Page 16 of A Love Like Candle Light

“You might have noticed, they’ve been searching the area with dogs,” I explain, doing the same. Lauren and Nic shoot each other confused looks.

“Yeah we did. Any particular reason they went over to our houses, too?” Lauren sounds angry. “Do we need lawyers?”

“Lauren, I’m not the enemy here, okay? Get your lawyer if you want to. They’re searching the area for more bodies. My amateur opinion on the ones we found is, they’ve been here longer than you’ve lived in these houses, so I’ll take a leap and say you’ll be fine. However, the investigation is not in my hands right now, so you guys do what’s best for you.”

Nic whispers something into Henry’s ear, then takes a step away, her phone pressed to her ear.

“Anyway, the dogs haven’t found anything.”

“Which is good. Right?” Kieran sounds hopeful. Once I shake my head, though, his face falls.

“They are bringing in GPR detectors. Kind of like metal detectors, but for bones,” I explain.

“This would be a lot more exciting for me if it weren’t our properties at stake,” Kylie mumbles with a sigh. Kieran chuckles and nudges her with his elbow.

“They want to go over the whole area with the detectors. Which will take a while.” As much as I wanted to know more about Rick's reasoning, he didn’t seem very open to a discussion. If he thinks they can find anything here the dogs couldn’t catch a whiff of, he can be my guest.

I’m just mad about the burnt resources. Checking the area for more bodies? That I can get behind. Doing so with not one but two highly effective methods, only for the sake of doing it? Not so much.

I’ve never been gladder to work in law enforcement for this tiny town I call home than to try to work my way up the ladder at a federal law enforcement agency. I mean, either he has to appear busy to justify his position in homicide investigations in Bumfuck, Nowhere, or enjoys throwing his power around.

“His decision means you can’t stay here tonight. Tomorrow morning, a team will arrive here and comb through the land. If all goes as I assume and they don’t find any more bones, they should be out of here by noon-ish and you can return.”

“Oh man.” Kieran lets out a deep sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose.

“I can ring Andrea and ask if she has any available rooms in her hotel,” Lauren offers, but Kieran shakes his head.

“She’s out of town for the week, enjoying the calm before the storm, aka the autumn fair.” He chuckles. “All-inclusive resort somewhere warm, I forgot where exactly, but she told me so last week at Caleb’s.”

“Oh man.” Henry turns to Nic who has returned to his side. “You’re staying over at my place?” She gives him a solemn nod.

“I’m sure you could have Caleb’s couch,” Lauren offers to Kieran, but he shakes his head, face pulling into a grimace.

“Please, I’ve been to his place. It’s very tiny and a completely open concept. The only way I’d consider sleeping in the same vicinity as you two is with very thick walls and a very thick door between us,” Kieran points out, visibly shuddering.

Lauren shrugs, then bursts into giggles. “You have a point.”

“You can have my couch.” Henry’s offer makes Kieran perk up. “I’ve got a house. Thick door to the bedroom.” He winks. I roll my eyes at their banter. I mean, seriously? There’s an investigation on their land and all they care about is who they won’t hear have sex when they’re over. How childish.

“Now that’s a deal I’m willing to take.” He grins and rubs his hands.

Meanwhile, Kylie is pulling out her phone. Over her shoulder, I watch her search for any hotels within a one-hour radius, but they’re all booked out. Poor her. I’m sure she imagined her first day in Wayward Hollow a lot differently.

“Fuck,” she curses under her breath. “How the hell is everything booked out in a random August week in the middle of nowhere?” She lifts her gaze off her phone, shoulders sinking helplessly. “Does anyone have a tent I can borrow? And a tip for a good spot to set it up?”

She sounds exhausted. And she looks it. Her eyes are glistening, and before I even realize what I’m doing, or questioning why in the hell I would offer it, I’m already speaking.

“I have a guest room.” Five sets of eyes dart to me. I square my shoulders, fighting the instinct to sink under their stares and clear my throat. “You know, just for the night. If you can’t find anything else. Camping is not advisable this time of the year.”

Truth be told, I’m not sure if it is or not. What I know is the nights get cold and wildlife is a force to be reckoned with.

Her shoulders sag in relief and the sight does funny things to my stomach. Lauren and Nic shoot each other a pointed look. I am not going to hear the end of this the next time I run into them at Caleb’s, I fear.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” she asks in a thin voice. “You know, with my dog and everything.”

“It’s fine,” I assure her and nod for emphasis. “You live in our town now, which makes you one of us. No way am I going to leave you homeless for the night.”

“Thank you.” Her eyes glisten, and she clears her throat. “Only if it’s really okay, though. I don’t want to impose.”