by Tara Meyers
“After Ben left for college,” Becky said loudly, cutting her husband off while giving him a killer glare, “Delilah started dating a local business owner. It was quite the scandal since he was ten years older than her.”
“Isn’t pretty much everything surrounding relationships considered a scandal here?” Ember joked, trying to lighten the tone.
Elizabeth snatched an apple from a bowl and stomped out of the room. Her door slammed a moment later.
Becky visibly sighed in relief before sitting back down. She ran a hand through her short red hair and then smiled at Ember. “Touché. But it was one of those times when you really did have to wonder. There’s a huge difference between eighteen and twenty-eight.”
“Oh!” Ember gulped. “Yeah. I see what you mean. So, what happened? Why did she leave Sanctuary?”
“Contrary to what everyone thought would happen, they appeared to be a very happy couple for several years,” Becky said. “Ironically, Ben was the one who came back to Sanctuary four years later after he lost his football scholarship because of his knee injury. He brought a two-year-old son with him, but not the child’s mother.”
Paul reached out and placed a protective hand over his wife’s. “And Becky and I were also happily married.”
“Yes, we were,” Becky agreed. “And still are.” Smiling at each other, they leaned forward and exchanged a quick kiss.
“Gross,” Bret hissed.
Ember was glad to hear his vocabulary expand.
“I think they were married for around six years when Delilah’s husband died.” Becky shrugged and took a drink of water. “I think it was a heart attack. Something sudden like that. Delilah and I were never close, for obvious reasons, but I felt horrible for her.”
Ember pondered the sad story for a moment. “No kids?”
Becky shook her head.
“So, what? She ran off after he died?”
Paul wiped at his mouth and dropped the napkin on his empty plate. “Her husband ran a hardware store. It used to be on the property that now houses Haven Backcountry Outfitters. She didn’t sell it right away but left it to be run by the store manager. Five years ago, she sold it without notice to Colton Parker. Larry, the man who’d been managing the store for more than twenty years, found himself unemployed, so you can imagine why some folks aren’t too excited to have Delilah back.”
Sanctuary was one of three small communities that made up Haven County. Refuge was to the north while the largest city, Parker, was to the south. Sanctuary and Refuge were both founded a hundred years before by a group of settlers. Many years later, Parker was created as a logging camp, and it exploded with the industry. When the logging mill was eventually shut down, the town remained, as did the core of the Parker family.
There was still a bitter rivalry between the towns, and Ember immediately understood how Delilah would have been seen as a traitor for selling a staple business to a Parker. Ember had recently become friends with Colton Parker, and she often wondered how he’d come to own the property.
“Why do you think she came back after―” Ember attempted to do the math. “After fifteen years?”
“Seventeen years,” Becky corrected. “And it’s hard to say why,” Becky spoke evenly and gave a slight nod toward the boys.
Ember took the hint and once again changed the subject. “Any sign of the Persian at the shelter?”
Becky ran the Sanctuary Animal Shelter, as well as a fostering program. Ember knew that if anyone could find a lost pet, it would be her aunt.
“I’m afraid not. I’ve asked around to everyone I could think of and gave out the fliers.” Becky tapped at the table for a moment and watched as Bret put his empty plate in the sink. She gave him a nod of approval before turning back to Ember. “You know, I had two other pet owners come in looking this week.”
“Looking for the Persian?”
“No, Ember.” Becky laughed. “They were looking for their own animal. One was another cat that probably became coyote food, but the other is a beautiful Samoyed. His owner is frantic.”
Ember knew Samoyed was one of the most expensive dog breeds, given the right breeding and papers. “I haven’t had them as a client. Are they from around here?”
“Uh-uh. They live in Refuge. He’s going all over the county looking for him.” Becky drank the rest of her water and then peered at Ember over the top of the glass. “Why do you ask?”
“Just curious.” Ember took the last bite of her food and chewed slowly, lost in thought.
