“I’m pretty sure this was Zeke.”
She shivered. “Me, too. And that thought scares me to death. He knows where I live.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know where I live,” Andrew said menacingly. “But if he shows up here again, he’s going to find out.”
“Thank you.”
The doorbell rang and the dogs all started barking.
“Quiet,” Elyse said. They all shut up.
Andrew followed her to the door. “That’s amazing.”
“What?”
“How well you control them with just your voice.”
“Oh yeah, look at how well I controlled Nikki this morning.”
“There are exceptions to everything.” He chuckled.
“It wasn’t that funny.”
“Oh yeah, you should have seen you waving your arms, all covered in mud.”
She gave him a mock glare.
He bit his lip and ducked his head. “Okay, not funny at all.”
She was smiling when she opened the door and let Jack in. She gave him the bottle in a gallon ziplock bag and let Andrew take him out to show him the boot prints while she called her parents to fill them in on the situation. Her mama answered, but her daddy got on the extension.
“Do you want me to come over there?” her daddy asked.
“Andrew’s here. He’s showing Jack the prints.”
“That boy’s making himself indispensable, isn’t he?”
Elyse felt herself blush even though she was alone.
“Jonathan,” her mama admonished, “he’s just trying to help.”
“I know, I know. I’m just saying he’s awful handy to have around sometimes.”
A smile tugged at Elyse’s lips as she hung up the phone and looked at Andrew out in the backyard. He really was handy to have around. She could easily get used to it. And that might end up being the biggest danger of all.
***
Andrew ran a towel over his damp hair. He’d worked extra hard painting today after getting a late start, so he was tired, but a shower had given him fresh energy. The thought of seeing Elyse tonight hadn’t hurt either. He flung the towel across the metal bar. He’d have to remember that they were getting together to brainstorm ways she could achieve a goal. Being with her was just an added bonus. Just as he was about to walk out the door, his phone rang.
“Got your answer,” his dad barked. “Eight years ago, Zeke Moser and Luis Reynolds were in the same maximum security prison in Arkansas. Actually on the same block.”
Andrew had strongly suspected that was the connection, but he’d been hoping that he wasn’t right. That maybe Elyse’s biological father had heard Zeke’s name on TV.
“Is that all you wanted to know?”
“Eight years ago? Do you know what Zeke was in for?”
“He served four years for two counts of stalking and one of assault.”
Andrew put his hand to his forehead. There was some news he dreaded telling Elyse. As if it weren’t bad enough that Zeke and Luis were prison mates. “Wasn’t he in again recently? What was that for?”
“Went in a little over two years ago. Spousal abuse and hot checks. He’s only been out for a couple of months.”
That would explain why he was just now pawning Melanie’s jewelry. “But he didn’t serve in the same facility as Luis Reynolds that time?”
“I never said that. He was at the same prison, but Reynolds got out about a week after Zeke started his second stint.”
So Luis had been out of prison for two years. And had made no attempt to contact Elyse until now.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“When are you coming home?”
Andrew had no answer for that question. He didn’t even know where home was, but he hated to say that, especially after his dad had just helped him. “I don’t know. But thanks again.”
But his dad was already gone.
***
“Your goal this week is to be more refined?” Kaleigh’s roommate, Candice, narrowed her eyes. “Who uses words like refined, anyway?”
Kaleigh yanked the notepad away from her. “Carlton does, for one. And it’s an area I’m seriously lacking in, and I know it. My granddad taught me that being refined meant not spitting into the wind. Or putting on my least holey jeans when we had to go into town for something.”
Candice sighed. “I want to go on the record stating I think this is crazy.”
Kaleigh glanced toward the corner. “Did you get that, Miss Imaginary Court Recorder? She wants to go on record stating I’m crazy.”
Candice rolled her eyes. “Very funny. Even if you manage to catch this Carlton guy, what are you going to do with him?”
“Take him to my sister’s wedding, for one thing.”
“There are twenty guys I know who would jump at the chance to take you to Crystal’s wedding.”
Kaleigh shook her head. “You’re delusional.”
Candice grabbed a towel from the shelf and headed into the bathroom. “One of us is delusional. But it’s not me.” She shut the door with a loud click.
Kaleigh stuck her tongue out at the door. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and stopped. “See? That’s not refined. I’m right,” she said to the empty room.
She had to admit she was getting tired of Operation New Me. But Carlton had never even noticed her before. So she must be doing something right. She plopped down on the bed. Not that she’d been sitting around waiting for him to notice her. But that was beside the point.
