Chapter Six
T anner moved when he heard the knock on the door. He crossed the living room in two quiet steps and stopped with his hand on the chain. His heart was already racing, and he forced himself to take a deep breath.
A man’s voice came through the door. “Sheriff’s department. Anyone inside?”
Tanner didn’t answer. He stood and breathed quietly, hearing the man say, “I’m not here to cause trouble.
I just need to speak to you.” When he remained silent, the man spoke again.
“Okay,” he said, his voice calm. “Listen. I’m Deputy Miles Owens.
I work with Sheriff Redding. I just need to make sure everyone’s alright. ”
Tanner slid his fingers under the chain and held it there for a second, the metal digging into his skin. If he opened the door and it was CPS, he’d shut it again. If it was a deputy, he’d still shut it again.
Tanner carefully unlocked the door then paused with his hand on the knob.
The chain was still on and he slowly turned the knob.
The click sounded too loud in the quiet room, and he flinched.
Tanner pulled the door open just enough to see who was on the porch, his body angled so he could slam it shut quickly if he needed to.
A deputy stood there with his hands visible.
Tanner stared at him, noticing the deputy was tall.
The jacket hid most of his body, but Tanner still got the impression of someone built solid without being bulky.
The kind of body that came from doing real work, not a gym.
His dark hair was cut short, and his hazel eyes watched Tanner.
Tanner should have felt fear first. Instead, he felt a quick, sharp rush of attraction that made no sense at all. It annoyed him, and his grip tightened on the door.
Keeping his face blank, he met the deputy’s eyes. The deputy held his gaze a second longer than Tanner expected, his eyes widening slightly, before saying, “Morning.”
Tanner didn’t answer.
“I’m Deputy Miles Owens,” the man said. His voice remained calm as he spoke. “Sheriff Redding sent me.”
Tanner swallowed. “Why?”
Miles’ gaze dropped for a second to Tanner’s bare feet, then moved slowly up over his worn jeans and shirt before returning to his face.
It should have felt like assessment and maybe part of it was, but Tanner felt there was something else too.
Heat crept across his cheeks, and he gritted his teeth.
“We got a call,” Miles answered. “About someone being inside the house. Mrs. Hemsworth thought it might be a break in.”
Tanner’s stomach clenched. The call he’d interrupted had been to the sheriff. He should have known someone would come out in response. “She saw you,” Miles added.
Tanner’s jaw tightened. “I live here.”
Miles held his gaze. “Your name?”
Tanner stared back. He didn’t like questions because questions could lead to Savannah being taken, and no one was taking her from him. Savannah was his to protect, to care for. Knowing he had no choice right then, he forced the words out. “Tanner. Tanner Fernsby.”
Something shifted in Miles’ face. Recognition, like he’d expected that answer. Miles nodded. “Alright.”
Tanner waited for the next part where Miles made demands. Asked for proof or ID. Police always asked for something.
Miles stayed where he was. “Can we talk?”
Tanner’s hand flexed on the edge of the door but didn’t open it wider. “We’re talking.”
Miles didn’t push. He glanced toward the street, then back to Tanner, and gave a quick nod. “You got anyone else in there with you?”
Tanner’s heart raced in his chest. He swallowed, his eyes darting past Miles as he looked down the street before going back to him.
Miles’ eyes narrowed slightly. “Tanner. I need to know if there’s a kid in there.”
Tanner’s throat went tight, and he struggled to swallow. He tried to keep his voice strong as he spoke. “My sister.”
Miles’ gaze locked on his. “Savannah.”
Tanner’s stomach dropped. “How do you know her name?”
“Sheriff Redding pulled the old report,” Miles said. “He told me. I’m not here to cause problems. I’m here to make sure she’s safe.”
Tanner’s body went rigid. He leaned forward without meaning to, and muttered, “She is.”
Miles didn’t react to the edge in Tanner’s voice. “Okay. I’m going to ask some basic questions. You don’t have to like it, but I have to do it.”
Tanner blew out a breath. “Then ask.”
Miles nodded. “How long have you been back in town?”
“Last night.”
“And you’ve been gone since—”
“Three years,” Tanner snapped.
Miles held up one hand. “Alright. I’m not going to dig into where you’ve been right now. Sheriff will want to talk to you later, but I’m first contact because he didn’t want this turning into something it doesn’t need to.”
Tanner sucked in a breath. He could picture it too easily, given how this town liked to gossip. He continued to watch Miles but said nothing.
“I need to ask about your parents.”
Tanner’s mouth went dry. He stared past Miles’ shoulder at the porch rail instead of his face. “They’re dead.”
“I know,” Miles murmured. “I’m sorry.”