“Ember, I know that tone.” Becky wagged a finger at her niece. Ever since Becky’s brother died when Ember was a baby, she’d been more like an older sister.
“Who’s up for a game of Yahtzee!” Paul broke in, waving the box over his head. The twin boys both cheered and ran to the family room.
Ember put her hands up in mock defense and took the opportunity to call it a night. “I’d love to, guys, but I have an early morning.”
As she said her goodbyes and bundled up for the snowy night, Ember couldn’t help but think about the missing animals. Two of them were quite valuable. Was it simply coyotes, or was there something more sinister at work?
FIVE
Ember leaned against the post of her front porch. Pulling her sweater together to ward off the frigid morning air, she watched as Nathan Sparks got out of his truck.
“Good morning!” he called out before slamming the door. His voice had a rich timbre to it, hinting at the calm demeanor behind it. He’d grown his hair out some over the past month, so it was almost to his shoulders. It looked good. Between the dark glossy sheen of his hair and the sharp angular features of his face, his Lakota blood was obvious. While Ember was only twenty-five percent Lakota, Nathan was a hundred percent. They’d figured out their connection immediately upon meeting but determined that they were from different nations.
With long, sure strides, Nathan crossed the gravel driveway knee-deep in snow and leaped up the front steps.
Ember pushed away from the post, and her breath caught as she looked up into his rich brown eyes. She’d nearly forgotten the effect being close to him had on her. A brief moment of apprehension over the strong emotions caught her off guard but then quickly melted away when he smiled at her.
“Remind me to never say yes to something that takes me away from Sanctuary for so long.” Reaching out, he brushed a stray strand of hair out of Ember’s face. “You really are beautiful.”
Ember wasn’t sure how to respond. Nathan wasn’t usually so…vocal about his feelings. Or anything, really. She’d gotten used to his quiet mannerism. He was the sort of man who people listened to when he spoke, because when he did, you knew it was important.
“Thank you,” she said simply. She knew he wasn’t looking for a compliment in return. Instead, she took a step forward, closing the gap between them.
His hand remained in her hair but moved to back of her head as he guided her face toward his. The kiss was slow and gentle, and Ember knew she could easily get lost in it.
But eventually, Nathan pulled back. Smiling again, he nodded toward the house. “Is Daenerys inside? I don’t think it’s a good idea to take her today. Too much fresh powder.”
Her lips already longed for more, and Ember had to force herself to concentrate on the conversation. “Um, yeah. Yup. She’s inside.” Laughing at herself, she moved back beyond the reach of his magnetism and opened her sweater to the cool air. “I figured as much, so Mel is going to come by in a bit to check on her and let her out.”
“You mean she’s going to come by to raid your refrigerator and watch your limited-edition Star Wars.”
“I think she’s moved on to Battlestar Galactica,” Ember corrected. She and Mel were strong sisters in The Force. The shared love for everything sci-fi was part of their instant bonding when they’d first met.
“Are we still on for starting my indoctrination next weekend?”
Ember nodded. “Friday night. You bring the snack.” After
several testimonials, she’d convinced him to watch the newer Battlestar series, which was her all-time favorite TV show.
A gust of wind had Ember yanking her sweater shut again and moving quickly for the front door. While it was a postcard-perfect winter day with alpine blue skies and a foot of fresh powdered snow, it was below freezing with an icy breeze.
She stepped into the welcoming foyer of the old farmhouse and enjoyed the enveloping warmth from the fire she’d started in the family room. It was tempting to snuggle up with a cup of something hot, but in addition to spending time with Nathan, she could really use the exercise. She hadn’t been exaggerating with Mel about the three pounds.
Nathan pulled her set of snowshoes from the hall closet. “You ready to do this?”
Her house and twenty acres were bordered on one side by Crystal Lake and by national forest on the other three. All they had to do was leave out the back door.
Taking the offered gear she’d recently purchased at Haven Backcountry Outfitters, Ember put on her best game face. “So long as we have plenty of hand warmers.”
