as he jogged along the house and then disappeared around the corner with the flashlight. She hoped it was just the breaker. She hated being alone in the dark. Even at night she always kept a light on in the house while she slept.
Closing her eyes, she sat on the porch swing and waited. But when she opened her eyes, she inhaled a raspy breath. A figure was moving through a clump of trees beyond the fence.
Squinting, she tried to absorb some detail she could recognize. Then, with a gasp, her hand flew to her mouth in surprise. The long black coat and wiry frame could only belong to one man.
CHAPTER ~ SIX
Amanda was rocking frantically in the swing when Noah came back. “Let’s go see if the lights will come back on.”
“ It’s him. I saw him,” she whispered.
Noah turned off the flashlight and sat beside her. “What?”
She pointed to a group of trees beyond the fence. “He was sneaking through those trees.”
Rubbing his tired eyes, he looked in the direction she was pointing. “You saw someone? Are you sure?”
“ It was Mr.--Mr. Ellinger.”
“ Your imagination is running wild,” he slapped his knees and jerked the swing to a halt.
Shaken, she trailed him to the door and followed him inside. “It was him, Noah. I’m not imagining anything!”
Noah sighed and began flicking the light switches. “The lights aren’t coming on. Has to be a power outage.”
“ Listen to me, Noah! I saw him.”
“ Maybe you did see someone. Probably a ranch hand,” he squeezed her shoulders.
Her eyes darted over his face. She could feel rainwater dripping from his hat and onto her nose. “I know who I saw.”
“ Grab some things. You can stay at the ranch tonight,” his voice was rough. “I’m gonna start up the truck.”
“ Why should I go with you? You don’t believe me!”
“ Don’t make me throw you over my shoulder, Amanda. It’ll be safer at the ranch, if there is someone roaming around out there.”
She felt tugged in two different directions. Part of her wanted to go with him, not wanting to be alone in the dark during a storm with Mr. Ellinger wandering around. The other part wanted to stay out of defiance and anger. How could he not believe her?
“ I’m only coming with you because of the storm! In case lightning strikes the house again....”
“ You can use my flashlight if you need to gather some clothing. I’ll take Webster to the truck.”
She nodded and went to the kitchen. Grabbing her laptop, she felt a chill that ran deep under her skin. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her.
********
“ Oh, children, you are both soaking wet,” Maria squealed as Noah guided Amanda into the house. He released Webster, who immediately crept toward Amanda and huddled at her feet.
“ Amanda will stay with us tonight,” he scanned the many candles lit throughout the house. “Would you mind lighting some candles upstairs in the guest room for her?”
“ Ok, and I will light some candles in your room, too. And mine of course,” she chuckled. Skipping to the staircase, Maria made her way up.
Noah snickered. “She loves the rain. And oddly, the more severe the storm is, the happier she is.”
Frowning, Amanda looked at him. “Why is that?”
“ I think because she married on a stormy day.”
“ Maria was married?”
“ Only for two years. Her husband died young,” the clunk of his boots upon the tiled floor frightened Webster. The dog began to whimper.
“ It’s ok, Web,” Amanda set down her laptop and bag, then squatted to circle her arms around Webster.
“ Hopefully the electricity will be back on soon.”
She looked up at Noah. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to turn in.”
“ Yeh, I think that’s a good idea. I need to get out of these wet clothes.”
Amanda smiled as he grabbed her laptop and bag, then nodded for her to follow him up the stairs.
********
Tugging the soft bed covers to her chin, Amanda sighed. The large
Closing her eyes, she sat on the porch swing and waited. But when she opened her eyes, she inhaled a raspy breath. A figure was moving through a clump of trees beyond the fence.
Squinting, she tried to absorb some detail she could recognize. Then, with a gasp, her hand flew to her mouth in surprise. The long black coat and wiry frame could only belong to one man.
CHAPTER ~ SIX
Amanda was rocking frantically in the swing when Noah came back. “Let’s go see if the lights will come back on.”
“ It’s him. I saw him,” she whispered.
Noah turned off the flashlight and sat beside her. “What?”
She pointed to a group of trees beyond the fence. “He was sneaking through those trees.”
Rubbing his tired eyes, he looked in the direction she was pointing. “You saw someone? Are you sure?”
“ It was Mr.--Mr. Ellinger.”
“ Your imagination is running wild,” he slapped his knees and jerked the swing to a halt.
Shaken, she trailed him to the door and followed him inside. “It was him, Noah. I’m not imagining anything!”
Noah sighed and began flicking the light switches. “The lights aren’t coming on. Has to be a power outage.”
“ Listen to me, Noah! I saw him.”
“ Maybe you did see someone. Probably a ranch hand,” he squeezed her shoulders.
Her eyes darted over his face. She could feel rainwater dripping from his hat and onto her nose. “I know who I saw.”
“ Grab some things. You can stay at the ranch tonight,” his voice was rough. “I’m gonna start up the truck.”
“ Why should I go with you? You don’t believe me!”
“ Don’t make me throw you over my shoulder, Amanda. It’ll be safer at the ranch, if there is someone roaming around out there.”
She felt tugged in two different directions. Part of her wanted to go with him, not wanting to be alone in the dark during a storm with Mr. Ellinger wandering around. The other part wanted to stay out of defiance and anger. How could he not believe her?
“ I’m only coming with you because of the storm! In case lightning strikes the house again....”
“ You can use my flashlight if you need to gather some clothing. I’ll take Webster to the truck.”
She nodded and went to the kitchen. Grabbing her laptop, she felt a chill that ran deep under her skin. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her.
********
“ Oh, children, you are both soaking wet,” Maria squealed as Noah guided Amanda into the house. He released Webster, who immediately crept toward Amanda and huddled at her feet.
“ Amanda will stay with us tonight,” he scanned the many candles lit throughout the house. “Would you mind lighting some candles upstairs in the guest room for her?”
“ Ok, and I will light some candles in your room, too. And mine of course,” she chuckled. Skipping to the staircase, Maria made her way up.
Noah snickered. “She loves the rain. And oddly, the more severe the storm is, the happier she is.”
Frowning, Amanda looked at him. “Why is that?”
“ I think because she married on a stormy day.”
“ Maria was married?”
“ Only for two years. Her husband died young,” the clunk of his boots upon the tiled floor frightened Webster. The dog began to whimper.
“ It’s ok, Web,” Amanda set down her laptop and bag, then squatted to circle her arms around Webster.
“ Hopefully the electricity will be back on soon.”
She looked up at Noah. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to turn in.”
“ Yeh, I think that’s a good idea. I need to get out of these wet clothes.”
Amanda smiled as he grabbed her laptop and bag, then nodded for her to follow him up the stairs.
********
Tugging the soft bed covers to her chin, Amanda sighed. The large
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