Tangled Hearts by Barbara McMahon Read Free Book Online

mysteries was fun, this not so much.
    Immediately following that thought came the speculation about what Jake would do when he heard about this night’s adventure. She really didn’t need his help. The other police officers in the city were all competent individuals. And a lot less threatening to her own stable well-being.
    He’d mentioned again last night that they had no future together. She’d do nothing but set herself up for a load of heartache if she continued to see him, no matter how she longed to do so.
    Starting tomorrow morning, she’d stand on her own two feet again. And if she needed some help, she’d call one of her brothers. They’d be here like a shot.
    With that resolution firmly fixed in her mind, she finally drifted off to sleep.
    Her home looked the same the next morning when she returned to dress for school. Officer Winston caught her right before she left for campus. He reviewed the report the duty officers had prepared and asked a few more questions.
    “I’m not sure how safe it is for you to remain here by yourself. Do you have another place you can stay until we can find the intruder? Someone like a close friend or relative?” he queried as he prepared to leave.
    “Do you really think I’m in some sort of danger?” Brianna asked.
    “The perpetrator had to know you were home last night. That makes the entire situation more dangerous. It seems as if our guy is getting more desperate.”
    She nodded, still baffled by what anyone could want from her. “I have some friends I could stay with I guess. I can’t move in with someone indefinitely.”
    “We’ll see if we can get any leads from last night’s attempt. Until then, Miss Hart, I’d suggest you find another place to stay for the next few nights at least.”
    The interview with Officer Winston made her late. And Thursdays were her heavy days. She dashed from the parking lot to her first class, feeling as if she was out of step with the rest of the world.
    The feeling lasted through the morning. Without the calm preparation time she usually enjoyed, it seemed as though she was constantly scrambling to catch up. And always at the back of her mind was the constant worry about the break-ins.
    Grabbing a quick lunch, she wondered which of her friends she should ask for a favor. Sandy would be the best bet, not having any family to disrupt.
    Her brother Josh lived too far away, plus he still acted as if she were a baby.
    She liked being independent. She didn’t want to be under his overprotective thumb again. Yet Brianna wondered if leaving her place unattended would offer an open invitation to the intruder to try again.
    What did he want?
    Brianna’s last class of the day was advanced calculus for mathematics majors. She was well into the lecture, turning from writing a complex formula on the blackboard, when her eye caught the opening of the back door. Jake Morgan walked into the lecture hall and went to stand against the back wall. Brianna swallowed hard, losing her train of thought for a moment.
    What was he doing here?
    She caught sight of the puzzled faces of the students, several of whom had turned to see what was causing her momentary distraction. Taking a deep breath, Brianna picked up the threads of her lecture and plunged in again. Feeling more vibrantly alive than just seconds before, she was aware of Jake’s steady regard while she wrapped up the lecture for the day.
    What was he doing here, and dressed as he was? He leaned negligently against the wall, wearing all black, from the dark boots and black cords to the thick black sweater that hugged his torso. He tossed a shearling jacket over the back of a seat, crossed his strong arms over his muscular chest and stared at her.
    Brianna could scarcely concentrate. He was far too distracting.
    She wanted to discuss some theorems, but couldn’t remember which ones. She wanted to excite her students with the knowledge of the practical uses of calculus, but could only feel the