It wasn’t a question.
Naomi nodded, not trusting her voice.
She climbed into her SUV with shaking hands and locked the doors.
In her rearview mirror, she watched Micah head toward his SUV, phone already at his ear and the note secured in his other hand.
The knot in her chest pulled tighter.
Someone was watching. Waiting.
And they wanted her to know it.
Micah stayed close behind Naomi the entire drive.
His hands stayed loose on the wheel, but his attention was sharp, scanning every vehicle they passed, every truck parked on the shoulder, every side road that could hide someone waiting.
The note sat on the passenger seat beside him, sealed in the evidence bag.
DON’T TAKE WHAT’S NOT YOURS
The words circled in his mind, turning over and over, trying to find purchase.
Travis Henderson. He was the obvious culprit. The land dispute, the escalating harassment, the way he’d been watching Naomi outside The Grind House like he had all the time in the world.
But Richard Harding’s name kept surfacing too. Richard had people. Family. Supporters who’d stood by him through the trial and never wavered.
Either way, someone was getting bolder.
And Naomi was caught in the middle.
His jaw tightened.
The familiar weight settled in his chest—the same weight he’d carried since Caroline died. The knowing that being close wasn’t always close enough. That you could do everything right and still be too late.
Not this time.
The iron gate at Refuge Cove came into view, and Naomi’s SUV slowed. She entered the code, waited for the gate to swing open, and pulled through.
Micah followed.
She parked near the garage and cut the engine. Micah pulled in beside her and stepped out into the cold.
Naomi was already out of her vehicle, keys in hand, but she didn’t move toward the house. Instead, she waited for him.
He crossed to her. “Naomi, I need you to promise me something.”
She looked up at him, eyes wary.
“Don’t go anywhere without me. Not for a while. Not until we figure out who left that note.”
Her brows drew together. “Micah, you have a job. You can’t just?—”
“Part of my job is keeping this community safe. Right now, that means keeping you safe.”
“You can’t be everywhere.”
“No. But I can be here.” He held her gaze. “Promise me.”
