Page 58 of Unforgiven

“Would you, ah, like to see the yarn and the note I told you about on the phone?”

“That would be a real good idea,” Deputy Ernst replied.

“All right. It’s in my living room.” As if she’d suddenly realized it was cold, she moved toward the door. “Please come in.”

Seth opened the door and held it for her and Junior.

“Would you like something to drink, Deputy Ernst?” she asked after Seth closed the door.

“Thank you, but I’m all right.” After a pause, he added, “Where are the yarn and note?”

She walked to the coffee table and pointed. “There.”

“Have you touched both items?”

“Yes.” Concern lined her forehead. “I didn’t know who it was from. I, ah, thought it was from my sister.”

“She often bring you yarn?”

“No. But she does bring me little gifts from time to time.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The deputy fished two latex gloves out of a pocket and slipped them on, then picked up the note and read it aloud. “‘You are mine. You will always be mine. But you have been very bad, Tabitha. Spending time with a convict has ruined you.’”

Tabitha pressed her fist against her mouth as tears filled her eyes again. “Sorry. It sounds worse out loud.”

“You’ve got nothing to apologize about, Tab.” A thousand words raced through Seth’s mind, none of them suitable to share. Not caring what the deputy would think, Seth reached for Tabitha again.

She leaned close but then straightened and faced Deputy Ernst. “Do you understand why I called you?”

He looked at her with eyes full of sympathy. “I do. Sit down, Ms. Yoder.” When she did, he added, “What’s the significance of this yarn?”

“It’s expensive yarn,” she said. “It’s alpaca. I . . . I like to knit, and Leon knew I always wanted something so fine.” She bent her head. “I know it’s wrong to be so prideful.”

The deputy, who’d been writing down notes on a pad of paper, peered at her curiously. “Why do you think Leon brought this item to you now?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed. “Maybe to remind me that he hasn’t forgotten me?”

“May I?” He gestured to a chair.

“Of course.”

Seth sat down next to Tabitha. Not wanting to give the deputy anything more to question than he already had, he kept a respectable distance between them.

The deputy wrote out more notes on his notepad, then looked at them both. “No disrespect, but I think I need to know more about the two of you’s relationship.”

“We’re friends,” Seth said.

“How close of friends?”

Seth looked him in the eye. “Close friends.”

“I see.” He grimaced slightly. “Ms. Yoder, have you had Seth spend the night here?”

Her eyes widened. “Of course not.”

Just as Seth was about to tell the deputy to concentrate on the man who had a restraining order and not him, the deputy held up a hand. “Seth, I know you’re angry and want to protect her, but if you were in my shoes, you’d ask the same things. Knowing the whole situation helps us best help her. Keeping secrets only makes my job harder.”

The man was right. After glancing at Tabitha, Seth said, “Deputy, until a month ago, Tabitha never even came out of her house when I visited.”

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