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He glanced out the door of the stables to where he had seen the dog earlier. Pappy was still laying in his usual spot in the spot just outside the backyard.
Mac turned back to the trainer. “What about him?”
“Well, last coupla weeks, I’ve come in to find him cowerin’ here in the stables. Pappy’s always slept on the porch till daybreak, ain’t he?”
That had to be the most Wes had ever spoken to him. But he was right; Pappy had always slept on the porch.
“An’ I noticed, too, he don’t like being petted like he used to. Used to let me rough him up whenever I had time. Now he shies away from me. ”
“I’ll check him out. ” Mac nodded in concern. “Thanks for letting me know. ”
Wes shrugged. “Just missed having him trail after me sometimes. ”
“Have you noticed anything else out of the ordinary?” Mac asked him then, feeling a warning tension growing within him.
Wes paused again. “Well, Grace’s stall bein’ opened a time or two when I come in of the morning. Just little things that could be nothin’ other than that. ”
Little things. Coincidences. Mac felt the hair on the back of his neck tingle.
“Is there anything missing?” he asked.
He had wondered where the stalker was now. He could be closer than Mac imagined.
Wes shook his head. “No. Nothin’ missin’. Just the animals actin’ a little funny and Grace’s stall being unlocked. Just thought I’d ask about it. ”’
Wes ducked his head and shuffled his feet again.
“I’ll check Grace’s stall of the evenings before I go in. ” Mac nodded. “Let me know if you notice anything else. ”
“I’ll do that. ” Wes nodded. “Gonna go clean the tack now. ”
Mac frowned as he stared around the stables. Turning back to Grace, he let his gaze go over her carefully, looking for any signs of injury or distress.
She snuffled and nudged his arm for attention, but nothing seemed out of the way. Patting the horse’s neck in farewell, Mac checked the lock on the stall before heading outside to the dog basking in the sun. But too many coincidences were suddenly beginning to add up.
Pappy seemed well, eager for attention and as playful as always. Mac stared back at the stables, though, as he petted the animal, wondering if they were being watched now.
Wes was a strange little person on a good day, but he had never seemed paranoid or forgetful in making certain the latches on the stall doors were secured.
With Keiley’s lost comb earlier in the week, the rumors of a ménage no one should know about, and now this, he was starting to slip back into agent mode. And he didn’t like that. It had taken nearly two years for him to shake free of the almost paranoid suspicions that came with his job at the Bureau. But was it paranoia, or were he and Keiley being targeted?
“Come on, boy, we’ll find you a treat. ” Mac patted the dog one last time before he moved through the gate and headed to the house, the dog trotting happily at his heels.
Stepping through the backdoor, Mac pulled one of the store-bought dog bones Keiley kept on hand for the dog from a shelf and tossed it out to Pappy. He loped happily away, the smoked meat bone clutched possessively in his mouth.
As he closed the door, he could hear the drone of the Harley in the front drive and grunted at the time. Jethro was back well before midnight. Mac was surprised. He had expected to have to collect Jethro, not to mention a mangled Harley. It wouldn’t be the first time he had done so. Jethro had totaled his own ride four years ago, and Mac had sworn he would never allow his friend on his own Harley.
Moving through the house, he met Jethro as he entered the front door.
“Your key, my friend. ” Jethro tossed him the key and a rakish smile. “That’s quite a little town you have. Lots and lots of scenery, if you don’t mind my saying so. ”
“I don’t mind in the least. ” Mac pocketed the key as he motioned Jethro back to his office.
He could hear Keiley back upstairs, the sound of the vacuum cleaner droning down the stairs.
“Were you able to find out anything?”
“Only that Delia Staten hates Keiley with a passion that most women reserve for loving men,” Jethro grunted. “She has a hard-on for your marriage, Mac. That’s a dangerous thing. ”
