“Where did she get this dog?” Grady shook the picture. “Is this what she’s been keeping from me? Is this the big reason why she has her brother throwing me out of thetown?”
“You’ll have to talk to her about it.” Tami yanked the picture frame fromhim.
“Where is she? Why isn’t she answering my text messages?” Grady asked, even though he was the one who hadn’t answered her. “This is inexcusable. She kept my dog. Why would she do this tome?”
“I’m sure she’s busy. Look, I have to let the volunteers in to feed the dogs and clean the kennels, and—” Tami pushed him toward thedoor.
Grady dug in his heels. “I’m not leaving without mydog.”
“Well, genius, in case you haven’t noticed, your dog isn’there.”
“Right, she’s taken off. Don’t tell me she’s playing another game with me, because I’m sick ofit.”
“She doesn’t play games.” Tami opened the door and pointed the way out. “But you hurt her long ago, and she can’t get overit.”
“I hurt her?” Grady’s hackles rose. “What about the lies she told me? Like now. She’s stolen my dog. I bet she skipped out of town and she’s not comingback.”
“Then you’ll have to find her. I’m telling you, she’s not here.” Tami gave him another shove. “You know, you’re not much of a saint either. She’s trying to make amends, but what aboutyou?”
“Make amends? By stealing mydog?”
“Instead of jumping to conclusions, maybe you should trusther.”
“Trust and Linx Colson don’t gotogether.”
“Then you’ll never find what you’re looking for.” Tami crossed her arms. “And I pityyou.”
He whipped around and stomped off the porch all the way to his truck. So, the big secret was his beloved dog and not a baby orchild.
In a way, that was arelief.
Or maybenot.
A woman who would hide a dog could hide more, couldn’tshe?
* * *
Dry lightning sizzledin the charged atmosphere and raised the hairs on Linx’s arms. She wrestled the steering wheel of her SUV and lurched up the rutted drive to Grady’s plot ofland.
The air was heated and charged, and a heat wave lingered in the area. Even though clouds loomed above and lightning crackled, no moisture made its way down to the ground—perfect tinder for awildfire.
Beside her, Cedar leaned out the passenger window, her ears erect and her nose quivering. Giving her back would be the second hardest thing Linx had everdone.
Tami had already called and told her Grady was on the warpath, and she couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to make it up to Grady and face his wrath. It was what she deserved for keeping him from his beloveddog.
Linx’s heart raced as she climbed an embankment and turned her wheels to park. Four years ago, shortly after she found Cedar, she’d swung by to see if by chance Grady was hiding out here. Her stomach had squeezed in on itself when she spied the charred landscape and the ruins of his cabin—their long-ago lovenest.
Now, greenery had returned, and the plot was lush with grass and bushes. The building site was recently leveled, and a black tarp was anchored over the foundation by largerocks.
Stacks of logs were piled around the site, and a fifth-wheel trailer was parked under a largetree.
Linx swallowed and wet her lips as she and Cedar jumped from her Durango. Another bolt of lightning arced above them, and thunder boomed without rain. But Cedar didn’t seem to be spooked. She ran around the building site, sniffing and bouncing excitedly. Following her nose, she went to the trailer parked under the tree, but Linx didn’t think Grady was home since his truck wasmissing.
Lightning sliced across the sky, flashing over the treetops, and Linx shuddered as the rolling thunder crashed overhead a few seconds later. She held her palm up, praying forrain.
Every summer, dry thunderstorms all across the West ignited hundreds of forest fires, keeping fire crews busy and exhausted. If what she’d heard was correct, it was one such late season fire that had consumedSalem.
Linx picked her way around the property, secure in knowing Grady wasn’t around. The cabin under construction was much larger than the tiny one-room cabin from before. This one spread out into two wings, and the logs stacked around were at least one foot indiameter.
