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“If he could keep you safe, this wouldn’t have happened!”

Generally, I’m a patient person, but all that flies out the window after midnight.

And she’s not done. Barely holding back scared tears, she continues, “You said that man stalking you was in prison. You told me everything was fine!”

“Heisin prison…but apparently, everything isn’t fine. I don’t know much yet.”

“You must be Piper’s mom,” Officer Kerrington says, joining us.

She dabs her eyes. “Yes.”

“I overheard part of the conversation, and I want to assure you that Montgomery York is one of NIHA’s top hunters. Your daughter is safer with him than anyone else.”

Her jaw works. It’s apparent she’s not in the mood to hear anyone sing Noah’s praises. “If he is such a good—what did you call him?”

“A hunter, though technically he was recently promoted to chief of investigations,” Officer Kerrington says carefully.

“Yes, weheard. Well, Piper wouldn't have been attacked if he is such a good hunter.”

“He fought off five men single-handedly.”

“So he says,” Mom snaps.

“So thevideo recordsays,” Officer Kerrington corrects, becoming one of my favorite people. “There was just enough light in the landscape around the mailbox to make out the attack on the security system camera.”

“Did you get a good look at the guy who broke in?” I ask eagerly.

The officer shakes his head. “It was too dark with the burned-out lightbulb.”

“Do you think someone tampered with the light?” I ask.

“It’s possible. If so, we might be able to find it when we look back over the security footage. Noah has it saving to a cloud. He said there’s about a week’s worth online.”

I nod, suspecting we’re not going to see anything. Noah would have gotten a notification if someone had walked up to the porch, and he definitely would have noticed if that someone had been messing with the light.

Officer Kerrington gets called away, and I turn back to my mom. “Everything is under control here. You guys really should head home. I’ll call in the morning.”

“I’m not leaving without you,” she says stubbornly. “I’ll sleep on the couch if I must.”

I’m too tired for this. “Fine. Do whatever you want—but Noah will be here, too, so you had better be on your best behavior.”

Noah joins us, looking highly uncomfortable. “Hello, Mrs. Edwards.”

She narrows her eyes. “Noah.”

“We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” he promises.

“You had better.”

So much for best behavior.

“Mom says she’s not leaving,” I tell him flatly. “She’s informed me she’ll sleep on the couch.”

He looks taken aback for half a second, and then he recovers. Far too eager to please, he tells her, “I’d be happy to make up the guest bedroom for you. Piper, do you have an extra set of sheets?”

What?No.

She stares at him, thinking he must be bluffing, and then gives him a curt nod. “You do that.”