across the steppingstones that led to the cottage did she remember she hadn’t put on her shoes or a jacket. The rough stones poked hersoles through her socks and the night air nipped at her bare arms and legs, but she couldn’t turn back now. All of the work and time and money she’d invested in renovating the old summer kitchen could be going up in smoke.
The windows glowed eerily against the darkened landscape, the flickering more pronounced as she drew near. Then quick as a flash of lightning, understanding struck. She came to a stop outside the cottage. Not a fire. Not even close to a fire. A television screen’s changing images created the odd flicker behind the lace curtains. Irritation chased away the worry that had gripped her. She’d signed a contract for Internet via a cable line, but she wasn’t paying for TV service. How had he hooked up a television?
Shivering, she hugged herself and shifted from foot to foot. Should she knock on the cottage door and ask Briley to disconnect the television? Or should she ask Uncle Clete to discuss it with her guest? As she debated with herself, a ball of fur charged at her from the direction of the barn. Pepper! She braced herself, then changed her mind and turned to run, but she hesitated a moment too long. The dog plowed into her legs.
Alexa threw her arms in the air and shrieked.
Barking wildly, Pepper jumped again, this time planting her front paws on Alexa’s middle. The weight of the dog pushed her backward. She caught her heel on the edge of a steppingstone. Her arms flailing and another involuntary shriek leaving her throat, she fell flat on her bottom.
Briley
Briley scrambled from the bed and darted for the door. At first he’d thought the scream came from the movie he’d popped into the DVD player, but when he heard the second one—shriller, louder, more panicked—he realized it was real. He slapped the push button for the porch lamp and threw open the door. In the yellow shaft of light, he spotted the black-and-white border collie wrestling someone to the ground. Obviously the dog was playing—tongue lolling, tail waving so fast it became a blur—but the person on the ground didn’t seemto realize it. She’d rolled into a ball with her hands over her head, and little grunts of terror emerged from behind her crossed arms.
Briley put his hands on his hips and shook his head. Served her right, whoever she was, for sneaking around out here where she didn’t belong. “You get’er, Muttski.”
The dog barked and then gave a nimble leap to the opposite side of the woman’s body where it began poking its muzzle beneath her balled fists, and Briley got a glimpse of a long, mink-brown ponytail spread across the grass. Alexa!
He bounded over with one wide stride and caught the dog by its thick ruff. “Here, now, that’s enough! Get off of her!”
With a whine the dog plopped onto its behind and stared up at Briley with bright eyes. Now that he had the dog under control, he reached for Alexa. When he gripped her upper arms to pull her to her feet, she let out another bloodcurdling scream.
“Will you knock it off?” He yanked her upright and shot a glance toward the house. “Somebody’s going to think I’m murdering you.”
Her eyes flew open and she stared into his face. “B-Briley?”
He hid a grin. She must be scared to forget her manners. “That’s right.”
She looked frantically right and left. “Where’s Pepper?”
“Pepper?” Had she hit her head? She wasn’t making much sense.
“That stupid dog!”
The dog, which was named Pepper, rose up and whined as if to protest Alexa’s exclamation. Automatically Briley commanded, “Sit.” To his relief the furry beast obeyed him. All in all, Pepper was a pretty good dog. He looked at Alexa. “What did you do to aggravate the poor mutt?”
She wriggled free of his grasp and stepped a few inches away from him. She sent a smoldering glare from the dog to him. “I didn’t do
The windows glowed eerily against the darkened landscape, the flickering more pronounced as she drew near. Then quick as a flash of lightning, understanding struck. She came to a stop outside the cottage. Not a fire. Not even close to a fire. A television screen’s changing images created the odd flicker behind the lace curtains. Irritation chased away the worry that had gripped her. She’d signed a contract for Internet via a cable line, but she wasn’t paying for TV service. How had he hooked up a television?
Shivering, she hugged herself and shifted from foot to foot. Should she knock on the cottage door and ask Briley to disconnect the television? Or should she ask Uncle Clete to discuss it with her guest? As she debated with herself, a ball of fur charged at her from the direction of the barn. Pepper! She braced herself, then changed her mind and turned to run, but she hesitated a moment too long. The dog plowed into her legs.
Alexa threw her arms in the air and shrieked.
Barking wildly, Pepper jumped again, this time planting her front paws on Alexa’s middle. The weight of the dog pushed her backward. She caught her heel on the edge of a steppingstone. Her arms flailing and another involuntary shriek leaving her throat, she fell flat on her bottom.
Briley
Briley scrambled from the bed and darted for the door. At first he’d thought the scream came from the movie he’d popped into the DVD player, but when he heard the second one—shriller, louder, more panicked—he realized it was real. He slapped the push button for the porch lamp and threw open the door. In the yellow shaft of light, he spotted the black-and-white border collie wrestling someone to the ground. Obviously the dog was playing—tongue lolling, tail waving so fast it became a blur—but the person on the ground didn’t seemto realize it. She’d rolled into a ball with her hands over her head, and little grunts of terror emerged from behind her crossed arms.
Briley put his hands on his hips and shook his head. Served her right, whoever she was, for sneaking around out here where she didn’t belong. “You get’er, Muttski.”
The dog barked and then gave a nimble leap to the opposite side of the woman’s body where it began poking its muzzle beneath her balled fists, and Briley got a glimpse of a long, mink-brown ponytail spread across the grass. Alexa!
He bounded over with one wide stride and caught the dog by its thick ruff. “Here, now, that’s enough! Get off of her!”
With a whine the dog plopped onto its behind and stared up at Briley with bright eyes. Now that he had the dog under control, he reached for Alexa. When he gripped her upper arms to pull her to her feet, she let out another bloodcurdling scream.
“Will you knock it off?” He yanked her upright and shot a glance toward the house. “Somebody’s going to think I’m murdering you.”
Her eyes flew open and she stared into his face. “B-Briley?”
He hid a grin. She must be scared to forget her manners. “That’s right.”
She looked frantically right and left. “Where’s Pepper?”
“Pepper?” Had she hit her head? She wasn’t making much sense.
“That stupid dog!”
The dog, which was named Pepper, rose up and whined as if to protest Alexa’s exclamation. Automatically Briley commanded, “Sit.” To his relief the furry beast obeyed him. All in all, Pepper was a pretty good dog. He looked at Alexa. “What did you do to aggravate the poor mutt?”
She wriggled free of his grasp and stepped a few inches away from him. She sent a smoldering glare from the dog to him. “I didn’t do
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