by Eve Gaddy
She took Shadow around back, noticing thankfully that nothing seemed out of place. Unlocking and opening the door, she walked in holding her breath. Shadow wasn’t flipping out, and she thought that was a good sign that whoever had left the note on the door hadn’t been inside the house.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, she called the doctor who was working before her. Without giving any details, she asked if he could cover for her until she was able to get there, telling him it could be a while. “Thank you so much. I owe you,” she said when he agreed.
Sam debated calling Dylan but decided to wait until she’d talked to Officer Rogers. Maybe she’d know something more by then.
He would have given his left nut to see how she’d reacted when she saw his little love note. He hoped the bitch was worried now. He had another note for her that he planned to put on her car windshield. Maybe tonight. He knew she was going to the hospital. It might be easier to do it there instead of at her house. What if she parked in her garage for a change?
She would pay for fucking with his marriage. For helping Sandy—his goddamn wife—leave him. And even more for testifying to a bunch of lies about him. Lies that had sent him to jail.
He’d had a right to slap Sandy around a little. Clumsy bitch. It was her fault she’d broken a rib or two. And that bitch doctor had manufactured the punctured lung. So what if she had a couple of black eyes? Besides, she’d deserved what she got. But Dr. Striker’s testimony had made it sound much worse than it was.
A year in jail had been long enough for Sandy to manage to get lost permanently.
Lucky for him, and a bitch for her, the good doctor hadn’t been so hard to trace.
True to her word, Officer Rogers showed up not long after Sam reported the incident. She told Sam she wanted to examine the exterior of the house and the front door first, as well as take pictures. After she did that she came inside with the knife and note in separate plastic bags.
“Someone is coming out to dust for prints, but I’m not sure when they’ll be here. One of our other officers usually does that, as we don’t have a lot of crime here in Marietta.”
“I have to go to work. Will that be a problem?” Sam looked at Shadow, who had gone to the officer when she came in and was now sitting with his head in her lap, occasionally nudging her to pet him. In spite of the circumstances she had to hide a smile. It was clear the officer was comfortable with dogs and liked them. Shadow was, apparently, in love.
“It shouldn’t be. Since it doesn’t appear anyone was inside, they can just dust the front door. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely the suspect left any fingerprints.”
No surprise there. “I’m worried about leaving Shadow here with the doggie door open. What if the intruder comes back and Shadow’s outside? He might try to hurt Shadow, especially since Shadow would probably be barking his head off.”
“It might be safer to keep him inside. Will you be gone for long?”
“Until about ten. Oh, well, the kitchen floor is tile anyway,” Sam said, resigned.
Officer Rogers laughed. “We’ll try to have someone do a drive by on the house a couple of times.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
“Do you recognize the knife, Dr. Striker?”
Sam took the plastic bag from her and looked at the knife. “No, but it’s a big sucker, isn’t it? And please, call me Sam.”
“All right, Sam. Call me May. Do you know what the note refers to?”
“I can’t say for sure, but I volunteered at a women’s shelter in Dallas. The Big D,” she added in case May didn’t know the nickname, although she probably did. “It might refer to one of those cases.”
“You don’t think it has anything to do with one of your operations? A bad outcome or something like that? In Dallas, since he mentions that specifically.”
“I don’t think so. I can’t say absolutely not, of course.” She sighed. “I had a really bad situation occur not long before I moved to Marietta.” Sam told her about the murder, though not in as great a detail as she’d told Dylan.
“That’s certainly something to look into,” May said, making more notes.
“There’s just one problem. The murderer is in jail.”
May looked up from her notes. “Are you certain of that?”
“God, I hope he is. He’s supposed to be. But since all this has happened, I’ve been wondering.” She hadn’t tried to find out, though. Probably because the thought of that murderer running free scared the shit out of her.
“I’ll check into it and let you know. Is there any other incident you can think of that might help us identify this person? If this Baxter is still in jail then it follows that it was someone else in Dallas.”
“I don’t know. I’m sure I pissed off a lot of men when I helped the women at the shelter. I volunteered at the shelter for several years. But only a few of the men I testified against knew who I was. There were just a handful of cases where I had to actually appear in court.”
“Can you make a list of them? You can email it to me.”
“Okay, but it might be a while depending on how busy I am at work.”
“No problem. It’s going to take me a while to check on what I already have here.”
Sam walked her to the door, with Shadow tagging along. “Thank you so much, and thanks for getting here so quickly.”
“I’m glad I could.” She hesitated a moment, then said, “If these incidents are tied together, which I believe they are, that means he’s escalating in intensity. The knife and the note were definitely threatening. Be careful. Especially at home, but at work and wherever else you go too.”
“Meaning Dylan’s.”
“Meaning anywhere. The suspect could be anywhere in Marietta, or possibly a nearby town. I’m going to see if I can get pictures of the men whose names you send me and see if you recognize anyone.”
“May, you don’t think this could be a woman, do you?”
“Well, it’s possible,” she said slowly. “But the knife and the note indicate a male more than a female. Do you know of any women who might have it in for you?”
