Free Silent Witness by Diane Burke Page A

acceptance of the present situation.
    But he was wrong.
    What he hadn’t counted on was Lizzie.
    Her love of life and outgoing personality filled whatever room she entered with an energy that couldn’t be ignored. Everything he had loved about her then—her compassion for others, her sense of humor, her integrity, her sense of responsibility—had only grown and matured over the years.
    Lizzie, draped protectively over a sleeping child. Lizzie, standing toe to toe with him, not afraid, not compromising her beliefs and forcing him to defend his therapy plan. Lizzie, in pain and trapped inside a vehicle, still in control and issuing orders to save others. Lizzie, bleeding, limping, frail.
    Adam’s throat closed and he swallowed a lump of unshed tears.
    She was still his Lizzie—if only he could chip through that cold, hard, protective shell she’d built around her heart and show her how he felt.
    Dear Lord, help me. How am I going to win back a woman who doesn’t want to be won? I’ll give it my all, Lord, but I’m afraid this time my all won’t be enough. She’s built her armor too strong, her protective wall too tall. Only You can soften her heart. Please, Lord, show me the way to gain her forgiveness. I can’t bear losing her all over again.
    “Adam?”
    He heard a female voice call his name just seconds before eighty pounds of bounding yellow Lab jumped up on him.
    “Down, Rerun.” He hugged the dog and gently pushed his forepaws off his body and to the ground. Tousling the dog’s fur, he raised his eyes in search of its owner. “Hi, Charlie.”
    “‘Hi, Charlie’? That’s all you have to say?”
    He arched an eyebrow.
    “The good Lord in Heaven must have been riding shotgun with you on this one.” The petite redheaded woman reached out and touched the white gauze bandage on his forehead. “You’re hurt.”
    Before Adam could utter a word, she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. “You big, dumb lummox. You could have gotten yourself killed.”
    Liz loudly cleared her throat and drew their attention.
    Adam looked into Liz’s eyes. He wasn’t surprised to see the unspoken accusation lurking there. She’d made it painfully obvious from the moment he’d arrived back in town that nothing he said or did would be right with her.… But he wasn’t prepared for the pain he saw in those pale blue eyes, as well. Was she jealous? Was it too much to hope that she could possibly still harbor feelings for him? Yes, it probably was. Not after all these years. Not after everything he’d done. All he’d seen so far was indifference and a chill that made him want to wear thermal underwear in August.
    Adam reached up and unhooked the woman’s arms from around his neck. He felt as guilty as a boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, even though he knew he didn’t have a doggone thing to feel guilty about.
    “Lizzie…”
    Liz stepped forward and extended her hand to the woman. “I’m Sheriff Bradford.”
    They shook hands but not before Charlie sent a questioning glance his way. She’d picked up on the emotional undercurrents racing between him and the sheriff. She just hadn’t figured out yet what they were.
    “Hello, Sheriff. I’m Charlene Haddonfield. My friends call me Charlie.” She reached down and patted the golden Lab lying patiently at her feet. “This is Rerun.”
    Liz’s emotions slipped behind an unreadable mask. She locked her gaze with Adam’s. “This is Charlie? This is the person who is moving into the house with you and Jeremy?”
    Adam hurried to explain before she added one more transgression against him. “Charlie is moving into the house with all of us. She’s been working with me off and on for years. She trains dogs and is working on a pilot program to provide support dogs for autistic children.”
    Liz smiled first at Charlie and then at Rerun. “May I pet him?”
    “Yes. Thanks for asking. So many people approach guide dogs