn't seem to need his help.

But that wasn't stopping him, was it? No, because the Liz Jones case bothered him. And Karen Sutton bothered him even more. Just not in the same way.

The modest sign over the front door of the metal building read Western Cabinetry. He tried the front door, expecting to find it locked at this hour. It opened and he stepped in, struck instantly by the scent of fresh-cut pine.

No one sat at the small desk just inside the door but he could hear the whine of a saw deeper in the building. He moved toward it, alert. What was a woman like his Girl Next Door doing here? It didn't seem like the time to order cabinets, not even bookshelves, not with a murderer looking for her. But what did he know?

He came around a small part.i.tion, the whir of the saw filling the air, and spotted a figure at a long, well-lit workbench, running a circular saw.

With a start, Jack realized it was Karen. Wearing goggles, overalls, a chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a tool belt around her hips.

What had ever made him think this woman worked in day care or taught elementary school?

From her obvious confidence, he saw that she knew what she was doing. She looked as at home in overalls and a tool belt as she would holding a baby, a toddler tugging at her pant leg, and her with that same capable, confident look on her face.

He blinked the image away, wondering where it had come from. Babies? He'd avoided even the thought. The same way he'd avoided marriage.

The whine of the saw died off; part of the board dropped to the concrete, stirring up sawdust. Without the noise of the saw, he could hear the country music coming out of the stereo at the end of her workbench.

She put down the saw and dusted her hands on her overalls. She looked good in overalls. You couldn't say that about a lot women.

"You come to help or just watch?" she asked without turning around.

Startled, he couldn't think of anything to say. How had she known-? He watched her reach over to hit a switch. A red light next to the workbench stopped flashing. The light. Well, that explained how she knew he was here. Or at least, someone was here.

"I had a feeling I'd be seeing you again," she said, still not turning around.

She didn't sound too unhappy about it. He supposed that was something.

"I guess I don't have to ask what you're doing here," he said.

"I told you I have work to do, an order that needs to go out by the end of the month, and I'm behind."

He nodded as he moved closer. "Responsibilities. People who depend on you." He had the feeling that was only part of the reason she'd come here tonight. He'd tried to lose himself in physical work too many times not to see that.

"So, what are you working on?" He walked over to a completed pine hutch.

"Finishing up a special order. That's part of it," she said, pointing to the hutch.

He spun around in surprise to look at her. "You designed and built this?" designed and built this?"

She pushed the goggles back on her head. "You sound surprised."

She could have knocked him over with a feather. He ran a hand over the baby-smooth surface of the hutch, admiring the simple and yet elegant lines. "You do exceptional work and the design is...incredible."

"I'd take that as a compliment if you didn't sound so shocked."

"I'm just surprised," he said, glancing over at her again. "Surprised you're a..."

"Cabinetmaker," she supplied for him.

"Right, a cabinetmaker, not surprised that you're so talented. I do a little woodworking myself, but nothing like this."

"Please," she said laughing, "you're making me blush."

She wasn't blushing but she was was smiling, her hands on her hips, sawdust on the front of her overalls. He'd never seen a more s.e.xy-looking woman. She stirred something in him, the way he'd often stirred the coals of a campfire. Sparks flew between them. He could see hot embers reflected in her eyes and this time he knew it wasn't just his imagination. smiling, her hands on her hips, sawdust on the front of her overalls. He'd never seen a more s.e.xy-looking woman. She stirred something in him, the way he'd often stirred the coals of a campfire. Sparks flew between them. He could see hot embers reflected in her eyes and this time he knew it wasn't just his imagination.

"How did you get into...this?" he asked, sweeping a hand to encompa.s.s the shop.

"I was born to it, I guess you could say. My father was a cabinetmaker. I always hung around the shop with him and he let me use his tools. I didn't even realize how much he'd taught me until he had his heart attack and I had to take over the business. That was five years ago. I'd only planned to run the place until it sold, but then one thing led to another and here I am."

He stared at her, unable to find words for what he was feeling.

"I thought you were packing?" she asked, changing the subject abruptly as if she hadn't meant to tell him that much.

Packing? Oh, yeah. He watched her turn back to her work. Picking up a metal square and a pencil, she leaned over to take some measurements on the piece of pine in front of her.

"I got to thinking after your phone call..."

She looked up then, waiting. She wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"...I can't leave yet."

"Oh?"

"I'm worried about you," he said, wondering why the words had been so hard to say. Probably because she didn't seem like the kind of woman who'd want to be worried about. Nor was it any of his business and they both knew it.

"Why are you involving yourself in this?" she asked as if thinking the very same thing. "This isn't your case. You're on vacation."

