Out of Focus

by Nancy Naigle

  The closer she got to the dock, the more panicky she became. “You better take over so I don’t wreck us,” she called to him.

  “You’re doing fine.”

  “I don’t know how to stop.” She looked around. “There’s not a brake on this thing.”

  Scott came to her side, leaned over her, and took the controls. He eased back on the throttle. He was so close to her she felt his breath whisper against her neck. When the boat neared the dock, he killed the motor and let it drift the rest of the way. He stood and leaped from the boat to the dock, then wrapped a line around one of the pilings.

  Comfortable on the small boat now, Kasey chose not to wait for Scott’s assistance to disembark. She leaped from the boat, but missed the dock completely.

  She screamed as she hit the water with a splash. Maggie came running out of the boathouse barking. Scott stood wide-eyed for a moment as she flailed, reaching for the pilings, pushing her bangs out of her face and spitting water.

  She could tell he was stifling a laugh. “It’s not funny.”

  “Got a little cocky, didn’t ya?”

  “Shut up and help me out.” She held on to the dock with one hand and reached the other toward him. He took her hand. She tried to pull him in the frigid water with her.

  He gave her a warning look. “You want help or not?”

  “Uncle.” She blinked her big brown eyes, trying to look as innocent as possible.

  He helped her out of the water and took her right into his arms. Water splashed against him, getting him almost as wet as she was. “You were going to pull me into the water, weren’t you?”

  She giggled but shook her head, furrowing her brow as if the idea had never entered her mind.

  He hitched her up and cradled her in his arms, his nose to hers. “Really now. I think you better confess.”

  “Never.”

  He leaned in and caught her lip. Not once but twice, and then his mouth opened, warm and gentle against hers. Her lashes batted against his cheeks, then she kissed him back, relaxing into his arms. He set her on her feet, but their kiss didn’t abate. They melted into one another. Tender kisses turned hungry, and the chill in the air was of no concern. Feeling safe, Kasey let herself become lost in his kisses. In his arms, there was hope. He kissed her again. Slowly and gently, without hurry.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Scott opened his eyes, looking into Kasey’s. “You’re beautiful.”

  “I can’t believe I just did that.”

  “It’s not against the law.” He kissed her forehead.

  “Thank goodness. I wouldn’t want to go to jail again. They don’t feed you very well in there.” She shivered.

  “You’re cold.” He held her close again.

  “I feel kind of funny.”

  “Don’t. It felt right to me.” He held her gaze.

  She closed her eyes.

  “It was just a kiss.”

  But it was more than that. Her heart still pounded from his touch.

  “Come on.” He took her hand. “Do you still want to cook up our catch of the day?”

  “I think I want to go home,” she said. “Would you mind?”

  Scott put a warm palm to her cheek. “I didn’t mean to rush you.”

  She pushed her wet hair over her shoulder. “No. It’s not your fault. It’s me. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

  He laughed. “That’s because it wasn’t planned. Come on, let’s release these little guys.” He dumped the fish back into the water, and they floated, stunned for a second, then wriggled away.

  She stood there dripping wet, watching the fish swim away. Freedom.

  He handed Kasey her camera bag then hooked his arm around her waist, and guided her to the boathouse. After he’d wiped down the rods and put them back in the rack, he walked over to the corner of the boathouse and scooped up the little yellow puppy. It wiggled in his arms as he walked to Kasey.

  “Here. She needs some love.”

  “They are so playful.” She snuggled the puppy. “She is the cutest one. She’s feisty, too.”

  “Like someone else I know.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She put the puppy down.

  The yellow lab sat and looked up at Kasey, her head tilted.

  “Look. She even poses for me.” Kasey took out her camera and snapped a digital photo. “She is just too sweet. Have you named her?”

  “No, Maggie said there were too many for her to name.”

  “What’s your name, my little friend?” Kasey picked up the puppy and took her back to the pool with the others. Kasey took another picture, then called over her shoulder to Scott. “She’s a camera ham. How about naming her Shutterbug?”

