She tightened her grip. “I’m sure he’ll wait for the activity in the area to settle down before trying anything. The Lighthouse Motel isn’t that far from the Shipwreck Pub. There will be plenty of people there until bar time, even on a weeknight.”
The corner of Cam’s mouth tugged up in a crooked smile. “That’s a reassuring thought.”
She managed to smile back, even though waiting for Doc to arrive felt like torture.
Another wide yawn caught her off guard. The exhaustion she’d managed to mostly ignore weighed heavily on her now. Releasing Cam’s arm, she stood and paced the length of the room. Bruno watched her walking back and forth for a moment, then stood to follow her, as if anticipating another trip outside.
“Relax, big guy,” she murmured. “I’m just trying to stay awake.”
“Why don’t you get some rest?” Cam suggested. “There’s no reason for both of us to lose sleep.”
“Are you sure?” She felt guilty placing the responsibility for staying awake to stand guard over her on his shoulders. “I can keep you company.”
“There’s no need for you to do that. Besides, I’m used to going without sleep. This is far more comfortable than being in the desert of Afghanistan.” He gestured down the hall to the bedrooms. “Rest up. I’ll drink more coffee and let you know when Doc arrives.”
The thought of sleeping even for a couple hours was enticing. She didn’t function well on less than five hours of sleep. Some of her long call weekends had resulted in her getting less than that. But this was different. Remaining hyperalert for a sign of the killer getting too close had worn down her defenses.
How anyone could stay vigilant for long periods of time was a mystery. She couldn’t do it. Give her a long complex and traumatic OR case any day. After a moment, she nodded. “Okay, if you’re sure. But Cam, if you need a break, wake me up. I can sound the alarm if I see something suspicious too.”
“I’ll be fine.” He waved that off. “Besides, we have Bruno to help alert us to danger. I trust his nose more than my own senses. No matter what anyone says, I know that dog will recognize the scent of the killer.”
“I think so too.” She bent to stroke the dog’s silky fur. His tail wagged back and forth as he stared up at her, as if sensing they were talking about him. “Okay, Bruno. Let’s go.”
Bruno padded down the hall beside her. She ducked into the main bedroom, taking advantage of the private bathroom. She decided to sleep in her clothes, just in case they had to leave in a hurry.
“Up, boy.” She patted the mattress beside her. Bruno didn’t need to be asked twice. He gracefully leaped up to the bed, made a circle, then settled down with his back pressed against her.
“Good boy.” She yawned again, pulled the covers up, and closed her eyes. For once, she fell asleep as quickly as Bruno did.
Bruno’s low growls woke her what felt like five minutes later. She blinked, frowning as she realized darkness had fallen. Peering at her watch, she realized the hour was going on midnight. Later than she’d thought.
Instantly wide awake now, she sat up. Bruno wasn’t on the bed beside her but at the door as if he needed to go out.
Considering Bruno never woke her in the middle of the night to go outside, red warning lights flashed in her mind. “What is it?” she whispered, even though that was probably silly. “What’s wrong?”
Bruno turned his head to look at her, then back at the door. There was no mistaking he wanted out of the room.
Tossing aside the covers, she slipped her feet into her running shoes and crossed over to open the door. The moment she had it wide enough, Bruno snaked through, his growls growing louder.
“Cam?” She kept her voice hushed in case—what? She wasn’t sure. “Cam, are you here?”
There was no answer. Cam wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room. Her heart thudded painfully against her breast as she crossed to the window to look out at the front yard, wondering if he’d broken his promise and had gone to the Lighthouse Motel to meet Doc.
But no, the rental car was still sitting in the driveway.
Okay, but where was Cam? Spinning away from the window, she quickly headed back down the hall. Cam wasn’t in the second bedroom or in the bathroom.
He must have gone outside. So much for not leaving her alone. A flash of annoyance hit hard as she peered out the rear bedroom windows overlooking the backyard.
Still no sign of Cam. Her irritation quickly morphed into fear. Had the killer lured him outside somehow? Stepping back from the window, she nearly tripped over Bruno. She understood Cam left Bruno behind to protect her, but she was still irked.
She hurried back to the kitchen and searched for something to use as a weapon. A knife meant she’d have to get close enough to the killer to use it. Why had she left the bear spray behind at her mom’s house? Kicking herself, she turned and spied the fireplace tools. Crossing the room, she grasped the poker. It wasn’t nearly as heavy as she’d hoped, but she might be able to use it as a bat or a club.
Maybe.
Poker in hand, she turned back to the kitchen. Bruno continued to growl, which only alarmed her more. Her dog knew something was wrong. Either Cam was in trouble or the killer was nearby.
Spying the key fob to the SUV on the table, she grabbed it and slid it into her pocket. Then she reached for her phone. She didn’t have Doc’s number and was too afraid to call Cam in case he was hiding from the killer. She had to trust someone, so she quickly called Detective Rueger.
