“You’re welcome.”
She’d smiled. She loved his scruff-covered, chiseled jaw... his strong physique, his even stronger character...
“You with me?” he asked, somehow smack-dab in front of her.
She ached with everything in her to bewithhim. But her stalker had given her the gravest ultimatum: walk away from Joel on what was to be their wedding day, or watch Joel die at his hands. Tell Joel and he’d die. So she’d stayed silent. Let the man she loved more than life believe she didn’t love him. Not even enough to tell him instead of letting him stand up in front of all their family and friends—alone.
“Cas?” Concern creased the corners of Joel’s blue eyes.
She blinked. “Yeah. Sorry. My brain is still waking up.”
“You sure you don’t want to rest in the parlor?”
“I’m sure.” She’d take all the time with him she could get while her stalker was far away, because once she was back home, or even back at the cabins, he’d be watching. She’d never be free. But Joel ... He could have a happy life, find and marry someone new, and go on without her.
His eyes narrowed. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” Maybe if she told him, he’d help again, but he’d worked the case for nearly a year. Worked himself into the ground, but the stalker still eluded them. She wasn’t putting Joel back through that either.
It was like the man was invisible—no prints, no fibers, nothing to prove his presence except the letters he left and the hint of Irish Spring.
“I think we should hit the kitchen next,” Joel said, thankfully not noticing her delving headlong into her nightmare.
“Sounds like a plan.” She forced a smile on her face and followed him into the hall, shadows dancing along the walls above and behind them.
She cringed. The stalker’s first message came rushing back with brutal backlash.
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me.
Your Shadow
A shiver snaked up her spine at the way he twisted one of her favorite childhood poems. Pressure wrapped around her throat. She cough-choked.
Joel turned, the flashlight on her face.
She held up her hand to shield her eyes.
“Sorry,” he said with a sheepish smile. He lowered the light. “You okay?”
“Yep,” she lied. So many lies between her and the man she loved, but what was she to do? Let the red laser scope on the center of Joel’s back in the pic the stalker sent come true? Her stalker wouldn’t hesitate to go through with his plans if she “disobeyed.” The one time she hadn’t listened and went out on that second date with Joel, her dog had nearly died. She’d come home earlier than planned thanks to some bad fish and was able to get Barley to the vet in time to get his stomach pumped, but she hadn’t taken any chances after that. She even gave her mom Barley for safekeeping in Montana.
Joel shifted his weight. “What’s going on, Cassie?”
She swallowed. “I wanted to tell you...” So many things.
“Yeah?”
She bit her bottom lip. “It can wait.”
“You sure?”
“Yep. Let’s finish checking this place out and then we can chat. We’re not going anywhere for a while.”
“True,” he said quickly, but he studied her eyes slowly.
“What are you two doing?” Nat huffed. “I thought you were searching the inn?”
“We are,” Joel ground out.
