Home Is Where the Bark Is

by Kandy Shepherd

  “It had better be urgent.” He stepped back but took hold of her hand and led her to where his leather jacket was flung over the sofa. “I’m not letting go of you.” With his right hand he pulled out his cell from a pocket and checked the caller ID, all the while holding on to her with his left hand. “It’s Adam.”

  “Better take the call, then,” she said, pulling regretfully away from him, forcing her breath to return to normal.

  Nick cursed. Of all the damn times for Adam to call. He was sorely tempted not to pick up. But Adam might be trying to reach him with information about the case. Information that could help him help Serena. He had no choice. He flipped open his cell.

  Adam had news, all right. Nick spoke briefly to his business partner, then disconnected.

  Then he turned to Serena. Her cheeks were flushed, her mouth swollen; strands of hair had come loose and fallen across her face. He groaned his frustration and closed his eyes. The sight of her made him unable to concentrate on the investigation that, with a phone call, had intruded so rudely.

  When he opened them, he was better able to control himself. Although Serena didn’t look any less alluring, any less kissable. It would be so easy to put this news on hold and start again with Serena where they’d left off. But that wasn’t how it worked for him.

  “Adam reports that your stalker is still safely locked away.”

  She closed her eyes briefly, her relief palpable.

  “Adam says that”—he nearly said the stalker’s name but stopped himself in time—“he is unlikely to be plotting trouble for you from his cell. He’s terminally ill. Cancer.”

  She paused. “I don’t care one way or the other what happens to him so long as he never comes near me again.” She took a deep breath. “And Eric Kessler?”

  “Adam has tracked down Eric Kessler and is on his trail.”

  “That’s good news, isn’t it?” She gave a wry smile. “Though the timing of its delivery could have been better.”

  “Agreed,” he said, taking her hand again.

  She squeezed his hand in response. “Is it a breakthrough?”

  “Could be. Kessler is high on the suspect list. Adam has also been working on Tony Cross. What he’s found out about him is not such good news for your friend Jenna. The guy has got a record as long as my arm. You name it, he’s done it. Criminal trespass, assault, trafficking stolen property are just some of the things Adam dug up on him.”

  The color drained from Serena’s face. “That’s not totally unexpected. I’m not surprised at all. I don’t like Tony one little bit.” She looked up at him, fear and worry for her friend etched clearly in her expression. “Poor Jenna. I’ve got to warn her about him.”

  He shook his head. “Not a good idea to show our hand. He’s a suspect now.”

  “But what if he hurts her?”

  “Come here,” he said, leading her to the sofa. He could, at least, have the pleasure of snuggling with her as they spoke. “Your friend’s a big girl, Serena. She lives with the guy. She might not welcome your interference. But we’ll have him under surveillance. Either by Adam or another guy who works for us on this type of job.”

  “So you think Tony might be involved?” She shuddered. “He’s always given me the creeps.”

  “He could be our guy. But so could Eric Kessler. It all hinges on that collar and whether or not he planted the camera.”

  “If Adam finds him, what does that mean for you?” The expression in her eyes told him she already guessed the answer.

  “I’d planned to cook you dinner. But now I’ve got to go meet with Adam at the office.” He didn’t try to hide the regret he felt.

  “Shame,” she said with a sigh. “What about Mack? He can’t be left alone. Do you want me to stay here with him?”

  “There’s nothing I’d like better than to come home after a night in a surveillance van to find you here waiting for me.” He kissed her. “But I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’ll take you and Snowball home. I’ll ask my aunt’s friend Hannah to come and keep an eye on the dogs for me while I’m out. She loves Bessie and is looking forward to meeting Mack.”

  Serena didn’t do a good job of hiding her disappointment at the way the evening was ending. “I wish . . . I wish it had turned out different here.”

  “Me, too,” he said. “But we’ve started something we’re going to go on with, Serena.”

  She turned to face him directly. He pushed clear the lock of hair that always fell across her cheek. “That is, if you want that.”

