At Night's End

by Katherine Matzen

  “What is wrong, Abby-girl?” Concern made her hands shake as she sank to the floor to hug the frightened animal. Abby resisted for a couple of seconds and then buried her nose under Dani’s arm.

  Dani held her, whispering encouragement until the tremors eased and the dog finally looked at her. “What did you get into?” She examined the dog, running her hands along the slender legs and through the long fur, looking for an injury of any sort. She found no cuts or porcupine quills or swollen areas that could be from any kind of bite. The dog didn’t smell like she had found an irritated skunk and if she’d disturbed a hornet nest the persistent insects would still be chasing her.

  “Maybe the guys will find something.” She went to the pantry to pull out a treat. A couple of fake bacon strips and dog biscuits later, Dani was able to walk without tripping over the rattled dog and she went to stare out the front window. She considered going out to look for the men, but an unshakable certainty she would be better off staying in the house kept her behind the closed door.

  A low, buzzing hum began and she shook her head to clear the sound. A malevolent presence caught her attention and she briefly tried to focus on the menace. Sweat popped out on her body as she recognized the shadow from her nightmares, but that was pushed aside by a new danger. Her mind pulled into a tight ball, concentrating on the frantic thud-whoosh of blood against her eardrums to hide from the disembodied threat. She leaned against the closed door, trying to be invisible. Her breath came in short gasps as she put her hands over her ears. What’s happening?

  ‘It’s okay. Stay inside and you’ll be safe.’

  Lateef’s strong presence enveloped her like a blanket, and she eased into his imagined embrace. Her eyes closed as she remembered how alive he made her feel. She missed him more than she wanted to admit. Dani took a deep breath. She was finally losing her mind.

  ‘There’s no need for you to remember this. Let the memory go and sleep, my dear Danielle. I’ll keep watch.’

  Dani felt her head bounce as if she had nodded off. She looked around guiltily, but she was alone in her living room, except for the dog. She remembered the coffee Kyle had brought.

  “Might as well drink it before it gets cold. Be a shame to waste a good macchiato.” She took a tentative sip before curling up into the cushions in the big window seat of her front bay window and watched the yard as she sipped the caramel-coffee drink.

  As angry as she had been at Charlie and Kyle for disturbing her, she was glad they were here now. A vague memory of fear tickled the back of her brain but vanished as soon as she acknowledged it. She hoped the men found a raccoon, or feral dog pack, or anything to explain her sheltie’s odd behavior, but she knew things couldn’t be so simple. Abby now lay with her long nose across Dani’s legs, staring out and whuffing occasionally as her eyes constantly scanned the quiet landscape.

  “You’re barking at the wind now.” Dani ruffled her ears. Abby rolled her eyes up, gave her fingers a lick and then resumed her watch, ears twitching constantly.

  Dani shrugged and leaned back against the wall. She knew she should be working but sitting still for a few moments was nice. Her head dropped forward. She jerked up, but the house was exactly the same. Birdsong filled the previous silence along with the occasional grunts of an angry squirrel. She thought about drinking more coffee, but it was too much effort. Exhaustion tugged at her limbs. She set the cup down and snuggled further down into the pillows.

  Chapter Ten

  The low rumble of a male voice pulled Danielle from a sound sleep. She recognized Kyle Manning’s quiet baritone, but could only catch a few random words, not enough to understand the conversation. She shifted and roused as she realized she had been covered with a blanket from the couch and Abby’s warm weight was no longer draped across her legs.

  She slowly stretched and came wide awake as she saw the long shadows of a setting sun stretched across the front yard. Just as she swung her legs around, she remembered the coffee cup she had put on the floor, but the cup was no longer there. Stifling a yawn, she tossed the blanket over the back of the beige leather couch and headed toward the kitchen on silent, bare feet.

  “Yes, sir, I do understand the situation. I’ll send you a report as soon as I can confirm… No, sir. Things are a bit complicated right now.”

