Chapter Thirteen
Dana woke up startled, her heart in her throat. Something had woken her. What had she heard? She cocked her head. There it was again. A noise coming from her front door.
Immediately furious, she got up and stormed to the front door. David bloody Cavallo. She was going to kill him. She flung open the door at the same time she switched on the front porch light.
But the porch was empty, the street silent. A chill crept up her spine, and she started closing the door. That was when she saw it.
*
What the hell? David sat up in bed and glared at his phone. If this was one of his brothers ringing him this time of night, he was going to…
He picked up his phone. It was Don. Swearing, he answered.
“Do you know what time it is?” he barked into the phone.
“Where are you?” Don asked him. There was something in his voice.
“In Hermanus, why?” he asked, rubbing his face.
“Good. Go to Dana. Now.”
It took a few seconds for David to understand what Don was saying. But then he was, grabbing his jeans and his keys.
“Why? What happened?” A cold hand clamped around his throat.
“I’m not sure. She just phoned Caitlin, but we couldn’t quite make out what she was saying. Something happened to upset her enormously. Could you please go find out what’s going on and let us know? We’re leaving for Hermanus as soon as we’ve packed up.”
“On my way.” After hopping into his jeans, he sprinted for the door.
*
He saw it as he ran up the porch steps. The front door flew open, and Dana stood there, her eyes big, her whole body shivering.
There was a note, he saw, but for the moment that didn’t seem important.
He stepped over the body of a mutilated cat and had Dana in his arms before she could open her mouth.
She was shaking so badly she couldn’t walk.
He locked the front door behind them and picked her up. Her arms went around his neck and she clung to him, sobbing against his chest. His own heart was beating furiously and with the adrenaline rush dying down, he sat down quickly with her in his arms. He was feeling dizzy.
He’d gotten there in record time—his only thought that something had happened to Dana. His breathing finally calming down, he pulled her closer, stroking her hair until she stopped sobbing.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked.
She shook her head, her arms folded tightly around his neck.
“What happened?”
“Something woke me up.” She sniffed, sat up, and dropped her hands.
“I thought it was you on the porch, and I—”
“Wanted to take a swing at me?” He smiled and pulled her closer.
But she didn’t return his smile. Another shiver shook her body. “And then I saw… that.” She pointed toward the front door.
“There was a note,” he said, remembering the piece of paper he’d seen. He put her down gently.
“A note? I just saw the dead cat and remembered…” Dana swallowed and, still shivering, wrapped her arms around herself.
He walked outside and picked up the note with two pens he found in his pocket. It was tucked beneath the cat.
“I noticed this when I came up the stairs.” He placed the note on the coffee table in front of Dana.
She bent forward and read it. Catching her breath, she became even paler than before and sagged back against the cushions.
David had also been reading the typed letter. “You shouldn’t be snooping around,” the note read.
Dana looked stricken.
“What?” he asked urgently.
“I’ve been to see Sam Jordan and I immediately thought of him when I saw the dead cat.”
Before he knew what he was doing, he had his hands around her upper arms and was lifting her up. “What?” he bellowed. “Are you completely crazy?”
Dana’s eyes blazed, but her lower lip quivered. Swearing, he caught her to him. “Sweetheart, you can’t go around asking questions on your own—these guys don’t play around!”
“I know,” she said. “But he was quite friendly last time when you and I were there. But then yesterday he threatened me, though I didn’t think he’d actually do anything.” She frowned. “Maybe it wasn’t him, maybe it…”
David saw red. He took out his cell phone. “That’s it, I’m calling the police.”
*
Dana leaned back against the cushions. She hadn’t done anything, but she was exhausted.
It was midmorning, and David had just closed the front door behind the detective.
Don was busy in the kitchen, cooking up something from all the bags they’d brought along.
Caitlin was sitting next to her on the couch.
They had to wait about two hours before any police arrived and another hour for the tired-looking detective to make an appearance. They’d told him about the people they’d been talking to and about Sam Jordan’s threat, but he seemed very skeptical.
“Were they able to find any fingerprints?” she asked tiredly.
“Maybe on the note—we’ll have to wait and see. I’ll help Don.” He walked toward the kitchen.
Caitlin stroked her hair. “I still can’t believe someone is trying to frighten you!”
“Well, I am frightened, all right, but I’m also more determined than before to find out what is going on.”
