Logan was six foot tall, but his brother looked more on par with Rowdy, around six-four. Construction work had left him leanly muscled. Dash's hair was a little lighter, but he and Logan shared the same dark eyes. Except that Dash's gaze was more mischievous. He looked at Pepper and grinned like a scoundrel. She had no doubt that Dash would be popular with the women.

He said, "Hi there."

Before Pepper could reply, Reese pushed in behind him, all but knocking Dash over. "Stop ogling her. She's been through enough tonight, ya know?"

Not in the least insulted, Dash went to the dining table to set down three big bags of groceries and then came forward with his hand extended. "And you must be Rowdy?"

Her brother accepted the handshake.

"Nice place you have."

"Yeah, it was plenty private till Logan decided he had to take it over. I've never even brought a woman here." He turned to Pepper. "I might have to make him buy me a new place now. What do you think?"

Without censoring her thoughts, she asked, "Can he afford to do that?"

"Shoot, yeah. He didn't tell you that he's loaded?"

He sort of had, but...

"Knock it off, Dash." Logan closed and locked the door. "Make yourself useful and show her a room to use."

Dash grinned some more. "Any preferences?"

"Let her pick. I don't care."

"I'll give her one next to the bathroom, then." Dash opened a closet to retrieve fresh bedding, then waited for her to join him.

Rowdy pulled her close first. "I'm going to take off. The sooner I get on this, the sooner we can put it behind us."

She opened her mouth, and he said, "No, don't argue, kiddo. I know what I'm doing. Just remember what I told you, okay?"

Logan scowled over that. Dash turned away to give them a modicum of privacy. Reese just crossed his arms and leaned back on the table.

"I won't forget."

"Yeah, well, this time it'd be great if you remember and follow along."

Pepper couldn't help but squeeze her brother tight. "I will, if you promise to come back in one piece."

"Guaranteed."

In such a small and open space, with three big men listening in, there could be no such thing as privacy.

At the moment, she didn't care. "I love you, Rowdy."

He hugged her right off her feet, stealing her breath for a double beat of time. Then he turned away and headed for the door, saying to Logan, "Walk me out."

Pepper stood there, staring at the open door, until Reese said, "I brought in the clothes you had in the trunk."

That drew her from her melancholy thoughts. "So you went through our belongings?" Jerk.

Reese just shrugged. "Looked to me like you were well prepared."

"Not for a bomb."

That gave him pause. "No, I guess not." He handed her overloaded bag to Dash.

If he wanted a "thank you" he was doomed to disappointment.

But he said only, "Go on with Dash.

While you settle in your room, I'll put together some food. You have to be getting hungry."

Damn it. She could go on disliking him more easily if he'd stop trying to be nice. Grudgingly, she nodded. "Thanks."

Dash smiled at her. "If your brother is anything like mine, he's probably unstoppable. Try not to worry too much."

It'd be easier not to breathe.

Rather than follow Dash into the bedroom he opened, she looked at each door. "Where does Logan usually sleep?"

"The room here in the center. It's a security thing for him. He can't turn it off even when he's sleeping."

"What about you?"

"I'll take whatever room you don't use. Reese will use the couch."

So Reese was not only sticking around, but he'd be near the front door, ensuring she couldn't sneak away? Not that she'd planned to anyway, but it bugged her all the same.

"Fine. I'll take the room closest to Logan."

Dash bit off a smile. "There's a bathroom through here. The water heater is miniscule, so if you want a hot shower, you have to make it fast."

The bedrooms were spacious but sparsely furnished. Twin-size beds, one dresser, one nightstand, one small lamp.

Dash set a couple of plain quilts, sheets and a single pillow on the bed.

"Want me to make it up for you?"

"I can do it." She took the bag from him, gave him a pointed look so that he'd leave, and then shut the door behind him. Dropping down to the bed, she wondered what to do now.

She was hungry, damn Reese. But with the windows now open, she could smell the lake-and that made up her mind for her. Forget the shower. As soon as she got the bed together, she'd freshen herself with a late-night swim.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

REESE STEPPED OUT to the front deck. He had to move around a bit before he finally got reception on his cell. No calls from Alice something-or-other. But she had to wonder why he hadn't returned yet.

Disgruntled, he punched her number and waited past four rings before she answered in a very sleepy voice.

"Hello?"

"I woke you?" Where the hell was his dog?

"Who is this?"

He heard the uncertainty in her voice, but he didn't understand it. "It's Reese."

Silence.

"You have my dog?"

"Oh. Yes."

He looked around, but Logan was still with Rowdy, and Dash was inside keeping watch over Pepper Yates.

Hoping the fresh, cooler night air off the lake would revive him a little, Reese filled his lungs. "I hate to ask this, but do you think you could keep him overnight?"

"Okay."

He waited. And waited some more.

But she didn't ask a single question. He cracked first. "I have a situation with work."

"It's all right. We'd already gone to bed anyway."

We? No, he wouldn't pry. "Is Cash behaving?"

"He snores, but he's very sweet."

"Snores? You have him in bed with you?"

A longer pause, and then, "Since he joined me there, I assumed that was where you let him sleep."

Ah, she'd allowed Cash to stick close. Nice. He did do the same, but then, it was his dog. "I really appreciate this. I should be able to get him sometime in the afternoon." Or not, depending on how things went with this whole exercise in idiocy. "But let me know if anything comes up, okay?"

"He's fine. I'm off tomorrow, so it's not a problem."

It occurred to Reese that he didn't know enough about her-like where she worked. But maybe they could set up an arrangement. She appeared to like Cash, and he was gone too damn much to be a really good pet owner. Maybe he could pay her as a pet sitter or something- "Is there anything else, Detective Bareden?"

"Yeah. Call me Reese."

More silence.

He gave up. "I'll let you get back to bed, then. Again, thank you."

"You're welcome." And she hung up.

Frustrating. Confounding. A little annoying...

So then, why was he smiling?

LOGAN WAITED while Rowdy went

through the belongings in his trunk.

Though he'd had a motel room, he obviously lived out of his car.

Always ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

Logan made note of the clothes, food, water, first aid and shaving kit, a few weapons with additional ammo...and a stuffed bear?

While Rowdy rearranged things, Logan lifted the tattered bear. A faded red ribbon remained around the brown bear's neck. One ear hung loose. Certain spots were worn thin.

A sick feeling twisted his heart.

Glancing at him, Rowdy said quietly, "That's Pepper's."

He'd assumed as much. "She's kept it?"

Rowdy shrugged. "She wanted me to keep it for her."

In the trunk, ready to go...in case they had to leave.

What if Rowdy had gotten spooked by his presence? What if he'd uprooted Pepper and taken off? Logan could have lost her before he'd even realized how much she meant to him.

With practiced ease, Rowdy dropped the clip in his Glock, checked that it was loaded, then put it in again. "That shabby little bear is the only toy she's ever had.

She used to sleep with it when she was little. Every so often our folks would...

overimbibe, and Pepper would hide the bear."

"Why?"