Page 10 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“Why does it feel so…?” She didn’t know how to finish her sentence without seeming like a crazy person.

She wasn’t crazy, was she?

Familiar doubts crept in. Was she more like her mother than she’d known? Was she losing her mind? “Do you feel it too?”

“I know what you mean,” he said. “It’s the hidden doorway and”—he gently shifted to the side so she could see it better—“the locks. I took the liberty of removing them. I hope you don’t mind. They only opened from the other room, and it seemed like a hazard. If someone were to get trapped in here, there’s no way out.”

She saw the holes in the door and tried not to think about what he’d said.

“They were electronic locks, and they’re still wired. We could turn this into a panic room, if you wanted. Or just remove the false wall entirely.”

“So did he… the pornographer?—?”

“This was his photography studio, but from what I understand, he was never able to use it.” Garrett’s gaze flicked to the empty space beside them, and she got the feeling there was something he wasn’t telling her.

She was too creeped out to ask. She focused on the door across from them. It, too, sported holes where locks must’ve been. “Where does that lead?”

He pushed it open and turned on a light.

It was a small bedroom with two twin beds, a nightstand, and a bureau. She opened a door and found a closet, where sheets and blankets and towels were stored. Another door led to a bathroom. Everything in both rooms looked brand new.

“I can move the beds to the master, if you’d like. I got rid of the renter’s mattress, the one he had there. I didn’t figure you would want it. It was old, and also, you know… He was a?—”

“Good choice. Yes. Thank you.”

“But these are brand new,” Garrett said, “never used.”

“You know this how?”

“I was here when…” He blew out a long breath. “Let’s go back upstairs.”

She wasn’t sorry to leave that horrible place.

Back in the living room, he said, “Are you hungry?”

“After that? Not particularly.”

“Well, I’m starving. Let’s go to town and grab some lunch. I’ll tell you the story on the way, and then we can talk about what you want to do with this place.”

Despite what she’d just said, it’d been hours since the lemon scone and coffee she’d bought at a charming bakery not far from her hotel. She needed to get out of the house, into the bright sunshine and fresh air—frigid as it was. She needed to shake off the fear that clung to her and think.

“I’ll probably be hungry by the time we get there. I’ll follow you.”

At the front door, he dug into his pocket and held out two keys. “These are yours. I took the liberty of making a second. Maybe if I need to work and you’re not home…” He let the unspoken question hang there.

She wasn’t quite ready to let him keep a key to her place. “I’ll leave it somewhere for you.”

He dropped both keys in her palm. “Fair enough.” He opened the door. “I’ll drive.”

“But you don’t need to come back today.”

“I gotta move that furniture and get a fire going for you. Until we get the furnace looked at, you’ll want to be able to keep the place warm, right?”

“I can stay in the hotel again tonight.”

“You can do that if you want, but I figured you’d prefer to save the money. Or…” He stepped away. “Or maybe you’renervous to be in the car with me, which I could understand. I mean, you barely know me.”

She laughed, the sound echoing off the tall ceiling. She stifled it quickly. “We went down to a creepy basement with hidden doors and a prison cell, and I survived. I think we’re beyond all that.”

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