Page 2 of Critical Doubt

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for my friend—for Abby." She tipped her head toward Paul's widow.

"You're friends with Paul's wife?" he asked, surprised again.

"Since we were kids. I spent most of my childhood in Dobbs."

"I had no idea."

She drew in a breath. "I know who you are. Abby showed me a photo of Paul's team two years ago, and you were in it. I had no idea you knew Paul when we…"

"Slept together?" he finished when her voice drifted away.

"Well, I don't recall us doing much sleeping, but yes. You're Ryker Stone."

"And you're way ahead of me. What's your name?"

"Savannah."

"Savannah," he echoed. "I guess that fits you, being a Georgia girl and all. But I thought you were from Texas, like the other dancers."

Her gaze shifted, and a flush spread across her cheeks. "I wasn't one of the dancers."

"You weren't? I don't understand. You lied to me?" More surprise ran through him. The perfect woman on the perfect night was starting to look not so perfect.

"I didn't lie. You assumed I was with the other entertainers. I just didn’t tell you I wasn't."

"Why?"

"Does it matter?"

"I think it does. Why lie? What were you doing in Doha that night if you weren't with the show?"

"I don't want to get into all that now. Excuse me."

Before he could protest, she was gone—again. His lips tightened at her abrupt departure as more questions ran through his mind.Why had she let him assume she was someone she wasn't?Now he was more than a little curious to know exactly who she was.

But as Savannah moved across the room, he thought it might be just as well that she was gone. He wasn't the man she'd slept with. Maybe he didn't need her to see who he was now.

He did wonder if Savannah had told Abby she'd slept with him. She'd said she'd become aware of his identity two years earlier.If Savannah had told Abby about their night, wouldn't Abby have told Paul? Wouldn't Paul have come after him, demanding to know what had happened, why he'd messed around with his wife's friend?But Paul had never said a word. And as far as he knew, the only person on his team who even knew about the beautiful blonde in Doha had been Carlos, who'd been on leave with him.

Just thinking about his favorite wingman brought another wave of sadness. Carlos had died in the ambush, along with Leo Romano. He still hadn't come to terms with their deaths. Now he had to find a way to make peace with Paul's passing, and that didn't seem possible.

But he had to start somewhere and that meant talking to Abby. He hadn't spoken to her in probably three years, not since the team had been moved from Fort Benning, which was an hour away, to Fort Lewis in Washington State. Abby hadn't wanted to make the move, because Tyler had been sick, and she needed to be close to her family, close to Tyler's doctors. Paul hadn't wanted her to stay behind, but he knew that he'd be gone more than he was home anyway, and it was better for Tyler and Abby to stay in Georgia.

It was probably better now, too, because Abby and Tyler had a support system that they would need even more now that Paul was gone.

Drawing in a breath, Ryker knew he couldn’t keep stalling. But as he took a step in Abby's direction, he saw Savannah grab Abby's hand and pull her toward the side door of the auditorium.

Savannah told everyone in the near vicinity that Abby needed a minute. And then they slipped outside.

He let out a breath of relief. He needed a minute, too. Maybe more than one.

"I can't do this," Abby whispered to Savannah, as they stepped onto the quiet patio. "It's too much."

"Just breathe," Savannah told her, forcing herself to take a few deep breaths as well. She was happy that they had the patio to themselves.

She'd been expecting the funeral to be difficult but running into Ryker had only made things worse. She'd thought he might show up, but she hadn’t let that stop her from coming. Abby needed her, and she owed Abby more than she could ever repay.