She backed away quickly.
The old man reached for her again, but she was already out of his reach, and Grant stepped between them.
“Sarah,” the old man wailed, his eyes filling with tears.
“Please excuse Mr. Logsdon. He didn’t mean to hurt you,” the young man said. “He thinks any young woman with dark hair is his daughter, Sarah.” He held out his hand to Grant. “I’m Seth Ryland. I’m Mr. Logsdon’s caregiver. I was busy changing the sheets on his bed when he slipped out of the house.”
“Does he do that often?” Grant asked.
Seth grimaced. “At least once a week. He thinks he has to go to work. Next thing I know I’m chasing him down the street.”
“Sarah, come home,” the old man cried plaintively.
Avery’s heart hurt for the old man. “What happened to his daughter?”
“She disappeared a long time ago. He’s forgotten that and the fact his wife passed earlier this year. I’m sorry he disturbed you. Come on, Mr. Logsdon,” Seth said as he turned him away from Avery. “Let’s go home, have some lunch and take a nap.”
“But Sarah...” Mr. Logsdon looked over his shoulder once more. “Sweet Sarah,” he murmured and let the younger man lead him away.
“What the heck was that all about?” Grant asked.
“A sad old man who mistook me for his missing daughter…?” Avery shook her head, her gaze following the old man and his young caregiver. “I hope Seth doesn’t have any trouble getting Mr. Logsdon home. It’s scary to think the man could wander away and potentially get lost.”
Grant watched the man being led away. “I hope he doesn’t attack you again.”
“He’s obviously got some form of dementia.”
“Dementia or not, I shouldn’t have let him get past me to you,” Grant said.
“He didn’t hurt me.”
“No, but he could have.” Grant hooked her arm and led her down the street to the diner. They didn’t stop until he had her settled into a booth in a corner where he could sit with his back to the door.
Avery felt sorry for the old man. He’d apparently lost his little girl sometime in the past and hadn’t gotten over that loss. She wondered what other secrets the town harbored. Most of all, she needed to find the secret location of a killer.
Chapter 11
Grant kicked himself for not stopping Mr. Logsdon before he’d ambushed Avery.
Avery reached across the table and touched his hand. “Hey. You can’t be a human shield for me, you know. I can defend myself. I would have, too. I just didn’t see the old man as a threat until he had me in his surprisingly strong grip.”
Grant curled his fingers around hers. “I should’ve come between him before he got that far.”
“You can’t be there for me every second,” she insisted.
“No, but I was there and did nothing to stop him.”
“It’s done. I’m fine, and Mr. Logsdon is on his way home.” She pulled her hand free and picked up the menu. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Do you want to split a burger and fries?”
Grant liked that she slipped so easily into their former eating habits of sharing a meal. “As long as it’s fully loaded, pickles and all.”
“Deal. As long as the fully loaded part comes?—”
“—on the side,” he finished with a grin.
She returned his smile.
In that moment, hope blossomed inside Grant, though he held it in check.