  Dani peeked around the corner, hoping to hear more of the conversation, but Kyle saw her, giving her a warm smile as he motioned for her to come in.

  “I’ll call you back later. I know what I need to do.” He pushed the end button on his phone and grinned at her, but she saw the raw irritation flashing through his dark eyes.

  “Turn the microwave on.” He waved at the stainless-steel appliance.

  She checked to find out her caramel drink was in there, ready to be warmed back up. She hit start, then leaned against the counter, watching the agent suspiciously. Can’t believe Charlie left me alone with this guy. He’s usually more protective than that. Hope that doesn’t mean they found something I need to worry about. Abby rubbed against her legs to get some attention before bounding back to sit patiently at the PI’s feet.

  “Must have fed the dog,” she said.

  “It was only one bite of my scone.” His tone was defensive as he glared at the hopeful animal. “Two hours ago.”

  “Abby has a long memory for suckers.” Dani pulled the cup out of the microwave and sat across the table from her uninvited guest.

  “And I have sucker written all over me?” His light tone matched the mischievous smirk.

  “I don’t see it.” She took a cautious sip of the hot beverage. “But I don’t live for food like some furry critters I know.”

  His warm laughter filled the kitchen. She was surprised to realize all of the anger and terror consuming her earlier in the day seemed to be gone and she felt at peace for the first time since the accident. What happened to me during my nap?

  “Did you find what scared the mutt?” she asked.

  “No.” He shook his head as he slipped his phone into a pocket of the dark suit jacket slung across the back of his chair. “We found a clearing with a bunch of funky footprints and some big feathers all around, but no sign of mountain lions or bears or anything. The dog was fine when we came back. Nearly took my leg off when we walked in. Good thing Sheriff White Bear was with me.”

  “Figures.” Dani shot her dog a dark look. “Probably saw a butterfly and imagined a monster dinosaur.”

  Kyle laughed at her. “I never knew monster dinosaurs were indigenous to the Rocky Mountains.”

  “I’ve never seen one, but Fluffybrain here has had several run-ins. Although, this afternoon was the scariest ever.”

  “Then I’m glad we didn’t find it.”

  They shared a comfortable silence for several minutes as she drank her coffee.

  She broke the quiet. “Not to seem ungrateful or anything, but why are you here?”

  “I wanted to repay you for the cake the other day. I stopped at Ernie’s and he mentioned you liked caramel, so I thought a macchiato would be nice.” His expression was innocence personified, but she felt undercurrents of some emotion she couldn’t quite identify coming from him.

  She studied him skeptically. “And that’s all? You and Charlie seemed to be in a bit of a standoff before rushing off to be heroes.”

  Kyle blushed slightly. “It’s a guy thing.”

  “Like ignoring his advice to leave me alone?”

  He shrugged noncommittally.

  “Don’t intend to take his advice, do you?”

  He flashed a heart-breakingly sweet smile. “I’m afraid I can’t leave you alone. At least not until we find out exactly what’s going on around here.”

  “I make soap,” she said. “That’s about as exciting as things get.”

  “And your dog sees monster dinosaurs. That’s pretty exciting.”

 
Dani groaned and let her breath out in a long hiss. “Only if you’re a dog. Otherwise all you see are bugs and squirrels with the occasional raccoon or maybe a fox or porcupine if you’re unlucky. Somehow doesn’t seem worth pulling a PI up from Denver.”

  “And yet, here I am. Maybe Abby can show me one of her monsters.”

  “That would be quite the shock.” Dani sighed again. For someone who wanted to be alone she sure had an overabundance of men in her life suddenly. But only one made her heart beat faster. She shook off the unwelcome thought, determined to get rid of her present company and get her routine back on track.

  “Thanks for the coffee and for watching things while I took a nap.” She couldn’t stop the flush of shame moving up her neck. She still couldn’t believe she had slept all afternoon with a stranger in her kitchen. She must have really needed the rest. She’d have to talk to Charlie about leaving her unconscious with a stranger, though. That wasn’t cool.

