Hannah wondered if he might know what had happened to the ring. “Luca, would you happen to know—”
“Hannah, could you hand me those plates?” Sarah broke in with a desperate edge to her voice.
Hannah blinked but handed over the plates stacked on the table in front of her. Sarah was accepting a favor? As Sarah took the plates, Hannah saw the plea in her eyes.
“Thanks. Matt, I’ve got some scraps you can feed the dog.” Sarah gave the bag to Matt.
Sarah didn’t want her to talk to Luca about the ring. Hannah decided to hold her tongue, but only until tomorrow when she could talk to her friend alone. Maybe Sarah would finally tell her what was going on.
“I’m going to go out and feed the cats,” Hannah said. She grabbed the cat food from the back porch and carried it into the yard. Three of the cats came running, but Spooky was still missing. Matt followed her, but he didn’t say anything and walked off toward the woods.
Did he suspect someone was out there? She hurriedly finished feeding the cats and went back inside.
“Have you seen Spooky?” she asked Angie. Through the window, the trees drew shadows against the backdrop of night. Her family had already headed to bed.
“Not since this morning,” Angie said.
“Maybe Matt has him.” Hannah stepped to the back door and peered out to where he stood staring off into the woods. His stance conveyed loneliness. Had he been watching for intruders or just craving some alone time? Interacting with the big family could be an intense experience. She couldn’t read his expression in the darkness. The backyard swallowed up any hint of illumination from the stars, and there was no moon. She slipped out to join him.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
“Have you seen Spooky?”
“Like I’d be looking for a cat.”
She’d forgotten how much he hated cats. “Maybe he’s with Ajax. Where is he?”
“On the step.” He pointed out the dog, who had pricked his ears at the sound of his name. Ajax rose and stretched, then padded over to nuzzle her hand.
Hannah didn’t want to admit to her worry, but her mild misgiving ramped up to alarm. “He never stays away at mealtime. He loves his food.”
“Did you try calling him? Maybe he’s lost in the woods.”
Hannah didn’t want to admit something might have . . . eaten him. “I’ll go look.”
“Look, it’s a cat. He’ll be fine. Don’t tell me you’re one of those who think cats will climb a tree and then not be able to get down.”
“He’s a good climber. I’ll go find him.”
“Not without me. Reece could be out there. I’ll grab a flashlight.” Matt went past her into the house and returned moments later with a flashlight and a kerosene lantern. He gave her the lantern. “You take that since you know how to work it.” He called his dog to him. “You got anything of Spooky’s?”
“His bed.” She took the lantern, then ran to grab the pad from the back porch. “Here it is.” She handed it to Matt.
He held it under Ajax’s nose. “Find Spooky, boy.” The dog whined, then put his nose to the ground and began to pull Matt toward the woods. Matt flipped on his flashlight and went with the dog.
Hannah followed the wide beam cast by Matt’s flashlight. “Here, kitty, kitty,” she called. “Spook-man, where are you? Pur-r-r.” She made the purring sound that usually had the cats running to her.
“There’s a wild patch of catnip over this way,” Matt said, pointing to the left. “Ajax is leading that way. Let’s see if he’s there.” He unhooked Ajax’s leash, and the dog bounded ahead.
Hannah raised the lantern high and let its beam radiate through the trees as they entered the woods. The cool, damp air smelled of moss and dead leaves under the new vegetation. She stumbled over a fallen log and nearly fell. Stopping to catch her breath and her balance, she listened for a plaintive meow but heard nothing but frogs in the pond and the whir of mosquitoes dive-bombing for her skin.
Matt was a few feet ahead of her, and some whisper of alarm made her hurry to catch up with him. “You see anything?” she asked when she touched his arm and found it hard and tense.
His other hand covered hers. “Shh, I thought I heard something.”
She held her breath, listening to the night sounds of the forest. Then a faint sound reached her ears. A meow, she was sure of it. Ajax leaped from Matt’s side, and they heard him rustle through the weeds before the sound of his movement faded away.
“Ajax, come back here!” Matt called.
Hannah ran after the dog. “Maybe he can lead us to Spooky.”
“Not if he goes too far too fast.” Matt caught her arm. “Don’t go rushing off. It might be a trap.”
“A trap? It’s a lost cat.”
“Maybe. Your cats are used to roaming and coming home. So why didn’t Spooky?”
She tugged on her arm. “Maybe he’s hurt.”
“Maybe. But it’s my job to protect you.”
For some reason the bald words stung. She wanted him to protect her because he cared, but that was stupid. The interlude in the barn this afternoon must have meant nothing to him. She managed to pull her arm free, then moved forward, finding her way through the brambles and vines that tried to trip her up. The light from her lantern wavered and bounced, making the twisted branches and low shrubs look menacing. Matt’s paranoia was affecting her.
“Spook-man?” she called again. “Here, kitty, kitty.” The meow came again, an outraged sound that bounced off the trees. He was still some distance from her location, and she couldn’t quite tell which direction to head.
Matt caught her arm again. “This way.” He pulled her to the right. A small creek barred their way. “Careful, the rocks will be slippery.”
Hannah stepped out onto a rock. Cold water soaked through her shoes. The rocks almost seemed to roll under her feet, but it was only moss trying to shed her from its surface. Balancing with her outstretched arms, she tottered across the stream and only fell to her knees with the last leap onto the wet bank.
“You okay?” Matt hauled her up as if she weighed no more than his dog.
“Fine.” She brushed at the wet mud on her skirt. The cry from her cat came again. “He’s over this hill.”
“Yeah.” He took her hand and helped her up the slippery hillside.
The warm embrace of his hand around hers made it seem they were actually partners—and congenial ones at that. What might their relationship become if they could get past their previous hurts and move on to a new life? She was such a coward—she hadn’t even wanted to face the trouble of divorcing Reece.
Matt battered through some arching brambles and held them out of the way for her. She stepped into a small clearing with him. Holding her lantern high, she turned in the meadow. Metal caught a beam from the light and bounced it back at her. Eyes glowed through the wire. A cat’s eyes.
Spooky paced a small cage placed in the center of the clearing. His plaintive cries rose to a crescendo. Ajax circled the cage and whined his sympathy. He pawed at the door. Hannah started forward, but Matt grabbed her arm.
He grabbed a stick and prodded the air and the ground with it before he approached the cage. Ajax began to bark, obviously thinking it a fine game.
Hannah started to follow Matt, but a hand smelling of onions clapped over her mouth. An arm came around her waist and pulled her back, dragging her into the bushes. She thrashed against the man and dropped the lantern. She tried to scream, but the animals were making so much ruckus that her muffled screech didn’t get past the strong hand. She thought she heard Matt calling her name in the distance. Reaching out, she grabbed at branches, but they were too thin and weak to support her and she was left with leaves.
“Sh, Hannah, don’t make a fuss.” Reece’s lips touched her ear, then traveled down her neck in a trail to her shoulder.
She shuddered when she realized who held her, then began to struggle more wildly. If only she could get her teeth into his hand. He dragged her farther away until she could barely hear the bark of the dog in the shrouding trees.