****
As it turned out, Ember didn’t need to worry about being cold. She’d forgotten how much of a workout snowshoeing was. She was about ten years older since the last time she’d gone and not in nearly as good of shape. She grew up barrel racing horses, but eight years of college changes a lot of things.
Having already stripped down to her last layer, Ember wiped the sweat from her eyes and called out to Nathan. “Are you ready for another break?”
“Already?”
Ember smirked at him when he turned to look back at her. “Unless you want to pack me out of here on your back, then yes.”
Laughing, he spread his arms wide. “I think this is the perfect spot for lunch!” Sliding off his pack, he produced a waterproof blanket to sit on.
Ember watched as he first tramped down an area of snow before spreading out the blanket. He then motioned her over as he dug in his bag again for the food he’d told her about. According to him, he made amazing egg salad sandwiches.
They were in an open patch of land atop the nearest mountain to Ember’s house. The surrounding evergreens reached for the open sky, their boughs heavy with snow. Even in the winter, the smell of pine and cedar was omnipresent. That, and a deep earthy scent that always reminded Ember of home.
“What do you think is going to happen next with Delilah?” Nathan asked in between bites.
Although he’d texted her several times a week while he was gone and called on the weekends, they’d spent most of their trek catching up on the happenings in Sanctuary. Ember had just finished giving him the details from the events of the night before.
“I haven’t a clue. Walker was at a loss after I told him it couldn’t have been rat poisoning, at least not for the cat. He said something about the coroner testing Mr. Swenson for toxins.” Ember paused to chew a mouthful. Nathan was right. He did make a good sandwich. Was there anything he couldn’t do? “I kept some of the blueberries the cat threw up. I’m going to ship those off for testing tomorrow, and of course, Walker took the remnants of the pie as evidence.”
“I’m barely gone a month, and you’re already involved in another suspicious death.”
“It was totally coincidental that I walked in on that scene,” Ember replied.
Nathan stared at her for a moment, and the silence surrounding them was so complete that it practically had a sound of its own. “Nothing is just a coincidence with you,” he finally said with a hint of mirth. “And I mean that in a positive way.”
Not wanting to get into a debate over her knack for finding trouble, Ember busied herself with picking up her trash and changed the topic. “I’m concerned that I may have sent Sweetheart home too soon. After realizing she may have ingested the same thing that could have killed Allen Swenson, I almost took her back to the clinic.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Delilah wouldn’t hear of it. I tried to reason with her, but she was adamant that the cat stay with her. I gave her my personal cell number, and she didn’t call, so I’m sure she’s okay. But…”
“But you should go make a house call when we get back and make sure,” Nathan finished for her.
Ember grinned crookedly at him. “I was going to ask if I could cook dinner for you.”
“I would like nothing more than that.” Nathan stood and swung his backpack across his broad shoulders. “But I stopped at the office when I got in last night, and things are a mess. If I don’t go in and get it organized before tomorrow, we’re going to have issues. You wouldn’t think there’d be that much to do during the winter, but sometimes it’s even harder, logistically. We’ve got an avalanche control team coming in the morning, and the plans aren’t even finalized.”
Ember understood, of course, but she couldn’t keep the disappointment from showing on her face and didn’t look away in time.
“I’m sorry,” Nathan rushed to say. “You know I’d much rather be with you. I promise to make it up to you this Friday.”
Ember blushed with guilt for making him feel as though he had to apologize. He was the lead ranger for the whole region. The training he’d gone to helped to solidify his position, and of course, she understood the commitment that it demanded.
“There’s nothing to make up for,” she said cheerfully. “We both have other responsibilities to take care of tonight, but we’ve got plenty of time for…um, being together.” Her blush deepened. They’d exchanged a couple of nice kisses, but that was the extent of anything physical. The timing hadn’t been right yet, but time was something they seemed to have plenty of, and Ember was okay with that.
