With that, he stomped to the door, jerked it open, and slammed it behind him with enough force that she wondered if the wood cracked. The entire room seemed to take a deep, collective breath.
“Well, it’s just about time,” Roger Oakley, the thin, bespectacled floor manager said in a deep bass voice that never failed to startle her. “Maybe the rest of us can get a little peace from his harping now.” He stood and nodded to Sallie. “Good job, Ms. Hamblen. Damn good job.”
The department heads followed him from the office, the door finally closing more quietly behind them and allowing Sallie to let out her own deep breath. Hell, she hadn’t even known she’d been holding it until that moment.
“I’ll catch the calls the department heads will be sending in after they’re back downstairs,” Tara announced, moving to the door herself.
Jacob followed her to it, opened it, spoke to her briefly, then let her out and locked the door once it was closed again.
“Damn good job, Ms. Hamblen.” Jacob grinned at her, his expression approving as he stepped beside her once again, then bent to deliver a quick, hard kiss to her lips. “Are we done here now?”
The tension in his big body hadn’t abated, nor had the hard gleam of intensity in his eyes softened in the least. He still looked like a warrior going into battle at any second.
“Done,” she assured him. “Tara can take care of the rest of it. I just need to wait for confirmation that he’s left the property.”
She didn’t trust Davison. Tara had the two security guards waiting when Davison left, with orders to take the other man straight to his desk to clear out his belongings, then to his car and to watch him leave. Roy Davison was a known troublemaker when he was pissed off.
“I told Tara to contact Kenny. He’s outside with two of the hands just in case. They’ll make certain he leaves.” He shrugged, stepping to the window to the side of her desk and looking out briefly. “They’ll take care of it.”
He was prepared, but he hadn’t known she was firing Davison.
“What kind of trouble are you expecting, Jacob?” she asked worriedly, watching him as she felt panic begin to edge at her mind. “You have men at the house, here, and I know we were followed from the ranch.”
“I have men in place just in case. That’s what I do, baby, prepare for the worst.” And that explanation sounded really logical, except his expression was tighter now, harder.
“And lie,” she suggested, her tone low as she deliberate stilled the tremble in her fingers. “Now tell me the truth.”
Jacob wasn’t just prepared. As the morning had progressed, he’d become quieter, more intense, more watchful.
He paced around her desk again before turning to stare at her.
“The truth,” he murmured. “The truth is, I just want you back at the ranch where I know for a fact you’re safe, baby. I’m not comfortable right now with so many around. Once we find John, or Deverson’s partner, then we’ll know more. Until then, I don’t know who the hell to watch for, or which direction danger might come from. These people aren’t logical or sane. They’re fanatics. And fanatics never do what you want or expect them to do.”
She took a deep breath, let it out, then rose to her feet and slid her tablet back into her bag.
“I’m ready, then. I just have to stop at the house for a few more things, then I’ll be good for a while at the ranch.” Looping the straps of her bag over her shoulder, she faced him with what she hoped was a fearless expression. “Lead on.”
As Jacob drove to the house, Sallie stared at the passing scenery as she fought back her fear and the edging panic. She tried to tell herself Deverson’s death signaled the beginning of the end, and once John was found, it would be taken care of. Jacob wouldn’t feel that he had to protect her every minute and she could finally live with the knowledge that she was safe.
But she knew finding John came with other risks. She had her own secrets, and the chances of her ex-husband revealing them were high. For all his faults, for all the secrets he’d kept from her, he’d never lied to her, unless the lie of omission counted. And he’d always warned her that secrets got more men killed than the truth ever had.
She should have gone to Jacob when she first realized he was in Deer Haven. When she had known beyond a shadow of a doubt that what she felt for him in Switzerland hadn’t died. She hadn’t done either of them any favors by remaining silent.
“You’re too quiet.” Jacob’s voice was a dark rumble that stroked over her senses, caressed her even when he wasn’t touching her. “I know you’re frightened, but we’ll get this taken care of.”
She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.
“I was just thinking,” she assured him, hoping the smile she shot him was convincing before she stared in front of her again. “Davison gave in too easily, perhaps. I expected more of a fight.” She latched on to the excuse.
It wasn’t a lie. Roy Davison had capitulated a little too easily as far as she was concerned. He wasn’t a man to step back, even when faced with someone stronger. He was a bully, true, and most were cowards. Davison was one of the rare few that had never shown cowardice. He’d fight as easily as he’d threaten, and just because his opponent was stronger, didn’t mean he’d back down. He saw it more as a challenge, she’d always thought.
“Davison has his faults, but he’s not a stupid man,” Jacob mused. “I was surprised he was playing with his job that way, even to get back at you or Dillerman. Kenny knows Davison better than most. I’ll talk to him, see if there’s anything we should know about.”
Sallie frowned over at him in surprise. “Why would you do that?”
He scratched at his cheek, his expression a bit sheepish. “Because he acted out of character.” He shrugged. “That’s what I do, Sallie. This is my home. I’m related to just about everyone here in one way or another, including Davison, and there was a time I would have trusted him to back me in a fight. So it concerns me that he let jealousy of a job get into his head like that.”
Sallie watched him thoughtfully now, frowning.
“He’s always been a bit confrontational with me,” she admitted. “Never to the point that I felt threatened, but I never knew what to expect from him.”
“I saw that.” He nodded. “He’s a crusty bastard, I’m not denying that. I just want to make certain something besides the job isn’t driving it.”
She tilted her head, that undefined something that had always drawn her to him suddenly given definition. On the outside, Jacob might pretend otherwise, but he genuinely cared about people, especially those he knew.
“You’re a softie, Jacob Donovan,” she accused him with a sudden sense of lighthearted fun. “All scowls on the outside and melted butter on the inside.”
He laughed at the description. “Keep tellin’ yourself that, baby,” he suggested, flashing her a teasing grin. “And when I get around to that spanking I owe you, I’ll remind you of it.”
She had little doubt that when that spanking came, she’d enjoy the hell out of it. He’d never hurt her. She knew that all the way to deepest part of her soul. He would never do anything, physically or emotionally, to hurt her.