Betsy jumped from the bench. Tensed and turning to look in the same direction as him. Breathing faster, she inched closer against him. “What should we do?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” Without looking in her direction, he gently pushed her behind him, yet always stayed focused on the moving whisper of a sound. The sound of someone or something heavy.
Seconds later, a doe slipped from the woodline. Two more edged in and around the trees behind. He blew out a cheek-puffing sigh. Beside him, Betsy softly breathed out a sigh of relief along with a soft nervous laugh. She sat back down on the bench.
Any other circumstance, he’d have taken time to listen closer in the first place. He’d have realized it wasn’t a person. But the adrenaline and intense focus of being in a possible life-and-death situation had pushed him to the worst-case scenario right off the bat.
He pocketed his gun. “What about you? When are you going to build a house out here?”
She shook her head. “Never.”
“Why? You love the water.”
“Too many wonderful memories can make for a painful barrier to change.” Patting the seat beside her, she motioned for him to join her.
He took her invitation and sat on the other end of the bench. For a moment he considered what she’d said. He’d never thought of memories tied to love and laughter as anything but nice to have. There hadn’t been many of those in his life, and he treasured the few he held on to. Yet that same happiness had somehow become a chain for Betsy.
Relaxing into the back curve of the bench, he stared out at the sun lowering over the water. Today had been filled with good and bad. Fear for Betsy had rested heavy on his shoulders this morning. Now the day was slowly turning to warmth and friendship. He rested his forearm on the arm of the bench, his other hand comfortably braced on the seat slats between him and Betsy.
“Sorry if I triggered the sad part of memories for you,” Cain said.
“No problem. It’s just part of who I am.” She slightly turned toward him and scrunched her knees up on the seat between them. “That end-of-summer day left me with a lot of memories. Like the last time me and my dad sat on the end of the dock, feeding the leftover worms to the fish in the lake.”
“Sounds like a great way to end the day.”
“More than you can imagine.” Her chin trembled. “That’s also when he told me I should look after Mama and my sisters if anything ever happened to him. Said he had no doubt I was the one with the strength to be in charge.” She swiped her fingers beneath her eyes. “I’ve been looking after them ever since the day he was killed.”
Cain’s hand…Betsy’s knees…a space the width of a penny between them. Yet trust seemed to fill that penny’s space.
“I’m sorry, Betsy. That has to be a heavy load to carry.”
“It’s okay. I can do it forever.” She pulled her knees closer. “Besides, they don’t need me to watch out for them…and they let me know loud and clear sometimes. I just can’t stop.”
Off in the woods, a woodpecker was hard at work on a tree. From the lake, the sound of a boat motor echoed from miles away. Occasionally, the rattle and pop of pine trees gave a backdrop to the cold and wind of the season. Life went on around them as if they weren’t even there.
For one of the few times in his life, Cain felt peace. “I’m sure your dad is proud of you.”
Somehow, during the past hour or so, he’d let himself wonder what it would be like to settle down. To have a wife and kids waiting for him when he came home from work. To feel the heat of lying next to the same person every night for the rest of his life. The thought felt like walking in a dream. One he didn’t want to end.
She straightened her legs till her feet were back on the ground. Moved a bit closer to him and glanced down at his hand before covering it with her own. “I hope he’s proud. I’ve done the best I can. But whatever’s happening now is a whole different type of danger. And I need some help.”
Realizing the depth of what she’d said, he nodded. “I’m always here for you. I’m not going anywhere without you.”
Her expression changed as she stood and raised the hood of her parka, pulling the zipper on her coat all the way up to her chin. “But you did leave. In fact, once this case is solved and you sell your house, you’ll leave again.”
“What are you talking about?”
She stared out at the end of the dock. “Can you honestly tell me you aren’t going to leave Crayton?”
“I don’t have any idea what I’ll do when that time comes. Why is this?—”
His phone rang. “Yeah.”
“This is JB. Where you at?”
Cain clicked the call to speaker phone. “Betsy wanted to come to the lake, so we’re here at her lot. Where are you?”
“When I saw what was going on, I headed back to Crayton. Truman drove them to the airport. In fact, he decided to go with them to New York. He said he’d be there if anything went wrong.” JB nervously laughed. “Sadie said he’d be there with his wallet if they wanted anything.”
