Page 19 of One Little Spark

“Doc’s place needs work.” He glanced up at her. Her eyes were dancing all over the place, and her voice was super chipper. Something was wrong.

“I’ll say.” She finally looked directly at him. “How was today? Did you do anything exciting on your day off?” She finished wringing her hair and then washed her hands. She grabbed two bowls from the cupboard, and her hips swayed as she moved to the stove to fill the first one with chili. Then she reached out to help herself to some of the dessert.

“Careful,” he warned, “it’s hot.”

“Ouch!” She yanked her hand back from the edge of the pan.

He got up from the table. “Sorry, I should have warned you earlier. I just took it out of the oven.” He moved across the kitchen and took her hand in his, looking down to examine her burn. He turned on the cold water tap and put her fingers under the stream.

“I can do this myself. I am a nurse, you know.” She looked up at him.

He nodded. She was right. He should step away. Instead, he still held her hand under the water and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Well, for starters, I burnt my hand, and you won’t give it back to me.” She tried to tease him, but her voice was tight.

“Hazel,” he said, his voice full of warning. He wasn’t going to let her get away with not telling him what was up.

She glanced down at their hands. When he realized he was holding her hand tightly, he quickly loosened his grip.

She turned off the water. “It’s fine,” she said as she gently tugged her hand back and started to turn away. He caught her wrist and held her there. She looked up, and he captured her gaze. “What’s going on?”

She let out a long breath. “I think…I think Tommy Vincent might be lighting the fires.”

That seemed to come from left field. “Okay. Why?”

“Because of the way he reacted at the fire the other night. I told Doc about it, and he thought it was a good idea if I spoke to Phoenix, so I’m going to see him in the morning.”

Aiden’s gut tightened at the mention of Phoenix’s name, but Doc’s advice was sound. He studied her face, but she glanced away from him. When he tugged gently on her wrist, she looked back up at him. He said, “There’s something else. What is it?”

She shrugged. “Doc and I were discussing how there have been a handful of unexpected deaths of elderly patients at the hospital lately. He wants to look into it.”

Aiden narrowed his eyes. “Stay out of that. Don’t get directly involved. You work at the hospital. It could end up causing you problems.”

She frowned but nodded.

“It’s something else to mention to Phoenix if you’re worried.”

“That’s a good idea,” she said in that over-bright voice. She gave her wrist another tug, trying to look relieved.

He wasn’t buying it and held on. “I’m not letting you go until you tell me what’s got you spooked.”

She blinked, and then suddenly her eyes filled up with tears. “You’re going to think I’m crazy.”

“Try me,” he said softly. The tension radiating off her made his gut roll. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and keep her there until she calmed down.

“I was at Doc’s tonight and…and I felt like someone was watching us through the window.” She shot him a furtive glance. “I pulled down the shades, but when I left Doc’s and walked to my car, I got that feeling again.” She bit her lip. “I…I think I was followed.”

Aiden’s heart plummeted to his feet. “What do you mean followed? To your car?”

She nodded. “And then I think I was followed here.”

He glanced toward the front door. He knew it was locked because he’d heard her lock it when she came in. “What did the car look like?”

“I couldn’t tell. It was too dark and rainy. It was just headlights in my rearview mirror, but they were behind me the entire way from Doc’s to here.”

She shivered, and he immediately pulled her into hischest and wrapped his arms around her.

“I know you think I’m being silly, but I swear I was followed. All the hair stood up on the back of my neck and—”

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