Small-Town Face-Off. Tyler Anne Snell

when he’d been in contact with Mara for less than an hour and was already having trouble focusing on anything else. He shouldered the bag and led the two down the hall and to the back door, grabbing an umbrella in the process.

      It wasn’t raining as hard as it had been, but it was enough to warrant pulling Mara close to him to stay dry beneath the umbrella. She didn’t move away or argue as she folded into his left arm and against his side. The inner war he was fighting was downright impossible to ignore as they walked in silence along the stone path that led to the guesthouse door. Billy pulled the keys out of his pocket and unlocked it.

      “Here you go,” he said, voice low, even to his ears.

      He watched as she stepped inside and wordlessly looked around the living space. A kitchenette, three-piece bathroom and a small bedroom made up the rest of the apartment. He’d built on to expand it but everything was still small. At least it was private.

      And far enough away from him that he’d never know if she left.

      “Oh, it’s beautiful, Billy,” Mara said after a moment. “You did a wonderful job.”

      Billy would have taken the compliment with pride if anyone else had given it at any other time. But Mara’s words flipped a switch within him. He felt his body stiffen, his expression harden. The pain of finding her note on his pillow came back to him in full.

      “I’ll come get you at seven,” he said. He stepped back out into the rain but didn’t look away from those dark eyes that made him crazy. “And, Mara, try not to leave this time. Once we get this guy you’re going to tell me exactly why you kept my daughter a secret.”

       Chapter Four

      Mara and Alexa were up and ready when Billy knocked on the guesthouse door the next morning.

      “You’re late,” Mara greeted him, a hand on her hip. She nodded to the clock on the wall behind her. It was ten past seven.

      “I thought I’d give you some wiggle room,” he admitted. He looked down at Alexa, who was, for the first time, wide-awake since they’d shown up on his doorstep. Her attention stayed on the stuffed dog in her hands as she played on the floor.

      “There’s no such thing as wiggle room when you have a toddler,” she said with a smirk. It was meant as a quick comment, but Billy couldn’t help but wonder about the foundation it was born from. When had Mara learned that lesson? Whenever it was, all he knew was it was without him.

      Mara’s smirk sank into a frown. She cleared her throat, humor gone.

      “Listen, about Alexa,” she started, but Billy was already a step ahead of her. He held his hand up for her to stop.

      “Again, I want to have this talk. I really would like to know why you kept my daughter from me,” he said, serious. “But not right now.” Mara opened and closed her mouth, like a fish out of water, trying to find what words, Billy didn’t know, but he didn’t have time to find out. “Right now we need to find Beck and figure out what it is he’s done and is trying to do so we can stop him,” he continued. “My first priority is to keep you two safe. You can tell me all about your reasoning for not letting me know I was a father later.” While he spoke with what he was trying to pass off as authority, he couldn’t help but hear the anger at the end of it.

      He’d spent most of the night lying awake in bed, coming up with a plan of action for the day. In the plan was a large section related to how he wanted to handle Mara and Alexa. After hours of no sleep, he’d decided the best way to do his job—to keep everyone safe—was to detach himself emotionally from the dark-haired beauties in front of him.

      However, maybe that was going to be harder than he’d thought.

      “Okay,” Mara finally said. “I’ll follow you to the station.”

      She grabbed her bag and scooped up Alexa. The little girl clung to her stuffed animal with laser-like focus. Billy wondered what other toys she liked.

      “There’s a coffeehouse that opened up across the street that has pretty good breakfast,” Billy said as he locked up the guesthouse behind them.

      “I actually packed enough cereal to last for weeks for this one,” Mara said, motioning to Alexa. “She’s a nut about Cheerios as soon as she wakes up in the morning.” Alexa swung her head up to face Mara and let out a trill of laughter. It surprised Billy how he instantly loved the sound. “Yeah, you’ve already scarfed down two helpings, haven’t you, you little chowhound?” Mara cooed at the girl. Together they laughed, bonded in their own little world.

      One that Billy didn’t know.

      He cleared his throat and Mara straightened.

      “But,” she continued, expression turning to the same focus her daughter had worn before. “If they have good coffee, I won’t turn that down.” She smiled but it didn’t last long. “And, Billy, I know it’s not my place, but I noticed you didn’t have a tree or any Christmas decorations or lights...”

      Billy sighed.

      No matter what was happening in their lives, leave it to the women of the South to still care about Christmas decorations.

      * * *

      THE RIKER COUNTY Sheriff’s Department was located in the very heart of Carpenter but was by no means in an extravagant headquarters. That never stopped Billy from feeling a boost of pride when it swung into view. Placed between the county courthouse and the local television station, the sheriff’s department was two stories tall and full of men and women tasked with protecting their Southern home.

      Wrapped in faded orange brick and concrete, its entrance opened up to a street almost every Carpenter resident had to drive along to get somewhere, while its parking lot around back butted up against a business park that housed a bistro, a coffeehouse and a clothing boutique called Pepper’s. Billy and Mara angled their cars into the assigned and guest parking, respectively, and headed straight to the coffeehouse. Billy had tried to convince Mara to ride with him but she’d pointed out his day could get hectic and she liked having the option of her own transportation. Not to mention the car seat was already in her car. Billy decided not to push the topic since she was a flight risk. Instead, he decided to act like everything was normal when they went into the coffeehouse. There they earned a double take from one half of the owner pair known as the Chambers. Becky, a bigger woman with short hair and an even shorter temper, was surprisingly tactful as she addressed them.

      “Well, Sheriff, can’t say I was expecting to see you on your day off,” she started, then she switched her attention to Mara and Alexa. “And certainly not with two lovely ladies in tow.”

      Billy ignored the affectionate part of the statement, along with what felt suspiciously like pride, and showed just how happy he was about being in on his off day with a frown.

      “A sheriff’s job is never done,” he said solemnly.

      “Not with that attitude.” Becky winked at Mara, but the dark-haired beauty’s gaze had been drawn to the corner booth.

      “I’ll take my usual,” Billy said. “She’ll take one of your mocha iced coffee concoctions I always complain about.”

      Becky raised her eyebrow.

      “Does the lady not get a say?” she asked, voice beginning to thread with disapproval. Her changing tone must have snagged Mara’s attention. She turned back to them with a small smile.

      “She definitely does, but this one here apparently hasn’t forgotten my guilty mocha pleasures,” she said. “With whipped cream, too, if you have it, please.”

      Becky seemed appeased that Billy wasn’t rolling over Mara and went about making their drinks while they hung off to the side of the counter. Billy expected Mara to comment about his remembering her favorite caffeinated drink but the woman seemed focused on the corner booth again. So