Grayson. Delores Fossen

that there was an unidentified killer on the loose.

      Thanks to the newspaper coverage, she was also aware that just a few days ago a young woman’s body had been found in the creek. The woman had been fully clothed, no signs of sexual assault, but her fingerprints and face had been obliterated. That’s the term the press had used, obliterated, and Eve had assumed the killer had done that to prevent her from being identified.

      It had worked.

      So, why would this killer come after Grayson and her now?

      Until the body was identified, and that might never happen, it wasn’t likely that Grayson would be able to come up with a list of suspects.

      But Eve had a sickening thought.

      Perhaps the man had killed the woman in or near the cottage. Maybe he was destroying any potential physical evidence that would link him to the crime. And here she’d walked in with so much on her mind that she hadn’t even considered a trip home could be dangerous. This in spite of her knowing about the murder that possibly happened just a stone’s throw away from the cottage.

      That oversight could be deadly.

      She choked back a sob. Only minutes earlier her main worry had been getting pregnant, but for that to happen Grayson and she had to survive this. If something went wrong and he got hurt, it would be her fault because he wouldn’t have been out here in these woods if she hadn’t called him.

      “I’ll get you out of here,” she heard Grayson say.

      It sounded like a promise. But Eve knew backup was still a few minutes away. A lot could happen in those few short minutes.

      Because she had her attention pinned to that tree, she saw the man lean out. Or rather she saw his gun.

      “Get down!” she warned Grayson.

      Just as the shot slammed through the window directly above Eve’s head. The sound was deafening, and the bullet tore through the safety glass.

      Grayson moved forward, his body and forearm pushing her deeper onto the floor so that she could no longer see what was going on.

      And Grayson fired.

      Eve automatically put her hands over her ears, but the blast was so loud that it seemed to shake the entire car. What was left of the safety glass in the window came tumbling down on top of her.

      Grayson elbowed the chunk of glass aside and fired another shot. All Eve could do was pray, and her prayers were quickly answered. Even with the roaring in her ears from the shots, she heard a welcome sound.

      A siren.

      Maybe the fire department. Maybe a deputy. She didn’t care which. She just wanted Grayson to have backup. Her gun was fully loaded, but Eve didn’t have any other ammunition with her, and she didn’t want to risk a gun battle with the man who had a better position behind the tree.

      “The SOB’s getting away,” Grayson growled.

      Eve hadn’t thought this situation could get more frightening, but that did it. If he managed to escape, he might try to come after her again.

      She didn’t need this, and neither did Grayson.

      Grayson obviously agreed because he climbed over her and caught on to the door handle. He turned it, but it didn’t budge. Eve didn’t relish the idea of Grayson running after a possible killer, but the alternative was worse. Besides, the gunman had quit shooting.

      For now, anyway.

      Eve rammed her weight against the door to help Grayson open it. It took several hard pushes, but with their combined effort the door finally flew open.

      “Be careful,” she warned him.

      “You, too,” Grayson warned back. “Stay put and try to find my gun. I figure he’s trying to get as far away from that siren as he can, but if this guy is stupid and doubles back, shoot him.”

      That didn’t help with her ragged nerves, but as Grayson sprang from the car, Eve made a frantic search for the gun. She also kept watch, blindly running her hands over the floor and seats.

      The sirens got closer, and she saw the flashes of blue lights at the end of the road. Backup was just seconds away, but Grayson was already running past the tree that the gunman had hidden behind.

      Her fingers brushed over the cold gunmetal, finally, and Eve snatched up Grayson’s Smith & Wesson. Her hands were shaking like crazy, but she positioned the gun so it would be easier for her to take aim. But she was hoping that might not be necessary.

      A Silver Creek cruiser came to a screeching stop next to her wrecked car, and she recognized the man who jumped out. It was Dade, Grayson’s brother. Like Grayson, he wore jeans and a badge clipped to his belt, and he had his gun ready. He was lankier than Grayson, but Eve didn’t doubt Dade’s capabilities. From everything she’d heard, he was a good lawman.

      “Eve?” he asked. Dade was clearly surprised to see her in Silver Creek. Then his gaze flashed to the cottage. Or rather what remained of it. It was still on fire, but there wasn’t much left to burn.

      Soon, very soon, it would be just a pile of ashes.

      “Someone blew up the cottage. And then he fired a shot at us,” she explained. “He might be the killer you’re looking for.” Mercy, her voice was shaking as badly as her hands, and she tried to rein in her fear so she could point toward the tree. “Grayson went after him.”

      Concern flashed through Dade’s eyes, and he snapped his attention in the direction where she’d pointed. “Stay here,” Dade said, repeating Grayson’s earlier order. “The fire crew is right behind me. And keep that gun ready, just in case.”

      She watched him run toward the spot where she’d last seen Grayson, and Eve added another prayer for Dade’s safety, too. Like all the Rylands, she’d known Dade her entire life, and even though he was only two years younger than she was, she had always thought of him as her kid brother. That probably had something to do with all the meals she’d helped cook for Dade and the others after their mother committed suicide.

      “The dark ages,” she mumbled.

      That’s how she’d always thought of that time twenty years ago when Grayson and his brothers had basically become orphans. During the years that followed, Eve had gotten close with all of Grayson’s brothers, closer than she had been with her own family.

      She blinked back the tears. And here she’d endangered yet another family member. Heck, Mason was probably on the way, too. Before the hour was up, she might have put all three of them at risk.

      Eve heard a second set of sirens and knew that the fire department was close by. She stayed in the car, as both Grayson and Dade had warned her to do, but she moved to the edge of the seat, closer to the open door, so she could try to pick through the woods and see Grayson. She still had sight of Dade, but Grayson was nowhere to be seen.

      She glanced behind her at the fire engine as it made the final turn from the farm road onto the gravel drive that led to the cottage. The driver turned off the sirens, and everything suddenly went silent.

      Eve could hear the wind assaulting the trees. She could hear her own heartbeat in her ears.

      She also heard Dade shout, “Get down!”

      And the sound of a gun going off ripped through the silence.