8. Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
I t was a long night.
There was a lot of tossing and turning.
Once Belle finally fell asleep, she’d slept deeply. There was no energy for dreams. She wouldn’t have slept that soundly if it weren’t for Parker. And it bothered her that he could make her feel secure in her own home. She’d always prided herself on being able to take care of herself.
Saturday morning, she’d slept later than she’d wanted.
She rushed through her shower and dressed.
As she applied her makeup and pulled her hair back into a ponytail, she realized Parker most likely had already left, and she…
Well, she would figure out some way to find Odie.
There was no way her puppy disappeared without a trace.
And then a thought came to her: she’d stop by Purr ’n Woof. Someone who steals a dog would need some puppy food. With the thought in mind, she soundlessly rushed to the stairs.
When she reached the first floor it surprised her to find Parker on the couch working on his laptop.
He was wearing gray sweatpants with a long-sleeved T-shirt.
His stockinged feet were resting on the coffee table.
His hair was mussed up, as though he’d dragged his fingers through it many times.
She wondered what he was working so intently on.
“I didn’t think you’d still be here,” she said.
He briefly glanced over his laptop at her before returning his attention to his computer. “Trying to get rid of me?”
Maybe. “I just thought you’d have to work.”
He continued to type something. Without looking up, he said, “I’m off this weekend, so I’m all yours.”
Wait. Is he serious? No. Her heart beat faster. She didn’t know if her body’s reaction was good or bad. “Well, I’m headed out as soon as I get some coffee.”
“Mind if I grab a quick shower?”
“Uh. No. Not at all. The bathroom is at the top of the steps. There are towels in the closet. And I even saved you some hot water.”
“That was mighty kind of you. I won’t be long.”
He closed his laptop and set it on the coffee table. He got to his feet, grabbed his duffel bag from next to the couch, and headed upstairs.
Wordlessly, she turned and headed for the kitchen. She glanced at the clock on the wall and realized the pet store didn’t open for another twenty-one minutes. She sighed. So much for her quick escape.
She moved to the kitchen counter. She grabbed a red cup from the cabinet and placed it on the coffeemaker.
After filling the reservoir with fresh water, she dropped in a new pod and started the coffeemaker.
Then out of habit, she moved to the fridge and reached for the dog food.
With the food in hand, she straightened.
It was then she realized she was about to feed Odie—her sweet puppy who was no longer there.
With a groan, she returned the food to the fridge.
Her stomach growled a complaint. While she had the door open, she glanced around at the various food items, but she didn’t have much of an appetite.
All her stomach needed was some coffee. Instead, she grabbed the creamer from the fridge door and then closed it.
She’d just finished fixing her to-go coffee cup and took a big gulp, when Parker entered the kitchen.
His hair was still damp from his very quick shower.
He wore a navy-blue T-shirt with the sheriff’s office logo on the left chest. The sleeves hugged his muscled biceps while the shirt struggled to cover his broad shoulders. She swallowed hard.
Catching herself staring, she turned her attention to putting the creamer back in the fridge. The coolness of the fridge washed over her heated face. She took her time glancing around the shelves.
When she at last straightened and turned, she said, “Well, I should get going.”
He arched a brow. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
“Maybe I already ate. You don’t know.” She drank some more of her coffee.
“I’m a sheriff, remember? I’m trained to be observant.” He nodded toward the sink. “There are no dirty dishes. No crumbs on any of the counters. And your stomach is rumbling.”
The heat rushed back to her cheeks. She didn’t know he could hear it. “I’ll be fine. I’ll, uh…grab something in town.” She started out of the kitchen, then stopped and turned back to him. “Thank you for dinner and for helping with Odie…”
She couldn’t bring herself to thank him for sleeping on her couch.
It would make her seem weak, like she couldn’t take care of herself.
And she could. She’d done just that since her parents died.
Yet, last night when she’d drifted off to sleep, she’d slept soundly because she didn’t have to worry about anyone coming back to finish the job they’d started.
“You’re welcome. Should I just lock up when I leave?”
She nodded. “Yes.” And then her gaze met his. “Will you call me as soon as you learn anything about Odie?”
“I will. I have calls out to neighboring towns.”
