Page 6 of Jacques

“No. I don’t want to see what I can’t see.”

“Danny,” his voice moved closer. She could feel the warmth of his breath. Still, he didn’t touch her. “Open your eyes and see what you can. I promise, it’s not all dark.”

One eyelid flickered, letting in a sliver of shadowed light.

“That’s one,” Jacques said. “Now the other.”

She blinked open the other eyelid and stared up into blue-gray eyes staring down at her.

“Hey,” he said, giving her an encouraging smile. He reached out with the lightest touch and swept a strand of her hair off her cheek. “Talk to me, Danny. Did your encounter with Bobby Ray set you off?”

As she took in her surroundings, Danny groaned. “You shouldn’t have followed me,” she said.

“You were clearly upset,” Jacques said. “I had to know you were okay, and to make sure Bobby Ray wasn’t stupid enough to circle back. I’m sure he didn’t like being humiliated in public.” He chuckled. “Especially by a woman.”

She groaned again. “I shouldn’t have done it.”

“He deserved it,” Jacques said. “I would’ve stepped in sooner, but you beat me to it.” He brushed his knuckles across her cheek. “You all right?”

No, I’m not all right.

She wouldn’t be until she knew who the man who’d raped her was and he was in jail where he couldn’t hurt anyone else.

“You didn’t have to come out to check on me.” She closed her eyes again, her cheeks heating.

“I worry about you,” Jacques said. “This isn’t the first time I’ve found you like this.”

“What?” she snorted. “Curled up in a fetal position, like a freakin’ coward?”

“I don’t think that at all,” he said.

A year ago, he’d found her nearly catatonic in the cooler at the Crawdad Hole after she’d thought she’d heard that voice. Then it had been retired Army Sergeant Major Dale Pruitt. Pruitt had come to Bayou Mambaloa to purchase a fishing camp on the bayou. He’d been at the Crawdad Hole, closing the deal.

She’d stalked him, sure it was him. Even more so when she’d broken into his cabin one day while he’d been out with Mitch Marceaux on a guided fishing trip. She’d gotten onto his laptop and learned he’d been at Fort Polk at the same time as the incident.

She’d been ready to blow the whistle on him until she’d learned he’d been the duty NCO that night and couldn’t have left his post long enough to take a woman to a motel and not be missed. Thankfully, he never knew she’d broken into his cabin, or he could have had her up on charges of breaking and entering.

Hearing another voice had triggered her panic attack, but she wouldn’t rush into breaking and entering so quickly this time. Pruitt hadn’t been in the tent. She was sure of it. He only came to town a couple of times a year. Although he might come down to see what was left of his cabin on the bayou, Danny hadn’t seen him.

If the voice wasn’t Pruitt, she needed to know whose it was. Lying on the floor of a delivery truck wasn’t the way to find out.

Still shaky, she pushed to a sitting position and shoved her hair out of her face, feeling more foolish with every passing minute. “You must think I’m a headcase. Please, next time, don’t come looking for me. It’s embarrassing.”

Jacques’ mouth firmed into a tight line. “One of these days, I hope you trust me enough to tell me what happened to you, so I better understand what triggers reactions like this. I hate to think of you alone when it hits.”

Danny’s gut clenched as the dark shadows of her faulty memory rushed back at her. She shook her head. She’d barely opened up with her female therapist at the VA hospital. No way could she tell another person, especially a man, about what had happened.

Jacques straightened. “It’s okay. I won’t push you. You’re obviously not ready, but I’m here whenever you are. I’m actually a good listener, and I have enough skeletons in my closet that I won’t judge you or think less of you. Now, whoever made you feel this way...I’ll judge the hell out of the mother fu— Well, you know what I mean. I’ll stop there. Like you told Bobby Ray, cursing just shows your ignorance.”

Her lips twitched. “But sometimes, it feels good.”

“Yes, it does.” He held out his hand.

For a long moment, she stared at it before slowly placing her hand in his and letting him draw her to her feet.

When Danny’s legs shook too much to hold her up, Jacques’ arm encircled her waist.

She tensed briefly at his touch and then relaxed. She reminded herself that Jacques had never forced his attentions on her. He was all concern and helpfulness when he didn’t have to be.