Page 52 of Shallow Remains

She knew Lachlan had arrived even before his truck headlights cut through the gloom out the window. The dogs leapt from her lap and charged for the door again, barking hysterically in that shrill yapping that set Maddy’s nerves on edge.

“Quiet,” she scolded and scooped up Larry. He froze in shock before ducking his head and letting out a yap of protest. “No. All of you, shh.” She picked up the others. Moe squeaked in alarm. Curly turned into a Chihuahua statue, his little legs sticking out rigidly from his potato-shaped body.

Maddy carried them to the door in her arms, the fear that had threatened to take over before receding as soon as Lachlan’s broad-shouldered silhouette appeared on the far side of the garden gate. The fog swirled around him as he strode for the house, hiding his steps.

She unlocked and opened the door, relief hitting her hard. “Hi,” she said over the new chorus of barking.

The front porch light showed the concern on his face as he reached the front steps and swept his gaze over her. “You okay?”

“Yes.” Much better now that he was here.

He stepped inside and reached for her before the door had swung shut behind him.

She leaned her head on his shoulder and exhaled, closed her eyes a moment and breathed in his scent to ground herself while she cradled the dogs awkwardly between them. They were making grumbling noises but not barking anymore.

She felt safe now. “I’m sorry I missed your call and messages.”

“It’s okay. Just tell me what happened.” He kissed her forehead and eased his hold enough to let her straighten up.

The dogs huddled against her chest, staring at him in alarm. Funny little things. Mae had been right though. These little guys were a living security system when something was going on outside.

She told Lachlan everything. “I didn’t see the car clearly enough to get the color, make or model, but I heard it take off. Whoever I saw running across the road definitely came from Willow’s yard. And last night…”

“Last night?” he prompted when she hesitated.

“I thought someone might have been following me. I didn’t notice anything when I left Willow’s,” she rushed on when his face darkened, “but by the time I got here I felt like something was off. I thought I saw someone heading behind Mae’s place, and then a car hanging around down the street without any lights on. It passed Willow’s place right after I got inside, still no headlights on.”

“Stay here. I’ll go up and take a look.”

“But—”

“I’ll be fine. Did you lock Willow’s place up before you left?”

“Yes, and I set the security system.”

“I’ll need the key and the code.”

She gave him both. “The alarm keypad’s just inside the front door to the left when you walk in. Just enter the digits, and it will disarm.”

“Got it. Lock up behind me. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He tipped her chin up and dropped a quick kiss on her lips before leaving.

She did as he said, trying to make sense of what she’d seen. Since Syria, she’d developed a hypervigilance and heightened awareness of her surroundings. Maybe even a bit of paranoia, which was why she didn’t trust her instincts.

She could be overreacting. Just because she was rattled didn’t mean any of this was a threat, let alone one aimed at her.

It could have been a simple case of thieves looking for a soft target to hit. Willow’s cottage had been empty for weeks before she’d moved in. Maybe someone had known that and come back tonight thinking it was still empty.

She jumped when the dogs suddenly went nuts again a few minutes later.

“No,” she scolded, squeezing them tighter. They were going to give her a damned heart attack. “Stop it. It’s just Lachlan.” She could see his silhouette cutting through the fog as he approached the front garden gate.

She let him in, her entire body sighing in relief when he stepped over the threshold. But then his expression registered. The deadly seriousness of it.

Her heart hitched.

“I think you’d better call Blaine. And I’ll call Rafe.”

Cold spread through her gut. “Why? What’s wrong?”