She continued forward, her stride determined despite the way her hands shook.
Naomi burst out the door behind her, moving quickly to catch up. “Millie, wait?—”
But Millie didn’t stop.
Caleb muttered under his breath and broke into a jog, intercepting her before she could get close enough to see past the tape. Before she could see the dead body beyond the fence.
“Millie.” He kept his voice firm but gentle. “You shouldn’t be out here.”
She stopped, her chest rising and falling hard, eyes searching his face. “What happened? I saw the police cars, and I thought?—”
She cut herself off, but he heard what she didn’t say.
She’d thought something had happened tohim.
His chest tightened—with both regret and warmth. Regret that she’d felt so worried. But warmth that she’d been so concerned about him.
Naomi reached them, slightly out of breath. “I’m sorry. I tried to stop her, but?—”
“It’s fine.” Caleb glanced at his sister. “I’ve got her.”
Naomi hesitated, her gaze flicking between them, then nodded and turned back toward the house.
Caleb refocused on Millie. She stared at him, waiting, the fear in her eyes making her look younger than she was. And vulnerable.Sovulnerable.
He hated that she had to hear this. Hated that the one place she’d come to feel safe had just become something else entirely.
But she deserved the truth.
“Let’s go inside,” he said. “I can explain there.”
“Explain what?” Her voice cracked slightly, and her gaze tried to search beyond him. “Caleb, what’s going on?”
He blocked her with his shoulders, knowing she shouldn’t by any means see that dead man.
His jaw tightened at the thought. For a moment, he considered softening the truth, finding some way to ease her into the reality.
But there wasn’t a gentle way to say it.
“We found a body,” he finally told her. “Early this morning. Near the tree line.”
The color drained from her face.
She stared at him, lips parted, as if the words hadn’t fully registered. “A body? You mean someone?—”
“A man died on the property last night. We don’t know who yet. Or exactly what happened. But the sheriff’s handling it.”
Her breath came faster now, shallow and uneven. “Was it an accident?”
Caleb held her gaze. “No.”
The word hung between them, heavy and final.
Millie swayed slightly, and Caleb’s hand shot out on instinct, gripping her arm to steady her.
“Hey.” His voice dropped, low and urgent. “Look at me. You’re okay.”
She blinked, her eyes glassy, unfocused. “Someone was killed. Here?”