Tanner forced himself to look at Miles again. He didn’t need any sympathy. What he needed was to be able to keep Savannah safe. “Whatever.”
“Do you have any next-of-kin in town? An aunt, uncle, grandparents?”
“No,” Tanner murmured. “No one.”
Miles watched him for a second, then nodded. “Okay.”
Tanner’s fingers were numb from gripping the door. He slowly loosened them but didn’t let go of it. “What do you want?”
Miles took a slow breath. “There’s some paperwork that needs handling, Tanner. The house has been sitting empty while you’ve been gone. The utilities were cut. Taxes and ownership stuff gets messy when no one’s dealing with it. If you’re here to stay, you’ll need to get things sorted out.”
Tanner licked his lips. He had no idea about taxes and ownership or how to get the utilities turned on.
“I don’t have much money,” he blurted out then, and hated how it sounded.
Like he was a kid. He’d come back with a little cash, enough to get by for a bit if he kept it tight, but not enough for everything the house needed.
Miles nodded. “I’m not asking for money. I’m telling you what you’re going to run into.”
Tanner swallowed. “You said paperwork.”
Miles nodded. “There’s a form for the department. Basic contact info and who’s living here. It’s not a CPS thing or anything to do with the courts. It’s a ‘we made contact and we have the right address’ kind of thing.”
Tanner didn’t believe him and he leaned away, a move that Miles noticed.
Miles’ gaze sharpened like he knew exactly what Tanner was thinking. “You don’t trust that.”
“No.”
Miles watched him for a few seconds, then slowly reached into his jacket, making sure Tanner could see the movement, and pulled out a folded packet. He held it at his side as he spoke. “You can fill it in now, or I can bring it back later. Sheriff’s trying to keep this low-key.”
Tanner stared at the packet like it was some form of trap that would take Savannah away from him. “Later.”
Miles nodded. “Okay.”
Tanner didn’t say anything else, and the silence grew between them. He kept the door as close to shut as he could. He didn’t want Miles seeing inside.
Miles glanced toward the gap at the door, and Tanner tightened his grip on it. “Do you have heat in there?”
Tanner’s jaw tightened. “No.”
“Power?”
“No.”
“Food?”
Tanner didn’t answer. He stared at Miles.
Miles’ face didn’t change much, but his eyes softened. “Okay.”
Tanner felt shame burn inside and he pushed it down hard. Shame didn’t feed Savannah. “I’ll figure it out.”
A small sound came from behind Tanner, and a couple of seconds later there were soft footsteps along the floor. Tanner’s whole body shifted as his attention moved toward Savannah.
“Tanny?”
Tanner turned fully, blocking the doorway with his body as Savannah appeared at the end of the hall in her pajamas. Her hair stuck up on one side, and she clutched her rabbit under her arm as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
Tanner’s chest squeezed as he smiled down at her. “Hey, baby.”
Savannah padded closer, then paused when she saw Miles.
Miles lowered himself slightly at the knees so he wasn’t towering over her. “Hi,” he said, softly. “You must be Savannah.”
Savannah stared at him, then looked up at Tanner. Tanner scooped her up without hesitation and held her tight against his chest. “Yeah,” he murmured into her hair. “It’s okay.”
Savannah’s arms looped around his neck, then buried her face against him for a second before she peeked at Miles.
Miles watched the way Tanner held her. The way Savannah clung to him. Something in his expression tightened, and Tanner didn’t like that. “She looks healthy,” he said quietly.
Tanner clenched his jaw. “She is.”
Miles shifted his gaze back to Tanner. “I’m going to ask a few questions about her. Basic stuff.”
Tanner’s stomach churned and he tightened his arms around Savannah. “Why?”
“Because if you don’t have answers ready, you’re going to get steamrolled when someone else asks,” Miles said. His tone was still calm, but there was a warning in it. Not a threat exactly. More of a fact. “And they will ask. You already know that.”
Tanner stared at him. He didn’t like that the deputy understood him, but maybe he’d dealt with this kind of thing before. He swallowed before nodding.
Miles kept his voice level as he asked, “Is she in school or preschool?”
Tanner’s mouth went dry. They’d just returned. He hadn’t sorted anything out yet. “No. We just got here.”
Miles nodded like he expected that answer. “Doctor. Does she have one in town?”
Tanner swallowed. “Not here.”
“Who was she registered with where you were?”
Tanner’s jaw clenched. He could feel his face heating up and he ignored it. “I took her when she needed it.”
Miles nodded then asked, “Vaccinations up to date?”
Tanner’s eyes narrowed. “She’s fine.”
Miles held his gaze. “That’s not what I asked.”
Savannah shifted in Tanner’s arms and whispered, “Hungry.”
Tanner’s throat tightened and he kissed the top of her head. “Yeah. I know.”