  She leaned closer and kissed him on the mouth. “Yes. I want that,” she said. “I want that very much.”

  Seventeen

  Next morning, Serena sat in her office with the Maltese terrier snow globe in her hand. Idly she shook it so the snow danced all around the little plastic dog in the striped scarf. The flakes settled in drifts around his tiny toy feet. No matter what was happening in that toy’s world it kept on smiling its static doggy grin.

  That was just how she felt today, a smile hovering around her lips, no matter how gloomy the outlook from the bank. No matter how worried she was about Jenna. Or puzzled over Mack’s collar. Little shivers of anticipation and pleasure ran through her body when she thought about Nick, and that smile turned into a grin.

  When Kylie popped her head around the door she didn’t miss that grin, though Serena hastily tried to subdue it.

  “You’re looking very happy,” said Kylie. “Any particular reason?”

  Serena shrugged, knowing that smile was still lifting the corners of her mouth. “Do I need a reason?”

  Kylie took a few steps farther into the room. “No. I just wondered if it had anything to do with your newest employee, you know, the big blond hunk who’s just come in to work late.”

  “Nick? Is he here?” Darn! Why did she have to sound so eager and jump halfway up from her chair?

  “Yeah, that’s the one,” said Kylie with a big, knowing smirk.

  Serena settled back into her chair and tried to look nonchalant. “Yes, well, he called to say he would be delayed, and of course I’m anxious to hear how Mack is doing.”

  “Of course you are.” Kylie’s dimples were in full evidence.

  Serena sighed. “Am I that obvious?”

  “It’s been obvious since the day Nick first got here with that honey bunny of a dog of his.” Kylie laughed. “Of course, I’m talking about obvious on both sides,” she amended, much to Serena’s relief.

  “Really?”

  “Sure. That guy was smitten from the get-go. And I’m pleased for you. I’ve got to say I didn’t like the idea when you told me you’d hired him. But he’s okay. Pulled his weight yesterday and the dogs like him. That’s the most important thing.”

  “Of course it is.” Two nice girls Serena had employed over the first weeks of Paws-A-While hadn’t lasted. They’d needed jobs but it had soon been obvious that they weren’t dog people. The dogs had soon let her know that. She’d learned to trust their judgment.

  “And you like him?”

  Kylie was inquisitive. Over-inquisitive sometimes. But there was genuine concern in her eyes.

  “Yes, I do like him,” Serena said. “A lot.”

  Kylie’s eyebrows lifted questioningly. “So?”

  “It’s early days. Who knows?”

  Kylie’s smile was wide and heartfelt. “Fingers crossed. You deserve a good guy after what you’ve been through. Nick . . . he seems all right.”

  “He’s more than all right; he’s . . . Kylie, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to the others. It’s all been a bit sudden and I . . . I don’t trust sudden.”

  During the girl-in-the-bath-of-chocolate campaign she’d been burned by people who thought they knew her because she’d been in the public eye.

  Kylie put a finger to her mouth. “Lips are sealed. I won’t say a word. Though don’t be surprised if other people notice there’s something going on between you two. The chemistry is kind of obvious.�
�

  “Is it? Really?” She was twenty-eight, but she was right back there in her gawky, uncertain teens. Does he like me? Do you really think he likes me? What makes you think he likes me?

  “Sizzling,” said Kylie, with relish.

  If the desk hadn’t been between them, Serena would have given Kylie a hug. “Thanks,” she said. There was something very trustworthy about Kylie. For all her matchmaking and gossip, Serena knew she would honor a confidence if asked.

  “Talking of said handsome newbie, Nick wants to come see you. Shall I tell him you’re busy?” Kylie teased.

  “I think I could spare him a few minutes,” said Serena, grin back in full force. “He probably wants to fill me in on Mack’s progress.”

  “Sure he does,” said Kylie, laughing, as she left the office.

  Serena was still smiling when Nick rapped briefly on the door. She prepared to race around her desk and into his arms. The grim expression on his face extinguished her smile and held her in place.

