Chapter 6
Max hadn’t made it halfway around the perimeter when Caleb’s voice carried across the yard. “Max!”
Something about the way Caleb said his name made his muscles stiffen.
Caleb rushed from the kennel, urgency in his steps.
Something had happened, he realized.
At least he’d already seen Hadley. At least he knew she was okay.
Relief filled him at that knowledge.
Caleb paused in front of him. “Lyndee’s gone.”
He sucked in a breath. “What?”
“Naomi checked on her, and her room’s empty. Bed looks like it was slept in, but she’s gone now.”
Max exhaled slowly, already running through the possibilities. Had she left on her own again? Had Kenny somehow made it past security and gotten her?
“One other thing,” Caleb continued. “She didn’t take Tinkerbell.”
Max drew in a quick breath. “Lyndee treated the animal like a child. She wouldn’t have left willingly without her dog.”
“No,” Caleb agreed. “She wouldn’t have.”
Which meant Lyndee was most likely in trouble. He’d need to call her brother, Stephen, and let him know. But he was stationed overseas right now, and it would be difficult for Max to get in touch with him.
Max’s jaw tightened. “Let’s check the cameras.”
They hurried inside without another word. Naomi was already in the office, her attention fixed on the screen as she scrubbed through the footage. She wore leggings and a sweatshirt, and her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail.
Tinkerbell sat in her lap, looking just as confused as everyone else.
“I’m going through the night feed,” she murmured without looking away from the screen.
“Anything?” Max asked.
“Not yet.”
Max stepped closer, his focus narrowing as the footage rolled back hour by hour.
The yard appeared quiet and dark, the security lights not offering any clues.
Caleb leaned toward the screen. “Stop right there.”
Naomi froze the frame, and Max squinted as he watched.
A figure crept along the edge of the house, just within range of the camera’s view. The angle was off and the lighting poor. The time read: 3:30.
“Back it up,” Caleb said.
Naomi rewound a few seconds, then let it play again.
A figure emerged from the shadow of the house, head down and shoulders hunched against the cold.
It was Lyndee. Max knew that with certainty before he could fully make out her face.
She was alone, and she headed straight for the gate without any hesitation. When she reached it, she glanced over her shoulder.
Then she climbed over the fence and landed on the other side.
A moment later, she disappeared into the dark.
Naomi let the footage run a few more seconds.
Caleb frowned. “I don’t see a vehicle waiting for her.”
Max straightened. “Which means she either went out on foot . . .”
“Or someone was waiting out of sight,” Naomi finished.
Either way, it wasn’t good.
“Why’d she leave Tinkerbell?” Max asked, glancing at the prissy-looking canine. “She loves that dog.”
“Maybe it was too hard to take the dog with her,” Caleb said. “And we know from talking to her that Kenny hated the dog.”
“Maybe she figured Tinkerbell would be safer here with us,” Max murmured. “She knew we’d take care of ‘her baby,’ as she likes to call her.”
Naomi reached for her phone. “I need to let Micah know what’s going on.”
Hadley finished checking the puppies, her mind still on Lyndee.
What had happened to convince Lyndee to leave the safety of Refuge Cove?
She didn’t know. All she could do right now was pray. That man Kenny was dangerous. If Lyndee was with him . . .
The door opened, and someone stepped inside.
Kendra Williams. She stood at the entrance, her eyes wide and a look of confusion stretched across her petite features. The woman was beautiful, with a face made for magazines and a body that appeared flawless.
Hadley smiled. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” Kendra stepped closer, her gaze moving quickly through the room before settling on Hadley. “I’m surprised you’re here this early.”
“I never left last night.” Hadley brushed her hands together. “I didn’t want to leave sweet Juno alone. God designed animals to know what they’re doing when giving birth. I know that. But even dogs can use some emotional support sometimes.”
Kendra’s eyes flicked toward the pen. “The puppies are here?”
“They came last night.”
Kendra stepped closer and peered into the pen. “Look at them! They’re adorable.”
“Aren’t they?” These puppies represented innocent new life coming into a cold world.
As Kendra leaned in, Hadley watched her a second. Her posture looked relaxed at first glance. But Hadley sensed a tension beneath it. There was a slight tightness in Kendra’s shoulders, in the way her gaze darted too quickly and never settled in one place for long.
Hadley had seen that kind of hypervigilance before. Not always in people, but in animals that had been through too much. They didn’t always react outwardly. Sometimes the trauma showed in the way they stayed alert, like they were braced for worst-case scenarios.
“They’re so tiny,” Kendra murmured, still staring at the puppies. “So delicate.”
“They’ll get stronger. Surviving this long is a true win.”
Kendra nodded, but her focus drifted toward the doorway.
Hadley followed the movement without meaning to. It was almost as if Kendra was waiting for someone.
Max? Did she still have feelings for him? It made sense. Feelings didn’t always fade with a breakup. Relationships were complicated.
Hadley knew that firsthand. Again, she wondered exactly what had transpired between the two of them—and then she also reminded herself again that it was none of her business.
She and Kendra talked several more minutes, mostly about the puppies and how to take care of them. Hadley wished she didn’t have to leave them, but she did have work to do and bills to pay.
Ten minutes later, the door opened again.
Max stepped inside but stopped in his tracks when he spotted Kendra.
He offered a reserved nod. “Kendra . . . I didn’t realize you were coming in this morning.”
“I thought you might need some help.”
Hadley felt the shift in the air. Max and Kendra had both gone still, something unspoken hovering in the space between them. Their working relationship since the breakup had to feel awkward.
Hadley also knew that firsthand. She and her ex-husband had been colleagues, even after their split. There was a good reason people said not to mix business with pleasure.
Hadley cleared her throat as she turned to Max. “So . . . any updates on Lyndee?”
Max seemed to snap out of his stupor and shook his head. “No, not yet. Not really. We know she left some time in the middle of the night and didn’t take Tinkerbell with her.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you find answers soon.”
“Me too. Sheriff Sutherland is here, and he’s leading the investigation.”
She stepped back toward the pen. “Listen, while you’re here, can I run through some instructions for Juno?”
His attention shifted to her. “Of course.”
She crouched and lifted Quirkle, supporting him carefully in her hands. He was the runt, and though he’d seemed okay yesterday, this morning she’d noticed he seemed more lethargic than she’d like.
“This one is a little behind the others. I want to make sure he’s feeding enough.”
Max leaned in. “He looks all right, just smaller.”
“That’s what I’m thinking.” Hadley adjusted her hold. “But we should keep an eye on him.”
“Good idea.”
The hair on Hadley’s neck seemed to rise as she felt someone watching her.
She turned and saw Kendra studying her. Something in her gaze appeared tighter.
Maybe Hadley should have included her more in that conversation.
Either way, she had to run. She couldn’t be late.