Cap navigated a sharp curve. The contents of her stomach sloshed. If she didn’t get out of this car soon, she’d throw up.
Cap turned onto a driveway cut through cedar trees that led to a small log cabin.
A county squad sat parked next to the porch. A female deputy exited the car, walked over to the detached garage, and manually opened the garage door. Cap pulled into it and cut the engine.
“Hi, Cap.”
“Hey, Donna.”
So they knew each other. Donna looked to be in her late forties. She was tall and slim, and looked competent, especially with the duty belt.
“Everything’s set for you. I’ll be here until shift change, and then Deputy Schneider will be on watch.”
“Thanks. Donna, this is Emma. Emma, this is Deputy Vanderwood.”
“Hi.”
“Hello. You’ll be safe here,” Deputy Vanderwood assured.
The deputy turned to Cap. “The clothes I picked up from Cici are in the bedroom.”
“Appreciate it.”
Deputy Vanderwood looked at her. “If what Cici sent for you doesn’t work, let me know, and we’ll figure something out.”
It was a nice thing that Cici and Donna had done for her. Part of the Door County small town charm that didn’t disappoint.
“Okay.”
“Go on in and make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be right out here.”
Cap didn’t stop scanning the woods. Slow, deliberate sweeps. He was on high-alert. After one more sweep, he motioned for her to walk toward the small cabin. She climbed the three steps that led to the front door, and he moved ahead of her and opened it.
The cabin was small but charming. Perfect for a weekend getaway if only this were that. The kitchen and living room shared a single space. White appliances, pine cabinets, and a small peninsula with two stools. A leather loveseat faced a stone fireplace, subtly dividing the room. A single recliner sat near a large bay window.
Cap went straight to the windows, closing blinds and curtains one by one. The view disappeared, and with it, the illusion of safety. She understood why, even if it made her chest ache.
Cap gestured to the hallway. “Through here is a bathroom and two small bedrooms. You can take the one on the right,” he said as he opened the door for her to enter.
A duffel bag sat at the foot of the bed. She presumed that it was full of the clothing Cici picked up for her. She’d been wearing the same outfit she’d worn for the charter yesterday. Lucky for her, the material was light and dried quickly when she’d been soaked through by the rain.
“Great. I need a shower and to change.”
Cap nodded and shut the door.
He was a man of few words, especially since the decision had been made for him to stay with her. Even though she wanted—needed him to talk, she stayed somewhat quiet herself to not interrupt his thought process. She’d become fully aware that her life depended on him staying sharp and that she needed him to do what he did best.
She opened the duffel bag to find a couple pairs of leggings and shorts, a pair of jeans, a few shirts, a light hoodie, tennis shoes, a pack of underwear and two bras. All in the sizes she’d told Cici. A cosmetic bag filled with necessities was tucked off to the side. She grabbed the cosmetic bag, black leggings, a long pale pink t-shirt, underclothes, and slipped across the hall into the bathroom.
The tiny bathroom was about as small as possible to fit a sink, toilet, and a bathtub with a showerhead. Not only was it clean, but it smelled clean, too.
She almost didn’t recognize herself in the mirror. Not one ounce of makeup remained on her face. Dark circles wrapped around her eyes, and her hair was clumped in sections. A thin scratch about an inch long ran over her cheek, resembling one a person would get from a cat with razor claws. She had no memory of how that had happened.
In this condition, she couldn’t believe that Cap hadn’t run away from her as fast as possible. Yet, he stayed and agreed to watch over her.
After shedding her clothes, she climbed in the shower. The piping-hot water was comforting to her dreary skin and loosened aching muscles. The events of the past twenty-four hours had carved tension into her neck, shoulders, and back. She tilted her head to her left shoulder, and then her right and stretched her arms up, back, and to the sides, the best she could in the small shower.
She lathered her hair and scrubbed her scalp, then applied conditioner and let that soak in while she ran the soothing, soapy washcloth over her body. The water cooled, letting her know she’d better get the conditioner rinsed out of her hair before it got too cold to tolerate.
