Free Lone Wolfe Protector by Kaylie Newell Page A

decide to work closer with you on this, you’ll have to listen when I tell you to back off. Got it?”
    Maggie beamed. For the first time since arriving in Wolfe Creek, she felt a faint glimmer of hope. Like she might not end up flopping around like a fish out of water after all. Candi had said the deputies around here might be able to help. And she’d been right.
    She nodded, wanting to hug him.
    “And this is more of an OSP and FBI investigation at this point than anything else. You have to accept that. We’re assisting. Those guys don’t like their toes stepped on. It doesn’t do to piss them off. Understand?”
    “Yes. Perfectly.”
    “One more thing. And you’re probably not gonna like this one.”
    “Anything.” Maggie trembled.
    “If you’re going to be my sounding board on some of these theories, you’re going to have to try and see this from a cop’s point of view. Not a friend’s. You’ve got to try and see the big picture.”
    “Yes. I—”
    He cut her off. “You have to open your mind to the possibility of things not happening that night like you thought.”
    Maggie understood. He wanted her to be prepared for a rough ride and a painful ending. As incredibly difficult as that might be.
    “I’ll be open-minded. I promise.”
    His face relaxed a little. “Good.”
    “Thank you, Koda. Can I still call you Koda?”
    “We’ve had dinner together. It seems weird for you to call me Deputy now.”
    Grinning, she rubbed her hands together. “Where do we start?”
    “We start by not telling anyone we had this conversation. Even though I think most people in this town are good people, your hillbilly assessment was fairly on the money. There are some folks who wouldn’t like it if they knew you were being given information about this case.”
    Goose bumps that had nothing to do with the cold sprouted along Maggie’s arms. And there it was again. A warning. She found herself wondering just what they would do if they found out. It scared her. Plenty. But she did feel a little safer as an acquaintance of Koda Wolfe’s. And without thinking about it, she stepped closer. The constant feeling of being watched was always stronger next to these woods.
    “The less digging you do on your own, the better,” he said. “We need to be smart about this. I’m not going to jeopardize your safety, period.”
    “Got it.”
    “Okay.”
    She was trying to keep her teeth from chattering.
    “Cold?”
    “A little.” What a lie. She was freezing her privates off out here.
    “Should probably think about heading down the mountain to get some warmer clothes if you’re going to be spending the winter here,” he said, looking at her shoes.
    “What? You don’t like Sketchers?”
    “I don’t like the thought of your toes falling off from frost bite, no.”
    “Why thank you, Deputy Wolfe. As much as I like to shop, and I do like to shop, that would require me to get in my car again, and I’m traumatized for life.”
    Frowning, he eyed the cut on her forehead. “I guess you would be. If you’re worried about it, you could always go with Candi. She heads that way every now and then.”
    Maggie nodded. The thought of hanging out with Candi for a few hours sounded good. She hadn’t really prepared herself for how lonely this adventure was going to be. Even now she was dreading going back to her room at the Inn with only the nightmares to keep her company.
    She wiggled her toes. They’d passed numb ten minutes ago and were now working on frozen. Next up? Boots and cozy socks. Things were slowly looking up. Maybe, just maybe, she’d end up accomplishing something by coming here after all.
    “Can I ask you something?” she said, as they turned to walk back the way they’d come.
    “Shoot.” He was closer than before, his arm brushing her shoulder. The feel of it warmed her everywhere, and before she could help it, she was wondering how his bare skin would feel next to hers.
    “What’s this legend I’ve