You can place me in jail. You can silence me, but I will not give in. I vow to remain uncovered until my sisters are free.” Laura started to get up, but Henry was there before her. Damn.

Now everyone was going to see Henry’s privates, too. This was rapidly devolving.

Henry picked his wife up, shoving her over his shoulder in a neat fireman’s hold. Nell, never one to drop a microphone, held it even as Henry started walking. “Henry? What are you doing?” Henry walked straight up to Max and Rye and spoke into their microphone. “Handle this one, people. She really will walk around all Amazon-like until you figure this out, and then I’ll have to break my vow of nonviolence by killing every son of a bitch who looks at her.”

“Henry!”

His head shook as though in deep disappointment. “You see. I cursed. I don’t curse. This is bringing out all the caveman-like tendencies I normally despise. We’re going to join Mel and Cassidy until such time as my wife can keep her nudity to the places it belongs. Our bedroom. Our yard. The Naturists Community. Various clubs. The swimming hole behind the Harper Stables. Stef’s guesthouse. And that Divine Creek place in Texas. Yeah, you know the one. Everyone’s naked there. See, I know you all believe I have no boundaries. There. Firmly placed boundaries. Someone give us a call when it’s safe to come out again.” Nell was yelling into her microphone as Henry carted her off to Mel’s.

On the computer screen Wolf had set up, Cassidy Meyer grinned and rubbed her hands together. “Company. That will be nice.” Hiram shook his head. “We’re shelving this until next week. Max, Rye, Rachel—you work this out. The last thing this town needs is another article on how we’re the topless town.”

“It might make them forget we’re the murder town,” Zane called out.

Hiram sighed. “If there’s nothing else on the agenda, we should consider ourselves adjourned.”

Nate stood up, microphone in hand. “You all remember what we talked about. No female in this town goes unescorted until this guy is caught. If you find yourself without someone to walk with, call the sheriff’s department. One of my deputies or I will come and get you.

In addition, the men of the town have agreed to be on call, so to speak. I want everyone to take a flyer with phone numbers. Do not hesitate to call.” He stared out over the auditorium as if he could intimidate the audience into obeying him. “If I find out that someone’s broken this little rule, well, you know I don’t mind arresting people. It’s one of the joys of my life.” Rafe looked across her towards Cam. “Your new boss is interesting.”

Cam grinned. “I think my new boss is slightly insane.” Cam’s open, easy smile told her he was looking forward to working with the Sheriff. She studied him for a moment as he and Rafe talked about what had gone on. Cam didn’t seem uneasy. He’d walked around introducing himself to people, telling them all about how he was the new deputy. If he was ashamed of his new job, he didn’t show it.

Rafe had been right behind him, though he’d been quieter than usual. Laura hadn’t missed how he’d spoken to Nate and the mayor before the meeting had begun. He’d had a series of notes that Laura hadn’t had a chance to peek at. She seriously suspected he was the one behind the “no woman left unescorted” rule.

Holly walked up, a big grin on her face. “I always knew Henry was hiding the dark heart of a predator.” Henry? Laura laughed. “Henry loves Nell. He just proved he’s a guy. Though I was worried for a moment that he would join her in her nude protest.”

“Nah,” Cam said. “That dude’s a total freak. I bet he spanks her regularly.”

Rafe concurred. “Absolutely. I was watching him. He would be very indulgent, but he’s also possessive. She would be able to push him very far, but once his foot is down, it would not come back up.”

“Is this that profiling stuff?” Holly asked.

“No,” Cam replied, giving Holly that good-old-boy grin that caused Laura’s heart to speed up. Holly was a beautiful woman. How long would it be before Cam gave up on her and went after Holly?

Could she really bear to watch her best friend with one of her men?

Why was she even thinking that? They were just talking to each other.

“I’m a guy, too. I know how I am. If a man really loves a woman, he’s bound to be possessive.

“And he certainly wouldn’t allow his woman to walk around showing off what belongs to him,” Rafe said, staring squarely at her.

Holly’s stare bounced back and forth as though watching an amusing tennis match. “Well, here in Bliss, we have some awfully liberal clothing-optional laws.”

Cam frowned. “No, you don’t. I was given all the codes, and I was informed to strictly enforce the dress code. The Naturist Community is the only place where it’s relaxed. Well, and apparently the pond behind the Harper Stables and that other place Henry said—the guesthouse—but I don’t know what that is yet.” Stef Talbot laughed, a silky sound. “I’m sure you’ll find out, Deputy Briggs. Most people do.”