  “The sheriff threatened to hang me up by my balls if I let you be disturbed.” The blond agent said, as if she had spoken aloud. “Told me my job was to make sure you slept for as long as you could and feed you dinner. That’s why I ordered pizza.”

  She had to smother a grin at the satisfied look on his handsome face.

  “Abby said you like either the chicken Alfredo or the margarita pizza, so I got one of each. Should be here any minute now.”

  “Abby told you?”

  His grin widened, and his eyes sparkled with wicked delight. “Took some work, but I finally convinced her to talk to me. I am a trained investigator after all.”

  “Did you have to threaten her with your gun?”

  He waggled his eyebrows and shrugged. “Won’t admit to anything,” he said. “I’m like a magician. Can’t reveal my secrets.”

  ****

  Sunlight beat against Dani’s head as she carefully packed bunches of anise hyssop into a box. Sweat trickled down her back and she straightened, lifting the heavy braid off her neck as a slight breeze shifted the oppressive air. The first hints of fall cooled the night, but the days were still as warm as mid-summer.

  Kyle slowly moved through the garden, a determined look of concentration on his face as he pulled weeds. A sudden wish that Lateef was still around instead crossed her mind.

  “Better get that boy a hat before he fries.”

  Dani jumped as Bob Saunders ambled up. Abby darted over for an enthusiastic greeting.

  “If he gets sun-burned he’ll have to leave.” The anger in her tone surprised her and she forced a smile for her neighbor. “I tell him to go home, but he won’t. He’s convinced he’ll discover some secret if he hangs out here long enough.”

  “So why is he working for you? It’s been a few days now.”

  “To give me a minute to myself.” She swiped a stray lock of hair behind her ear, a scowl on her face. “I don’t want him here. I need to get caught up on my business. I have a ton of soap to process for the Christmas rush. And I picked up a new client who needs a whole line of custom Valentine toiletries I have to design and get approved.”

  “Sure you don’t need some more help?”

  She shrugged. “If you know someone I don’t have to train or supervise, maybe. Unskilled help… no. Takes too long to get them going.”

  The older man gave a disgruntled snort. “Thanks for the herbs.” He picked up the box. “Got a cheese shop down in Denver interested in the anise hyssop line. Some food writer from the Post wandered into the shop and fell in love with it. Drove all the way up here just to talk to me and Mary about the business. Had a nice little write up about us in the Sunday paper last week.”

  Dani felt a line of cold move down her body. “You didn’t mention me, did you?”

  A faint flush flashed over Bob’s weathered face and he refused to meet her eyes. “No, I told him everything was local, but didn’t go into details. Sorry.”

  “No, that’s perfect. Congratulations on the nice press. I really am happy for you. Tell Mary hi for me, won’t you? I’ll see you later.” She knew she was babbling but couldn’t stop the flood of words tumbling past her stiff lips.

  “Do you know when you’ll have some more hyssop for me?” Bob asked before she could bolt.

  “A couple of weeks.” Her breath caught in her lungs as she fought the urge to run and hide. “I’ll let you know.”

  She forced her feet to follow him around the house and wait until the old van had trundled down the gravel driveway. Charlie was right. Bob wouldn’t tell anyone about her. Not when he was trying to promote his own business. He was a good neighbor, but his own self-interest came well before any thought of helping someone else. That certain knowledge helped her keep the panic at bay until the van was nearly out of sight. Then she broke and ran into her workshop.

  She didn’t want to be forced from her home. But she couldn’t bear the thought of being revealed by something as stupid as a mention in a newspaper article. Or the days of harassment by the media that would follow on the heels of her unmasking. While she was still in the hospital, constant calls from reporters asking personal questions had caused the staff to remove her phone so she could get some rest while she healed. Carl’s father can’t connect me to a newspaper article about herbed goat cheese. I’m still safe. She grabbed the lock and started to turn it, but the thought of Kyle freaking out if he found the door locked stopped her. She’d rather risk the unlikely appearance of a reporter than the certain over-reaction of the PI. She curled into a ball on the floor, back against the door and fought to push the irrational fear away. Just keep breathing and everything will work out. It has to. I am strong enough to tell him no this time. He can’t make me do anything. I won’t be a victim. She thought she heard a masculine chuckle, but that had to be her imagination.

