these days. McClane doesn’t think Adler’s involved, but that doesn’t mean much. He’s on the kid’s side.”
Sam’s thoughts spiraled back to Ethan, just like they had several times over the last few hours. After walking through her room and finding nothing of significance missing, she’d given the police a list of kids she’d had confrontations with over the last week. When she’d finally headed out to the parking lot, only a handful of cars had been left, and she’d wondered if one was Ethan’s. Since then she couldn’t stop thinking about where he’d gone.
Had he returned to Portland, an hour away? Or was he staying the night somewhere in town?
“Sam?” Will asked. “You okay?”
“What?” She looked up at him, refocusing on their conversation. “Yeah. Fine.”
His eyes narrowed, and she knew he didn’t believe her, but before she could reassure him, those familiar eyes softened, and he took a step her way. “Look. About earlier. I wasn’t trying to imply that you’re—”
“Losing it?”
A sheepish look crossed his features, and because she knew he hadn’t intentionally tried to make her feel foolish, she let go of the lingering hostility. “I know that wasn’t your intention, Will. But I know what I saw.”
Now, thankfully, someone else had seen it too. Again she thought of Ethan. And her chest warmed the way it had when he’d stood up for her at the hospital.
Will rested both hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently, drawing her attention back to him. “I have to go on the facts, Sam. It doesn’t mean I don’t believe you. But I am worried about you.”
She focused on his familiar hazel eyes and waited for that burst of excitement she used to feel when she was ten and he’d come over to hang out with her older brother, but it didn’t hit. Time and distance had changed more than just her schoolgirl heart. It had changed her entire life. She wasn’t ten anymore. Seth was dead. And right now the attraction coursing through her wasn’t for Will but for a therapist she shouldn’t be thinking about.
She looked down at his blue shirt. “I know you are, but I’m fine. You’ll figure out whoever’s doing this, and everything will get back to normal. I trust you.”
His hands lingered, and she sensed he wanted her to step into him. But she couldn’t. Because he wasn’t the one she wanted.
After several long seconds, he finally let go and moved back. “The Crawford place is empty.”
Sam looked up at the mention of the teacher who’d held the teaching position before her. “It was?”
Will nodded. “He moved up to Hood River about a month ago. Cops there questioned him. He’s got a lock-tight alibi for the day. And for each of the instances when you were harassed.”
It wasn’t the former teacher. Relief slid between Sam’s ribs, allowing her to breathe a little easier. That had been her biggest fear. “So it is just a kid.”
“Looks that way. But to be on the safe side, I’ll have an officer do some drive-bys. In the meantime, if anything comes up, be sure to call it in.”
“I will. Thanks.”
Will glanced down the hall, past the boxes stacked against the wall near the kitchen, then back at her. “I could stay tonight. If you don’t want to be alone.”
She saw the hope in his eyes. And not for the first time, she wondered why the heck she couldn’t be attracted to him. He obviously cared for her; they had a history. He was handsome and kind, and everyone in town liked and admired him. But the chemistry just wasn’t there. And she couldn’t force herself to fall for him anymore than she could stop herself from having those nightmares.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be fine. I’m so tired I’ll probably just pass out anyway.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.” Will stepped back toward the door and reached for the handle. “Oh, I meant to ask you something.”
“What?” She held the door open for him as he moved onto her front
Sam’s thoughts spiraled back to Ethan, just like they had several times over the last few hours. After walking through her room and finding nothing of significance missing, she’d given the police a list of kids she’d had confrontations with over the last week. When she’d finally headed out to the parking lot, only a handful of cars had been left, and she’d wondered if one was Ethan’s. Since then she couldn’t stop thinking about where he’d gone.
Had he returned to Portland, an hour away? Or was he staying the night somewhere in town?
“Sam?” Will asked. “You okay?”
“What?” She looked up at him, refocusing on their conversation. “Yeah. Fine.”
His eyes narrowed, and she knew he didn’t believe her, but before she could reassure him, those familiar eyes softened, and he took a step her way. “Look. About earlier. I wasn’t trying to imply that you’re—”
“Losing it?”
A sheepish look crossed his features, and because she knew he hadn’t intentionally tried to make her feel foolish, she let go of the lingering hostility. “I know that wasn’t your intention, Will. But I know what I saw.”
Now, thankfully, someone else had seen it too. Again she thought of Ethan. And her chest warmed the way it had when he’d stood up for her at the hospital.
Will rested both hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently, drawing her attention back to him. “I have to go on the facts, Sam. It doesn’t mean I don’t believe you. But I am worried about you.”
She focused on his familiar hazel eyes and waited for that burst of excitement she used to feel when she was ten and he’d come over to hang out with her older brother, but it didn’t hit. Time and distance had changed more than just her schoolgirl heart. It had changed her entire life. She wasn’t ten anymore. Seth was dead. And right now the attraction coursing through her wasn’t for Will but for a therapist she shouldn’t be thinking about.
She looked down at his blue shirt. “I know you are, but I’m fine. You’ll figure out whoever’s doing this, and everything will get back to normal. I trust you.”
His hands lingered, and she sensed he wanted her to step into him. But she couldn’t. Because he wasn’t the one she wanted.
After several long seconds, he finally let go and moved back. “The Crawford place is empty.”
Sam looked up at the mention of the teacher who’d held the teaching position before her. “It was?”
Will nodded. “He moved up to Hood River about a month ago. Cops there questioned him. He’s got a lock-tight alibi for the day. And for each of the instances when you were harassed.”
It wasn’t the former teacher. Relief slid between Sam’s ribs, allowing her to breathe a little easier. That had been her biggest fear. “So it is just a kid.”
“Looks that way. But to be on the safe side, I’ll have an officer do some drive-bys. In the meantime, if anything comes up, be sure to call it in.”
“I will. Thanks.”
Will glanced down the hall, past the boxes stacked against the wall near the kitchen, then back at her. “I could stay tonight. If you don’t want to be alone.”
She saw the hope in his eyes. And not for the first time, she wondered why the heck she couldn’t be attracted to him. He obviously cared for her; they had a history. He was handsome and kind, and everyone in town liked and admired him. But the chemistry just wasn’t there. And she couldn’t force herself to fall for him anymore than she could stop herself from having those nightmares.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be fine. I’m so tired I’ll probably just pass out anyway.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.” Will stepped back toward the door and reached for the handle. “Oh, I meant to ask you something.”
“What?” She held the door open for him as he moved onto her front
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