Page 20 of Peril in Piney Woods

“We’re going to secure your front entrance,” he explained. “Then I’m coming around back to pick up you and Raymond. You should pack a bag. I plan on keeping you for a while.”

“But—”

He shook his head. “No buts. Jodie and Dottie can take care of things around here. You need to disappear for a few days until the smoke clears.”

He was right. She understood this. The problem was he didn’t, not really. For now, this was her only real option. “Okay.”

She climbed the stairs, the receding adrenaline making her feel as if she’d run a triathlon. Since she’d already packed her go bag, all she needed was another with a couple changes of clothes and a nightshirt. Well, and her toothbrush and hairbrush. A few toiletries. She could hang out at Griff’s for a couple of days and see how this was going to shake down. Maybe she’d get lucky, and the story would go unnoticed. After all, small-town Tennessee was a long way from big-city California.

She could hope anyway.

Truth was, she probably wouldn’t feel safe going forward, whether the story made headlines or not. The life she lived was uncertain enough without layering in the extra issue of not one but two very public situations.

If she dared to stay, how would she ever stop looking over her shoulder after all this?

Staying was a less than optimal idea. But going filled her with a kind of sadness she’d never expected to feel again.

She had allowed herself to get far too close to this place. She walked to her beloved window and watched Griff get something from the back of his truck and head back into her shop. She was way too close to this man.

It was dangerous, too dangerous.

There was no guarantee she could protect him if her past caught up with her.

Chapter Six

Griffin Residence

Sundown Road

7:00 p.m.

Despite all that had happened, Meg smiled when the truck rolled to a stop at the end of Griff’s long driveway. The herd of dogs that had been lying on the porch all stood, ears perked up, tails cautiously wagging.

As soon as Griff opened his door and the dogs got his scent, they were yapping and rushing toward him. It was the closest thing to heaven she could imagine in this life.

Meg parked her truck next to his and climbed out. What was not to like about a man who loved dogs—animals in general—this much? More telling was the fact that the animals clearly loved him. That they had a haven here was just icing on the cake.

He joined her at her truck and grabbed her overnight bag. “You mind if I get this bunch fed before we make dinner?”

She picked up her backpack from the floorboard. “As long as you don’t mind if I help.”

He grinned and reached for the backpack. “I never turn down a helping hand.”

Meg opened the back door and helped Pepper from the back seat. Raymond managed to hop down all on his own. The two followed her to the front of his truck where they waited while Griff took her bags into the house. He hadn’t been too happy about her insisting on driving herself over here, but she couldn’t imagine being stranded in the event she had to leave. An exit strategy was far too important to be caught with no wheels.

When he went into the house she noticed he hadn’t locked his door. Not a good idea, especially with her around. She’d have to talk to him about that. Or maybe she’d do him a big favor and disappear. It would be in his best interest.

The way her gut clenched made her regret having been so foolish. She should never have allowed herself to get so comfortable here, to believe for one second that she might be able to have a real fresh start the first time around. The move and then the acceptance of people in this town had been far too simple. She should have known it was too good to be true.

The herd, as Griff called them, followed him down the steps. A few low growls were exchanged as they eyed Pepper and Raymond, but Griff gave the command for the group to behave and the growls stopped. The animals, including the interlopers belonging to Meg, followed Griff and her to what looked like a barn but was actually a very large state-of-the-art doghouse. Dozens of kennels and all else that his herd might need was inside. He called each dog by name as they portioned food into their bowls.

“Pepper,” Griff said as he opened the door to a vacant kennel, “I was thinking you might like this one.”

Pepper sniffed the door, then wandered into the kennel and over to the bowl of kibble.

Griff closed the door. “Raymond, you come on with us.”

Griff was aware that Raymond slept at Meg’s bedside, and though none of his many animals stayed in the house with him, he’d insisted he wouldn’t mind Raymond doing so. The sweet Lab he’d had for fourteen years had died last year, and so far Griff wasn’t ready for another one to get that close. Meg understood. It was like losing a family member.

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