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He had some guards there within a few hours, and Kirsten was bundling up Zara, getting her ready to go outside. He was standing on the back porch, staring into the woods. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now. But Sher wasn’t around.
He heard the door open, and he turned to see Kirsten all bundled up with Zara. She still looked angry, but he knew it was toward Sher more than him. She’d expressed that just an hour ago. She wanted some space.
“There are a few guards.”
She nodded at him and looked over the yard. He could see she was searching for them. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her. “They are in the trees. I didn’t need Sher knowing I had people watching in case she came back.”
She turned and walked out towards the yard. He wanted to follow but didn’t. He knew she needed a little more time to calm down after everything.
“Here, kitty, kitty. Come on out,” he heard her say, and he knew it was going to take a little longer for Kirsten to calm down.
THIRTY-FOUR
KIRSTEN
She stood in the nursery, bundling Zara up to head outside. It had been a few days now since they had last gone out. Henry had gotten guards, which was amazing, but the weather had been crappy the past few days, and then Henry was gone for an entire day.
Henry wasn’t comfortable with her being outside if he was gone. She understood that, so this morning, she’d finally been afforded a little time to go out before Henry went into town. She was desperate to get outside and feel the sun.
She bundled herself up and headed out the front door. She glanced up at the guards, knowing where they were usually stationed in the trees now. She had seen them a few times from the window and could see them now.
She bounced Zara, watching her face light up. She couldn’t help but smile back at her. She enjoyed seeing Zara smiling. She was still little, and she was learning and doing new things every day.
“It’s windy today,” she said, chuckling at Zara. “But it’s still nice outside.”
She went around the side of the house, where the swing was. She placed her in the swing and pushed her gently. She allowed the sun to shine down on her, soaking as much of it in as she could.
The garden was just to the right of them, so she turned the hose on to water the vegetables while she was outside. She could hear Henry working away in the barn, and for a solid moment, she felt everything was okay. Sher wasn’t after her. Zara was a baby she got to spend endless hours with, and she was still a nanny. She was in love with Henry, and there wasn’t anything wrong.
But that isn’t really how it is, is it Kirsten? Sher is after you, and it worries Henry. He’s worried about you and Zara. You don’t know what’s going to happen.
A chill ran down her spine, and she tried to shake it off. She didn’t want to worry. She just wanted to enjoy this moment because she didn’t know when she would be outside like this again.
She pushed Zara a few more times before she turned the hose off, rewrapped it, and hung it back up. She looked over the yard and sighed. It was quiet.
Almost too quiet.
She was used to the snapping of a branch or feeling eyes on her. But she didn’t hear or feel anything anymore. She glanced up at the trees, not seeing any guards. She found it odd.
Sure, their job was not to be seen, but she knew they were there, so she figured she should be able to see them still.
She looked a little harder, still not seeing anyone. She frowned. Something didn’t feel right.
You’re overthinking, Kirsten. You’ve been cooped up inside, and now you worry over the littlest things. You’re fine. They are probably just being stealthier now.
She turned back to Zara.
“Kirsten, I’m going to head down to town,” Henry yelled from the barn, and she could see him wiping at his pants with his hands. “I have a few things I need to get done, so you should head in with Zara. You guys can come back out when I return. Should still be nice out.”
She sighed, stepping forward and pulling Zara out of her swing. She didn’t want to go inside, but she knew it was coming.
Pulling Zara close, she turned to enter the house once more. “Alright, don’t be gone long.”
She watched him walk away towards his truck and hop in. He gave her a wave while he turned his truck around and started down the driveway.
She sighed, pulling Zara close when a cold shiver ran down her entire spine. Something was wrong. She knew it.
As soon as she turned, though, she noticed the tiger was back with some extra help. Her eyes widened.
