“Wait!”
It was only a whisper of a breath but James felt the fear in her voice slide up his spine like ice. And then he heard it, the faint creaking of floorboards on the porch, almost drowned out by the music.
He glanced down first at Bogart, who stood expectant but not at full alert. Then he looked back at Shay. She stared past him at the cabin door, eyes wide. He turned his head in that direction as Bogart issued a low growl. The front doorknob was turning slowly.
James motioned her back with one hand as his other went for the Sig P239 he’d tucked into a pancake leather holster attached to his belt in back. He watched the doorknob jiggle as someone tried to force it open. If this was Eric again, he wasn’t going to be restrained in his response.
The hard rap of knuckles on the door made them both jump.
“Ms. Appleton! Shay, you in there?”
The voice of Deputy Ward came loud and clear through the wooden door.
“Yes!” Shay expelled the word in a harsh breath but her face was bloodless and she seemed rooted to the spot.
“Shit!” James let go of the butt of his weapon and went to unlock the door. “Evening, Deputy Ward. You might have knocked first.”
The deputy’s eyes widened at the rebuff. “I did knock a minute ago, and got no answer.” He lifted his chin to aim his line of sight past James’s shoulder. “You okay, Ms. Appleton?”
“I guess it was the music.” Shay glanced at James. “We didn’t hear you.”
The deputy moved his bulk through the door, gaze moving from one to the other. “I thought you’d have left this area by now, Mr. Cannon.”
James shoved his hands into his pockets, letting his annoyance slide away. “I came back by to allow Ms. Appleton the chance to say a final good-bye to Bogart.”
The deputy eyed the dog that had come forward to sniff his leg. “I see. Seems like a big to-do over a dog.” Then he seemed to catch a whiff of something. “You frying oysters, Shay?”
“Yes.” She unfolded her arms, forced them to her sides. “We just finished, or I’d offer you some.”
“That’s all right. Does smell good.” Even though he spoke conversationally, James could tell the lawman was assessing a situation he didn’t quite understand and wasn’t sure how to respond to. “Just wanted to be sure everything’s okay. I felt kinda bad about what I said this morning. About your false alarms, Shay. Turns out you did have cause. Wanted you to know I’m going to take your complaints seriously from now on. Even if it looks like I don’t have to worry about your guest here.” He tilted his head toward James. “That’s a nice jacket you got there, Mr. Cannon. Roomy.”
Ah, the deputy had noticed his change of clothing, and that the jacket was a good cover for a concealed handgun.
“I stopped by to let Bogart say his good-byes, and Ms. Appleton was kind enough to allow me to use her shower.”
“I see.” The deputy smirked. Definitely, he was getting a picture of things. More than what was going on. “That’s real neighborly of you, Shay. Most folks wouldn’t be quite so kind to a man who had broken in on them.”
Shay folded her arms under her bosom. “As Mr. Cannon explained earlier, it was a mistake.”
“I see.” The deputy’s mouth twitched again. “Nice music. And you look very nice, too, Ms. Appleton. Things look downright cozy. You two take care now. Have a nice evening.”
James watched the deputy let himself out before he turned to Shay. “I think—”
She had turned away from him. But she could not hide the fact that she was shaking. No doubt she was embarrassed, probably angry, too. He hoped she wasn’t crying. He hated it when women cried, though she didn’t seem the type.
He came up behind her and placed a hand on her trembling shoulder. “I’m not sure what that was about but you shouldn’t let it upset you.”
To his surprise, she turned into him and moved forward to lean her forehead against his chest. She wasn’t sobbing but gasping, as if she couldn’t get enough air.
His hands slid up her back, trying to rub away the tremors that rippled through her. “You can tell me what’s wrong, Shay. I won’t judge. I want to help.”
She lifted her head and looked at him. Her eyes were wet but her face was creased with laughter. It escaped her now in little hiccups. “Deputy Ward,” she gasped between chuckles. “In one short day I’ve gone from nut to slut in his eyes.”
It took James a second to make the emotional adjustment from comforter to coconspirator in her little joke. “You think? Maybe I should—”
She placed her hands palm flat against his chest, her fingers dragging lightly against the fabric to bring her into closer contact. “Maybe you should stop trying to help me.”