Nora beamed up at him, and something twisted in my chest at the sight—a bittersweet ache of possibility and fear. They looked right together, this child who’d never known a father’s love and this man who’d lost his daughter too soon.
A knock at the front door broke the moment. Jake straightened immediately, his hand moving instinctively to his hip where his gun would usually be.
“Stay here,” he said quietly, all trace of the earlierlightness gone from his face.
I pulled Nora behind me as Jake moved cautiously to the door, checking the security panel first. His shoulders relaxed slightly.
“It’s Caleb,” he called back to me.
I released the breath I’d been holding. Jake opened the door, and Caleb stepped in, stamping snow from his boots. His eyes went from Jake to me, then to Nora, who was still half-hidden behind me.
“Morning,” he said, his gaze lingering on Jake’s rumpled shirt. “Everything okay here?”
“Scout’s sick,” Nora piped up before either of us could respond. “Someone poisoned him.”
Caleb’s eyebrows shot up. “Poisoned?”
“Antifreeze,” Jake said grimly. “Vet confirmed it last night.”
Caleb whistled low. “That’s... deliberate.”
“Yeah,” Jake agreed, running a hand through his hair. “We were about to have breakfast. Have you eaten?”
I moved toward the kitchen, grateful for the distraction. “I can make pancakes.”
While I mixed batter and heated the griddle, I listened to the brothers talking in low voices in the living room. Nora had settled at the kitchen table with her coloring books, seemingly content now that she knew Scout was improving.
“You think it’s connected to the fence breaks?” Caleb was asking.
“Highly unlikely,” Jake replied.
“And the package Ella got?”
A pause. “I think it’s connected to that, yes.”
I flipped a pancake with more force than necessary, trying not to think about the Polaroids still hidden in my dresser drawer. The men’s voices dropped lower, and I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but the serious tone was unmistakable.
When breakfast was ready, I called them in. We mainly ate in silence, the weight of unspoken concerns heavy around us. Nora, oblivious to the tension, chattered about making a get-well card for Scout.
“I need to head into town,” Jake said finally, pushing his plate away. “Check on some things.”
“I’ll stay here,” Caleb offered immediately. “Keep an eye on things.”
I glanced between them, sensing some unspoken agreement had been reached. “I need to go to the bakery,” I said. “Just for a few hours. Frank’s short-staffed with Helen out.”
Jake frowned. “Is there someone who can cover for you?”
“Not on such short notice.” I began clearing the plates. “Nora can come with me. She’ll be safe there.”
“I’ll drive you,” Jake said, in a tone that brooked no argument. “And pick you up when you’re done.”
I started to protest, but stopped myself. The truth was, I didn’t want to be alone, even in the middle of town. Not with Scout in the hospital and threatening messages arriving at my door.
“Okay,” I agreed. “Thank you.”
Chapter 9
Ella