  “Morning, boss lady,” he said in a voice that, while not a monotone, was not sparking with happy-to-see-you vibes, either.

  He closed the door behind him.

  “Nick,” she said, unable to keep the tremor from her voice, “is everything okay?” It was a redundant question because it so obviously wasn’t. She felt at a disadvantage behind her desk and took the few steps around it so she faced him.

  “Serena, I have to tell you something.” Serena felt again that sensation of being in an out-of-control elevator plunging twenty floors.

  She swallowed hard. Here it came. Yesterday was a mistake. He’d had time to think. He couldn’t handle being with a woman who other men fantasized over. They should cool it . . .

  “It’s okay, Nick,” she forced herself to say. “If you’ve changed your mind about us, I—” It stuck in her throat to say she “understood” because she darn well didn’t.

  “Changed my mind? Hell no,” he said, reaching for her, pulling her into his arms for a Nick-sized hug. Serena sighed with such heartfelt relief she felt her whole body relax as she leaned gratefully close to him. “Don’t even think about changing your mind because I won’t let you,” he added.

  “I’m not changing anything,” she said, her voice muffled from where her head was buried in his shoulder against the crisp cotton of his Paws-A-While shirt. She breathed in the delicious Nick smell of him.

  “Good,” he said.

  He pulled away but captured both hands in his so she had to look up into his face, then planted a swift kiss on her mouth that went a long way to reassuring her of his interest.

  “First thing I have to tell you is that Adam has got an address for Eric Kessler. The guy has gone to ground in San Diego.”

  “San Diego? So the jerk never had any intention of coming back for Mack.”

  “Guess not. He’s tried to cover his tracks.”

  “But not too deep for you and Adam to unearth, I hope.”

  “We’ll find him and get an answer about Mack’s collar. Be sure of that. We’re booked on a flight to San Diego at lunchtime. We’ll stay overnight.”

  “That’s great,” she said, not understanding why he had looked so grim when he came into the office. The sooner they could confront Mack’s former owner, the sooner they could question him about that hidden camera. She realized how much she was counting on Eric Kessler being the culprit. It would be very hard to take if someone she knew had been robbing her and her clients of so much. “But I don’t like that you’re away overnight when we’re only just—”

  “I know,” he said. “But the sooner we get past all this, the sooner we spend more time together. I don’t like leaving Mack, either.”

  “Mack.” She felt plunged into guilt that she’d been so glad to see Nick she hadn’t thought to ask about Mack. “How is he?”

  “He’s great. Ask me about how I am instead. I hardly slept last night because of that big mutt.” He was grumbling, but she was relieved to hear genuine affection in his voice. She so wanted this adoption to work.

  “What was the problem?” she said.

  “Dunno. I kept up the meds to the schedule the vet prescribed. Mack seemed okay, but every time I left the room he kept giving these enormous sighs and whimpering and looking at me accusingly with those big, sad eyes.”

  “He must be in pain. Ohmigod, poor Mack, we need to get him to the vet. I’ll call and make an appointment.” She twisted to move past Nick, but he held her still.

  “I don’t think so. I felt around his leg and he didn’t even wince. He’s eating okay, too.”

  “That’s good. Did you try him on that healthy kibble from . . . ?”

  Nick released her hands. He shifted from one foot to another. He avoided her eyes. In fact the former federal agent looked guilty as hell. “It was late when I left Adam. I grabbed a burger on the way home and—”

  “You got one for Mack.”

  “Yeah. I know I said I was going to only give him healthy food, but I remember how much that knee surgery hurt.” He squared his shoulders and met her gaze. “I decided it was not a good time to force change on him.”

  He was so serious it took a good deal of effort for Serena to stop her mouth from twitching into a smile. “He’s your dog.”

  “I didn’t give him fries, and he had some of the kibble, too. I’m going to break him of that fast-food habit, believe me.”

  She couldn’t stop the smile. “Just not right now.”