Well, not exactly, huh. He shrugged and smiled. "Maybe I like the way you eat lemon-jelly doughnuts."

She laughed. The sound had a great ring to it. "Now I know you're not serious."

He'd never been more more serious. But where was he going with this? What did he hope to accomplish here? The answer seemed to come out of thin air and yet it was as clear and concise as any thought he'd ever had. serious. But where was he going with this? What did he hope to accomplish here? The answer seemed to come out of thin air and yet it was as clear and concise as any thought he'd ever had.

He wanted to get to know her better. A whole lot better.

A thought like that should have shocked him. This was happening much too fast. Or at least the thought should have surprised him. But he had a hunch he'd felt this way from the moment he saw her at the hotel-as crazy as that was.

"What are you doing for dinner?"

Her eyes widened. He loved the way they changed color, reflecting her mood. Right now they were as warm and bright as a Caribbean sea in sunlight.

"Are you asking me for a date?"

He thought about it for half a second, then nodded and grinned. "Yeah, I guess I am."

She smiled then, too, a slow, easy smile that sent a shot of heat through him.

As good as it felt, it made him feel guilty. "I have to be honest with you. I have a little more in mind than dinner."

She raised a brow, shifting her weight to drop a hand to her hip again, but said nothing.

"I'm worried about you," he blurted out. "I don't think you should stay in a motel right now. It's too easy for the killer to find you if he's motivated enough, and I think he is. So, the safest place I could think of was with me."

"With you?"

"At my place in the mountains," he continued, surprised that's where he intended to take her. He hadn't taken anyone up there. Not even Denny, his closest friend.

"It's not anything fancy, that's for sure," he found himself saying. "In fact it's pretty primitive but-"

She started to speak, but he interrupted her, determined he wasn't going to take no for an answer if he could help it. "It's only twenty minutes out of town. I'll bring you back in the morning." He stopped and looked expectantly at her, ready for a fight.

It must have showed in his expression because she laughed. "I was only going to say thanks. To tell you the truth, I wasn't looking forward to a motel tonight."

He smiled in relief. "Then it's settled."

"I guess I can finish this tomorrow," she said. "But tomorrow, I'll find a place on my own to stay."

He let it go, saying nothing. He'd deal with that problem tomorrow. At least for tonight, he knew she'd be safe.

Her gaze held his as she untied her tool belt and dropped it on the workbench.

"I'm not really dressed for a dinner date, though," she said, glancing down at her dusty overalls.

"You are are for this date," he said, unable to remember a time he was as excited about a dinner date. "The atmosphere and dress are casual, the cook is pretty good even if he says so himself and the view-wait until you see the view. You can see for miles." for this date," he said, unable to remember a time he was as excited about a dinner date. "The atmosphere and dress are casual, the cook is pretty good even if he says so himself and the view-wait until you see the view. You can see for miles."

That was was the idea. From the ski lodge, he'd be able to see anyone coming for her. And he didn't mind that he'd have her all to himself. the idea. From the ski lodge, he'd be able to see anyone coming for her. And he didn't mind that he'd have her all to himself.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Karen sat back and let the spring night blow by the Jeep windshield. Country-and-western music spilled from the radio to the hum of the tires and the wail of the wind. She sighed with an odd sense of pleasure and excitement.

"If it gets too cold for you, let me know," Jack said as they zipped along the two-lane road leaving Missoula behind.

It had been the new Karen's idea to put the top down. Just the way it had been her idea to take Jack Adams up on his offer of dinner and a night away from Missoula.

After the day she'd had, not even the old Karen seemed to care what her mother would think. She leaned back and closed her eyes. The wind whipped her hair and the cold night took her breath away. She couldn't remember feeling so...free. Or safe.

Safe with a man she'd just met! But she did did feel safe with Jack and...free, as if by leaving Missoula's glittering lights behind, she'd left everything behind, including her problems. At least for one night. feel safe with Jack and...free, as if by leaving Missoula's glittering lights behind, she'd left everything behind, including her problems. At least for one night.

The moon came up from behind the mountains, washing the landscape in silver. Jack turned onto a narrow gravel road and headed up the mountainside, the road snaking higher and higher.

"I hope you're hungry," he said over the roar of the Jeep. They'd stopped at a grocery store on the way out of town and bought steaks and all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. Plus Jack had insisted on buying her some doughnuts for breakfast.

"Starved," she mouthed, realizing how true that was as she looked over at him. It was the man beside her who whetted an appet.i.te in her that had nothing to do with food. She felt like a woman who'd just woken from a long sleep to find the world more wonderful than she remembered it.