Page 38 of Rabid

“What did you decide to call yourself?” he asked.

The smile she gave him was maybe the happiest she had shown. “Willow Joan Morgan,” she said.

“Perfect.”

Neither said anything about the tears that welled in his eyes.

On her assigned court date, she went before the superior judge, Dale at her side, and the request was granted. He also agreed to seal the name change record.

“Good luck, Ms. Morgan,” the judge told her with genuine warmth, and she went from

Willow Gail Humphrey to Willow Joan Morgan. She took the paperwork to MVD, and they told her it could take up to two weeks before her new license arrived.

Dale brought the mail from town, with herlicense in it.

“This calls for a celebration, Ms. Morgan. I say we pop another bottle of wine open, and I’ll make a special dinner.”

“Only if I have salad duty,” she said with a laugh and smile that wouldn’t leave her face.

For the first time, she drank three glasses of wine over dinner, and stumbled into bed tipsy after Dale went to his trailer. It had been a great day.

Max’s low growl woke her. His large snout pointed toward the window beside her bed.

A strange face peered inside.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Bearded Mush Face

His face was mashed against the screen, a beard covering the lower half. Willow had just begun turning the lights off at night because they attracted too many small, flying critters through the screen, or he would have been able to see her clearly without needing to be so close.

Fear gripped her at the same time Max jumped on the bed and gave a deep throaty bark. The man disappeared. Her hand went out, reaching for the cell phone, and shakily, she called Dale’s number.

He answered on the first ring.

“There’s a man outside. He was looking in mybedroom window.” Max continued to growl in the background

“Daisy started up about thirty seconds ago. I’m coming over. Open the door when I knock but keep Max inside with you. Daisy will stay inside with you too.”

Dale knocked two minutes later. Willow unlocked the screen. He held a large flashlight and shined it around the property half looking at her and half keeping an eye out behind him. His gray hair stood up on one side and lay flat on the other. He wore his wrinkled shirt from the day before, and a gun holstered on his hip held up by belted blue jeans. It was three in the morning, and he looked tired.

“I’m going to scout around the house and barn,” he said. “Keep the dogs inside with you.”

“What about calling the sheriff?” she asked, fear rising in her voice.

He turned and looked at her. “I’m retired, but this was my area, and I rarely had backup. Tonight, I have you and two large dogs. Make some coffee, and if I’m not back in ten minutes, call 911. Now lock the doors behind me.”

He didn’t give her time to argue. Willow started coffee, her hands shaking so hard, she worried she would break the glass carafe. This was worse than prison when guards would stare at her and creep her out. She had just begun to feel safe in her grandmother’s house. Her hands continued totremble as she grabbed two mugs and kept an eye on the clock. Dale knocked on the door six minutes after he left.

“Let me in?” he said, and she quickly unlocked both doors. Dale’s light continued to shine into the night.

“What is it?” she asked when she saw his expression.

“The footprints outside your window match the ones we’ve seen around the property. It’s got to be one of the locals which I don’t like at all. There’s enough crazy out here to fill a bar on free whiskey night. Whoever he is, he’s turning into a problem. How clearly could you see him?”

“Not well. He had a bushy beard along with a mushed nose and lips.”

“Mushed nose and lips?” he questioned, a slight grin appearing at the corners of his mouth.

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