Page 54 of Sadie's Guarded Harbor

After turning on her lamp, she lowered herself to a crouch and lifted the bed skirt. Nothing but a storage container with her summer clothes and a few dust bunnies. She rounded the end of the bed and swung open the closet door. Clothes hung on the hangers, everything in place. She poked through the articles of clothing then turned to check the rest of the house.

With her gun trained in front of her, she swept into the hall and padded toward Amelia’s bedroom. Holding her breath, she cracked the door and a whoosh of relief crashed against her to see her daughter sleeping peacefully in her bed. A quick search of the small room showed Sadie nothing had been disturbed—no one waited inside.

Giving Amelia once last glance, she hurried to the living room. Mittens lay curled on the couch, undisturbed. Maybe she was being paranoid. Mittens would be long-gone if he’d heard someone breaking in. She checked the front door and a bit of tension released when she found it locked.

She headed into the kitchen and flipped on the light. She checked every nook and every corner. Nothing was out of place. But that tingling sensation still lingered on the back of her neck, muscles knotted in her stomach.

Needing to make sure the whole house was safe, she checked the bathroom and guest room. She dropped her arm to her side. The closets were clear, and doors secure. She had lost her mind.

Mittens padded out to meet her in the hall. She scooped him up and carried him back to her room. Maybe a little company was what she needed to settle her down and get back to sleep. Tucking her gun back in its place, she huddled under the covers while the cat curled against her side. She pillowed her hands under her cheek and her gaze landed on the nightstand.

The files were gone. Her heart seized. Panic hitched her breath.

She grabbed her phone with a shaking hand and called Tommy.

“Hello? Are you okay?” His voice was thick with sleep.

“Someone was in my house. I need you. Now.”

20

Tommy’s heart was in his throat by the time he flew up Sadie’s driveway and slammed his car in park. The full moon beat a bright path down her unshoveled walkway to the front porch. He leapt up the steps and the door swung open before he could get to the doorbell. A long gray robe wrapped around Sadie’s small frame. Her hair rained around her face in wild waves.

She hugged her middle, her eyes wide. “I knew someone was here. I could feel it. The files are gone. They were right by my bed, and now they aren’t. I checked everywhere for them.” Her jumbled words came out at a rapid speed.

“Nothing else was taken but the files?” He tried to keep a steady head and get the facts. She’d been frantic on the phone, the information she’d given garbled.

“Everything’s in place. I triple checked.”

“How did someone get in? Are all the windows locked?”

She squeezed the bridge of her nose. “All but one. I cracked open the bathroom window earlier when I showered. The house is old, and the room doesn’t have a vent. The space fills up with so much steam when I shower that I always open the window tolet it out. With everything going on, I must have forgotten to lock it.”

“Did you check outside?”

She nodded. “Once I knew the house was secure, I walked the perimeter. Tracks in the snow led to the road on the side of the house. Plows had already been through, so no tire tracks.”

“No way anyone saw anything way out here. Especially at this time of the night. We can have someone come check for fingerprints. We might get lucky.”

“Done. I’m trained and had the equipment here. I’ll send it to the lab in the morning.”

Astonishment overrode the fear that had taken residence in his gut since she’d called and told him about an intruder in her home. This woman could do anything she put her mind to. Whoever broke in better count their blessings she hadn’t caught them. No telling the amount of damage she would have inflicted.

“You secured the house, walked the perimeter, checked all entry points, and dusted for fingerprints.” He held up his hand and ticked each action off the pads of his fingers. “What did you need me for?”

She dropped her arms to her sides and sniffed back the emotion taking over her face. “They could have hurt Amelia. Could have gotten to my daughter and I’d have never known until it was too late.”

He was such an idiot. He crossed the distance between them in three long strides and grabbed her tight. She was so damn capable of taking care of herself and her daughter, it slipped his mind for an instant that she shouldn’t have to. “I’m sorry. What I should have said was you are amazing and strong and so courageous.”

“Someone was in my house. While I slept. Anything could have happened. I wouldn’t have been able to defend myself—wouldn’t have been able to defend Amelia. Not when I was sleeping.”

“That didn’t happen. They took what they came for and left.” He held her close, wanting to take away whatever fear remained. “You’re safe. Amelia’s safe.”

“I just keep thinking, how long was this person here? Where did they hide? It’s such an invasion of privacy…of my personal space.”

“Do you and Amelia want to stay at my place tonight?” He cringed while waiting for her response. In no way did he want her to think he was using this situation to his advantage. But if she didn’t feel safe in her home, he’d gladly give up his bed for the night. Hell, he’d give up his bed and hunker down on the couch for as long as she needed to feel secure again.

She pulled away and wiped the moisture beading on her lashes. “I just don’t want to be alone. I’m sorry I dragged you out so late. You don’t need to drive back across town. Why don’t you stay here?”

---