“Will you please let Don and David help you?” Caitlin asked.
“I don’t need—”
Caitlin put a hand on her arm. “Yes, you do. We all need people to help us at times. And you can’t stay here. Let’s pack a bag for you. You’re coming to stay with us.”
“It’s really not necessary—”
“Yeah, it is,” Don said from the kitchen. “I’m nearly done here. Go pack your bag, then we’ll have lunch.”
Dana wanted to say no, but she was too relieved to put up a fight.
Her safe space had been violated. This had always been her happy place, but now she couldn’t wait to leave.
She’d be back in a few days, but for now it would be wonderful to get away from her mother, from her house, from whoever was trying to scare her.
“Are you still angry with David for trying to buy you half a car?” Caitlin asked when they reached Dana’s room.
Dana sighed. “If you put it like that, it sounds so silly. But I found out about it right after I heard what my mother has been doing.”
“He came to see me to find out how he could apologize.”
“Apologize? He didn’t apologize. He told me he wanted me to be safe, as if I can’t look after myself.”
“Well, at least talking about him has brought color back to your face.” Caitlin giggled and opened the cupboard door.
Dana sighed and sat down on the bed. “He makes me so mad! But then there’s a dead cat on my porch, and he comes storming to my rescue.”
Caitlin took down a suitcase and put it on the bed. “Like a knight in shining armor!” She giggled again. She reached out and touched Dana’s shoulder. “He’s a good man, Dana. They all are, but I’ve always thought David the gentler one. And he is genuinely concerned for your well-being.”
Dana groaned. “I know. But I was still recovering from the news about my mother when they called about the car, and when I heard what he’d done I just saw red. It was easier to be angry with him.”
“You’ve spoken to your mother?” Caitlin asked tentatively as she began packing the suitcase.
Dana sighed. “Yes. Not that it was much use. She became hysterical and accused me of not wanting her to have nice things and heaven knows what else.”
“I hope you’re going to ignore that!” Caitlin cried. “That woman. I know she’s your mother, but really, Dana, she is the most selfish person I know.”
Shrugging, Dana stood up and listlessly threw things into the suitcase. “I just don’t think I’ve been the daughter she wanted. Maybe I should have tried harder, maybe—”
Caitlin swore and pushed Dana back on the bed. “Now you listen to me. You are a beautiful, brave, strong woman. Your mother has problems; you don’t—do you understand?”
“What’s taking you so long?” David yelled, and they heard his footsteps approaching.
When he appeared in her bedroom doorway, Caitlin was finishing packing. “I’m telling Dana here how special she really is, but she seems to have a hard time believing that.”
She closed the suitcase and put it on the floor. “You try and convince her; I’ll help Don.” She smiled and left.
David put his hands in his pockets and slowly walked closer. “It’s true, you know,” he said quietly. “The way you’ve managed to carry on with life after what happened to your dad is amazing. Not many people would have been able to cope.”
“I always had Caitlin and her family.” She picked up a pillow and hugged it close.
David bent down and loosened her hands from around the pillow. “And now you also have me. Will you please let me help you?” He pulled her up.
She looked at him, and her heart tripped.
Letting him get closer was eventually going to cause her more heartache, but at the moment she didn’t care.
Leaning forward, she placed her hands on his upper arms, her head on his chest. He went very still before his arms folded around her.
“Was that a yes?” She heard the smile in his voice.
“Yes, that was a yes.” She smiled. “I was rude to you last night and said things I didn’t mean. I’m sorry,” she said softly, her head still against his chest.
He was quiet for a moment. “Was that an apology?”
“Yes, I know how to apologize.” She lifted her head.
David folded his hands around her face. “I can’t promise that I will not try to help you again, because I will. I need to. But I promise to talk to you about it first, okay?”
She smiled. “See? That’s not an apology!” she teased. “You should have…” she began, but his eyes darkened, and his mouth came down hard on hers.
And she forgot what she was going to say, forgot about the horrible experience of earlier, forgot she shouldn’t be kissing this man, forgot why she ever thought that.
“Hey, you two!” Don shouted down the corridor. “We want to eat!”
David lifted his head, his eyes nearly black. “You go. I need a few minutes.”
She frowned, and he pulled her against his hardness. Her eyes widened.
“Now do you understand?” He growled.
Giggling, she fled.