LITMIR.BIZ

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thought of doing that. Guess I was too scared to think clearly.”

      “No problem. It helped me find you even before the GPS told me I was here. This place has so many lights it glows for miles.”

      “I told you I hated the dark.”

      “Fine, as long as you don’t mind paying a high electric bill.” He was going from window to window, jerking the curtains closed as he spoke. Her small living room contained a side table stacked with books, an easy chair and a floral upholstered sofa. There was little room for more furniture other than a television stand.

      “I think the kitchen is the safest place for us to talk,” Paige said as he finished covering the windows. “I did close the shutters back there. And I didn’t come out till I heard you drive up.”

      Cade noticed the flush of her cheeks and wondered if it was from lingering fright or if she thought he had been chastising her. “You did fine. I might not have thought about drawing the curtains if I hadn’t noticed how visible you’d be from the street with them open.”

      Following Paige and the dog, which hadn’t left her side since his arrival, he was led into the kitchen. Like the living room, it looked as if it had been cut from the pages of a decorating magazine published forty or fifty years ago. The counter was made of the kind of material that was supposed to resemble butcher block. The cabinets were of the same blond color. So were the closed shutters.

      He wiggled the knob of the back door out of habit and made sure it was locked. “After you called me, did you hear or see anything else?”

      “No. Nothing. I think the prowler is gone.”

      “Probably. I didn’t see anybody lurking around outside when I drove up. I’ll check closer later. First, I want you to sit down and tell me exactly what happened, from the beginning, so I know what I’m looking for.” He motioned to the chrome-edged dinette set and pulled out a chair for her.

      Paige started to join him, then paused. “Would you like some coffee?”

      “If you think it will help you focus better, fine. Otherwise, never mind.”

      As he watched her jerky motions at the sink he realized how close she still was to being scared out of her wits. And the enormous dog seemed to be in much the same condition. It had not left her for a second, not even to give him a quick sniff and check him out the way most dogs would have. It was as if both animal and owner were traumatized.

      “Look. Forget the coffee and just come here,” Cade said as he unzipped his leather bomber jacket and draped it over the back of an empty chair. He was not a patient man, especially in cases where he didn’t have enough hard facts to be certain he could avert further problems.

      “Okay.” Paige sat and folded her hands in her lap while Cade circled to the opposite side of the small kitchen table. “Everything seemed fine when I got home. When Angela—that’s my roommate—left. Max was outside in the yard.”

      Cade had taken out a pad and pen to jot notes as she cited the prowler’s approximate age, height and weight.

      It was when she began to relate the rest of her story that he leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table and closely studied her. In view of the fact that nothing disastrous had occurred, he was wondering why she hadn’t regained a little more of her composure during the fifteen or twenty minutes it had taken him to reach her.

      “When I called Max and he didn’t come, I went outside to look for him,” Paige said. “That’s when I spotted a strange man in the bushes.”

      “And you ran.”

      Her green eyes misted and widened. “No! He caught me.” Extending her left arm and resting it on the table, she displayed the beginnings of a wide band of bruising near her wrist.

      Cade was astounded. No wonder she was still so upset. Without thinking, he reached out and traced the injury lightly, gently, with one finger. “I’m sorry I was so short with you. I had no idea he’d actually made contact.”

      To his surprise, the corners of Paige’s mouth started to twitch. Was she thinking of smiling? Now? After all the shaking she’d been doing?

      “He made contact all right,” she said with a nod. “And he had a good, strong hold on me. His hands were enormous. You can see that from the marks he left.”

      “So, how did you get loose?” Cade glanced down to recheck his notes. “If he was as big and strong as you say, he should have been able to easily overpower you.”

      The smile was now unmistakable. “I know. He shouldn’t have started to laugh at me. That made me so mad I went a little crazy. That was what saved me.”

      “Really? What happened?”

      “I’m not sure. All I remember is being absolutely furious and then cutting loose with more force and strength than I’d ever imagined I had. First I kicked him in the patella—the kneecap. Then, when he bent over to grab his leg, I straight-armed his face. Caught him right under the nose with an upward thrust from the heel of my hand.”

      “Ouch. Did you break his nose?”

      “If the cracking sound was any indication, I sure did.” She sobered. “I know I shouldn’t be happy about inflicting pain on anyone but this guy deserved everything he got. And more.”

      “Did he say anything?”

      “Nothing I care to repeat, thank you.”

      Cade had to chuckle. “I don’t mean when you busted his nose. I mean before that. When he first grabbed you. Think. Anything? Anything at all?”

      She paused and closed her eyes, her lips pressing into a thin line. Finally, she looked at him, shook her head and said, “I can’t recall a thing. Not even a threat. I wish I could.”

      “Okay. Tomorrow we’ll…” He broke off, grinning.

      “What?”

      Stressing the humorous aspect of his random thoughts, mostly for Paige’s sake, he admitted, “I was just making plans to take you to see a sketch artist. Then, I remembered that you are one.”

      To his relief her smile returned. “That’s actually how I got my start with the Rangers. I can start drawing the man I saw in the bushes right away, so I won’t take any time away from work on the skull. If I hadn’t left my laptop at work I could use it, too.”

      She pushed back her chair and got to her feet. “First I’ll make us both some strong coffee, then I’ll go dig out my artist’s materials.”

      “I’ll make the coffee, if you want, as soon as I get my evidence kit out of the truck. I intend to have a good look around your yard and see what I can pick up before we notify the local sheriff.”

      “And tell him what? That I was dumb enough to go outside and confront a prowler?”

      “I wouldn’t put it quite that way.”

      “Doesn’t matter. There’s more to this attack than just some lowlife hiding in my bushes.” Paige was scowling. “You see it, too. I know you do. Or you wouldn’t have asked me if the man made any specific threats.”

      It was only fair to level with her. Cade nodded as he took a few steps toward the living room. “Yes. I think it’s likely that all the peculiar things that have been happening to you, and to me, are related to the Pike case. That’s the most logical theory. I hope I’m wrong.”

      “I hope you are, too, but I’d had the same idea.” She managed a smile that he could tell was partly forced. “Hurry back, okay?”

      “Will do. I think you’d better follow me to the front door and lock it after me so nobody can sneak in. I won’t be out there long.”

      The smile she’d displayed before became softer, as if muted by new tenderness. “Max and I will miss you.”

      “I’ll

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