  “Correct. And you can forget the fancy-schmanzy treats. This dog will get big, meaty bones and table scraps and the kind of kibble farm dogs eat—”

  “I’ll watch your progress with interest,” she said.

  “You don’t think I can do it.”

  “Weell . . . it might have been an idea to start as you mean to continue. Already he sees you as a source of the good stuff . . . Uh, not that I think it’s the good stuff, it’s Mack who thinks that.”

  Nick groaned. “Maybe you’re right.”

  “So did the burger fix the whimpering?”

  “No. The only way I got any sleep was when I shifted him and his dog bed into the bedroom with me. Only then would he settle.”

  Lucky, lucky Mack.

  Not that she wanted to be curled up in a dog bed on Nick’s bedroom floor. No. Nick’s bed with Nick in it was her preferred place in his bedroom. She wondered if Nick wore pajamas to bed or slept naked. Naked. She’d bet naked.

  She blinked to clear her focus; her eyes were in serious danger of glazing over. “So you both got some sleep.”

  “Yeah, well, when Mack wasn’t snoring. You didn’t tell me he snored like a grizzly.”

  “I shouldn’t laugh, should I?”

  He pulled her to him, held her in the loose circle of his arms. “Don’t you dare.” His words sounded severe but his eyes were warm.

  “No laughing, then,” she said, trying so hard not to laugh she started to choke. Silently, Nick patted her on the back with his big, capable, soothing hands until she breathed more easily.

  “So how’s that big Mack now?” she asked when she could speak normally.

  “Hannah offered to babysit him while she caught up on paperwork—”

  “Don’t you mean dog-sit?”

  “Yeah, well, whatever you call it. When I got up to go to work he started the noise again and wouldn’t stop until I sat with him. So I couldn’t leave him with her.”

  “You brought him here? Is he in the playroom? I can’t wait to see him.” Serena went to move toward the door, but Nick held her arm to stop her. His voice went very serious, his face back into grim mode. “Worry about Mack later. First you have to hear the second thing I need to tell you.”

  Serena’s heart started hammering. Whatever he had to say couldn’t be good. Not with that tone of voice.

  “It’s about Kylie,” he said.

  Nick didn’t want to subject Serena to another emotional hammering. He hated having to give her more bad news after all she had alrea
dy been through. In fact, he’d considered shielding her from this. But he didn’t want any kind of evasion between them. Serena had to hear what Adam had found out about her employee.

  Serena’s brow furrowed. “Kylie? Please don’t tell me you’re not getting on with her. Because she just told me she liked you and enjoyed working with you. Don’t forget she’s my number one employee; you have to do as she says.”

  Great. That made what he was about to say sound even worse. “It’s not that. I like Kylie, like working with her. But Adam—who also likes her, by the way—has discovered something about Kylie that you should know. That could be relevant to what’s happening to you and the other victims.”

  “I can’t imagine what that could be, but go ahead and spill,” she said.

  “Kylie has a criminal record.”

  “What!” The color drained from Serena’s face.

  “She was also fired from a bank where she worked as a teller. I didn’t see anything about this in the résumé you have in her personal file.”

  Serena put her hand to her forehead. “Whoa. Wait. Get back to the criminal record. Kylie? I don’t believe it.”

  There was no sugarcoating the facts. “She was caught for shoplifting from a department store. Expensive makeup.”

  “Ohmigod. Wait. How old was she?”

  “Sixteen.”

  “A teenager. That explains it. It was probably a dare.”

  “The police took it seriously. She was fined, had to pay court costs, and do sixty days’ community service.”

  Serena frowned. “That was harsh. Aren’t juvy records confidential?”

  “They can be sealed when the juvenile reaches eighteen. But only if they petition the juvenile court. Kylie and her family might not have known that.”

  Serena shook her head. “Poor Kylie. It was fourteen years ago. She was a kid. Plenty of kids shoplift. It’s . . . it’s like a rite of passage.”

  “Some say that. But it doesn’t make it right,” said Nick. “Did you shoplift?”

  “There was the odd candy bar, yes. Thank God I was never caught. You?”