Don’t you?”
“No, actually, I don’t.” This time, it was Claire who stopped the swing and rose to her feet. “Let’s say you locked the door. You don’t think a
determined
person could come in through, say”—she gestured toward the long windows on either side of the front door—“one of these? Because I do.
“You don’t think a
determined
person could cover their head with a hood and look down at the floor as they were passing a surveillance camera? Because I do. And as for a security system…you really think, on a day that virtually every resident and police officer in this town was at that food festival, a
determined
person couldn’t have been in and out of this place before anyone responded? Because I don’t, Aunt Diane, and neither should you.”
Even in the dim porch light, Claire could see the flash of hope in Diane’s eyes just before a soft clapping exploded from the vicinity of the stairs and made them both jump.
“Hey, it’s just me. Jakob.” Stepping into the lighted section of the porch, Jakob held up his palms in surrender. “Sorry about that. I guess I got so caught up in what you were saying just now, Claire, that I didn’t really think about announcing my presence in a way that wouldn’t give you both a heart attack.”
Diane unclutched her hand from the front of her chest and managed a wan smile for the detective. “Jakob. I’m so sorry. We didn’t hear you…”
Jakob’s laugh slowed the beating of Claire’s heart in her ears. “I’m the one who’s sorry. For scaring the two of you just now and for not making things clear where yesterday’s break-in is concerned. My failure to do so has obviously made you doubt yourself, Diane, and for that, I’m doubly sorry.”
Claire motioned to her aunt while silently acknowledging the way this man spoke to her on a level that had nothing to do with talk of break-ins and murder and everything to do with the alluring mixture of kindness and strength he exuded just standing there in faded blue jeans and a navy blue Henley. “Tell her, will you? She doesn’t seem to get what happened here.”
Tipping his head in her direction, Jakob crossed to the swing and sat down, taking Diane’s hand in his as he did. “The key word in what your niece just said, Diane, is
determined
. What happened upstairs wasn’t a random break-in. If it was, your china would be gone, your guests’ jewelry would be gone, and virtually any item of monetary value would be missing. But none of that was taken.”
Diane stopped fiddling with the loose thread on her dress and met the detective’s eyes. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that whoever came in here yesterday came with a purpose. And that purpose had nothing to do with Sleep Heavenly and everything to do with one particular guest who’d chosen to stay here.”
“Rob Karble,” Diane whispered.
With a nod of confirmation, Jakob moved on. “Whoever it was who did this was on a mission and I don’t think there’s anything you could have done to deter him or her from that mission.” Claire saw the gentle squeeze he offered Diane’s hand and swallowed, the sudden need to feel his hand on hers unnerving. “Which is why I’m here. Or, rather, why I showed up on your porch steps just now.”
Desperate to fill her mind with something other than the way Jakob’s blond hair faded just above his ears or the broad set to his strong shoulders, Claire turned toward the house and began walking. “You need to see Room Six?”
Jakob rose to his feet. “I’d like to, if that’s okay. If it’s too late, I could come back first thing in the morning. As it is, I didn’t even know I was going to stop by until I walked up your driveway.”
“Do you think you’ll be loud?” Diane asked as she followed them into the front entryway. “My guests have all retired for the evening and I don’t want them to be disturbed.”
“Nope. I’m looking for something very specific. I have no
“No, actually, I don’t.” This time, it was Claire who stopped the swing and rose to her feet. “Let’s say you locked the door. You don’t think a
determined
person could come in through, say”—she gestured toward the long windows on either side of the front door—“one of these? Because I do.
“You don’t think a
determined
person could cover their head with a hood and look down at the floor as they were passing a surveillance camera? Because I do. And as for a security system…you really think, on a day that virtually every resident and police officer in this town was at that food festival, a
determined
person couldn’t have been in and out of this place before anyone responded? Because I don’t, Aunt Diane, and neither should you.”
Even in the dim porch light, Claire could see the flash of hope in Diane’s eyes just before a soft clapping exploded from the vicinity of the stairs and made them both jump.
“Hey, it’s just me. Jakob.” Stepping into the lighted section of the porch, Jakob held up his palms in surrender. “Sorry about that. I guess I got so caught up in what you were saying just now, Claire, that I didn’t really think about announcing my presence in a way that wouldn’t give you both a heart attack.”
Diane unclutched her hand from the front of her chest and managed a wan smile for the detective. “Jakob. I’m so sorry. We didn’t hear you…”
Jakob’s laugh slowed the beating of Claire’s heart in her ears. “I’m the one who’s sorry. For scaring the two of you just now and for not making things clear where yesterday’s break-in is concerned. My failure to do so has obviously made you doubt yourself, Diane, and for that, I’m doubly sorry.”
Claire motioned to her aunt while silently acknowledging the way this man spoke to her on a level that had nothing to do with talk of break-ins and murder and everything to do with the alluring mixture of kindness and strength he exuded just standing there in faded blue jeans and a navy blue Henley. “Tell her, will you? She doesn’t seem to get what happened here.”
Tipping his head in her direction, Jakob crossed to the swing and sat down, taking Diane’s hand in his as he did. “The key word in what your niece just said, Diane, is
determined
. What happened upstairs wasn’t a random break-in. If it was, your china would be gone, your guests’ jewelry would be gone, and virtually any item of monetary value would be missing. But none of that was taken.”
Diane stopped fiddling with the loose thread on her dress and met the detective’s eyes. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that whoever came in here yesterday came with a purpose. And that purpose had nothing to do with Sleep Heavenly and everything to do with one particular guest who’d chosen to stay here.”
“Rob Karble,” Diane whispered.
With a nod of confirmation, Jakob moved on. “Whoever it was who did this was on a mission and I don’t think there’s anything you could have done to deter him or her from that mission.” Claire saw the gentle squeeze he offered Diane’s hand and swallowed, the sudden need to feel his hand on hers unnerving. “Which is why I’m here. Or, rather, why I showed up on your porch steps just now.”
Desperate to fill her mind with something other than the way Jakob’s blond hair faded just above his ears or the broad set to his strong shoulders, Claire turned toward the house and began walking. “You need to see Room Six?”
Jakob rose to his feet. “I’d like to, if that’s okay. If it’s too late, I could come back first thing in the morning. As it is, I didn’t even know I was going to stop by until I walked up your driveway.”
“Do you think you’ll be loud?” Diane asked as she followed them into the front entryway. “My guests have all retired for the evening and I don’t want them to be disturbed.”
“Nope. I’m looking for something very specific. I have no
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