"It's throbbing, but it's okay."
He winked. "You tough Mainers."
"What about you?" she asked. "No law enforcement types in your romantic life?"
"I haven't had much time for romance in the last year."
His tone was neutral, but she knew better. "Losing your father and barely surviving a dangerous undercover operation-that's a lot."
"Yep."
She could see he wasn't going to talk about it. "I'm not a cop anymore."
"I can see that. Otherwise you'd have had a gun."
"Not necessarily. If I was off duty, I wouldn't have had a gun. If I was still working in Connecticut, I couldn't just waltz into Maine -"
"All right. You win that point. Even if you'd been armed, Shelton still could have shot you."
"He shot at me," Zoe corrected. "It's the glass that hit me."
But J.B.'s teasing mood had ended, and with one finger he tilted her chin up, his eyes locking with hers. "I heard the shot. I saw Shelton scream off in your car, and I grabbed Kyle. He told me you weren't dead."
His intensity-his fear-unsettled her, and she tried to cut it with humor. "You knew I wasn't dead? Then why'd you come here? You should have followed my car!"
It didn't work. His intensity didn't ease. "Kyle had seen the blood from your cut." J.B. traced her lower lip with his thumb. "I'm glad you're okay."
Before she could even get her breath, he was back on his feet, collecting up the first-aid materials. He returned the box to its spot on top of the refrigerator, and Zoe, watching him, realized the kisses and touches, the awareness, weren't fleeting, meaningless, of the moment. She didn't know where they'd lead, or if they stemmed from their mutual need for distraction-J.B. because he was running from his bad memories, her because she was running from herself.
Coming home hadn't settled anything. If anything, it had triggered more questions, more problems, more danger.
She didn't like it. Something had to give.
"Do you think Teddy Shelton's responsible for the other break-ins?" she asked. "I'd suspect Kyle, too, but he doesn't need to break into the café or Chris's house."
J.B. leaned against the sink and smiled. "I suspecteveryone." He nodded at the window by the table. "Your pal Stick is here."
Zoe hadn't noticed him walking up the driveway. He knocked on the side door, but didn't wait for her to respond before he came in. "I heard what happened," Stick said. "Good Lord, Zoe. What can I do to help?" He glanced into the front room, shattered glass still all over the floor and dining room table. He paled visibly when he turned back to Zoe. "Christ in heaven. This is getting out of hand."
"Kyle and I are both okay, Stick."
Behind her in the kitchen, J.B. dropped onto his chair and said nothing. Stick was her friend. This was her house. She supposed it was possible J.B. was acknowledging her role, but decided he was just playing the observer and keeping his own theories to himself.
Stick was clearly worried and shaken. She invited him to sit, but he shook his head. "Zoe, I don't know- I don't like how close you came to getting killed today."
"He wasn't trying to kill me."
"But he could have. You know that. Maybe you should consider asking for police protection until he's caught."
"I'll be fine. Don't worry, okay?"
She might not have spoken. Her old friend raked a hand through his thinning white hair. "Christina should have round-the-clock protection, too. Zoe, I'm serious. It's been quiet all year. Then these break-ins, and you show up-" He broke off. "I'm not blaming you, of course."
Zoe sank back against her chair. "I know that."
J.B. poured himself a glass of water at the sink. "Have you had anything to do with Teddy Shelton since he got to Goose Harbor?" he asked Stick.
"I've seen him around town. That's it. Why?"
"You'd think you'd want to keep an eye on a man you sentenced to seven years." J.B. leaned back against the sink again and drank his water. "At least you'd be curious about why he decided to come here."
Stick sighed. "I should have known you'd check. Yes, I sentenced Shelton. I was the judge at his trial. For a long time, I didn't make the connection-I just wasn't paying attention, I suppose. Then we ran into each other on the waterfront, and he seemed as surprised as I was."
"After Patrick West's death-"
"There's no connection between Teddy and Patrick. Don't try to make one."
J.B. set his water glass in the sink, his reaction difficult to read. "You didn't mention your connection to Teddy to the police?"
"No, why should I? He served his time. I'm retired. We're living in the same town. There's nothing more to make of it. If Shelton wanted revenge, he's had plenty of time-he's been here over a year." He shifted his gaze to Zoe and smiled, but she could see he hadn't liked J.B.'s questions. "I just wanted to check on you."
"Thanks. I don't know, Stick, maybe we're all on edge for no real reason. Kyle's so obsessed with his doc-umentary-he's managed to annoy me about it. He could have gotten under Teddy Shelton's skin and that's all this is."
"You mean he could have put Shelton on the defensive," Stick said, but shook his head. "You don't believe that."
It was true. She didn't. She glanced at J.B., but he'd thrown his stick of dynamite into the conversation and backed off.
Stick kissed her on the forehead, squeezing her uninjured hand. "This was too close, Zoe. Please be more careful." He shot J.B. an unfriendly look. "Where were you?" "Obviously not here," J.B. said. "Obviously." Zoe watched Stick walk back down the driveway and hated the idea that she worried her friends, that her old mentor had to hear that someone had shot at her. But she smiled at J.B. "Stick's hard on you because he's worried about me. You know that, don't you?"
"I know that's what you believe." He moved toward the door. "I had a talk with Betsy O'Keefe. That's where I was. She says Luke is concerned about your well-being and safety now that you're back in town. Another one. Something about his sense of loyalty to your great-aunt."
"Luke? Worrying about me? That's news." "Betsy says he doesn't want you to know." "Why not?" "He realizes you don't like him, but he doesn't care be cause Olivia was so good to him and he feels he owes her." Zoe frowned. "Has he acted on this concern for me?" "Betsy wouldn't say." "But you have a guess, don't you?" "It's just a guess. Betsy isn't very good at deception, but I think she's afraid Luke's in over his head and wants to keep him from getting in any deeper." He stood in the doorway to the entry, but Zoe knew not to misread his calm. "It's a fair bet Luke hired Teddy Shelton to keep an eye on you. Maybe me, too."
"Then what, Teddy sneaks into my house and shoots at me?"
A quirk of a smile. "I didn't say it was a smart move on Luke's part."
Zoe noticed a fresh drop of blood had seeped through her bandage. "Betsy won't want to mess things up with Luke. She's a good woman, J.B. She thinks less of herself than she should, and if she's found happiness with him-" She broke off, sighing, her hand throbbing. "That's a good thing. Olivia would be pleased."
"Betsy clearly loved her."
Zoe nodded, feeling her adrenaline rush wearing off. Her shoulder was throbbing now, too. "She invited us to dinner tonight- I can try to talk to her."
"Meanwhile," J.B. said, "do you want to stay here and sweep up glass, or do you want to go with me and look for your car?"
Twenty-Five
Luke and Kyle paced in the main salon like two angry bulls. Betsy had never seen them so furious with each other. She didn't think they were even aware of her. She sat as far down on the sectional sofa as she could but thought about slipping out to the afterdeck, except that might draw attention to herself.
"You should learn to mind your own goddamn business! I never asked for your help." Luke was clenching his fists, yelling, which he never did. "I've done nothing wrong. Do you hear me? Nothing."