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He watched her as he ate his own serving of food.  Caleb wandered in from whatever he'd done outside and joined them.  The dogs plopped themselves in the doorways and stretched out.  Room to walk vanished almost immediately.  When it became obvious Winter more interested in the dogs and her breakfast than anything else, Caleb spoke up.
"Last night was interesting."
Winter paused mid-chew.  She finished the bite and a swallow of water before answering.  "You could call it that."
"What do I call it when a woman leaves her shirt behind?"
"Trouble."
They had rescued her, she was wearing their clothes and eating their food, but how much information did she owe them?  It was debatable.  Yet being curt and plain-spoken men themselves they did not hesitate when someone tried the same trick.
"Is that you telling us to stay out?"
"Depends on how much trouble you want, I guess."
Caleb leaned back with his hands behind his head and Finn leaned close, eyes intent on her.  It was like a dog getting ready to flush a rabbit out of the brush.
"We're some trouble ourselves, remember, so I'll be having the full story from the beginning.  Now."
Her eyes narrowed as she gauged them and their likely response.
"We're not overly patient men, Winter McBride."
"My name is Faye Sevier, for starters."
It was good that she already had their full attention, for now their only reaction was a quick glance at each other and two raised eyebrows, one per brother.  The lab thumped his tail and the wolfhound sneezed.
She slumped in her chair and crossed her arms.  It was such a pain.  And her legs itched.  "I'm not from Wisconsin, I'm from Alaska.  I saw something I shouldn't have and they placed me in Witness Protection.  And now since somebody – and maybe it was me, I dunno – somebody screwed up and the ones who weren't supposed to find me, did."
Maybe that was enough.
"Explains a lot," Caleb remarked in a dry voice.  Faye couldn't be interested enough to probe for sarcasm or humor.
Finn huffed, like a wolf taking a scent.  "Not enough.  What's the story of last night?  And more details this time.  I need to know who's tracking you."
Considering that her tracker would undoubtedly make a play while she was at their house, this was fair.  Annoying, but fair.  What she wouldn't give to make a phone call and get out on the run but their faces were set enough that they wouldn't let her leave without knowing the full story.  This was going to take at least two cups of coffee.  Caleb poured.  Faye took hers straight and black as they did; she needed the boost and not the sweetness.
They were staring her down as if willing alone could make her speak.  In sparsest detail she outlined the events preceding their meeting in the dark grasses, stopping only to sip from her steaming mug.  "And so here we are, my would-be killer out there," she waved her hand languidly, "and myself in need of my own clothes and a phone.  I'd like to borrow yours."
Finn emptied his mug.  "Police won't be much help.  They don't do much on a regular day.  This is gonna be more than a bit outside their… whatcha call it?"
Caleb offered his choice.  "Frame of reference."
"You read too much. Outside their frame of reference.  Me and Caleb'll take care of things."
This was beyond ridiculous; this was stupid.  The Stabbington brothers, so called for their habit of carrying knives 'in case something needs stabbing', had obviously been the big fish in the small pond for too long.  "I don't care how big you are, that just makes you a bigger target.  Think those knives you always carry are gonna keep a bullet from your thick heads?"
They didn't take that very well, but she kept going anyway.  "I'll call the marshal and he'll get me someplace safe.  I'll relocate again and that's it."
Finn snorted.  "Aye, because it worked so well the first time."  He and Caleb stood up and not for the first time Faye stiffened herself against their size.  The kitchen seemed far too small.
"What can you do that the police can't?  Other than go to jail if you do something stupid like finishing him off on your own.  And you think he's the only one?  There's going to be more.  I like you guys.  If I'd had more time I would have taken you up on your hunting invitations.   But that's just not an option anymore.  I don't want you dead or in jail, so I'm leaving."
She stood up with every intent of walking out the door, any killer in waiting be hanged.  Finn didn't move.  He didn't need to.
"Stop there."
The deep menace in his voice froze her immediately, even as she cursed herself for it.
"You leave, you don't come back.  I don't like that idea.  If we gotta make sure you're safe then that's what we'll do.  Even if you move here with us to be sure of it."
There were too many reasons why that was bad idea for her to pick one to head the list.  She settled for an outraged glare but where other customers had quailed and shuddered, these two stood unperturbed.
"Until when?"  Not that she was considering the idea but to see if they actually had.
"Until the bad guys go away.  Or until you give up the idea of leaving."
This wouldn't be plausible in a romance novel!  "You think that just staying around you two means the 'bad guys' would leave me alone?  I'm a murder witness!"
"We're only good guys because it's more convenient."  Caleb said this the way one might remark on unusually mild weather.
"Give us a reason, bunny, and we'll be worse than the devil himself."  His voice was soft and casual.  Comments like that from men like him didn't need emphasis or proof.
The sunlight was cold.  The dogs sat up expectantly and waited for any command, and Faye knew that she was well and truly caught.

