16. A Seed Of Doubt
CHAPTER 16
A Seed Of Doubt
I sla heard the sirens before she even connected the call to Marcus. When she turned her head to the farmhouse, she could see the cruiser’s lights as it pulled into the drive.
She let the call go through and in moments, Marcus picked up. “Isla?”
She put the phone on speaker in case Levi needed to add anything. “We’re at the very back of Levi’s field. We’re not hurt, but I’m not sure about Hopper. There were two shots, but we didn’t see the shooter. Levi has his gun.”
“Sean, Troy, and I are on the way. I’m putting my phone in my shirt pocket, but don’t disconnect. If you need to tell me anything, speak loudly.”
Shaking, she put the phone on the ground in front of her. She wanted to jump up and find Hopper, but as Levi had pointed out, that was a dumb move. Hiding behind Levi made her feel like a coward, but if she moved, she would distract him and potentially put him in harm’s way.
It wasn’t long before the three men approached. They’d spread out, and slowed but kept their guns up. Marcus also held up a bullhorn. “This is the police. Throw down your weapons and show yourselves.”
Marcus’ voice was hard and confident. Isla knew she would have followed the instructions. But no voices called out.
Levi whistled again, and she heard Hopper bark. Unable to help herself, she called out to the dog. His bark repeated, and got closer.
“He’s coming. He’s okay.” Relief filled Levi’s voice. “Call him. Get him to lie down and keep him beside you.”
Her voice shook as she called the dog. She heard him pause beside Levi, but he came when she called him. The other men reached them as she checked the dog for injuries. “He’s not bleeding, and nothing feels broken, but there is a bump on his head.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and she swallowed them back. She wasn’t sure if they were from relief or anger. She wrapped her arms around Hopper. “I’m glad you’re okay, boy. Thanks for coming.”
Marcus stood close to them, but when she looked up, his eyes remained on the woods separating the fields from the creek. “Anything new?”
Levi answered. “Nothing. No movement other than Hopper. He came from the small bush three to the left of the birch tree.”
Marcus nodded. “Isla, when Levi stands, I need you to stand as well. Move directly behind him and hang onto one of his belt loops. Stay at his back, and don’t peek around either side. Keep Hopper beside you if you can, but don’t worry about him if he takes off. Got it?”
She wanted to protest that she could help, but that wasn’t smart or realistic. These men were trained military operatives. They had worked as a team for years. If she tried to help, she might make things much worse. Instead of being a distraction, she agreed.
“Now.”
At Marcus’ command, she felt Levi move, and she moved with him, turning and grabbing his belt loop. Hopper jumped up and leaned into her side.
Levi reached around to squeeze her arm but kept his eyes forward. “Follow my lead, Isla. We’re going to check the creek. Most of our communication will be hand signals. Just stick with me.”
“Okay.” Her voice was shakier than she’d like, so she swallowed hard and focused on not being a problem.
Sure enough, with no more verbal commands, Levi moved forward and to the left while Marcus moved forward and to the right. She couldn’t see the other two men, so she assumed they were further ahead.
When they reached the woods, Levi stopped behind a tree. Hopper growled and angled to the left. Levi leaned down and patted his head. “Good dog. Show me. Go.”
Hopper moved, and they followed. Isla battled the urge to peek and kept behind Levi.
Levi moved like a hobbit, making no noise as his big body moved through the foliage. Because they were moving slowly, she could take more care with her steps, but her movements were more rock troll than hobbit.
The trees and bushes had likely been grown as a windbreak for the fields, similar to the ones separating the properties. It wasn’t a thick stand of trees, and in only moments, she spotted water sparkling through the trees on either side of Levi’s broad back.
Hopper growled again, and Levi leaned down to hook his hand through his collar. “Lead the way, buddy. Find the asshole.”
Hopper moved slowly, potentially because Levi was holding him back. They inched through the bushes until they were on the edge. From her position, Isla couldn’t see anyone or anything out of place.
She heard a few bird calls. When Levi replied with a bird whistle, she realized the sounds were another form of communication this team had developed. Impressive at every turn.
Hopper hadn’t growled again, but from off to the left, she saw trees moving. She tapped Levi’s back and pointed, hand shaking far more than it should.
Levi nodded. “It’s Falcon.”
Sure enough, Sean emerged from the trees with his gun drawn and moved toward the water. Levi released Hopper, and the dog walked forward. No growling this time.
Levi straightened but didn’t move until she saw Marcus emerge from the trees and then call, “All clear.”