  He walked up behind her and rested his hand on her hip.

  “What do you think about being called Shutterbug?” he asked the puppy, who sank back on her haunches, then leaped, barking.

  “I think she likes it.” The puppy climbed the side of the slippery pool, trying to get back to Kasey. Her little paws hung over the edge, her feet just climbing in place.

  “Shutterbug it is.” Kasey snapped another picture.

  “Let’s head on up to the house,” Scott said as he walked toward the door. Then he stopped and went back and got the puppy. “Come on Shutterbug, why don’t you come up to the house with us for a while?” Scott handed the puppy to Kasey.

  “Maggie won’t mind?”

  “Are you kidding? Consider it a favor. They’re ready to be weaned, anyway. I’ll take her back down to her momma in a little while.”

  “Come on, Shutterbug.” Kasey hitched the puppy up into her arms.

  Scott patted the dog’s head. “There’s nothing like puppy breath to make you feel good.”

  “Maybe I need the whole litter,” she teased.

  “Hey, whatever it takes. A whole river. A whole puddle of puppies. Whatever will help, I’ll make it happen.”

  They climbed the stairs from the boathouse to the back yard, then followed the sidewalk to the deck.

  “You can park your butt right in the middle of the pool with Maggie if it will make you feel better.”

  Scott opened the sliding glass door, went inside and flipped on the lights in the kitchen. Kasey put Shutterbug down so the puppy could explore.

  “Let’s get you dry before you go home,” he said.

  “I’ll be okay.”

  “But the leather interior of your car may not. Come on. It won’t take long to toss your clothes in the dryer and be done with it. I’ll get you some sweats to put on.”

  She looked reluctant, but she shrugged and nodded.

  “Great.” He disappeared down the hall, and came back with a brown sweatshirt with SHERIFF written across the front, and a pair of sweat pants. “They’ll be huge on you, but they’re dry.”

  “Thanks. These will be fine.” She changed in the bathroom and came out with her pile of wet clothes. “Where’s the dryer?” she asked as she stepped back into the kitchen.

  He smiled at the sight of her bare feet. Her bright pink painted toenails looked like Skittles. He tried to ignore the distraction. “Right here off the kitchen.” He pointed the way. “There’s a laundry room and door out to the deck that way.”

  He was waiting by the counter when she walked back into the kitchen. “Here. Hope you like marshmallows.” He handed her a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

  “Of course.” She took a sip and came up with a frothy marshmallow moustache. “The best part.” She ran her tongue across her top lip.

  Scott grabbed a roll of paper towels and Shutterbug. “You never know when they are going to leak.”

  Kasey gave him a funny look. “Oh, you mean the puppy.”

  “Let’s go sit in the living room while your clothes dry.”

  Scott sat on the couch and let Shutterbug run wild across the hard wood floor. She had trouble keeping all four feet under her. Each time she slipped, she’d turn, snarl and yap—not realizing she was causing hersel
f to slip.

  Kasey sat on the floor and drummed her fingernails on the hardwood. Shutterbug turned and raced toward her.

  Being with Scott was less awkward with the distraction of Shutterbug.

  Scott stretched out on the couch on his stomach and reached out his arm, sweeping his hand across the floor. Shutterbug ran between him and Kasey until the dryer beeped, sending her scurrying under the end table, whimpering.

  “Ohhhh. That was pitiful,” she said.

  Scott laughed. He had a great laugh. Deep and real.

  “Not so ferocious now, are you?” he said to the cowering puppy.

  Kasey crawled over and coaxed Shutterbug out from under the table.

  “Ooops.” Scott tossed the roll of paper towels to Kasey. “Looks like we scared the pee out of her.”

  “It was an accident.” Kasey wiped up the mess. Shutterbug followed her into the kitchen where Kasey tossed the paper towels into the trash and washed her hands, then took her clothes from the dryer.