“Only Dylan’s ex-girlfriends,” she said wryly. Realizing who she was talking to she flushed and added, “I didn’t mean you.”
May laughed. “Don’ worry, I have a thick hide. Dylan and I grew up together. I’m not really one of his exes. We went out when we were in high school, and that’s been awhile. Unless he’s changed a lot, though, Dylan doesn’t have jealous exes.”
“That’s what everyone tells me.” And she believed it, mostly.
“The specific reference to Dallas—especially calling it Big D—makes it more likely, in my opinion, to be someone from your past, and not Dylan’s.”
“I think you’re right. At first I wondered but this last thing convinced me it’s someone out to get me specifically and not someone tied to Dylan.”
She bent down to pet the dog. “Yes, Shadow, you’re a good boy.” To Sam she said, “He’s awfully sweet. How long have you had him?”
“Not long. Dylan found him and gave him to me.”
She laughed. “That’s Dylan. There’s not a stray in Marietta, or to be honest, the state of Montana that he wouldn’t pick up and try to help.”
Sam laughed too. “It didn’t take long for me to figure that out. The sheer number of dogs he has at his ranch was a pretty strong hint.”
“I know, and Lord knows how many more he’d have if we didn’t have an animal rescue place called Whiskers and Paw Pals.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“Yes. They take all kinds of animals, though. Dylan takes dogs and cats, but especially dogs. They seem to gravitate to him.”
That was for sure.
“Take care,” May said. “I’ll be in touch.”
Chapter Sixteen
Sam got home fairly late and by the time she’d taken Shadow out, fed him and checked the kitchen for accidents—surprisingly, he hadn’t had one—it was
closing in on eleven. She debated not calling Dylan but she knew he’d be upset if she didn’t tell him about the knife and note until tomorrow. And she wanted to talk to him. There was something very comforting about Dylan. Now that she’d had time to really think about it, this latest incident had increased her concern to fear of what the perpetrator planned next.
It worried her a little that she relied on Dylan so easily when in the past she’d always been always been able to take care of herself. Not that talking to him meant she wasn’t self-reliant. Still... Oh, stop second-guessing yourself and call him.
She punched in his number. He answered on the second ring. “Hi. I didn’t expect to hear from you tonight. What’s up?”
“Did I wake you? I know it’s late but I took a chance you’d still be up.”
“I was headed for bed but I haven’t gotten there yet. What’s wrong, Sam?”
“I had an incident here at my house earlier today. After I got back from the ranch.”
“What kind of an incident?”
She took a breath and told him the whole story. When she finished there was utter silence. “Dylan?”
“I’m coming over.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s late and you get up at the crack of dawn.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this when you found it?”
“First off, there was nothing you could do other than freak out.” Which he was doing right now. “I called the cops and told May and by the time she finished here, I had to go to work. If I’d called you then you’d have wanted to come over. I didn’t have time to argue.”
“I wish you’d told me.”
“I’m sorry. I thought it would be better to wait. I wasn’t even at home all day, so you coming over would have been pointless.”
“You shouldn’t be alone. What if the crazy bastard comes back?”
“My doors are locked and May said she’d have the police drive by tonight a few times. Besides, I have Shadow.”
“The dog is not a match for a crazy man with a knife. If you don’t want me to come over, why don’t you and Shadow come here?”
“Because it’s late, I’m exhausted and nothing’s going to happen.”
“You should have a burglar alarm.”
“In Marietta? Nobody has a burglar alarm here. Well, maybe the stores but I bet there aren’t ten people in town who have an alarm.”
“I don’t like it. You shouldn’t be alone. Damn it, this is just getting worse. What’s he going to do next?”
“You’re sweet to worry, but you’re making me wish I hadn’t told you until tomorrow.”
“Goddamn it, Sam. This can’t be explained away as a prank any longer.”
“I’m aware of that, Dylan.”
“I know you are; I’m just worried about you.”
She sighed. “Would it make you feel better to know I have a gun?”
“Absolutely. Do you?”
“Yes.” She hadn’t kept it loaded, though, since she’d moved to Marietta. It hadn’t seemed a necessity in the small town. Marietta had very little crime. “I know how to use it. But I seriously doubt I’ll need it.” She hoped to God she wouldn’t. Given her work at the women’s shelter in Dallas, and the not-so-safe parts of town she’d had to visit, she’d gotten her concealed carry license. But growing up on a ranch in Texas, she’d always had guns and knew how to shoot. She’d never had to shoot a person, and she hoped like hell she never would. Rattlesnakes, yes. People, no.
“Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it,” Dylan said.
Changing the subject slightly, she said, “May is looking into where Baxter is. If he’s still in jail. She’s also looking into a list of names I gave her of other men I testified against, or who knew I worked at the shelter. But if Baxter is out of prison, he’s the most likely suspect.”
“He’s out of jail after being convicted of murder? I know that it happens, but that’s insane.”
“I don’t know that he is. But he could be.”
“When will you know?”
“Tomorrow, possibly. May said she’d call me as soon as she knows. By the way, I really like her.”