Description
He watched her as he ate his own serving of food.  Caleb wandered in from whatever he'd done outside and joined them.  The dogs plopped themselves in the doorways and stretched out.  Room to walk vanished almost immediately.  When it became obvious Winter more interested in the dogs and her breakfast than anything else, Caleb spoke up.
"Last night was interesting."
Winter paused mid-chew.  She finished the bite and a swallow of water before answering.  "You could call it that."
"What do I call it when a woman leaves her shirt behind?"
"Trouble."
They had rescued her, she was wearing their clothes and eating their food, but how much information did she owe them?  It was debatable.  Yet being curt and plain-spoken men themselves they did not hesitate when someone tried the same trick.
"Is that you telling us to stay out?"
"Depends on how much trouble you want, I guess."
Caleb leaned back with his hands behind his head and Finn leaned close, eyes intent on her.  It was like a dog getting ready to flush a rabbit out of the brush.
"We're some trouble ourselves, remember, so I'll be having the full story from the beginning.  Now."
Her eyes narrowed as she gauged them and their likely response.
"We're not overly patient men, Winter McBride."
"My name is Faye Sevier, for starters."
It was good that she already had their full attention, for now their only reaction was a quick glance at each other and two raised eyebrows, one per brother.  The lab thumped his tail and the wolfhound sneezed.
She slumped in her chair and crossed her arms.  It was such a pain.  And her legs itched.  "I'm not from Wisconsin, I'm from Alaska.  I saw something I shouldn't have and they placed me in Witness Protection.  And now since somebody – and maybe it was me, I dunno – somebody screwed up and the ones who weren't supposed to find me, did."
Maybe that was enough.
"Explains a lot," Caleb remarked in a dry voice.  Faye couldn't be interested enough to probe for sarcasm or humor.
Finn huffed, like a wolf taking a scent.  "Not enough.  What's the story of last night?  And more details this time.  I need to know who's tracking you."
Considering that her tracker would undoubtedly make a play while she was at their house, this was fair.  Annoying, but fair.  What she wouldn't give to make a phone call and get out on the run but their faces were set enough that they wouldn't let her leave without knowing the full story.  This was going to take at least two cups of coffee.  Caleb poured.  Faye took hers straight and black as they did; she needed the boost and not the sweetness.
They were staring her down as if willing alone could make her speak.  In sparsest detail she outlined the events preceding their meeting in the dark grasses, stopping only to sip from her steaming mug.  "And so here we are, my would-be killer out there," she waved her hand languidly, "and myself in need of my own clothes and a phone.  I'd like to borrow yours."
Finn emptied his mug.  "Police won't be much help.  They don't do much on a regular day.  This is gonna be more than a bit outside their… whatcha call it?"
Caleb offered his choice.  "Frame of reference."
"You read too much. Outside their frame of reference.  Me and Caleb'll take care of things."
This was beyond ridiculous; this was stupid.  The Stabbington brothers, so called for their habit of carrying knives 'in case something needs stabbing', had obviously been the big fish in the small pond for too long.  "I don't care how big you are, that just makes you a bigger target.  Think those knives you always carry are gonna keep a bullet from your thick heads?"
They didn't take that very well, but she kept going anyway.  "I'll call the marshal and he'll get me someplace safe.  I'll relocate again and that's it."
Finn snorted.  "Aye, because it worked so well the first time."  He and Caleb stood up and not for the first time Faye stiffened herself against their size.  The kitchen seemed far too small.
"What can you do that the police can't?  Other than go to jail if you do something stupid like finishing him off on your own.  And you think he's the only one?  There's going to be more.  I like you guys.  If I'd had more time I would have taken you up on your hunting invitations.   But that's just not an option anymore.  I don't want you dead or in jail, so I'm leaving."
She stood up with every intent of walking out the door, any killer in waiting be hanged.  Finn didn't move.  He didn't need to.
"Stop there."
The deep menace in his voice froze her immediately, even as she cursed herself for it.
"You leave, you don't come back.  I don't like that idea.  If we gotta make sure you're safe then that's what we'll do.  Even if you move here with us to be sure of it."
There were too many reasons why that was bad idea for her to pick one to head the list.  She settled for an outraged glare but where other customers had quailed and shuddered, these two stood unperturbed.
"Until when?"  Not that she was considering the idea but to see if they actually had.
"Until the bad guys go away.  Or until you give up the idea of leaving."
This wouldn't be plausible in a romance novel!  "You think that just staying around you two means the 'bad guys' would leave me alone?  I'm a murder witness!"
"We're only good guys because it's more convenient."  Caleb said this the way one might remark on unusually mild weather.
"Give us a reason, bunny, and we'll be worse than the devil himself."  His voice was soft and casual.  Comments like that from men like him didn't need emphasis or proof.
The sunlight was cold.  The dogs sat up expectantly and waited for any command, and Faye knew that she was well and truly caught.