  Chapter Eleven

  Lateef teleported to a spot in Dani’s dark backyard, shifting the large box he carried as he walked toward the back door. He could see her through the window as she sat at the kitchen table, working on her computer although it was two in the morning. No wonder she’s tired. The woman doesn’t sleep.

  He had tried to stay away and monitor her from a distance to ensure he didn’t destroy the life she’d made for herself, but he couldn’t concentrate. He hadn’t been so uncomfortable in his own skin since before he learned how to block out foreign thoughts. And despite Rissa’s teasing, the persistent PI wasn’t responsible for his decision to come tonight.

  I’m only here to deliver a thank you gift. Then I’ll find someplace nearby to hole up and watch until the Hatti leave and I know Dani’s safe. They can’t spend much more time looking for me on Earth. Not sure why they don’t believe the report from our Embassy that I’ve returned home.

  He stared through the kitchen door window, working up the courage to knock when Abby lifted her head to woof at him. She gave him a quick doggy grin of approval and settled back to sleep on her bed. He knew the instant Dani became consciously aware of his presence. Her gaze met his and the rest of the universe ceased to exist. Worry for her safety faded as their souls connected.

  Dani rose to her feet and crossed the kitchen toward him.

  The journey seemed to take forever as doubts crept into his mind. Her expression was not friendly. Had he misread her feelings for him? His thoughts raced until she opened the door to stare at him. He could sense her pulse pounding and his heart rate sped to match. He swallowed hard, unable to produce a sound as he took in the sight of her. Only a few days had passed and yet her jeans hung on her narrow hips and the bags under her eyes looked like dark bruises.

  “I thought it wasn’t safe for you to be here.”

  He winced at the bite in her tone. “My presence is dangerous for you if I’m caught, but the Hatti aren’t here now, so we should be safe.”

  “Why are you here? You made the fact you got what you needed from me pretty clear when you lef
t.”

  “I have a surprise for you.” He ignored the pain in his chest caused by her angry words. With a fake smile, he carried the box to the table. “And I’ve been watching over you like I promised. I won’t let you pay the price for my mistakes. I owe you that much since I brought the danger to the area.”

  “What does that mean?” She frowned as she stared at him intently. “And what makes you think you owe me anything? You’ve already thanked me for the crash space.”

  He sat across the table from her with a sigh. “Dani…” He paused, searching for the right words. “I…” He sighed again. This is so much harder looking into her eyes. The whole speech went so smoothly back in my quarters. And she wasn’t nearly as pissed off in my imagination. “Let’s just say I’m not from around here and I’ve irritated some people who are determined to get me.”

  Her eyebrows lifted and she let out a quick bark of a laugh. “Sounds like an understatement. What does that have to do with me?”

  “The Hatti want to know how I escaped and where I’m hiding now. They don’t believe I went back home. Since you didn’t tell them the first time they came through, they might be a trifle irritated when they find out I was here.”

  Her back stiffened and her eyes sparkled with strong emotion. “If you mean the bald guys, then they’ve been here and I told them nothing because they asked nothing. They just bowed and apologized for not having a guest gift, whatever that means. Not threatening behavior unless you have a completely different definition than I do.”

  Lateef fought the desire to shake some sense into her. He knew his tone was harsh, but he couldn’t avoid revealing some of his pent-up anger. “Danielle, that’s the point. You impressed them, so they will return and you don’t know what could set them off. They’re touchy about the strangest things. I was an invited guest at a formal function when they turned on me.”

  “Maybe they had good reason. You can be very irritating.” Her jaw clenched, and she looked away from him for a moment, her shoulders rising with each rapid breath.