Page 62 of Out to Get Her
Her heart fluttered.
Fluttered.
She was not a flutterer.
But as the car stopped in front of the porch and Samantha got out and waved to her, Erin’s heart felt like a cage for a thousand tiny butterflies flapping their wings against the chamber walls. Samantha was wearing a plain black T-shirt and bootcut jeans with hiking shoes, and it was the first time Erin had seen her with her hair down. Her straight, dark hair fell over her shoulders, with long layered bangs framing her face.
“Need a hand?” Erin skipped down the steps and practically ran to the open car door.
Samantha had a confused-looking Dexter tucked in one arm and handed Erin a plastic grocery bag filled with dog food, treat bags, and bowls. “Thanks. Let’s get him in and settled first, then I’ll come back for the food and stuff.”
“Snacks?”
“The junkiest of junk food.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Erin sighed. “I thought we were going to have nothing but boiled eggs for the night.”
Samantha grabbed a dog bed and blanket with her free hand and shut the door with her hip. “Ew, what? Why?”
“Zach is apparently some kind of super-efficient prepper,” she explained. “But he’s bringing bacon now, and he’s been really helpful, so I’m making an allowance for the egg-fest.”
“Sounds fair.”
Erin shut the door behind Samantha, and they were greeted by a chipper, “Hiiiiiiii,” from Marty. Erin had been nervous about how he’d react to the strangers, especially the dog, given how he’d lost his tiny bird mind when the officer came to collect the evidence last night. But he seemed as smitten with the little black pug as Erin was with the dog’s owner.
Dexter, however, did not share the bird’s affection.
The second Samantha placed the dog on the ground, he ran in circles, barking beneath the birdcage. Erin and Samantha exchanged a silent,Oh crap, look.
“Pretty bird!” Marty squawked as he puffed up and spread his wings in an attempt to make a better impression.
No such luck. Dexter remained unimpressed.
Samantha picked him up, but Dexter continued to bark, now with a better view of the offending bird.
“Bring him in here.” Erin gestured for them to follow her down the hall. “The two of you can have Grandpa’s room. As far as you can get in this house from Zach and his eggs.”
“Perfect.” Samantha followed with Dexter in one arm and his doggy bed in the other. “Thanks for letting us crash with you. I’ll probably head out to patrol a bit once the eye’s over us, then after it’s completely through, and I’ll feel so much better knowing he’s safe with people and not stranded where I can’t get to him. Or worse. With my mother.”
Samantha smiled, recovering quickly from the mention of her mother, but that smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“Is something else wrong?” Erin asked.
“No, this room is great.” When Erin didn’t buy that answer and waited for more, Samantha added, “It’s just the case.”
“New lead?” Erin wasn’t sure how much to push or how much to let on that she had her targets set on Sam’s own cousin as a suspect.
“More of a new wrinkle.” Samantha shook her head. “I can’t really talk about it, but maybe you could show me where you found those prescriptions later?”
“Of course.”
“Thanks.”
“So. The tour.” Erin pointed to the master bathroom. “You have your own bathroom with a sink for Dexter’s water and plenty of places to store his food.”
“So he won’t pig out and eat through the bag and swallow all his storm food in one night. Good thinking.”
“I can’t promise the same for me and the junk food, though. I’m a stress eater.”