Levi turned and took her hand. “You okay?”
She nodded, but the shaking suddenly overtook her entire body. He wrapped her in a tight hug, and they stood for a minute before he kissed her hair. “Let’s go see what they found.”
Isla breathed deeply and forced down the panic that still wanted to take over. Someone had shot at them and Hopper. How was she supposed to stay calm?
Levi kept his gun in his right hand and took her hand with his left. None of the others reacted to them emerging from the bush. They probably knew she’d needed a minute to get herself together. That should have bothered her, but it didn’t. These men were trained warriors. She wove the DNA of plants together.
There was only maybe a yard and a half of land before the edge of the creek. It was a natural waterway and didn’t have straight edges. It meandered with clusters of rocks and grasses along the edge. Some parts looked worn, as if people had used them to launch boats over the years.
The creek was probably twenty feet wide in some spots, only five or six in others. Natural plants grew along the edges, and it looked to be at least a few feet deep in the middle. A good creek to supply the neighboring farms with water.
Levi looked up and down the waterway. “I didn’t hear a motor. If they had a boat, they rowed or paddled their way for at least a bit.”
Marcus nodded. “I imagine this would be a good place to canoe or kayak. Easy to slip in and out unnoticed. Okay, tell us what happened. I was on my way here when Sean called, saying he’d heard gunshots.”
Levi recounted what had happened, and all the men frowned. Sean looked between her and Levi. “So you were standing in the field, completely open targets. There were two shots, and neither touched either of you.”
With blood still racing through her veins, she hadn’t thought of that.
Levi nodded. “If they’d wanted to kill either or both of us, it would have been easy to do.”
She shuddered, and he squeezed her hand. “Sorry.”
Isla smiled. “No need to be sorry. I need to know what’s going on. So, if he wasn’t trying to hurt anyone, why was he shooting? Could it have been a hunter?”
All the men frowned, and Marcus answered. “Doubtful, but possible. There aren’t any open seasons right now. The closest is when turkey hunting season opens in a few weeks. It’s possible it could have been someone hunting illegally and then taking off so he didn’t get caught. But I’m not a fan of coincidences.”
Neither was she. “So, either someone is a terrible shot, or they were trying to scare me off?”
Marcus shrugged. “Potentially. Or Hopper found them and surprised them enough to mess up their aim.”
She gasped. “If that’s the case, the second shot could have been aimed at him.”
Another nod.
Hopper growled again from where he stood at the water’s edge a few yards away. Levi moved immediately. “Did you find something, Hopper?”
When he left her side, Troy moved in to take his place. Not leaving her vulnerable. These were some amazing men.
Levi knelt on the ground beside the dog and peered into the water. Marcus reached his side and took out his phone and some gloves. He took some pictures and then donned the gloves. He reached into the water to pull something out.
Levi patted Hopper. “Good boy, Hopper.”
“What did he find?”
Marcus grinned and turned to them. “Hopefully, the clue we’ve been looking for.”
He held up a set of car keys.
L evi wanted to roar in triumph. The keys might not belong to the shooter, and the shooter might not be Glen Hicks, but it was finally a physical piece of evidence they could work with. “Any chance you can find out if Glen Hicks owns a Ford?”
Marcus frowned at that. He put the keys in an evidence bag he pulled out of a pocket. “About that. I’ve got some news. That’s why I was heading out here. Let’s spend a few minutes searching for anything else that might have been left behind, and then we can head inside, and I’ll get you caught up.”
Isla turned to him. “Tell us now.”
The deputy studied Isla for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. Your cousin isn’t here in Vermont. He’s currently in Dallas. He’s been making his way around Texas, visiting agricultural centers and labs, where he’s been asking questions about you, trying to find if you work there.”
Levi moved to wrap an arm around Isla. Her face paled, and her eyes darted around the space. “It’s not Glen?”
Marcus shrugged. “He was in Texas when your car was sabotaged.”
Hell. Levi had been sure it was him.
Isla leaned into him. “But Ed Pringle doesn’t make any sense. It would cost a lot of money to cross the country to find me, and he’s unemployed. He was the one who stole my data. Why would he bother trying to hurt me when it was his fault he got fired?”
Marcus nodded. “I agree. It doesn’t make any sense. Through my contacts, we know Pringle was in Texas until last week. He has since given up his apartment, and we’re unsure of his current location.”
Levi felt Isla shudder under his arm, and he knew why his buddy had wanted to talk when they were inside. “If he was there until last week, does that mean he couldn’t have been here to cut the ladder?”
