Holt

 

Wren opened the door to reveal a massive Husky with the most piercing blue eyes standing guard in front of her. The dog’s gaze went from Lawson to me and back again. 

Wren’s head jerked in my direction. “What are you doing here?”

Lawson winced. “Sorry. He overheard the call. There was no stopping him.” 

My eyes traced the trails that tears had left on Wren’s cheeks. Some ended on her chin, while others streaked down her neck. Marks that I had put there. 

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

Wren stared at me for the count of three. “I’m fine. Really.” 

Lawson cleared his throat. “Can you show me where you found the shoe print?”

She nodded, motioning around the house. “I was in the hall with Shadow. I had just hung up with Grae and heard what I thought was a twig snap. Shadow growled, which she doesn’t usually do unless she’s warning me that she heard something.” 

“Did you hear anything other than the twig snapping? Voices? Footsteps?” Lawson asked. 

Wren shook her head. “Nothing…” 

Her voice trailed off in a way that had me picking up my pace. “What is it?”

“Last night. Shadow growled then, too. And I thought I saw a light in the woods.” 

My gaze instantly went to the trees that engulfed the hillside. “Who lives up there?”

Lawson had his eyes trained there, too. “No one. The property hasn’t been built on.” 

I turned toward Wren. “Why didn’t you call Lawson then?”

Those flecks of green in her hazel eyes sparked, even in the darkness surrounding us. “I wasn’t aware that I was required to call Lawson every time something went bump in the night.” 

A muscle in my jaw ticked. “It’s reasonable to call the police if there’s an intruder on your property in the middle of the night.” 

“It was probably teenagers looking for a place to party.” 

“Guys. Enough,” Lawson snapped. He pulled a flashlight from his pocket and shined it along the side of the cabin. 

“It was under that window,” Wren said. 

His beam of light stilled on a smudged footprint. Everything in me went rigid. I forced myself to step closer. “There’s another one.” I pointed to another less-than-perfect print. One that said whoever this was had been in a hurry to get away.

“I’m gonna grab my kit from the SUV. I’ll take some photos, impressions, and measurements.” Lawson looked at Wren. “You should think about staying with Grae for a few days.” 

“I’m not sleeping on G’s couch because some nosy jerk is coming around my place. If someone wanted to hurt me, they would’ve done it when I pulled in tonight.” 

The thought had my stomach roiling. I swept the area with my gaze. The cabin. The forest. The lake—and instantly started making plans for security. She was too damn exposed in her cabin out in the open like this. 

“You could stay at the guest cabin at our parents’. You know they’d love to have you,” Lawson offered. 

“Kerry and Nathan don’t need me in their space. They have enough going on right now. I’m not letting someone scare me out of my home.” 

I turned back to my brother and Wren. “And you shouldn’t have to.” 

Shock flared in her eyes. “Thanks.”

“I’ll stay with you.” 

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