Exhausted, I rubbed a hand over my face. Whoever it was had busted open the front door lock.
“We’ve asked your neighbors if any of them have front cameras, but no such luck.” PC William sighed. “Maybe we need to bring that up at the next town meeting. Those door cameras are really quite useful.”
“Unfortunately, that doesn’t help us.” London fidgeted nervously. “You really think it’s just an opportunist?”
My stomach knotted at why London was taking this so badly. Last year, my friend had fled an abusive relationship. Her ex, Nick Huston, was a powerful stockbroker in New York who came from a wealthy family who long ago had made theirfortune in railroads, only to become one of the largest financial investment groups on the American East Coast. He had been a revered bachelor of New York society until the FBI arrested him for insider trading. That was after Tierney and Ramsay helped London flee his controlling chokehold on her. His legal troubles meant, as far as I was aware, there wasn’t a possibility of him leaving the US.
But of course, it always played in the back of London’s mind.
“You should keep staying at the B and B until I get this place back into shape.”
London’s eyes flew to mine. “I’m not leaving you with this.”
“I’ll be fine,” I promised her with a knowing nod.
Her expression hardened. “You’re not staying here alone tonight. End of story.”
Before I could argue, we heard the stomping of feet up the front walk and then the front door flew open.
“Taran!” Quinn burst into the house, forehead damp with sweat, his eyes a little wild as he marched into the living room and straight for me. “Are you all right?”
I could only imagine the look of confusion and shock on my face as Quinn took me by the biceps to peer at me, as if he could read the answer to my well-being upon close enough inspection. “What … what are you doing here?”
“Tierney called me. Said someone broke in.” His eyes darted over my shoulder to the wreck in my living room. Quinn’s expression hardened and if the wrath I witnessed there was real, it was a good thing he hadn’t seen the mess of my bedroom.
“I had to tell Tierney why I was leaving,” London spoke up.
“It’s a good thing you’re here, Quinn,” DC Alice stepped forward. “Taran’s front door lock is broken. We’ve dusted for fingerprints already, so it’s clear for repairs. I don’t suppose you could replace the lock before the end of day?”
“Of course.” Quinn searched my face again. “Are you okay? Did they take anything?”
I gently extricated myself from his grip. “I’m fine. They took some jewelry.”
“Tourists?” he asked the police officers.
“That’s our guess. We’ll ask more of the neighbors if they saw anyone or anything suspicious, and we’ll put an announcement on our social media pages, so people are on alert in case it happens again.”
He gave them a sharp jerk of his head before pinning me in place with his attention. “If you don’t feel safe to stay here tonight, you can have my house. I’ll stay with Ramsay on Stòr.”
I didn’t know how to feel about his generous offer other than that I couldn’t accept it. “I’ll be fine. I got burgled in Glasgow years ago, so I’m a bit of a veteran.”
Something crossed Quinn’s expression at that slice of information. Consternation, perhaps. All these years between us as strangers.
“She’s got me.” London stood up and crossed the room to stand next to me. Her tone was neither defensive nor wary. Matter of fact. “We look out for each other.”
My ex glanced between us. We weren’t so much strangers that I didn’t recognize the stubborn glint in his eyes. However, much to my relief, he didn’t push it.
“I’ll fix the lock. I’ll need to go get my tools and see if Street’s has the right one.” He referred to the village DIY store owned by Ruari Street. It was usually well stocked considering it was the only one on the entire island. “I won’t be long.”
I could only nod because I needed my lock fixed, even if it meant being around Quinn today of all days.
I’d just closed the door on a worried Tierney and Ramsay. Weariness claimed my bones, but I ignored it and sidled back into the living room where London sat curled up in the armchair.
Tierney was concerned about London, I could tell. However, she and Ramsay had to return to the B and B before dinner.
After the police left, London helped me right the house and clear all the damaged items into bin bags. While we did that, Quinn fixed the lock and added a dead bolt.
“I ordered you a door camera that you can access on your phone,” he’d told me as I tried to not so subtly shoo him out of the house.
