Page 26 of Fatal Vision

“She asked me to.”

Her father threw his hands into the air. “She’s a patient with episodes of mental lapses. She doesn’t know what she should and shouldn’t do.”

While Shelby couldn’t argue the fact that her memory had holes in it, righteous indignation poured through her.

Salisbury jumped into the chair next to the window, setting his front paws on the ledge and wagging his tail as he also took in the scene below.

“We’ve already been through this, Jack,” Colton continued, still not moving. “She needs protection and wanted to come home. I’m here and can take care of her.”

“Screw that,” her dad countered in his booming hell-and-brimstone voice. “You can’t even take care of yourself.”

On one hand, that wasn’t accurate—Colton had been a Navy SEAL for nearly eight years of his life. He’d done and seen more, as well as taken care of numerous people that she nor her parents had a clue about.

On the other…

Colton was a bit of a renegade outside the Navy. Always had been, and after leaving it, still was. Shelby hadn’t stopped tracking his whereabouts when he’d left. She’d tried not to care where he went or what he did, but she’d failed miserably.

Her mom moved around Jack, lifting up a crockpot. “I made a pork roast and potatoes. You two need to eat and it’s past dinner time.”

“Martha, for Heaven’s sake,” her dad boomed.

Shelby couldn’t see Colton’s face clearly, but she heard the patient smile in his tone as he accepted the crockpot. “Why, thank you, Martha. That’s mighty nice of you. I’ve certainly missed your home cookin’.”

Her mother’s eyes lit up at the compliment.

“I can’t believe you’re offering him food,” her father yelled. “He kidnapped our daughter!”

Shelby, having heard enough, set the walker aside and opened the window, leaning on the ledge. The scent of warm pot roast drifted up. “Thank you for the dinner, Momma,” she yelled down. “Smells delicious.”

Salisbury, still wagging his tail, licked her cheek. He could smell the meat too.

Shelby patted his head as all four people below looked up, startled.

Daniel lifted a hand to wave at her.

Shelby waved back. “You all go home now. I’m fine, but tired, and I want to enjoy being home in my own bed tonight. I’ll call you first thing in the morning.”

“But…” her dad started.

“I could stay,” Daniel said, lifting the Bible in his hands, “and read a passage or two for you.”

Colton frowned up at her. “Get away from the window.”

“Thanks, but no,” Shelby said to Daniel’s offer as Colton turned back to Jack and Martha. “You heard the lady. She needs peace and quiet. I’ll help with her physical therapy, and keep her safe from whoever might still be out here looking to do her harm. You have my word, Jack.”

Her dad opened his mouth to say something about Colton’s word, but her mom grabbed him by the arm and jerked him back toward their car. Daniel reluctantly followed.

Her mom waved up at Shelby. “Get some rest, darling. We’ll check on you tomorrow.”

Shelby glanced around, Colton’s words ringing true that the person who’d shot her was still out there. The window felt heavier as she closed it, watching her parents and Daniel get in the car and drive away. Colton disappeared and she heard him moving around in the kitchen a moment later.

“You all right up there?” he called. “Need help getting back into bed?”

She felt pretty good after her nap, and now, after smelling her mother’s famous pot roast, she was famished. “I could use some of that chow,” she called back.

By the time she’d crawled under the covers, Colton entered with two steaming plates of food and a bowl for Salisbury.

He propped her up against the headboard and served her first. “Stay clear of the windows, Shel, and why don’t you have a security system? We talked about this. You don’t take your safety seriously enough and you never have.”