“She’s a good person. And a good cop. She’ll work hard to find out who’s responsible. But in the meantime, are you sure you don’t want to come out here tonight? Or let me come there?”
“Dylan, I’m fine. Honestly.”
“You are right now. And I want to make sure you stay that way.”
“I’ll sleep with my gun beside me. With that and Shadow to warn me if he hears something, not to mention the cops driving by, I’ll be safe.”
“Damn, you’re stubborn.”
“I know. And you worry too much.”
After making plans to go to the ranch the following day, Sam hung up. Then she went to her closet, got her handgun out of the locked box, loaded it and put it in her bedside table drawer.
Sam spent the following day at the ranch. Shadow was well enough that she could let him out on his own, though she still kept an eye on him and called him to her side if she thought the dogs were getting too rowdy.
She worked with Trouble and thought she was making progress with him. Sam was no horse whisperer, but even she had to admit that she and the horse had a special bond. Trouble would now come when she called him, and often followed her around like a dog. Today she’d put a saddle blanket on his back to see what he thought.
She noticed that Dylan was sitting on the round pen fence, watching her with the stallion. “When are you planning to saddle him?” she asked. “He doesn’t mind the blanket. Maybe we should try just putting a saddle on him.”
“If you think he’s ready. He tolerates me okay now, but he loves you.”
Sam rubbed Trouble’s nose. “He’s a great horse. I think it must have been a man who abused him. Otherwise, why is he so much calmer with me?”
“I think you’re right and you being a woman is part of it. But there’s more to it than that. He’s been around other women and he still doesn’t trust them like he does you.”
Dylan got off the fence and came over to Sam and the stallion. “I’ve been thinking about it. It’s pretty simple, really. Trouble was abused. You’ve worked with abused women. You’re a doctor, you’re compassionate, plus you have a special affinity with and knowledge of abused women and how to help them. It’s no wonder Trouble trusts you.”
“It’s an interesting theory.”
“But you don’t believe it.”
She shrugged. “I don’t believe it or disbelieve it. The answer isn’t something you can prove.”
Today Dylan looked like the quintessential cowboy. Since it was warm, he wore a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up and no coat. Add in the cowboy hat, jeans, boots and chaps and he looked like exactly what he was. A working cowboy.
“What? You’re staring at me.”
“You’re wearing chaps. I don’t remember seeing you wear chaps before.”
“I was out in some rough country earlier. Not to mention the barbwire fence. I wear them when I think I’ll need them. Why?”
She smiled and stepped closer, laying her hand on his chest. “I love a man in chaps. I think they’re very—” she tugged his head down, kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear “—sexy.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Hell, if I’d known that I’d have worn them every time I saw you.” He kissed her mouth, taking his time. “Aren’t you about through working with Trouble for the day?”
“Yes.” She turned around to look at the stallion and swallowed a cry. Very quietly, she said, “Dylan, Shadow’s in here. I thought Trouble didn’t like dogs.”
Dylan looked at them. “I’ll be damned. He hasn’t shown any interest in any of the others. Obviously he likes Shadow. Swear to God they’re talking to each other.”
They’d had their noses together, sniffing and now Trouble was nickering and Shadow was making some kind of woofing sound and whining. Shadow rolled to his b
ack in the classic belly-rub pose. Trouble looked at him for a minute, then lowered his nose and blew on the dog’s belly. Shadow loved it.
Sam and Dylan exchanged what the hell glances. Finally, Dylan had enough and said, “Come on. They’ll be here forever if we let them.”
Sam led Trouble into the barn and back to his stall, with Shadow prancing happily beside him. Dylan kept him in with the other horses in the hopes of socializing him. Although he kept the two stallions at opposite ends of the barn. To Sam, the horse seemed happier and much calmer than when she’d first met him. While she and Dylan cooled him down and groomed him, Shadow curled up beside him and took a nap. When they finished they put him in his stall with fresh water, hay and a scoop of oats. With some difficulty, Sam managed to get Shadow to come with her back to the house.
Glory was just leaving as they came in. “Dinner’s on the stove top. If you’re not going to eat soon, you need to refrigerate it. I left heating instructions.” To Sam she said, “Dylan is incapable of remembering how to reheat things. Last time I forgot to leave a note, he put the chicken spaghetti in the oven with the plastic wrap still on it.”
“I was thinking about something else. Besides, the plastic scraped off.”
Sam laughed. “He told me about the bread fiasco. I didn’t realize there were more issues.”
“The stories I could tell you. You two have fun,” Glory said, slipping on her coat. “Good luck, cowboy,” she added with a wink.
“Good luck with what?” Sam asked.
Dylan scowled. “Nothing. Glory is just being a pain in the ass.”
“A pain in the ass who you’d find it hard to live without. For one thing, you’d starve if she didn’t cook for you.”
“Just because that’s true doesn’t mean she’s not a pain. That’s the problem with someone who’s known you since you were born. They can harass you with impunity.”
“Poor baby,” she said, patting his cheek. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”
