She snapped her laptop closed, as if that could banish her dangerous thoughts. “Definitely time to go.”

Chapter Ten

A knock sounded at the front door and Jenna wondered if she should answer. Obviously whoever had arrived wasn’t Gard. Well, why not answer? She had several perfectly good reasons for being in Gard’s house—even if the thoughts she’d been entertaining about her host the last few minutes had been anything but businesslike.

“Hi, can I help you?” she asked when she pulled open the door.

A woman in a khaki sheriff’s uniform stood on the porch, her legs slightly spread, her hands on her hips. She didn’t say anything as she took her time assessing Jenna, her bold dark brows drawn low over wary blue eyes. Jenna was used to being the focus of attention, although this perusal was more intense and unapologetic than the shy glances of her readers. She waited for the woman to speak, and while she did, she made her own survey.

The woman filled out the uniform very, very nicely—the shining Sam Browne belt accentuated the subtle flare of hips and the swell of ample breasts and broad shoulders above a long waist. The sharply creased trousers were not tight, but tailored to fit muscled thighs. She was pretty in an earthy, sensual way. Sultry eyes, full lips, and a wide, generous mouth.

“Is Gard home?” The woman’s voice was resonant and warm, as voluptuous as her body.

“No, but I expect she will be soon,” Jenna said.

The woman extended her hand. Her grip was strong but not challenging.

“Sheriff Rina Gold.”

“Cassandra Hart,” Jenna answered automatically, as she usually did in situations where she didn’t know the individual. She spent most of her life as Cassandra. Her editors, her publicist, and her public all called her Cassandra. Only Alice called her Jenna. Well, Alice and now Gard.

“Cassandra Hart,” the sheriff repeated, sounding surprised. Then she smiled, really smiled, and the heat that had been simmering under the closed gaze flared. “I like your books. In fact, you’re one of my favorite authors.”

Jenna smiled. “Thank you.”

“Might you also be Jenna Hardy?”

“Oh, yes, sorry—I guess I just assumed you’d make the connection. I don’t know why.” Jenna gestured to the house behind her. “I suppose because I’m here. Why else would I be?”

“Well, hell could have frozen over and Gard might have…” Rina grimaced, swept off her wide-brimmed Smokey-style hat, and brushed her forearm over her damp brow. “Never mind. Out of line there.”

She gave Jenna another long look, and the question in her eyes said the sheriff had a bit more than casual interest in Gard. Jenna considered how she must appear to the sheriff—barefoot, her hair a little tangled from her shower, and alone in the house when Gard wasn’t home. She probably looked like more than a casual guest, but she wasn’t about to discuss her relationship with Gard with the sheriff.

“Sorry about the wasted trip,” Jenna said.

“Not at all,” Rina said. “I would have wanted to meet you anyhow. My condolences about Elizabeth. Everyone in town knew and liked her.”

“I wish I’d had a chance to meet her.” Jenna doubted she would have made the effort had she simply discovered the presence of a great-great-aunt under other circumstances, but now she’d been drawn into Elizabeth’s world and she was curious about her. “Do you need me to do anything today? I was going to check in at the hotel—motel—and then make an appointment with the attorney. Is there something I should—”

“No, there’s nothing pressing. The coroner—that being Gard, which I guess you know—will provide you with a death certificate. Sherman Potter, Elizabeth’s attorney, will guide you through the rest of the paperwork. I do need to know what you want to do about securing the house.”

Jenna let the screen door close behind her and settled into one of the rockers on the porch. The sheriff leaned against the white railing opposite her, her arms braced on either side of her hips. The posture accentuated her breasts and Jenna appreciated again how attractive she was. She wondered if the sheriff and Gard had ever dated. Were still dating. Just as quickly, she reminded herself again that Gard’s personal business was none of hers. “I’m sorry. What do you mean, secure the house?”

“I’m sure the crime rate around here isn’t what you’re used to in the city, but we do have our share of vandals. Elizabeth has some pricey farm equipment in the barns, and an empty house is going to be an invitation for someone to break in. If you’re planning on selling, the real estate agent may be able to advise you as to the best way to protect the place. In the meantime, I’ll try to have a car sweep by Birch Hill at least once a night.”

Jenna rubbed a spot between her eyes that had started to twinge. She hadn’t even thought about the house or its contents or what she would do about the property.

“How much property are we talking about?”

