Free Agent Undercover by Lynette Eason Page A

before making accusations. Paige gestured to the car. “This wasn’t exactly what I wanted to come out and find. What are you doing here, anyway?” she asked.
    “Looking for you.”
    “Well, you found me.”
And I’m still not talking,
she thought, hoping he could read her face. “Why are you being so persistent?”
    “Why are you being so secretive?”
    “Secretive?” Was that how she came across? “Not to be rude, but maybe I just don’t like reporters.”
    “Look, I’m just trying to do my job.” He snorted. “My goal is not to stay in this rinky-dink town for the rest of my life. I need a story to give me the edge over my competitors. Is that so wrong?”
    Without hesitation, she said, “It is when you go about it the way you are.” Narrowing her eyes, she stared at him. “Did you steal my battery?”
    Moore rolled his eyes. “Can I give you a ride or not?”
    Paige bit her lip and looked at her car. Then back at the reporter.
    She supposed she didn’t have a choice unless she wanted to walk—a raindrop splashed on her cheek—and get wet.
    “Let me see some ID,” she said.
    Moore’s left brow shot north. “Why? You don’t believe me?”
    Paige kept silent and just stared. Anyone could spin a good I-just-want-out-of-this-small-town story if he practiced it enough.
    With another impatient roll of his eyes, Moore complied by flashing his newspaper-employee badge.
    Satisfied, she nodded. “Fine. Let me just get my stuff.”
    Another vehicle turned into the parking lot, and Paige breathed a glad sigh when she saw it was Dylan and Will.
    He pulled up beside her and the reporter. Eyes darting between them, he rolled down the window. “Can I help?”
    From the backseat, Will watched the adults. Thankfully, he didn’t look scared, just curious.
    Paige nodded. “Can you give me a ride to my house? Someone stole my car battery.”
    With an eye on the reporter, Dylan nodded. “Hop in.”
    “Oh, come on,” Moore protested. “I just want to talk.” His gaze zeroed in on Will. “Hey, is that the kid? Will he tell me about—”
    “No,” Dylan interrupted, fury erupting on his face. “He won’t.”
    Paige hurried around to the passenger side of Dylan’s car and climbed in. Through Dylan’s still-open window, she called to the reporter, “Thanks, anyway.”
    His eyes narrowed on her, and his lips tightened into a thin line. “See you around, Ms. Worth.”
    Dylan rolled up his window and headed out of the parking lot while Paige pondered Simon Moore’s words. Somehow, they didn’t sound like a nice parting comment. The more she thought about it, the more she decided they might be considered a threat.
    Peering into the rearview mirror, she could see the man still standing beside his car, talking into a cell phone.
    Had he been the one to steal her battery?
    If not … then who? And why?
    Dylan glanced out of the corner of his eye at the woman beside him. Deep in thought, her brow furrowed as she chewed on her bottom lip. “I’m glad I happened to pass the parking lot. Are you all right? You think that reporter stole your battery?”
    She jerked and stared at him. “Yes, I’m okay. Something’s just not right. First the car that nearly ran down—” She stopped and glanced in the rearview mirror.
    “It’s all right. He’s got his earphones on. He’s listening to a book on my iPod.”
    “—then someone breaks in my house and now this,” she finished.
    Dylan’s fingers clenched the wheel. “Broke into your house!”
    Paige blinked at him and snapped her lips together. She blew out a breath and nodded. “Yes. The night I came home from the hospital. Someone broke in. He … ran off when he realized I was awake.”
    Dylan pulled into her driveway and turned the engine off. “Did you call the police?”
    “I reported it.”
    Climbing out of the car, Paige walked ahead of him to open the door to her home. Dylan got Will out and followed her inside.
    “Come on in and get