Page 43 of Shadow Burn

“If I can’t get your treats,” he told her, “I’ll steal some of the chicken strips Mack has hidden in the back of the fridge for the stir-fry he plans to make this weekend.”

Priss rubbed against his arm again. “Tyrant,” Katherine murmured.

The cut looked clean, no new bleeding, but the skin around it was irritated. He worked slowly, aware of the warmth of her hand in his, the scent of her citrus soap, and the way she watched his face instead of his hands.

He replaced the gauze and taped it down neatly. “You did a good job,” he said.

“On destroying the bandage?”

“On surviving.”

Her throat moved. “I keep remembering the moment I froze. I hate it.” Her fingers flexed lightly against his before she seemed to realize it. “I can catalog every decision from the second I heard the doorknob. I can explain the window, the lamp, the bathroom, the gun. I can tell myself freezing is a physiological response and still hate that my body chose it.”

“You fended him off with a book.”

“It doesn’t feel like enough.”

“If you want a formal performance review, I’m giving you high marks.”

A weak laugh escaped her. “That’s generous.” She looked at their hands, at his thumb resting near the edge of the tape. “You’re incredibly calm about all of this.”

“A clever facade. I’m not calm about it in the least. I hate it as much as you do.”

Her gaze lifted.

He hadn’t meant to say it, but the words were out, and he wasn’t going to retrieve them. “I’m pissed as hell and even my run this morning hasn’t taken the edge off. You scared ten years off my life last night. That doesn’t mean I’m giving in to either the fear or the rage. It’s fuel, that’s all.”

Her lips parted, but she didn’t answer right away. The way she looked at him changed, as if the words had crossed some line she hadn’t known they were approaching. “Jasper.”

A knock sounded at the door. Jasper swiveled to see Sebastian.

“Okay if he comes in?” Jasper asked Katherine. “He’s got a lead for me on the intruder.”

She nodded. “Yes, of course.”

Jasper set the bandages aside and opened the door.

“Morning,” Sebastian said to him and Katherine. “Sorry to interrupt.” He turned to Jasper. “A traffic cam caught a dark sedan on the road in front of the library twice yesterday, both times moving slowly. Mud on the rear bumper and no front plate visible. Partial rear plate on the second pass, two letters and a number.”

Katherine immediately reached for her notebook. Jasper went to his office chair at the desk of monitors. “Let’s bring it up.”

“CB and Mack are in the conference room. Let’s review it there so everyone’s on the same page.”

“Do I know you?” Katherine asked Sebastian, rising from the couch as she studied his face. “I mean outside of last night. You look familiar.”

Sebastian grimaced. “Afraid my mug has been all over the news and social media frequently.”

“Oh,” Katherine said, recognition dawning. “Right. You’re the Secret Service agent who saved Ginger Galbraith back when her father was going to run for president.”

“That’s me.” He turned on his heel and walked out.

“Touchy subject,” Jasper said to Katherine’s questioning look.

Katherine nodded. “You think that’s the intruder in the sedan?”

“Possibly. He watched the library while we were working.”

“So he was probably watching my place, too.”