Page 25 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

She took a few steps down it, then thought better of venturing into the unknown in the middle of the night.

On the other hand, this wasn’t going to be much of a walk if she was afraid to leave her yard.

Why did she feel so nervous? After Garrett and his friends left, she hadn’t heard a single car drive by. She was safe and,though she might have felt differently, she reminded herself that she wasn’t alone. God was at her side.

That thought gave her courage to venture around the house. Halfway there, she heard something and paused to listen.

It was the sound of a car engine, coming closer.

She was nearly to the corner of the house when she saw headlight beams shine on the narrow road coming from town. She’d thought the car had been coming quickly, but it seemed to slow.

Before the vehicle came into view, its headlights quit bouncing. Then they went off entirely.

She could hear the vehicle idling on the far side of the thick forest, but all she could see was moonlight glinting off metal. Sedan, SUV, pickup—she couldn’t tell.

Somebody was watching the house, and the last thing she wanted was to alert that person that she was all alone outside, completely vulnerable.

She dared not move.

She had no way to call for help.

Two minutes passed. Three.

Though her hands were shoved deep in the pockets of her jacket, her fingers ached with cold. Her teeth chattered. Her heart raced.

When the car made no move, she inched away slowly. So slowly. Finally, she reached the back corner of her house and bolted across the yard, up the back steps, and inside. She locked the door behind her.

After she shed her coat and boots, she crossed into the living room and peeked through the blinds and out the front window.

The watcher was gone.

Aspen was stillin bed the next morning, barely awake, when the doorbell rang. She checked the time on her phone—nearly ten o’clock.

She never slept that late in Kona. Of course, in Kona, she didn’t have creepy people stalking her in the middle of the night.

She threw on a pair of jeans, an old sweatshirt, and some socks, then hurried down the stairs, where she opened the blinds. She couldn’t see the front step, but Garrett’s truck was parked in the driveway.

When she opened the door, she barely caught his smile before it morphed into a frown.

“Did Iwakeyou?” He shook his head. “I mean, not that you should have been awake already. You can sleep as long as you want.” He pressed his lips closed and quelled the babbling.

She caught sight of two steaming cups in his hands and prayed they held coffee. She’d brought her grinder and French press from home, not to mention a bag of beans, but she didn’t want to wait for the kettle to boil.

Come to think of it, she didn’t have a kettle.

Considering the look Garrett was giving her, she should’ve spent a little more time getting ready before rushing downstairs. She stepped back and held the door open. “Just give me five minutes.”

Leaving him in the living room, she washed her face and brushed her teeth and hair, then found her fluffy slippers.

Downstairs, Garrett was trying to maneuver an old wooden ladder-back chair into her house.

“Here, let me help.” She held open the storm door, and he carried the chair through to the dining area. She followedand discovered he’d brought another chair and a small table. “Where’d these come from?”

“My aunt and uncle.” He arranged the three pieces in front of the tiny window. “My uncle’s always collecting furniture to refinish, but he never gets to it. They said you could have these. They’re not much, but at least you can sit to eat.”

“How kind of them. Tell them I said thank-you.”

He nodded and handed her the cup. “I thought maybe it’d be too late for coffee, but I guess…”

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