CHAPTER 18
Elyse stood in the middle of her closet and did one more slow turn. Finally, she grabbed a turquoise broomstick skirt and held it up in front of her. All four dogs sat on their haunches watching her every move. “What do you think about this with my white shirt and denim vest?”
None of them nodded. Or even barked.
“A lot of help y’all are. It’ll have to do.”
She ran her hand over her stomach, trying to calm the butterflies there. For some reason, this crazy meeting had started to feel like a date. And she hadn’t had one of those in so long she’d forgotten how to act. Not that she’d ever been good at it. Inevitably, she’d stammer and turn red every time her date spoke to her.
She quickly dressed and slipped in her silver hoop earrings. Suddenly she panicked. She usually wore this outfit with a pair of brown leather sandals, but it was October, and even though it was unseasonably warm, it was too late in the season for open toes. Her eyes lit on the short boots her parents had gotten her for Christmas last year. Soft and comfortable with tiny turquoise and silver accents. Perfect.
When she was finally finished, she walked to the back door to let the dogs out one more time. It was still dusk, but she turned the porch light on anyway and leaned out until she could see the gate was closed. Then she let the dogs out and watched them. Within a minute, they were ready to come back in. Could they smell that a stranger had been in their haven? A flash of irritation poked at her good mood. She’d always felt safe here, but those boot prints she’d found this morning proved she wasn’t as safe as she’d thought.
Back inside, she stood nervously by the front door. Should she wait until Andrew came and rang the doorbell? Or just meet him outside? When she’d seen him right before he’d gone to work this morning, he’d mentioned eating at the Fisherman’s Wharf, a local fish place that had seating out over the river. He said he’d been wanting to try it, but not alone, so it was his treat. She’d argued, but he’d been adamant, and finally she’d agreed. She hadn’t seen him since.
The doorbell rang, and she couldn’t move. What if she was dressed wrong? What if he still had on his painting clothes? She blew out her breath. Well, then he’d be silly, wouldn’t he? She wasn’t going to be like this. She was happy with how she looked, and that’s what mattered. Sometimes it was nice to dress up a little.
She opened the door and realized immediately that she needn’t have worried. Andrew looked gorgeous tonight in black slacks, black
boots, and a crisp red shirt with his damp hair curling slightly around his collar. Her heart hammered against her ribs. On second thought, maybe she should be worried. “Hi.” The word came out breathy, and she cringed.
“Hi.” His eyes twinkled with obvious appreciation. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” So do you? She didn’t think that would be exactly appropriate. “You look nice, too.” Much better.
As they walked to the truck, he veered to the left and opened her door for her. She considered saying something teasing about how this wasn’t a date, but instead, she got in and smiled graciously. “Thank you.”
He grinned. “You’re welcome.”
She watched him walk around, and a sudden realization hit her. Even though this wasn’t technically a date, this was what a date was supposed to feel like. The underlying tones of attraction and curiosity. Will he like me? Will I like him? What did he mean by that? She’d never had this kind of interaction before because she’d always been too shy to have any playful conversation. She smiled. This was fun.
“What are you smiling about?” he asked as he slid into the driver’s seat.
“Nothing, really. Just figuring some things out.”
“See? We haven’t even started brainstorming yet and you’re already figuring things out.” He hit his hand on the steering wheel. “This is going to work. At Thanksgiving, you’re going to tell Matthew yes.”
She thudded back to earth with a bang. Andrew was here to help her overcome her shyness. She needed to keep her head out of the clouds and give that her full attention. “I hope you’re right. But I can’t imagine it being true.”
She stared out the window at the familiar scenery. It wasn’t as if she’d never tried to quit being shy. But when she was around strangers, she didn’t seem to have any control over it.
Andrew cleared his throat. “I have some news.”
She turned to look at him. “Let’s hear it.”
“It turns out that Zeke was in prison with Luis Reynolds.”
She clasped her hand around the leather door handle. “How do you know?”
“I had a law enforcement contact check on it.”
“Jack?” He’d known she hadn’t wanted to bring Luis into it.
He shook his head. “Someone in Texas. I figured you wouldn’t want me trying to research it around here.”
She blew out her breath. “Thanks. So were they ... friends?”
“It’s not exactly summer camp. And the records won’t show whether they hung around together. They were on the same block.”
