Page 39 of Bridge to Safety

She ignored the question in his eyes. “Not far. Worried?”

“A little.” His grin widened. “Is that okay?”

She nodded, pleased that she had someone to worry about her. Maybe someday, she’d show him her special place.

~

Rowan had been more than a little worried, if he were honest. After fifteen minutes of no sight of her or Peanut, he’d checked the garage. Seeing her car there had sent his heart racing. Only after the initial panic had he figured out she must have taken a walk into the woods. The alarm had been set after all.

He should have her change the code, but he liked knowing he could check on her at any time. Stalker much, Rowan? “Does it bother you that I let myself in?”

Her brow furrowed. “You know? It really doesn’t.” Her gaze locked with his. “It seems…normal.”

It did, strange enough. His heart warmed, and he opened the door for her. It did feel normal. He called Rachel away from the television to eat. The three gathered around the kitchen table like family. Like the family he’d once had—something he was ready for again. With Shiloh, possibly? It was definitely something he wanted to explore. “Would you like to go on a date with me sometime?” The words blurted out.

From the expression on her face, she hadn’t expected the question any more than he’d expected asking it. “Sure.” Her gaze flicked to where Rachel sat engrossed in a cartoon.

“She’ll be happy.” Rowan smiled. “How about Friday night? We’ll get out of Misty Hollow. Eat at a nice place in Langley. Do you like Japanese?”

She nodded. “There aren’t many foods I don’t like.” Her cheeks had turned a cute shade of pink, letting him see the shy young girl she’d once been.

“Great. I’ll pick you up at five-thirty. That way I can be back before Rachel’s bedtime.”

“You’re a good father, Rowan.” Her tone sounded wistful as she took paper plates from the top of the refrigerator. “Not every little girl has a father like you.”

“What was yours like?”

She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Drank a lot. Kept a job, barely. Hit Mom some. I spent a lot of time alone in the woods.” She handed him a plate. “That’s where I was when you arrived. Visiting old, special places.”

“Maybe you’ll show me sometime.”

A soft smile graced her lips. “Maybe.”

“Dad?” Rachel had gotten up from the sofa and now stared out the front door.

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“Sasquatch is outside again. He’s walking around that house at the top of the hill.”

“That’s probably Mr. Nelson.”

She shook her head. “He’s fuzzy.”

Rowan frowned at Shiloh, then moved to the window. The form of a man wearing something “fuzzy” slipped around the corner of the Nelson home.

“Here.” Shiloh handed him a pair of binoculars. At his questioning look, she shrugged again. “I like to watch birds.”

“Do you know where the preserve is? You’d enjoy it there.” He lifted the binoculars to his eyes.

The man wore a camouflage outfit, strips of material made out to look like leaves. The fact he didn’t want to be recognized meant he was up to no good.

Rowan handed the binoculars back to Shiloh. “Keep Rachel here.” He hurried out the door and retrieved his service weapon from the glove compartment of his car. Slipping into the trees lining the road, he headed up the hill, searching for a vehicle. So far, nothing. No Larson construction van or the man’s truck. Of course, that didn’t mean anything. There were roads through the trees where someone could park out of sight.

He slowed as he approached the house. The camouflaged man moved back into sight but was still too far away for Rowan to make himself known. The trespasser would have too much time to escape.

Increasing his pace, Rowan stepped from the trees and sprinted for the house. The man froze and glanced back revealing a dark-face mask. “Stop. Deputy!”

The man fired a weapon.

---