A Chance Encounter by Lindsay McKenna

shelved, she scooped them up and turned to look at Taylor.
    “When I gave you the exclusive, I was fairly certain you wouldn’t print half-truths. Was I right to trust you?”
    Taylor nodded, his face grave. “You’ll have final approval on anything I write. Fair enough?”
    A wan smile came to her lips. “Yes, that is fair.”
    “You’ll have to give me the truth, though, Katie. All of it.”
    She slowly walked back to the desk, put the books down and then straightened up. “I realize that.”
    “You have nothing to fear, Katie. You saved a man’s life. The public won’t burn you in effigy for that.”
    Sadness lingered in her blue eyes. “The public fears what it doesn’t understand, Taylor. And I will be feared and misunderstood.” She moistened her lips, her voice dropping to a haunting whisper. “You’ve seen just the tip of the iceberg. Half the phone calls are accusatory. The other half are congratulatory. It doesn’t matter what they think, Taylor. They still won’t understand me. And they still won’t leave me alone.”
    Taylor couldn’t understand the sadness in her. He wanted to reach out and comfort Katie, but he realized that holding her wouldn’t help. No, the look in her eyes sent a bolt of fear through him as it slowly dawned on him that Katie Riordan was far more than he had bargained for. The phone rang, bringing them both back to reality. Without breaking eye contact with Katie, Taylor reached for the phone and answered it.
    “Unicorn Bookstore,” he snapped.
    Katie watched Taylor’s face cloud. Automatically she tensed.
    “Who is this? Hey, don’t hang up—damn!” He clenched his teeth, slamming the phone back into the cradle.
    “Who was it?”
    “Your friendly neighborhood arsonist. Something about making sure you wouldn’t stay in Rio Conchos much longer. Hang on. I’m going to call the police.”
    Gooseflesh rose on her arms, and Katie turned away to hide the fear she knew showed on her face. Good Lord, what else could happen? No, she’d better not ask! Rubbing her arms, she wandered aimlessly around the bookstore, trying to collect her scattered thoughts. She was aware of Taylor’s low voice, his tone lined with steel as he talked to the police. At last he hung up the phone.
    “The deputy police chief will be here in a while. He wants to ask you a few questions, Katie.”
    “Oh, Taylor—”
    “It’s necessary. Whether you like it or not. How many times has that man called?”
    She shrugged wearily. “I’d guess six times. This should be the seventh call.”
    “Is his voice at all familiar?”
    “No.”
    Taylor watched Katie, and his heart wrenched. She looked incredibly pale and forlorn, standing in the cascade of sunlight pouring through the window. “My gut instinct tells me your caller means business, Katie. I don’t want to alarm you, but you’re going to need protection until the man is identified.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I don’t think you should stay in the building alone at night.”
    Real fear began to suffuse her as she stared at him. Taylor was a police reporter, and she had to respect his evaluation of the situation. Would someone really try to scare her into leaving Rio Conchos—simply because she had laid her hands on a dying man? Was that justice? Katie felt the hot tears gather in her eyes. Then they were streaming down her cheeks….
    “I won’t leave, Taylor. I love my home. I need my piano, my music—they give me peace and quiet.”
    “Get a hotel room for the next couple of days, Katie,” he begged. “Just until the police nail this caller.”
    She shook her head. “I don’t really have the money. I can barely make the mortgage payment each month, Taylor.”
    He cursed and walked toward her. “I’ll pay for the hotel. I’m the one who’s responsible for this mess. I’ll foot all your bills.”
    He loomed so strong and confident before her. The moment he opened his arms to her, Katie entered his embrace. Exhausted,