“Lily. Lily Campbell.”

“You’re welcome here any time. Might as well know now that I’m real likely to ask you to dinner one of these days.”

“I won’t hold you to it,” she promised him, and with a smile, aimed for the door.

He almost followed her out, wanting to ask a few more questions-she’d raised more curiosity and interest than he could simply let go of-but then Jason showed up from the back room. Jason was scruffy and scrawny and looked chronically underfed. The kid worked harder than a dog, never back talked, never looked up if he had a choice. The shiner on his right eye was new since yesterday, and he was walking too careful, like something hurt out of sight.

Griff turned away from her and aimed for the kid. The stranger was pretty and puzzling and appealing, but when push came down to shove…well, there just wasn’t a choice. The kids had to come first.

By the time he had a chance to glance back, Lily Campbell was already out the door and had disappeared from sight. But he knew damn well he’d track her down and find out the story before another full day passed.

Recharged and renewed, Lily felt as if she’d gotten her pluck back. Even heading outside into the furnace heat and humidity didn’t dent her determination this time. She jogged across the last street and headed up the steps to the old, redbrick police station. Only then did her heartbeat catch up with her, and she had to suck in a gulp of air.

She’d felt alone before. She’d been alone before. When it came down to it, she’d felt alone ever since she was eight years old. Her two sisters meant the world to her…but this was different. Either they didn’t remember the fire, or they didn’t remember the tragic events of that long ago night the way she did.

She was tired of being haunted.

Quietly, she pulled open the door. The view inside might not be familiar, but it seemed triter than truth, nothing unexpected. Likely, every small-town police department had a similar long counter, a range of battered gray desks, linoleum that was always going to look scuffed. The place smelled vaguely of disinfectant and perspiration.