Page 18 of Bridge to Safety

He pulled the car away from the curb before the neighbor got nosy again. He’d have something figured out when he arrived on Saturday instead of Deacon. For now, there were no cameras.

~

“Those spots and one by the back door should provide plenty of security. You can even snap a photo of the person if you’d like.” Rowan ushered Shiloh back inside.

She gave a soft laugh. “I don’t really want a photo of Duke.”

He knew she was making light of the situation, but cameras would add another level of safety. Anyone approaching the house would be spotted from any direction. He eyed the detached garage. “It might not hurt to have one there, too.”

She sighed. “I knew fixing this place up would be expensive, but gee-whiz.”

“You can buy the cameras on a monthly payment plan, if that helps.”

“It does.” Back in the kitchen, she handed him plates and utensils. “Food is ready once the table is set.”

Rowan told Rachel to go wash her hands, then set out the dishes. When Rachel’s scream rang out from the back of the house, the plate he’d held clattered to the table as he dashed for the bathroom.

His daughter was peering out the back window. “Sasquatch.”

“What?” He slid to a stop.

“Out there.” She pointed through the slats of the blind. “Bigfoot. I saw him.”

“You’d better not be playing games, Rachel.” He glanced to where she pointed. “I don’t see anything.”

“That’s because he left. Behind those trees.” She washed her hands.

“Why were you looking out the window?”

“Because Peanut left me and huffed at something in the bedroom.”

He frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yep.” She dried her hands.

After checking the bedroom where Peanut was not, he headed for the kitchen and told Shiloh what his daughter had said. “I don’t think it’s anything, but I’m going to make a quick sweep around the yard with the dog. Be back in a few minutes.” He never should’ve let his daughter talk him into that old, based-on-a-true-story, movie about Bigfoot. She’d been obsessed ever since. But, considering the trouble aimed at Shiloh, he had to check things out.

Peanut didn’t seem overly interested in anything in the yard. Instead, her nose wrinkled as she turned toward the house, clearly hoping for some spaghetti.

“Come on, girl. Let’s check the tree line.” He led the dog to where the trees started and stopped to listen. Birds twittered. No snapping of twigs or noise from the dog. Rachel had been imagining things.

Shaking his head, he returned to the house where Shiloh had filled his plate. “Nothing but stories.” He shot a sharp look at his daughter. “Just as I suspected.”

She shrugged. “I saw him.”

“Okay.” Shiloh sat down. “You do realize that Bigfoot is very shy, right? He won’t like it if you go telling people you saw him. Then, they’ll come looking for him. Someone might want to catch him and put him in a cage. Do you want that?”

“No.” Her eyes widened. “I won’t say anything.”

“Genius.” Rowan grinned.

Rachel shot a suspicious glance at Shiloh, then dug into her supper, occasionally slipping a noodle to the dog.

When they finished, Rowan helped Shiloh clear off the table, then filled the sink with hot sudsy water. “I’ll wash, you dry.”

“You really don’t have—”

“I know. But, you fed us.”

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