Free Where One Road Leads by Cerian Hebert Page B

hand but he didn’t withdraw it. “There was more to that night than me slamming on the brakes. I told you the truth after the accident. You know me, John, you’ve known me nearly all my life.”
    His shoulders started to shake and his face reddened. She wrapped her arms around him. He stood stiffly in her arms, didn’t return the embrace, but he didn’t shove her away. Her body absorbed the shudders that ran through his chest. Moments before, an unlikely person had comforted her and now she was on the giving end. There must’ve been something in the air for these two men to finally believe her.
    Well, maybe not one hundred percent, but she’d take what she could get.
    John pulled back and wiped his eyes off on the sleeve of his jacket. “I’m going home.” Without another word, he headed back down the trail, his shoulders slumped.
    “Well,” Krista murmured when John disappeared down the hill. She glanced at Matt who stared at her. “This is just plain weird. I never expected . . .”
    “I’m just as confused about things as he is, Krista,” Matt admitted seriously. “I’m glad he wasn’t behind the trouble.”
    “My number one suspect is still Ricky. He has more to lose if people start doubting him. What is he doing for a living now, anyway?”
    “He’s a lawyer over in Nashua. His father’s connections have gotten him a long way. He likes his life now. A part of me can’t believe he’d risk it for this, but you may be right. If his story is false and it gets out, he could lose the nice house on the hill and the fiancée.”
    “What a mess,” Krista murmured and closed her eyes. “All I wanted to do was open a youth center to help out the families in this area. I just want to be left alone. I’ve learned to live with others’ ideas of what happened, as sucky as it is. I don’t want the extra troubles.” She opened her eyes and looked toward the land stretched out beneath them. From their height it seemed like they weren’t even a part of that world.
    “They’re still breaking the law, no matter what the circumstances. I think the center is going to do a lot for this community. Whoever is targeting you will be caught.”
    He was right, of course. But she considered it more trouble down the road for her. Perhaps more contempt, too.
    Despite the perfect sky and the brilliant landscape, and despite the moment of truce between her and Matt, Krista felt her afternoon was spoiled now. The wind didn’t blow as fresh, just chilly. The sun had begun its descent behind the trees. Gus had settled back at her feet, relaxed now and looking sleepy.
    “I’d better get back to my car. Thanks for being at the right place at the right time.” She glanced at him.
    Matt seemed to study her closely. She couldn’t imagine what thoughts went through his head. Maybe all the problems she had brought back to Quail Ridge. Was he regretting the way he embraced her before John Frechette intruded? Or her intrusion into his life once more?
    “I’m walking you back,” he told her, his voice firm in case she decided to argue.
    “No, that’s not necessary. I’ll be fine on my own. I’ve got pepper spray and Gus.”
    “Too bad, I’m walking you. Come on, it’s starting to get cold.”
    She could’ve said no again, but Matt had made up his mind, so she let him follow her back down the path. In fact, she was grateful for his company. If she’d gone alone, she would’ve been clutching the pepper spray for dear life, expecting bad guys to be hiding behind every tree. Obviously having Matt there had scared them all away.
    She’d never admit such a thing to Matt. Instead, Krista kept her back straight and her stride strong as they descended from the ridge.
    When they got to the bottom of the trail, she was puzzled to only see her Jeep there.
    “Where did you park?”
    “I walked from home. There’s a trailhead about a quarter mile from my house. On the other end of the ridge.”
    Krista rolled her eyes. “Get