edge of the bed to answer it, but the phone stopped ringing. The necklace caught her attention before she had a chance to check who had called. Tears gathered in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Lord, where is Serena? What has he done to her?
The bed shifted as Deputy Owen sat next to her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His sleek gaze slid across the white sheet she wore, making her shiver.
“It’s all right. I’m here. You’re safe now.”
Obviously, he had misread the reason she trembled. The soft words sounded hollow and self-righteous coming from the arrogant man. She tried to pull away, not the least bit comforted by his presence, but he did not release her.
“I sure am glad I was close by. If you’d had to wait for the sheriff…” He glanced at his watch and shook his head.
Cali narrowed her gaze as irritation spiked her blood pressure, and spurred a sudden, driving need to defend Nick. “I’m sure he’ll get here as fast as he can.”
She was about to insist Deputy Owen let her go when tires squealed and then a vehicle door slammed. A moment later Nick ran in, gun drawn and ready.
Deputy Owen spoke up, “It’s all clear sir.” His arm remained around Cali.
Nick noticed.
The concern on his features switched to irritation as his gaze flicked from Deputy Owen to Cali. He tucked his gun into an ankle holster under his jeans, crossed his arms and waited.
Cali pulled away from the deputy. This time he let her go. She wanted to launch into Nick’s arms. She wanted to feel safe again. But, judging from the hard look on his face, she assumed he was in no mood to comfort her.
“Tell me what happened.”
She stood, dried her wet cheeks, and squared her shoulders. “The stalker broke in sometime during the night. I didn’t hear anything. I didn’t even know until this morning.” She turned and pointed to the lampshade. “He left Serena’s necklace hanging here.”
Deputy Owen stood and walked toward the door. “I have to go get my cruiser. I left it in the restaurant’s lot. I’ll be right back.”
Nick ignored Owen and walked over to peer at the necklace. “Are you sure it’s hers?”
Cali stepped behind him. “I’m positive.”
“Is anything missing?”
The question took her off guard. “I don’t know. I haven’t checked. Deputy Owen said not to touch anything.”
Nick walked past her and scanned the bathroom. When he came back he said, “Go ahead and check your belongings. Make sure nothing is missing or has been disturbed.”
His tone of voice sounded official, and she checked her duffle bag and suitcase without question. “It looks like it’s all here.” She looked up to find Nick inspecting the doorframe.
“He didn’t use force.”
“Then how did he get inside?”
“He either picked the locks,” Nick knelt in front of the doorknob and continued, “or he had two keys.”
“Two keys?”
“There’s one key for the doorknob, and another for the deadbolt, which is probably a master key.”
Cali shivered even though the day had already begun to warm, making the room stuffy and humid. The air-conditioner unit continued to rattle, unsuccessfully trying to cool the room with the door wide open. She sat on the bed and covered her face with her hands as her fears deepened. She prayed, Lord, thank you for protecting me last night. Please continue to watch over us.
“Cali.” Nick’s voice was close.
She felt his hand on her hair, sweeping to the nape of her neck. Then his hand slid to her shoulder as he sat next to her. She reacted to Nick’s touch completely different than she had to Deputy Owen. This time, she leaned into the embrace. This time she felt safe.
“Why would he break in here to leave the necklace and not take me, too?” Cali asked as she lifted her head, finding Nick’s features full of concern. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
He pulled his arm away and stood, shaking his head. “It’s hard to tell. It could be a way to
The bed shifted as Deputy Owen sat next to her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His sleek gaze slid across the white sheet she wore, making her shiver.
“It’s all right. I’m here. You’re safe now.”
Obviously, he had misread the reason she trembled. The soft words sounded hollow and self-righteous coming from the arrogant man. She tried to pull away, not the least bit comforted by his presence, but he did not release her.
“I sure am glad I was close by. If you’d had to wait for the sheriff…” He glanced at his watch and shook his head.
Cali narrowed her gaze as irritation spiked her blood pressure, and spurred a sudden, driving need to defend Nick. “I’m sure he’ll get here as fast as he can.”
She was about to insist Deputy Owen let her go when tires squealed and then a vehicle door slammed. A moment later Nick ran in, gun drawn and ready.
Deputy Owen spoke up, “It’s all clear sir.” His arm remained around Cali.
Nick noticed.
The concern on his features switched to irritation as his gaze flicked from Deputy Owen to Cali. He tucked his gun into an ankle holster under his jeans, crossed his arms and waited.
Cali pulled away from the deputy. This time he let her go. She wanted to launch into Nick’s arms. She wanted to feel safe again. But, judging from the hard look on his face, she assumed he was in no mood to comfort her.
“Tell me what happened.”
She stood, dried her wet cheeks, and squared her shoulders. “The stalker broke in sometime during the night. I didn’t hear anything. I didn’t even know until this morning.” She turned and pointed to the lampshade. “He left Serena’s necklace hanging here.”
Deputy Owen stood and walked toward the door. “I have to go get my cruiser. I left it in the restaurant’s lot. I’ll be right back.”
Nick ignored Owen and walked over to peer at the necklace. “Are you sure it’s hers?”
Cali stepped behind him. “I’m positive.”
“Is anything missing?”
The question took her off guard. “I don’t know. I haven’t checked. Deputy Owen said not to touch anything.”
Nick walked past her and scanned the bathroom. When he came back he said, “Go ahead and check your belongings. Make sure nothing is missing or has been disturbed.”
His tone of voice sounded official, and she checked her duffle bag and suitcase without question. “It looks like it’s all here.” She looked up to find Nick inspecting the doorframe.
“He didn’t use force.”
“Then how did he get inside?”
“He either picked the locks,” Nick knelt in front of the doorknob and continued, “or he had two keys.”
“Two keys?”
“There’s one key for the doorknob, and another for the deadbolt, which is probably a master key.”
Cali shivered even though the day had already begun to warm, making the room stuffy and humid. The air-conditioner unit continued to rattle, unsuccessfully trying to cool the room with the door wide open. She sat on the bed and covered her face with her hands as her fears deepened. She prayed, Lord, thank you for protecting me last night. Please continue to watch over us.
“Cali.” Nick’s voice was close.
She felt his hand on her hair, sweeping to the nape of her neck. Then his hand slid to her shoulder as he sat next to her. She reacted to Nick’s touch completely different than she had to Deputy Owen. This time, she leaned into the embrace. This time she felt safe.
“Why would he break in here to leave the necklace and not take me, too?” Cali asked as she lifted her head, finding Nick’s features full of concern. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
He pulled his arm away and stood, shaking his head. “It’s hard to tell. It could be a way to
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