sudden interest in the hem of his sweatshirt. “I’m trying to put the pieces together. Figure out how it is we both ended up in this place.”
“I was wondering that too,” he said. “I can’t seem to get past how lucky it was that you stumbled on the exact spot your friend went off the road.”
She shifted, avoiding his eyes. He saw her wince as she tried to find a comfortable position. She’d had quite a fall, he reminded himself. Every bone in her body probably hurt. But she hadn’t complained once.
“I can see if that mattress has any air left in it and drag it down for you. It looked clean.”
“Like someone might be sleeping here?”
“Maybe. Maybe they just use it when the backseat gets old.”
She nodded, looking forlorn and JD wanted nothing more than to fix this mess. But he didn't have a clue how to do it.
“Leave it upstairs,” she said. “I’m fine where I am.”
“Why don’t you at least lie down?” he suggested, his voice gruff. “You look wiped out.”
He grabbed his jacket from the hearth and balled it into a pillow for her. Self-consciously, she leaned back and rested her head on it. He couldn’t help himself. He stretched out beside her, careful to keep his distance when every instinct urged him to pull her into his warmth and make her his….
She shifted, as if again, she knew what he thought. “I think I’ve got a bruise the size of a watermelon on my butt.”
“You’re lucky you didn't break something,” he said.
Lucky.
Once more, she caught her lip between her teeth and started worrying it. What the hell was she thinking?
“How did you know where your friend’s car would be, Carly?” he asked gently.
He touched her arm, drawing her gaze. He saw confusion and fear in that bottomless blue.
“Talk to me,” he said.
He thought she’d refuse, already he recognized the stubborn tilt of her chin. She was going to put a hole in her lip if she didn't stop biting it. Unable to stop himself, he reached out and rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. She released it with a soundless sigh.
“Did you ever read The Shining?” she asked softly.
“I saw the movie.”
“Do you remember the little boy? How when he needed help, he thought real hard and could send a message?”
He had no idea where she was going with this, but he nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”
“Jillian can do that.”
He didn't know whether to scoff or laugh outright. But Carly’s face was solemn, her eyes intent. She wasn’t joking.
“What’s that supposed to mean? She sent you some . . .”
“Signal. She sent me a signal.”
“And told you she’d been run off the road.”
“She showed me, JD. I saw it happen. She was driving, it was raining. She was just approaching the Canyon Veil exit sign and this big—I don’t know, a Cadillac or some gas guzzler car from back when gas was cheap—it hit her. It rammed her right off the road.”
“Bullshit.” He couldn’t have held it back even if he’d tried.
She sat up, anger making red flags of color on her cheeks. “It’s not bullshit. It’s the truth.”
“Why would anyone run her off the road, Carly?” he demanded.
“I don’t know. But I saw it. And my story is no more unbelievable than yours is, JD. You just happen to be driving by on your way to meet your brother? I don’t believe that. I saw the way you looked when I mentioned Jillian’s name and said she’s a student at NAU. I saw how guarded your eyes got when I told you about that article. You know who Jillian is, don’t you?”
Chapter Eleven
JD stared at her, too surprised to respond. Was she accusing him of something? Angry, he stood and she immediately jumped to her feet as well. The top of her head barely reached his chin, but she stared him down with a look that might well reduce him to
“I was wondering that too,” he said. “I can’t seem to get past how lucky it was that you stumbled on the exact spot your friend went off the road.”
She shifted, avoiding his eyes. He saw her wince as she tried to find a comfortable position. She’d had quite a fall, he reminded himself. Every bone in her body probably hurt. But she hadn’t complained once.
“I can see if that mattress has any air left in it and drag it down for you. It looked clean.”
“Like someone might be sleeping here?”
“Maybe. Maybe they just use it when the backseat gets old.”
She nodded, looking forlorn and JD wanted nothing more than to fix this mess. But he didn't have a clue how to do it.
“Leave it upstairs,” she said. “I’m fine where I am.”
“Why don’t you at least lie down?” he suggested, his voice gruff. “You look wiped out.”
He grabbed his jacket from the hearth and balled it into a pillow for her. Self-consciously, she leaned back and rested her head on it. He couldn’t help himself. He stretched out beside her, careful to keep his distance when every instinct urged him to pull her into his warmth and make her his….
She shifted, as if again, she knew what he thought. “I think I’ve got a bruise the size of a watermelon on my butt.”
“You’re lucky you didn't break something,” he said.
Lucky.
Once more, she caught her lip between her teeth and started worrying it. What the hell was she thinking?
“How did you know where your friend’s car would be, Carly?” he asked gently.
He touched her arm, drawing her gaze. He saw confusion and fear in that bottomless blue.
“Talk to me,” he said.
He thought she’d refuse, already he recognized the stubborn tilt of her chin. She was going to put a hole in her lip if she didn't stop biting it. Unable to stop himself, he reached out and rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. She released it with a soundless sigh.
“Did you ever read The Shining?” she asked softly.
“I saw the movie.”
“Do you remember the little boy? How when he needed help, he thought real hard and could send a message?”
He had no idea where she was going with this, but he nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”
“Jillian can do that.”
He didn't know whether to scoff or laugh outright. But Carly’s face was solemn, her eyes intent. She wasn’t joking.
“What’s that supposed to mean? She sent you some . . .”
“Signal. She sent me a signal.”
“And told you she’d been run off the road.”
“She showed me, JD. I saw it happen. She was driving, it was raining. She was just approaching the Canyon Veil exit sign and this big—I don’t know, a Cadillac or some gas guzzler car from back when gas was cheap—it hit her. It rammed her right off the road.”
“Bullshit.” He couldn’t have held it back even if he’d tried.
She sat up, anger making red flags of color on her cheeks. “It’s not bullshit. It’s the truth.”
“Why would anyone run her off the road, Carly?” he demanded.
“I don’t know. But I saw it. And my story is no more unbelievable than yours is, JD. You just happen to be driving by on your way to meet your brother? I don’t believe that. I saw the way you looked when I mentioned Jillian’s name and said she’s a student at NAU. I saw how guarded your eyes got when I told you about that article. You know who Jillian is, don’t you?”
Chapter Eleven
JD stared at her, too surprised to respond. Was she accusing him of something? Angry, he stood and she immediately jumped to her feet as well. The top of her head barely reached his chin, but she stared him down with a look that might well reduce him to
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