  Kasey nearly tripped over Shutterbug when she turned around. “Watch out, girl.” Kasey walked through the living room to the bathroom. When she closed the door, Shutterbug whimpered from the other side.

  “You’re breaking her heart,” Scott yelled.

  “I hear her,” Kasey called, then screamed and ran from the bathroom with her jeans and bra on, her shirt held up to cover her.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “What’s the matter? Are you hurt?” Scott said.

  Kasey slammed into him just outside the bathroom door. “Look. I heard something. And then—” She was frantic, looking behind her, then back to Scott, not making any sense. “And it clanked, and I looked. A giant—there’s a snapping turtle in your tub!”

  “Oh. That. You scared the heck out of me.”

  “I’m serious. Go look.”

  “That’s Turtle Mike.”

  “Who? What? You knew there was an animal in the bathroom, and you just let me go in there? He could have bitten my toes off.”

  “Turtle Mike isn’t dangerous. He’s not a snapper—just a big old box turtle. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. Okay, he would eat a fly, but he won’t hurt you.”

  “What’s it...he...whatever...doing in your bathroom?”

  “He lives there. My nephew found him last summer. He loves that turtle.”

  “How do you bathe?”

  “I have a shower in the other bathroom, but frankly I shower more often at the station or the gym. Tubs are for girls...and turtles.”

  “All-righty then. I guess that makes perfect sense. If you’re a guy.” She let out a breath. “Scared the heck out of me.”

  “Sorry. I don’t even think much about him anymore except to feed him each day. He’s usually pretty quiet.”

  “Yeah, well he scared about four years off my life.” Kasey turned her back to Scott and pulled her shirt over her head. “It’s never a dull moment with you, is it?”

  Shutterbug ran up behind Scott.

  “That’s a compliment, right?” Scott picked up Shutterbug and shoved the puppy into Kasey’s arms. “Forgive us?”

  “Don’t you blame that thing on Shutterbug. She’s traumatized, too.”

  “Sorry.” Scott closed the bathroom door. “You can use the other bathroom from now on. Will you stay?”

  She didn’t say no, but he could see the wheels turning. “We want you to stay.” He took Shutterbug from her and held the puppy next to his cheek. They both panted. “Please?”

  “We already let the dinner swim away,” she said.

  “I can cook something else. It’ll give me a chance to impress you with my culinary skills again.” Shutterbug licked Kasey’s nose.

  “How can you say no to that?” he asked.

  “This is moving kind of fast.” She ran her hand through her hair. “I just don’t want to mess up our friendship by starting something I can’t finish. I —”

  “Don’t. Let’s just take it a day at a time. No promises. Our focus is just getting through each day, and finding Jake.”

  She patted Shutterbug on the head.

  “That’s it, Kasey. I promise.”

  He stooped a little to get eye-to-eye with her and smiled. “And Shutterbug. We have to keep Shutterbug happy, too.”

  She smiled a little smile.

  He put his arm around her shoulders, and they walked back into the living room.

  Kasey gave him a sidelong glance as they sat down. “We couldn’t disappoint Shutterbug, and I am anxious to see if you can cook something else besides steaks on the grill.”

  “Oh, you’ll be impressed.”

  She raised a brow. “Impress away.”

  Shutterbug barked.

  “Shutterbug has her doubts,” Kasey said.

  “I think she’s just hungry. Let’s take her back to Maggie and feed them. Then I’ll work my magic on something wonderful for you.”

  Kasey looked worried.

  She has to feel the attraction. I sure as hell can’t deny it. “Dinner.” He rolled his eyes. “I mean dinner.”

  Scott made a salad and stuffed pork chops for dinner. Kasey wiped her mouth and sat back from the table after eating every bite. “I’m going to tell you right now, I am never cooking for you. I’m a bad cook on my own, but compared to you.... Well, there is no comparison.”

  “It can’t be that bad.”

  “Trust me. You don’t want to find out.”

