Chapter 17 #2
His nostrils flared as he shook his head. “Little brat. I’m going to take a shower.”
“And I need to feed the horses.” I playfully pushed him away, twirling in a circle. Even his overbearing attitude about my safety was a nice change. “Unless you need a partner in the shower.”
I laughed off my statement while moving toward the door, completely thrown for a loop when I was suddenly pitched against the wall, my lips becoming the subject of some harsh punishment. He’d used the full weight of his body on mine, crushing me against the wall.
Of course I tried to push him away, even pounding on his chest. Once again, my mind drifted to how our behavior was far too… normal. I’d soon start waiting and wondering when the other shoe would drop.
He was having none of it, planting both hands on either side of me, dominating my mouth with his soft lips and demanding tongue. I was swept away in the passion, my heart thumping loudly enough I heard slight echoes in my ears.
I could easily enjoy kissing him for hours, savoring the way he controlled every inch of my body.
The man was a presence to be reckoned with and this being his manner of sweeping me off my feet, I was momentarily hypnotized. The stench of smoke was even stronger, filtering into my nose in the same way I’d experienced in walking to the charred remnants of what had originally been the horse barn.
They’d only recently moved them closer and my father had acted funny about why. Not that I was complaining, but they’d picked the barn near the river because of the water source. The horses loved it. Had there been a reason for the move? Maybe it didn’t matter.
Even in shoving aside the imagery I’d created in my mind about the fire, my pulse had kicked in from the odor. The sweetness of his taste couldn’t mask the wretched visions or the horrible feeling that whoever had committed the horrible crime had a very personal, very dark reason for doing so.
As gently as possible, I pushed him away, sliding under his outstretched arm and heading to the door.
He didn’t move, didn’t say a word, but I knew he was confused.
Hell, so was I. I couldn’t seem to break free of the horror, the fire claiming far too much of my life.
It was time to have a cathartic ceremony.
Out with the old and in with new, my mother would say.
Boxes. I’d feed the horses and start boxing up everything.
There.
I’d made a decision and planned on sticking to it. My handsome house guest was dead on the money. I hadn’t tried to make the house my home, which my parents would want. I’d been living out of a suitcase. No longer.
I took long strides toward the barn, enjoying the kiss of the humidity. Not too steamy. Just right. Especially with the breeze tickling my senses. With the dogs dutifully following me, even keeping pace, I finally managed to shove aside the last of the ugly and far too vivid mental images.
That’s the very reason I’d experienced the creepy-crawlies every other day since returning.
“Hi, babies. Hungry this afternoon?” With the dogs insisting on helping, I grabbed the feed, taking the time to stroke the horses’ manes while they were eating.
Maybe at some point, I’d convince Viper to go on a ride with me. I leaned on the surface of one of the gates. When the dogs suddenly rushed from the barn, I turned my head hoping to see Viper.
After a couple of minutes, I realized it was wishful thinking. Maybe he was allowing me some space.
After refreshing their water, I left the barn, closing the doors behind me.
Crack.
The single sound caught my attention. While the noise could be nothing more than a squirrel crossing the path, as always, the hair stood up on the back of my neck.
I walked down to the end of the fence, glancing in that direction.
As expected, there was nothing out of the ordinary or anything that would indicate someone was on the property.
However, the dogs were MIA.
I checked on the other animals and they weren’t bothered in the least.
Maybe Viper had called the dogs back to the house. Just as I turned away, another more definitive sound was more startling than before.
This time I headed straight to the path leading to the river.
And the other barn.
When I was a few yards down the cobblestone, I stopped again, this time scanning the perimeter and listening for any sign there was someone on my property. As usual, I noticed nothing but wind flowing through the leaves on the trees, just enough to rustle through foliage on the ground.
I stood where I was, rubbing my arms while chastising myself for being so silly. Somehow, I needed to drive the fears away and I honestly wasn’t certain how. Fine. The goddamn barn would come down.
My mind was filled with possibilities, including talking to the reporter who’d covered both catastrophes. Maybe she’d also heard of other fires that might be connected. Why not do a little sleuthing of my own? What was wrong with that?
More frustrated than ever, I spun on my heel.
But before I could take a single step, a much louder noise captured my attention and I saw something out of the corner of my eye.
Was that movement? I crouched a little lower so I could see through some bushes.
Someone was running through the forest headed in the direction of the perimeter fence. I’d bet every cent I had I was right.
I took off running, racing after whoever it was, fighting tree limbs and forced to duck under low branches.
Every time I stopped for a second, there was a heavy footstep crunching down on debris. Determined to catch them red-handed, I continued running, momentarily caught in a thorny bush that grabbed my clothes and wouldn’t let go.
Yelping from frustration, I ripped at the branch even as thorns tore at my hands, the sting biting. But I kept running, finally breaking free of the cluster of trees. When I went down on all fours, pain tore through my arms all the way to my shoulders.
Another sharp cry erupted from my throat.
“Grace. Jesus Christ. What are you doing?” Viper was suddenly right in front of me, crouching down and sweeping me into his arms and on my feet. I clung to his arms, gasping for air.
The dogs were right beside him, both Ellie May and Sailor going nuts barking and jumping. They could smell something. Of course they could.
“There’s someone here. Someone was spying on me.”
“Are you sure?” He whipped his head around, his face pinched as he scanned the property.
While I could be wrong, another crack of foliage and I pointed. “That way. Right there.”
“Fuck. Stay right here. Do not move.” He steadied me, his fingers digging into my arms. “Do you hear me?”
“Yes. Yes. Go find the bastard. Please.”
“Damn it, Grace.”
His groan was pure frustration, but he backed away, taking off running, the dogs following closely behind.
He was going much faster than I could. Even so, whoever it had been had a solid head start and could easily have a vehicle parked on the same road Viper had used.
They could be on the main road in seconds.
Leaning over, I steadied my breath as I brushed twigs and dirt from my knees. My bloody knees.
My body ached, the palms of my hands scratched all to hell.
As the ache seeped into every muscle and bone, I limped toward the river. Maybe my nerves were still getting the best of me and I’d seen nothing at all. If that was the case, why was a cold chill drifting all the way down my spine on such a warm day?
A physical shudder tore through me and in looking at the backside of the old barn, I noticed the scorched earth leading to what I’d been told was the starting point of the fire.
The path led all the way to the water, and the river was shallowest in this location, eventually moving to being parallel with the fence.
Which meant the arsonist had used the road coming in, and the river to hide his footprints, the few he’d made covered up by the fire.
While I’d heard the explosion had rocked the entire area, if he’d been smart, he’d been sitting in his vehicle before the explosion.
He would have simply driven off without so much as a scratch.
That didn’t help whatsoever. Unless I found evidence with a fingerprint or direction connection, all the sleuthing in the world wouldn’t do me any good. With my right leg still sore as hell, I was ready to find something to sit on.
A gleam of afternoon sunlight created a spark of light, a tight shimmer filtering through the canopy. I looked up, shielding my eyes. The light was being reflected and amplified by whatever the light was hitting.
With my eyes narrowed, I searched the riverbank until I found the source.
A lighter. A silver refillable butane lighter like the one everyone who used to smoke carried.
Whether they had their initials engraved on the case or there was a picture of something they loved or a location like a bar they frequented, they used to be all the rage.
Not any longer.
Kneeling, I peeled it from the mud, surprised at the weight.
More footsteps and I shoved the lighter into the pocket of my jean shorts, standing just before Viper trudged toward me, his expression stern.
“Did you see anything?”
He kept walking, heading toward me, scooping me into his arms in yet another reminder he was all male.
His only comment?
“Woman, you have some explaining to do.”