Rina shrugged. “The attorney will pull the deeds for you if he doesn’t already have them, but I think Elizabeth’s place runs about a couple hundred acres or so. Used to be a pretty big dairy farm with a few hundred head of Guernseys, but Elizabeth hasn’t done anything on that scale in over twenty years. The house and barns are in pretty good shape. She’s still got a few cows, the stray chicken, an old donkey or two.”

“Cows and donkeys and chickens.” Jenna stared at the sheriff. “What does one do with them besides milk them or eat them?”

The sheriff laughed, a clear, melodic laugh that made Jenna think of water rushing in a crystal brook. Oh, yes, she was very attractive. Funny, though, the sheriff’s lush good looks seemed to pale in comparison to Gard’s. And we’re not going there again, are we?

“Pretend I’m clueless,” Jenna said, “which obviously I am.”

“They’re probably pets at this point,” Rina said, still smiling, “None of them would be much for eating unless you were desperate.”

“I can see this is going to be a lot more involved than I thought. I’ll have to look at the house after talking to the attorney. I suppose I can get an agent to handle the sale of the estate.” Jenna rubbed her eyes. “What about the animals? Will they be all right without someone there?”

Rina’s face registered surprise and then what might have been respect. “I asked a couple of the neighbors to look after them, but you’ll want to decide what to do about them too.”

“Of course. Thanks for doing that.” One thing Jenna knew about country folk—even the laziest, most irresponsible among them—would pitch in to help a neighbor in need, because community was more than a concept. People were raised knowing the next person in trouble might be them. “I still can’t really believe I’m here. I have no idea why Elizabeth left all of this to me.”

“Elizabeth was no fool. She must have had a reason. Maybe intuition.”

“Intuition. I guess we’ll find out.” Jenna grinned wryly just as the roar of an engine cut through the quiet and a truck tore down the lane, spewing gravel and leaving a cloud of dust behind it. Gard slammed to a stop beside the sheriff’s cruiser and jumped out, leaving the door ajar as she sprinted toward the house. Beam shot out after her and raced in circles around Gard’s long legs.

“Jenna,” Gard charged up the four steps to the porch two at a time, “are you all right?”

“Yes.” Jenna rose carefully on her sore leg, feeling unaccustomedly shy. Beam skidded to a stop between her and Rina, her butt rotating as her tail cut wild figure eights in the air. Jenna scratched behind the dog’s ears and used the diversion to enjoy her first look at Gard in daylight. She’d been gorgeous by moonlight. She was heart-stopping now in dusty jeans cut low on lean hips, scuffed boots, and a blue work shirt unbuttoned to the middle of her flat abdomen. The white T-shirt underneath hugged the shadow of her breasts like the snow capping the distant peaks—alluring and ever so remote. Her thick black hair lay in damp swirls on the tanned skin at the back of her neck. Jenna’s throat went suddenly dry. “I’m fine.”

“Okay. Good. That’s good. I saw the cruiser…” Gard slid her hands into her back pockets and rocked on her heels. “What’s going on?”

Rina said, “I’ve just been talking to Ms. Hardy about making arrangements for Elizabeth’s place.”

“I realize now there’s more to it than signing a few papers,” Jenna said. “The house can wait, but I want to make sure the animals—”

“I’ll take care of that,” Gard said. “I was planning to run out there and check on them after we got you settled at the motel.”

“No,” Jenna said quickly. “You don’t need to. You’ve been wonderful, but I’m sure you’ve got plenty to do with your own job.”

Rina’s gaze swiveled between Gard and Jenna as if she were waiting for the serve on match point in the finals of a Grand Slam tennis tournament. “I’m heading back through town. If you need a ride—”

“I’ll take her,” Gard said forcefully.

“If the sheriff is going that way—” Jenna protested.

“It’s no trouble.” Gard paced a few steps and fixed Jenna with an intense stare. “We can run by the Hardy place on the way. See what might need to be done before you talk to Sherm.”

Jenna couldn’t argue the logic, but she still wanted to. She didn’t let anyone take charge of her life, not even Alice. Alice was her detail woman, true, and she did more than organize her schedule. Alice was the wall between Jenna and the rest of the world, the buffer between her and the outside forces that disrupted her concentration and made it hard for her to work. Alice wielded more power than Jenna had ever granted anyone, even her occasional serious lovers, but not even Alice crossed beyond the barriers Jenna had erected around her body and her soul.