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"Caleb, I--" Her voice broke, so he saved her pride

"Just hush and let me hold you a minute," he told her Her arripped hio

He just held her, her lithe body pressed fuly against his from chest to knees He felt the soft ainst his ribs and the warm rush of her breath over his skin Her mouth was nestled just above his heart, and he could hear low, fervent words spiling froh he couldn’t kick his brain into functioning enough to understand the his lips against the top of her head towords into the silky strands She sainst hi up his heat, and it was al Caleb could do not to pick her up and carry her off somewhere private where she could cry in peace while he held her

She sniffed and puled away enough that there was rooathered along Caleb’s ribs, and it cooled as it evaporated in the slowbreeze

Lana wiped her face with her hands and then wiped her hands on her thighs Dried blood stained the skin between her fingers Her nose was pink, and her blue eyes were lu hi over a tropical ocean, seeing the varying shades of blue as the depth of the water changed Her irises went froo around the rie that needed no help from cosmetics to add to their lushness

Caleb realized he was stil holding her He took a deep breath and puled his hands away quickly, like ripping a bandage off of hairy skin Not touching her hurt a hel of a lot worse, though

She gathered herself, and Caleb began to realize they had an audience Mostly men

Caleb stripped his shirt off and puled it over Lana’s head to cover her breasts As lovely as the sight was, he didn’t like sharing it with the other officers present

She snaked her arh the sleeves "Thanks I had to use e There was so ether

Caleb’s gut twisted at the pain vibrating in her tone He puled her back up against hi his comfort His touch Lana didn’t resist, and he knew then just how desperate she had to be if she iling to take co Miss Hancock," said a detective, whose role was given away by his inexpensive suit and tie His hazel eyes roa him in an instant He had a muscular build and the kind of posture that told Caleb he kne to use it The nae read Jacob Hart

"I told you everything I know," she said as if she’d already repeated it twenty times "I came in, saw the place was a wreck, heard Stacie in the bathrooain, but she puled in a deep breath and continued on "I caled nine-one-one, and then you showed up"

"Did Stacie say anything?" asked the detective

"Just so about how she would have let him take whatever he wanted He didn’t have to shoot her" She turned to Caleb "Someone shot Stacie"

Caleb smoothed a hand over her shiny brown hair "I know, honey It’s going to be okay"

"I should have been there earlier"

"You couldn’t have stopped him, either, Lana"

"No, but if I’d shown up earlier--"

"Then you’d be the one lying on that gurney right now, ently

Lana’s eyes darted toward the concrete, but not before Caleb could read the thought that passed through the next to Lana’s hospital bed She would have done anything to trade places with Stacie

"I need to go to the hospital," she said

"Of course, but we have just a few more questions," said the detective

Caleb felt Lana’s body tighten, and the urge to protect her--even froh questions for now," stated Caleb in the voice he used to coo over this just one more time," said the detective, unfazed

Caleb took a step forward and put on his intimidation face He didn’t use it often, since his size was usualy et nearly anyone to cooperate, but on the rare occasions that he needed to, he kne to make another man back down This was just one of those occasions

He gave the detective a s of teeth and dropped his voice until the detective had to strain to hear hi Lana to the hospital to check on her friend You may speak to her later today, if she’s up to it If not, she’l talk with you again tos hanging over Caleb’s bare chest, then to the tattoo on his arm "Active duty?" he asked

"I’ence lit up Detective Hart’s eyes "You’re both free to go as long as you stay in town We’l finish here and let you knohen you’re alowed back in the building"

"Thank you," said Lana

Caleb was pretty sure that thanking him was a bit premature Whatever Detective Hart was, he wasn’t stupid, and he was letting the the information he wanted

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CHAPTER SIX