The muscles in his jaw ticked. Definitely not the right time.
"The truth is I can't tell you how I got here or how I know about your uncle. I'm a … uh, victim of circumstances." I focused hard on him to avoid the strange whispering from the well. As before, the sheriff's mind was silent, unwilling to share its secrets with me the way others did. "I don't know anything about you."
My gaze went up to his face again. He was even tenser.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the next gust of wind carried sprinkles.
I didn't know what to say in the thick silence. The whispering behind me was really distracting, the man before me probably debating whether or not he'd kill me.
"Do you hear that?" I asked, irritated. I tried to twist in his grip, but he held me in place, moving closer to keep me from moving. The back of my legs hit the stone wall.
"Hear what?"
An image flashed, and I froze.
A flash of blonde hair in the moonlight blinding her as she fell into darkness … the form of someone standing over the well, peering into it.
"Breathe." The sheriff's voice reached me.
I was on my knees, clutching at his clothing. One of his arms was around me, holding me against his strong chest. I met his gaze. His steady look soothed me while his full lips and rugged features made desire warm my lower belly.
"I'm okay," I whispered, a little overwhelmed by the spell, coupled with his presence. Blood trickled down my face. Dabbing at it, I sat back to take my weight out of his arms. Helping me one moment, about to kill me the next, I didn't quite understand where I stood with this man.
"This is what happens when a madman puts things in your brain," the sheriff said softly. "You're in over your head, Josie. Whether or not you know it, you need my help."
Did I hear that right? Speechless, I gazed at him.
He said nothing more, simply steadied me with his wide hands on my body.
"Who are you?" I managed at last.
"I could ask you the same," he replied.
"Josephine!" Nell's alarmed cry came from the front of the barn.
"Look, the others eventually sought me out. They knew what you haven't figured out yet, that they were in trouble. When you're ready to talk, come find me, but don't wait too long. You don't have too long," the sheriff told me.
All kinds of spidey senses went off in my mind, none of them good.
"The night you found me. You were expecting me, weren't you," I said.