  Scott cleared the dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher. Then he and Kasey went back into the living room where Scott channel-surfed until he found a movie they could watch.

  “I probably ought to head home,” she said.

  “Why don’t you stay here? Or I can drive you home, then come back and pick you up in the morning to go to the police department in Southampton County. You haven’t slept. You don’t need to be behind the wheel.”

  “No. Don’t be silly. You don’t have to do that.”

  Scott cocked a brow. “We’re adults, and I do have a guest room.”

  She sat up. “The guest room?”

  “Sure.”

  She relaxed back into his arms. “Okay. I am kind of comfy. Can I borrow the sweats to sleep in?”

  “Anything you want.”

  She fell asleep in his arms, still in her clothes, within the hour. He finished watching the movie and then turned off the television.

  Kasey didn’t stir. She had to be exhausted. He wrapped his arms around her and snuggled his chin into the nook of her shoulder. That’s where they stayed, there on the couch, all night.

  * * * *

  Scott held Kasey in his arms. The sun hadn’t been up long, but his body clock had tripped about fifteen minutes ago.

  Kasey stirred.

  “Good morning,” whispered Scott, then kissed her hair. “Did you sleep well?”

  She twisted to look up at him. “I did. Thank you.”

  “How are you feeling today? Fresh air and good sleep make you feel a little stronger?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”

  “Repeat after me,” he said. “Jake is coming home. I know it in my heart and mind.”

  She repeated each word and took his hand in hers.

  He rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand. “We pray for his safe return and know that God will bring him home.”

  “We pray for his safe return and know that God will bring him home,” she said, followed by a deep breath. “And with you here to help me, how could I go wrong?”

  “I wasn’t going to say that,” he teased.

  “But I mean it. Thanks, Scott.”

  He squeezed her tight. “Are you ready for some coffee?”

  “Don’t move. I can’t cook, but I make a mean cup of coffee.” She stood and stretched her arms over her head. “Last night is the first whole night’s sleep I’ve had in a while. Thanks for yesterday.”

  “I had a nice day, too.” He swatted at her butt with a throw pillow as she headed out of the room.

  S
he went into the kitchen, then leaned back into the room. “Where’s the coffee?”

  “In the cabinet right above the coffeepot.”

  “Got it,” she said. “Don’t move.”

  He plopped back on the couch, waiting.

  A few minutes later Kasey walked in carrying a mug in each hand. “Here you go.”

  He took a sip of the coffee. “You’re right. Perfect.”

  “What time are we going to the station?” she asked.

  “I told them we’d be there around eight-thirty.”

  “Good. We’ve got some time. I’m going to run down to the boathouse and see the puppies while you shower and get ready. Is that okay?”

  “Sure. And hey, while you’re down there, will you feed Maggie and put a bowl of the soft food out for the puppies?”

  Kasey grabbed his jacket from the hook next to the door. “You got it.”

  At the station, Kasey and Scott followed their escort to a big room with only a table in it, and six large boxes of files and evidence from the case.

  “Goodness gracious. Where do we start?” Kasey looked at the numbered boxes stacked on the floor.

  “Systematic approach. Let’s start with number one,” Scott said. “You review the log, and I’ll look over the items. Then we’ll switch.”

  Kasey opened the box. The summary sheet was long, with the bagged evidence neatly lined up in the box. Scott reviewed the contents of each bag, placing a cardboard divider in its place to insure they maintained the logged order.

  After three tedious hours, they’d reviewed the content of two boxes. Even though the items were catalogued, going through them was still a mind-numbing exercise. The original investigative team had spent weeks examining the evidence, piece-by-piece, cataloging and tagging every little snippet they’d collected before Hurricane Ernesto hit.

  Scott ordered lunch in so they wouldn’t have to stop the review. They continued to work through the junk. That’s what most of it was: Trash, wrappers, coins, cigarette butts, even a miniature American flag, but nothing that yielded any ah-ha moments.

  Kasey put the last plastic bag back in box three.

  “That’s it,” she said.