Laura threw him her most intimidating stare. Stef’s guesthouse was a playroom. It was filled with sex toys and totally equipped for BDSM play. Cam and Rafe were not going there.

“As to that end, gentlemen, would you please join me in my office?” Stef asked. “There’s something I would like to talk to you about.”

Cam and Rafe stood and agreed to meet with Stef. Laura pulled Stef back. “What is this about?”

Stef’s eyebrows rose, and he went from friendly to intimidating in a second. “You, of course. I understand your men are staying. Did you not think we would welcome them properly? It’s just some guy talk and perhaps a Scotch.”

“They aren’t my men.”

Stef shrugged her off. “Well, then what I say to them isn’t your business. Logan is going to watch you.” Laura looked, and the big deputy was standing close by. He tipped his hat to her, but didn’t smile. Damn, when was that boy going to smile again? “Stef, I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Consider him a bodyguard. And don’t even try to tell me you don’t need one of those.” Stef nodded and walked off toward the hallway that led to the town hall’s offices. Stef held the title of Bliss’s County Engineer and kept an office there.

Jen put a hand on her arm. “He means well, Laura. Don’t worry about it. He won’t do anything to hurt you.” She looked across the hall. “Oh, crap. I think Rachel’s about to break her vow not to kill someone around her daughter.” Jen ran off.

Holly stood up and put an arm around her. “Are you sure this is the way you want to go? Those men seem to really care about you.” And that was the trouble. They loved her. They weren’t thinking straight. She couldn’t stand the thought that one day they would wake up and realize everything they had given up to be with her. “It wouldn’t work. I don’t want to marry anyone.”

“Okay,” Holly said, but Laura could tell she didn’t believe her.

Wolf walked up, a smile on his handsome face. “Holly, I’ve been assigned to escort you home. Your chariot awaits, if you consider a big-ass truck to be a chariot, darlin’.” Holly started to smile, but a low voice cut through the crowd.

“No.”

Laura turned with Wolf and Holly to see Caleb Burke standing close, his hands in his pockets and a ferocious frown on his face. The gorgeous doctor was staring a hole through Wolf.

“No?” Wolf asked.

Caleb shook his head. “No.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“No.” Caleb walked up and placed a hand on Holly’s elbow. “She needs someone to drive her home. It’s not going to be you. Come on.” Holly was staring up at the doctor as she allowed herself to be led off.

“Do I smell or something?” Wolf asked. “Because I can’t seem to catch a break today.”

Laura watched as Holly walked off with the doctor. “He’s one of those guys who can’t seem to commit, but doesn’t want to let go.”

“Well, I wasn’t hitting on her,” Wolf protested.

Laura raised an eyebrow.

“Much,” Wolf admitted. “Hey, I’m on the rebound.” He turned very serious. “Those men keep watching you.” She turned and saw who he meant. Joe, Edward, and that asshole Brad were talking amongst themselves, ignoring everyone around them. They stared at her in turns and talked behind their hands as though deciding on an assessment.

“They’re trying to decide if I’m going to be murdered tonight,” Laura said.

Wolf paled. “No.”

“Now you sound like Caleb.”

“Damn it, Laura, I know Rafe and Cam offered to take you away.

Tell me they didn’t.”

“They did.”

“Then why the hell aren’t you gone? Why aren’t you miles down the road?”

No one understood. “I have to face him. I ran once, and now there’s another dead girl. I’m the one who got away. He’ll come after me. He has to. It isn’t in his nature to leave something undone. He’s been stewing for years on the fact that I got away. This is the only way to catch him. If he’s allowed to continue, he’ll never stop.”

“Fine, then let someone else be the decoy,” Wolf suggested.

“Surely they can bring in someone with your height and coloring.” She’d thought of that herself, but discarded the notion. “It won’t fool him. He’s very clever, and for all I know, he would be the one picking the decoy.”

Wolf breathed deeply, his chest expanding. “You seriously think he’s already here?”

“I know it. He’s here, Wolf, and he will come for me.” Laura turned and walked off, Logan following behind her. She needed to find a bathroom. She had an interview to do.

* * *

“Scotch?” Stef Talbot asked, holding up a crystal decanter of amber liquid.