Free Nobody's Hero by Liz Lee

shook her head trying to clear it, but all she could see was the new headline and the photo of the woman she didn’t know who looked just like her and the news footage of Charlie’s plane wreck and the dog walker standing in her back yard with that gun.
    “Oh my God, Riley. My dad ...” She stopped and tried to catch her breath, but her heart was beating too hard. It thudded in her chest as if she were in the middle of a marathon. Her head felt like it would explode any second.
    “We’ve got to call someone, Riley. The FBI, the CIA. Someone. Anyone. We need help.”
    “Shhh.” He pulled her close, hugged her tight and whispered against her ear. “It’s okay, Callah. It’s okay.”
    His touch calmed her some, but not enough. She wasn’t sure he heard her. Pushing away she tried to make him understand. “An FBI agent has talked to my best friend, Riley. My dad…” She couldn’t say anything else, couldn’t make her voice work any more.
    One minute she was falling apart slowly and the next she was crying uncontrollably. And this time when he pulled her close, she let him hold her, rock her softly as she said the words again and again. “My dad, Riley. My dad.”

    Riley brushed the tear soaked hair off Callah’s face and let her cry as he held her.
    Tears freaked him out, but she needed this. When she stopped crying, he still held her, silently hugging her close, giving her the time she needed to recover.
    When she finally did, she pulled away and covered her face with her hands. “God, I’m such a mess.”
    “You’re not a mess, Callah. You’re human. You’ve had a difficult day and it just got worse. Even strong women need to cry sometimes.”
    She laughed bitterly. “I’m not strong at all, Riley. You have no idea how weak I am.”
    He had to make her see she was wrong. “I think you’re probably one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. You left everything and started over. You’ve faced the media speculation about your ex’s death with grace. You’re here with me now.”
    She didn’t look like she believed a word he said, but she didn’t argue with him. After a few seconds she repeated her earlier words. “We need to call someone, Riley. This is too big for me to just stay here, hidden away, putting you in danger.”
    “I’ll be fine. And we’re not calling anyone yet. My brother said he’ll be here soon. We can at least wait until we hear back from him.”
    Biting her bottom lip, she nodded. “Okay. We’ll wait. But if it gets too dangerous, we’re calling someone.”
    The last thing in the world she needed to worry about was him, but he could see she wasn’t budging this time, so after a few seconds, he agreed.  
    And then he set out to help her move on. “You want to see if the story’s online yet?”
    She shook her head, surprising him. “No.”
    “You sure?” He definitely wanted to.
    “Positive. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is the press rarely tells the real story. No offense, Riley, but your profession isn’t about the truth. It’s about ratings and sales.”
    He couldn’t argue with her there. “Good reporters find the truth and while doing so gain readers and viewers.”
    “I haven’t met a good reporter interested in the truth then.”
    “Ouch.” He smiled so she’d see he wasn’t really offended.
    “I’m not necessarily talking about you. You’re not just a reporter.”
    “I’m not?” He liked the way her cheeks reddened slightly under his perusal. Liked that she saw him as more than a reporter. Because as much as he wanted this story, he wanted her safety more.
    “You’re a friend, too.”

    The loop-de-loop was back. Even now in the midst of this hell, his smile made her stomach drop to her toes. She needed to get away from him before she did something stupid like kiss him again.
    Standing, she moved across the room and then faced him. “I’m sorry about earlier.”
    His brow furrowed in confusion. “Earlier?”
    God,