Angie, her one real friend was like that, always seeing extraordinary in the ordinary. Even so, Angie could be very persuasive. She kept mentioning this kennel she’d read about, supposedly the top place in the mid-Atlantic states. So, after arriving at the lake, she’d called just to find out how much training would cost.
The woman who answered had been much too nosy for Shay’s liking, asking if her shelter dog had any distinguishing markings or ID tag. That’s when it hit her that the woman who had brought Prince to the shelter might not have been entirely honest. If something was amiss, she might lose him. So she had hung up quickly, sorry she’d made the call.
As Shay came up behind him, Prince began pawing the door, making little excited whimpering sounds.
“Fine, but you’ll have to slow your pace this time.” She pulled back the deadbolts, then reached for the doorknob with one hand and his leash with the other. “Yesterday you nearly—. Oh!”
One moment she and Prince were alone. The next she was staring into the gaze of one very stern-looking man in camo.
Chapter Two
“Excuse me, ma’am. I need to talk with you. Now.”
The man’s tone left no room for debate as his combat-booted foot moved to block any idea Shay might have about closing her door. “Step back into the room and leave your hands where I can see them.”
“What?” Shay stared stupidly at her assailant. She should be terrified but in some distant place the situation hadn’t caught up with her head. Not when Prince had rushed forward and was jumping and yipping and play-pawing her attacker’s arm as if this was some sort of game.
Finally, she said the only thing that came to mind. “Prince, down!”
To her surprise, the dog paused and looked at her. “Heel,” she commanded and pointed at a spot on the floor beside her right leg.
Prince moved dutifully over to her side and sat down, heavy tail thumbing out a staccato rhythm of high spirits. She gripped a handful of his fur, just behind the collar, feeling the warmth of the animal as proof they were okay. This was another of Eric’s sick campaigns to frighten her, she told herself. Like the night before. Only this time she’d had enough. Hiring a thug to scare her was one step too far, even for him.
All the anger of the night before came roaring back as she looked up into the scowling face of the man accosting her.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, scaring my dog like that?”
The man’s gaze flickered, as if taken aback by her language. But that surprise didn’t modulate his voice. “Move back into the room.”
Shay bit her lip, the delayed reaction of surprise beginning to pump up her heart rate. A bit from an article about self-defense popped up in her thoughts. Never let an assailant take you to a secluded place. Her cabin was as secluded as it got.
Shay folded her arms across her chest, tucking her hands into the folds of her elbows so he couldn’t see that they were shaking. “This is my property and I haven’t invited you in. You’re trespassing.”
A smile spread beneath the shadow of his hat brim but it was nothing like friendly. “I wouldn’t be worried about my actions when yours are about to land you time in jail.”
Shay slowly lowered her arms as she felt surreptitiously for the cell phone she kept hooked in her waistband for easy access.
His smile vanished. “What are you doing?”
She stilled. “Trying to scratch an itch. You make me nervous.”
“Put your hands where I can see them and back up!” His voice had an edge that could cut stone. “Now!”
Though she was determined to hold her ground, when he produced a rifle and held it crosswise before him as if he might swing the butt of it at her head, Shay found herself propelled backwards in spite of herself.
The man came through the door and slammed it shut with a kick of his boot.
Until this moment, she’d thought herself frightened. Now the sick wash of fear roiling up through her stomach gave her a sense of what true terror felt like.
A little hiccup of fear escaped as she bumped up against Prince, who had positioned himself behind her. What was the command for attack? Why didn’t she know it? Didn’t Prince realize what was happening? He hadn’t required any prodding to go after the trucker lurking in woods the night before. She had to do something.
Her shoulders slumped forward, her arms tightening against her waist, as if her stomach hurt. Her voice was subdued when she spoke. “What do you want?”
All the fight seemed to go out of the woman before James. His gaze did a quick perimeter search of the room before it came back to her. She was standing with her eyes downcast.
He lowered his rifle. “I’m going to ask you a few questions. You’d better give me all the right answers. Do you understand me?”
The woman merely nodded. He took her by the chin and raised her face to his. “Do you understand me?”
“Yes.” It was a whisper of a reply. Terrified eyes gazed up at him, eyes as golden brown as the morning autumn forest he’d just stepped out of. He felt like a bully staring into them, but dammit, she deserved no pity. She had started this mess by kidnapping his dog.