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Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR JANICE CANTORE
  3. Map of Rogue’s Hollow
  4. Dedication
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. Epigraph
  7. PROLOGUE
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. EPILOGUE
  62. 1
  63. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  64. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Something about the request bothered Tess. She glanced to the list of her life rules, framed and hanging in her office, a gift from Oliver. Rule #1: “Listen. Think. Speak. LTS.” She sipped her coffee. Lately, she’d been working a lot with one federal agency or another.

“How long would you expect to keep her hidden?”

“I can’t say. It depends on the court process. You know as well as I do things can drag out once his lawyers are in play.” He hiked a shoulder.

Yes, Tess did know how things could drag out. “Do you need an answer right this minute?”

He sighed, clearly impatient. “Right now, my partner is with the girl in a hotel in White City. We have, at most, forty-eight hours to secure the witness. Time is a luxury.”

“I understand, Agent Bass, but we just survived a big fire, we’ve yet to lift all the evacuation orders, and after what happened here this summer, I’m reluctant to put the people in my community at any further risk if I can avoid it. Let me speak to the people at the shelter. And I’ll have to notify the sheriff. It’s a county facility.”

He held his hands up. “Speak to the couple, but I’m asking that you not notify the county. I realize that’s putting you in a tough position, but seriously, the fewer people who know about this, the better. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how far and quick even the most unintended slip can spread. If Beck gets even a hint . . .”

Tess regarded Bass. He was right, she knew it, but now he was asking her to lay her butt on the line. She had a good working relationship with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office—did she really want to jeopardize it?

She wanted to talk to Oliver, Rogue’s Hollow PD’s official chaplain. She wanted to think about this for a good long time.

“I’ll drive out there now. They weren’t ordered to evacuate. I’ll be as quick as I can, but I’m not going to make a decision this minute. And I need to read the department chaplain in on this. He’s made aware of every woman who goes to Faith’s Place in case they request spiritual help. I won’t deny this victim that.”

Bass frowned. “Will he keep his mouth shut?”

“I trust him.”

After a long moment, he nodded. “Fair enough.” He dropped a card on her desk. “That’s me if you need to call and check up on me. Won’t tell you who to talk to, but you can call the Phoenix office. Just don’t mention the domestic violence shelter or my wit—and especially not in the same sentence—okay?”

“Gotcha.”

“Do you mind if I go get a cup of coffee and come back in a bit?”

“I’ll find you.”

7