Marcus nodded.
“So it wasn’t either of them? There’s another person who hates me?” Isla’s voice was shrill as she shoved out of his arms and headed back into the thin strip of woods.
Marcus’ face was grim. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything yet.”
Levi shrugged. Would it have mattered when he told them? Bad news was bad news.
Troy kept his voice quiet. “These two can finish the search. Go. I’ll watch your six.”
Levi nodded and moved through the woods. There was no telling if the guy with the gun was gone or if he was waiting for Isla to be alone. Which wasn’t going to happen.
He caught up to her as she exited the woods, looking around for anyone before she proceeded. Knowing she would have to burn off the fear, he simply walked beside her as she strode between the rows of hops.
Hopper caught up to them and walked on her other side. Isla patted his head. “I’m sorry you got hurt, Hopper. It’s all my fault, but I’m going to fix it.”
Her muttered words probably weren’t for his ears, but they broke his heart. The middle of a field wasn’t the place for this conversation, though. He kept his gun at his side and his eyes moving. Knowing Troy had their backs meant he didn’t have to worry about a threat from that direction.
When they neared the fence between their properties, Isla ignored his hand and clambered over without breaking her stride. At the cottage, her tear-soaked gaze turned to him. “I don’t think you should come in. And I think you should take Hopper with you. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.”
She didn’t give him a chance to answer before she unlocked the door and tried to close it in his face. Fat chance.
He and Hopper slipped into the mudroom behind her, then he locked the door and set the alarm. He undid his boots and toed them off.
Isla had her own boots off, and she turned to him again. “Please, Levi. I can’t be responsible for someone hurting you or Hopper. He can’t hurt anyone I love. It’s too dangerous to be around me.”
The dog wound between her legs, trying to ease her tension. She patted him and then did the same to Levi’s chest. “Please take him. Take care of him. I’ve got three people who hate me, and I can’t have them putting either of you in danger.”
Again, she didn’t wait for an answer before she turned and headed for her bedroom. She yanked a bag out of her closet and set it on the bed. “Levi, you have to go. It’s too dangerous. He’s almost killed you twice. I have to leave. He won’t be able to find me, and then he’ll go away. If I stay, he’s going to hurt you, and that would break me.”
She kept talking, pleading. Instead of arguing when she was so worked up, he moved to her and wrapped his arms around her.
For a moment, she squirmed against his hold, but almost immediately, she leaned into him.
“I have to go.” Her whisper barely reached him. “What is so horrible about me that so many people want to hurt me?”
And then she broke.
He scooped her into his arms and settled against the headboard and cuddled her. Like a late summer storm, the sobs were fierce but short-lived. Hopper jumped onto the bed and arranged himself so his face was on her legs.
Levi passed her the tissue box from the nightstand and continued to hold her. Hopper licked her hand, and she patted his head.
When her breathing settled, she didn’t push off his chest, just continued to lean into him. He kept his hands moving, offering her any comfort he could. “Did you mean it?”
She nodded into his chest. “I did. If I leave, you and Hopper will be safe.”
“Not that. We’ll figure that out in a minute.”
She was still for a moment, and he could almost hear her brain trying to switch gears. “I don’t know what you mean.”
He kissed her hair. “You said, and I quote, I can’t be responsible for someone hurting you or Hopper. He can’t hurt anyone I love. Those are the exact words, which are pretty engrained in my memory. Did you mean it?”
One of her hands patted his chest. “Out of all my ranting, that’s the line you picked up on.”
His voice was growly when he spoke. “Damn straight. I love you, Isla. It seemed too fast, so I haven’t said anything yet. I didn’t want to scare you off. But I love you. Whatever you want to do next, let’s do it together.”
She shifted so she could look into his eyes. He let her look as he studied her back. Her eyes were red from the tears, and her face was pale, but amusement was there too.
“Yes, I meant it. I love you, Levi. So very much. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
He grinned and shifted her so she was straddling him. Hopper jumped off the bed and headed to the kitchen, probably happier now that Isla had stopped crying. “Can we forget that bit for a few minutes? I want to go back to the first part of that sentence. Let me hear you say it again.”
She smiled and brushed her fingers over his jawline. “I love you, Levi. With every piece of my heart.”
“I love you, Isla. You’re incredibly special. I’m not great with words, so how about we do this instead?”
And then he kissed her with everything he had. And for the next little while, they forgot about everything except each other.