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Paul shrugged. “You don’t know until you ask.”
With a sigh, she forced herself to lean back in her seat. “How long does it take to install one?”
“Depends on the contractor.”
Elise snorted softly. “Maybe a gun would be the better investment. More immediate.”
“There’s usually a waiting period to purchase a gun.” He shot a glance at her. “Do you even know how to use one?”
“No.” Her lips twisted. “Actually, they scare me.”
“And you don’t want to risk your boys getting their hands on a loaded gun, and loaded is the only way a gun is of use to you.”
Hopelessness washed over her, and she shook her head. “So, what you’re telling me is that I’m basically defenseless in my own home.”
“Not quite. I have a proposition for you.”
Her gaze narrowed on Paul. “What do you mean, a proposition?”
He didn’t look at her but kept his attention on navigating the turn into her driveway. “I could stay with you at night until we catch him.”
Elise’s heart fluttered and her hands grew cold and clammy. She hadn’t lived in the same house with a man since she’d left North Dakota. Heck, she hadn’t trusted herself with another man since.
The last time she’d been with Paul, he’d played with her children in the evacuation shelter. She’d been drawn to the sexy federal agent more than she wanted to admit but chalked it up to vulnerability. Tall, blond and incredibly handsome, Paul remained hard to ignore. But that didn’t matter. She couldn’t get involved withanyone, not now or ever. Not with her track record with men. “No. That’s not possible.”
Her voice quivered and her hands shook as she fumbled for her seat belt. The interior of the truck suddenly too closed in, the air thick with tension. The scent of Paul’s aftershave drifted beneath her defenses, making her think thoughts she hadn’t dared to in a very long time.
Before she could climb down, he was out and holding the door for her. He helped her down and held her arms in his hands. “Please reconsider, Elise.”
The big, yellow bus turned onto Highland Street, its brakes screeching as it came to a halt halfway down the block. The doors opened and a backpack flew off the bus, landing on the pavement. Luke leaped to the ground, laughing.
Brandon clambered down after him, his gaze shooting immediately to where Elise stood in Paul’s arm. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed Luke’s hand, hurrying him home.
“You should go.” Elise could see the storm brewing in Brandon’s eyes.
“Okay, but I’ll be back later.” He stared down into her eyes. “To stay.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Paul climbed into his truck,feeling like he was running away when every instinct told him to stay. He,too, had seen the look on Brandon’s young face. The little guy had been through enough, losing more than a father. Elise wanted to handle her children her own way. He’d give her the space.
For now.
At least until he could get back to the office and have a powwow with Mel. He hadn’t planned on staying with Elise, but he didn’t see any other way to protect her during the dark hours when most people slept.
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called the Kendall County Sheriff’s Department. “This is Special Agent Fletcher, I’d like to speak to Sheriff Engel?”
He pulled into a church parking lot and waited while the operator made the transfer.
“This is the sheriff. What can I do for you, Agent Fletcher?”
“I’d like to meet with you concerning the woman found murdered.”
“This case isn’t in your jurisdiction, unless you’ve got something to share from the FBI?”
“I understand.” He’d known he’d have to dance around Elise’s connection, but he had to open the lines of communication exchange with the men actually working the case. “We can discuss it in further detail when we meet.”
“How’s nine o’clock in the morning? The Denny’s in Breuer. I’m partial to their chicken-fried steak. Justdon’t tell my wife I eat it for breakfast. She’s trying to get me on some danged low-fat diet.”