Read Online Deep Autumn Heat by Elisabeth Barrett - Free Book Online Page B

said somewhat dazedly.
    Seb breathed a sigh of relief. “Any idea why that guy was after you?”
    “N-no,” she stammered. She shook her head and winced. “No.”
    “Can you stand?”
    “I think so.”
    Gently, Seb helped pull her into a standing position. He looked her over carefully, softly patting her down from her arms to her waist. “I think you’re in one piece. Nothing broken, but you’ll probably have some bruises.”
    “I’m fine,” she said automatically. Absently, she rubbed her shoulder.
    “No, you’re not. You’re acting like a zombie. The sheriff’s station is only a couple of blocks away. Let me walk you there so you can report this, and then I’ll take you home.”
    Just then, Val and Buster raced up to them. “Lexie,” Buster said hoarsely, reaching for her. “You okay?”
    Lexie took Buster’s hand, but kept her eyes trained on Seb. “Yes. Some guy attacked me, but Seb chased him off.”
    “Let me take you to the sheriff’s department,” Buster said.
    “Got it covered,” Seb said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
    In the dim light, Buster gave him a searching look. Finally, after a long moment, Buster blinked and turned back to Lexie. “Go with Seb. He’ll take care of you.”
    Reluctantly, Lexie nodded her assent.
    “I’ll catch you later, Val,” Seb said, noting his brother’s approving look. Then with his arm still around Lexie’s shoulders, he turned her in the right direction. “Let’s go.”
* * *
    Lexie could think of a million places she’d rather be than sitting on a hard wooden chair in the Star Harbor Sheriff’s Department at nine on a Sunday evening. Strangely enough, she felt calm in spite of what she’d been through, probably because she was sitting with two of the Grayson brothers.
    Cole sat in front of her at his desk, his head bent down as he filled out the incident report. Seb was sprawled out in the chair to her left, watching her intently. The two large men seemed to take up so much space around her.
    Lexie took a deep breath and peered through the glass separating Cole’s office from the rest of the station. Everything about the station was Spartan and tidy. One of Cole’s deputies, an older man named Pete Thawley, sat just outside Cole’s office at a large wooden desk piled highwith neatly stacked papers. Ten feet farther away, Deputy Hank Jacobs, a man about her own age, sat at his own desk talking on the telephone, his deep voice echoing in the main room.
    Hank had been hired by Cole just after he was appointed sheriff, but even though he was a newcomer, he already seemed like a town fixture. Nice enough looking, with dark blond hair, a medium complexion, and brown eyes, the guy had come by the LMK a few times with more than just lunch on his mind. Lexie had been polite, but she’d made it clear she wasn’t interested. To his credit, he’d immediately backed off.
    She looked past Hank toward the front of the station, where the department’s dispatcher and secretary were sitting. Rhonda Lee had been nothing but friendly to Lexie since she’d arrived in town. Right now she was on the telephone, her poufy blond hair shaped like a halo around her head. When she saw Lexie watching her, she gave her a little smile, which Lexie returned.
    There was nothing much else to see. The walls were bare, and the only books lining the bookshelf against the back wall were dark blue binders, probably police procedurals. Though he’d only been there for a short time, Cole clearly ran a tight ship.
    “All right,” he said. “The preliminary stuff is out of the way. Now I’d like to ask you some questions about the attack.”
    She glanced at Seb, who nodded reassuringly. “Okay. Where should I start?”
    “What time did it happen?”
    “Well, the movie started at eight-fifteen, so maybe between eight-twenty and eight-thirty.”
    “Why’d you leave?”
    “Um—” Lexie stalled for time, realizing how awkward the situation was. The reason she’d