Safe in His Arms Read Free

dodge bullets for real. Delia would have called him “a hunk,” and Lindsay would have been too awkward around him to even speak, if this had been a social situation. It wasn’t.
    â€œMy sister died in that accident.”
    Immediately, Lindsay was sorry for being so blunt, and she felt even guiltier when the woman glanced over at her with a compassionate look on her face.
    â€œI’m so sorry.”
    â€œI’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have said it that way.” Sheshook her head. “I just can’t recall much about that day, and I’d hoped that Trooper Rossetti could fill in some of the details.”
    â€œI’m sure he’ll try.” Clara turned back to the computer, scanning down through an appointment schedule. “How about at thirteen hundred—one o’clock—tomorrow?”
    Not the best time, but Lindsay would try to work with it. “So I’ll meet him here?”
    Clara nodded and then turned back to her screen. “I’ll get a message out to him.”
    â€œThanks.” Lindsay tucked the papers she’d brought with her back into her purse and settled it on her shoulder. Then, retrieving her cane, she started toward the door.
    â€œMiss Collins,” Clara called after her and waited until she looked back at her. “Have you ever considered that you might be better off not remembering every detail of your accident? That knowing might only cause more pain?”
    â€œYes, I’ve thought about that. I’ve been thinking about that for the past six months.” Lindsay chewed the side of her lower lip and then straightened and nodded. She could do this; she owed it to Delia. She would get this right for her sake. “And I still want to know.”

Chapter Two
    J oe leaned against the counter in the radio room, crossing his arms and his ankles and putting on his best frown. He didn’t know why he bothered trying to look annoyed when Clara was so obviously ignoring him as she tapped away on her keyboard.
    â€œWhy did you set this up on my day off, anyway?”
    Her shoulder lifted and dropped, but she didn’t turn back to him. “What else did you have to do this afternoon?”
    â€œI’m sure I could have found something.”
    Joe glanced down at his khaki shorts and striped polo shirt as he stepped out into the visitor area. He felt out of place without his uniform and the air of authority that came with it. The idea of meeting with Lindsay Collins today didn’t sit well with him, but he had no one to blame but himself for agreeing to it. He had to admit, though, that he would have agreed to anything yesterday to avoid the question Lindsay had asked him. Even to delay it.
    â€œPretty, isn’t she?”
    â€œI hadn’t noticed.” Or tried not to. And failed.
    â€œYou noticed, all right. It’s about time you started noticing again. At thirty-four, you—”
    â€œIf you’re about to mention my biological clock, you can stop right there. Wrong gender.”
    â€œYou said it. I didn’t.”
    The door opened before he could tell Clara to stay out of his personal life. Lindsay started inside, her hair pulled back into a long ponytail, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. Effortless beauty. Julianne Moore with all that red hair and none of the paparazzi.
    Joe cleared his throat and squashed those thoughts at the same time. If those musings weren’t signals that he should cancel this meeting, then he didn’t know what was. He needed to establish a professional distance with this woman, where he’d failed the night of the accident. He would tell her that everything he knew was already in the police report and send her on her way. Simple, right? Right.
    Lindsay was leaning heavily on her cane and appeared to be struggling with the door, so he stepped over and pushed it wide for her. The source of her struggle was attached to her other hand: a