She listened as he went into more detail about Zeke’s two stays. “He was in for stalking?” She shivered. “Comforting.” She pushed the thought away and stared at her knuckles turning white from clenching the door handle so hard. She forced her fingers to relax. “So Luis has been out of prison over two years?”
“Looks that way.”
“Why would he contact me after all this time?”
“I’d say it definitely has something to do with Zeke.”
“Yeah.” She tried to make sense of this news. “So either he’s trying to warn me about Zeke or he’s in cahoots with him.”
Andrew nodded. “Those seem like the most likely choices.”
“I guess I should assume the worst.”
Andrew glanced at her, sympathy shining in his eyes. “I think that would be wise.”
They passed Maxine’s house, and Elyse tensed.
“Pal seems to be liking it so well at your house, he may never want to come home,” Andrew said.
She appreciated his trying to make her relax, but she wasn’t sure it was possible. “I didn’t think about us having to drive by here.”
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t either. But this is the last place Zeke will be if he’s got any brains.”
She gave him a halfhearted smile. “Who says he does?”
“Good point. But we’re past it now.”
A few seconds later, they passed the River Road Campground.
“Do you miss staying there?”
He shrugged. “It was nice being able to fish out the back door.” A slow grin spread across his face. “But there are advantages to my new location, too.”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling. “Oh really. Like what?”
“The scenery is really nice.” The glance he gave her left little doubt that was a compliment. “And the neighbors.”
“Neighbors are friendly, huh?”
He chuckled. “Entertaining anyway. Doing all kinds of crazy mud dances at dawn ... that kind of thing. Never a dull moment.”
She burst out laughing. “I guess you’ll never let me forget that.”
He pulled into the parking lot of the Fisherman’s Wharf and killed the motor. “Sure I will. Maybe when you’re a hundred.”
She was too flustered to reply. They both knew he wasn’t going to be around that long.
He saved her from embarrassment by getting out and walking around to open her door.
“Thank you. I’m impressed.”
As he tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow, she was almost positive he murmured, “So am I.”
Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.
***
Andrew couldn’t remember the last time he’d truly been nervous. But as soon as they walked into the restaurant, he couldn’t say that anymore. As if his feelings for her weren’t complicated enough, he’d inadvertently brought Elyse to a date place. The interior lighting was muted, but tiny white lights twinkled in silk trees in every corner, and the walkway to the deck was lighted as well. A young woman stepped up to greet them. “Reservations?”
Andrew shook his head. He’d heard the fish was delicious, but not a word about reservations.
The hostess smiled and leaned toward them conspiratorially. “We have plenty of room tonight. The boss just likes me to say that so people will know it’s a nice place.” She stepped back. “Do you prefer the dining room or the deck?” she said in a louder voice.
Andrew turned to Elyse.
She smiled. “I brought a jacket. Is outside okay with you?”
“Perfect.” He would take the breeze blowing off the river any day over a stuffy dining room. Plus, out there it might not be quite so ... intimate.
He realized how wrong he was as soon as the hostess led them out onto the deck. White lights twinkled everywhere. Silk trees divided the area into individual rooms. An outdoor fire pit burned softly beside each table. The reflection of the moonlight bounced off the river down below. The hostess motioned to a table next to the deck rail.
When they sat down, he shrugged. “So, shoot me. Fisherman’s Wharf?” He waved his hand. “Does this look like a place that would be called Fisherman’s Wharf?”
She giggled softly. “Probably not. But I like it.”
They studied their menus for a minute, and when the blond waitress came over, they both ordered the fried catfish special and sweet tea.
After she was gone, Elyse looked around again. “I can’t get over how magical it feels here. Like dreams can come true.”
He smiled at the wonder on her face. “Seeing that look on your face almost makes me believe that dreams can come true.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Are you saying I’m naive?”
“No. Just that I think the world looks better and more hopeful through your eyes than mine.”
The waitress came back with their glasses of tea.
When she was gone again, Elyse met his gaze. “Why do you have such a bleak outlook on life?”
He flinched. “I wouldn’t say it’s bleak. Just that I’m more of a realist. Life throws curve balls.”
Elyse grinned. “Sometimes you hit the sweet spot and knock it out of the park.”
“And sometimes you strike out.”
“Hey, I thought you were here to give me a ‘you can do it’ pep talk.” She gave a mock pout. “Now I’m ready to give up for sure.”
He knew she was teasing
, but in a way she was right. She was the first woman he’d been interested in since Melanie, and knowing there was no possibility of a future with her bothered him.
A Cowgirl at Heart Page 15