She didn’t want to think about the fact that Odie could be anywhere by now. Why would someone take him? She didn’t understand. It wasn’t like he was a purebred or anything.
She continued to mull over the different scenarios as she put on her coat and boots. She opened the front door and gasped.
Immediately, Parker was by her side. “What’s wrong?”
She pointed to a piece of paper taped to the door.
As she reached out for it, Parker pulled her arm away from it. “Don’t touch it. It could have prints or something that will lead us to Odie.”
She continued to stare at the note. Her gaze took in the block letters:
We have your dog. Don’t do anything stupid. We’re watching you. If you want your dog back, go to the Christmas party tonight. More instructions to follow.
Belle was grateful she hadn’t taken time to eat that morning because suddenly, the coffee in her stomach took a nauseous lurch. She turned on her heel and raced up the stairs to the bathroom.
“Belle?” Concern rang out in his voice.
Thankfully, he had the decency not to follow her. When she returned, Parker was just finishing up a phone call. He turned to her. His eyes shone with worry. “Are you okay?”
She was embarrassed that she’d gotten so worked up it had made her sick. “Do you think the note will help you find Odie?”
“I don’t know. But it bothers me that whoever did this is was so bold that they came to the front door while I was here.”
She didn’t like it either. Just the thought sent goosebumps cascading down her arms. “Do you think they’re out there?” She moved to the window. “Watching us?”
It made her angry that some deranged person was out there with her dog and disrupting not only her life but Parker’s life too. She was intent on stopping them, but she wasn’t sure how to do it yet.
“I have to go,” she said.
When she moved to walk out the door, Parker stepped in her way. “You aren’t going anywhere alone.”
She sighed. “What? You aren’t going to follow me around. Don’t you have things you should be doing?”
He stepped closer to her and stared deep into her eyes. “Belle, you can’t take any chances with this person. You have no idea what they want with you or what they’re capable of.”
“Well, if their intent was to scare me, they’re doing a good job.” She quickly pressed her lips together.
She couldn’t believe she’d admitted that to him. It was just the shock of learning the dognapper had been back to her house that had her speaking without filtering her words.
“You don’t have to be scared as long as I’m around. This is what I’ve trained for.”
She shook her head. Hoping to smooth things out, she said, “I can take care of myself. Besides, what’s going to happen? I’m going into town in broad daylight. There will be plenty of people around. I’ll be safe.”
He arched a brow as he frowned at her. “Has anyone told you that you’re stubborn?”
She smiled and nodded. “My mother. Many times.”
She turned and opened the front door. She heard some shuffling behind her, but she didn’t glance back.
“Okay. Let’s go.” Parker’s voice came from right behind her.
When she stopped, he ran into her. She spun around. “What are you doing?”
“I need to go to town, so we might as well go together. I’ll drive.” He said it as though she was just supposed to be all right with him escorting her around.
They lived in a small town. If she was to arrive in the middle of town with him, tongues would be wagging before she even stepped foot out of the vehicle. Parker was the very last man she wanted to be romantically linked to.
“I can drive myself,” she said in a firm voice.
“Okay. I’ll ride with you.”
She restrained a frustrated sigh. She wasn’t going to let him see just how much he was getting on her nerves. In the calmest voice she could muster, she said, “How do you know I’m going where you need to go?”
He shrugged. “It’s Kringle Falls. Every place is walkable.”
Her back teeth ground together. Now she remembered why they hadn’t gotten along all of these years. She might be stubborn, but he was definitely next level.
Still, she didn’t have time to argue with him. Every minute she spent verbally dueling with him was another minute that Odie was missing. “Fine,” she said, “let’s go.”
“Go and start the car. I’m going to make sure the house is secure.”
When she stepped outside, she found the sidewalk shoveled, and the snow had been cleaned off her car. When had he done all of that?
She moved to the car and started it. When she glanced over at the passenger seat, the napkins were still sitting there. She opened the glove box and shoved them inside.
The only thing left on the seat was the latest ticket he’d written her. She picked it up and looked at it. It was only then she realized he hadn’t fined her. He’d given her a warning. A warning .
She slipped the piece of paper into her bag. A little smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Maybe there was hope for Parker after all.
When Parker got into the car, he looked at her and asked, “What are you smiling about?”