Before she had a chance to contemplate the relationship any further, a snowball smacked into the side of her arm. Squealing, she rolled away and snatched a handful of her own ammunition. Hurling it blindly in Nathan’s direction, she dodged another blob of ice and dove for a nearby tree. The fight was on.
SIX
In the daylight, Crystal Haven Resort appeared unscathed by the tragedy of the night before. In fact, it was such a perfect setting that Ember had a hard time making sense of what she saw. The two scenes simply didn’t fit together.
Wide-open swaths of lawn were blanketed in pristine snow that looked like cashmere. Randomly spaced cedar trees broke up the rolling hills which led down to the lake’s edge. The only blemish on the winter landscape was the trampled muddy mire around the cabin Alan Swenson’s body had been found in. Yellow police tape was tied haphazardly between the trees surrounding it.
Without any vehicles parked near it, Ember was able to drive past the scene and up to the parking area in front of Delilah’s home. She’d briefly debated calling ahead, but she had a feeling the stubborn woman would have shrugged her off. That would be harder to do with her on the doorstep.
She’d said goodbye to Nathan less than half an hour before, and Mel decided to stick around and cook the steaks Ember had bought. Being a Sunday night, Mel declared she had nothing better to do. They were supposed to be for a romantic dinner with Nathan, but there was no need for them to go to waste.
The late afternoon sun started to slip behind the towering mountains to the west of Sanctuary as Ember mounted the front porch. The early shade was nice in the summer but made twilight come even earlier in the winter.
The front door was yanked open as Ember raised her hand to knock. “Oh!” she gasped, stepping back quickly to avoid being run over.
A tall man she didn’t recognize at first came up short. “Excuse me!” he said politely while juggling several bags in his arms. “Sorry, Dr. Burns.”
His dark curly hair and matching eyes were offset by his caramel-colored skin, and Ember realized it was Cody, Sheriff Walker’s son. Surprised to see him there, she did her best not to let it show and instead smiled back. “No problem. Aren’t you Cody? I don’t think we’ve formally met.”
Nodding, he stuck one of his hands out from under the bags and gave her an awk
ward handshake. “Yup, the sheriff’s kid. That’s me. Nice to finally meet you. Gotta run. We’re way behind on our deliveries for the day.”
Ember watched him for a moment as he quickly walked down the long driveway. Having seen him up close now, she had a better understanding of Mel’s attraction. He was a good-looking guy.
“Dr. Burns? I thought that was your voice I heard. Can I help you with something?”
Startled for the second time in less than five minutes, Ember spun back to the doorway. “Hi, Delilah! I was passing by and thought I’d check in and see how Sweetheart was doing. And please, you can call me Ember.” It was sort of the truth.
To her surprise, Delilah turned around and motioned for Ember to follow. “I appreciate it. I was afraid I might have been wrong to turn you down last night.”
A small wave of fear clutched at Ember’s stomach. “Why, is she throwing up again?” Seeing the small cat atop its perch, she rushed to examine her.
“Oh, no. Nothing like that, but she certainly isn’t herself. She hasn’t eaten anything today.”
Relieved, Ember checked the cat’s pulse and respirations to confirm what she could already see. “She’s good,” she said to Delilah. “I wouldn’t expect her to eat for at least two days. So long as she’s drinking?” The other woman nodded yes. “Great. Her vitals are normal, and she doesn’t seem to have a fever. Do you have soft food?”
“That’s the only kind she’ll eat.”
“Try introducing some to her tomorrow afternoon, so long as she still hasn’t thrown up again. If she isn’t eating by the next day, let me know. I can give her some more fluids to help stimulate her appetite. But I think she’s going to be fine.”
Delilah’s shoulders slumped, and she collapsed into a nearby recliner. Her hair was tousled, and there were bags under her red-rimmed puffy eyes. She didn’t look good.
“Are you okay?” Ember asked. She was hesitant to get too personal. She didn’t know the woman at all, and she obviously preferred to keep to herself.
