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Chapter seven

Mika

I’d spent Saturday morning grocery shopping and dog-proofing everything so Seph would be okay here. When it was time for me to go pick her up so Andy and Jesse could get on the road, I was ready to spend the rest of the day doing nothing but chilling with my fur buddy.

Not that my job was hard—I enjoyed spending time with Mary Ellen—but I was exhausted. Most likely, it was a stress response from finding that stupid note. It had obviously been a prank because nothing else had happened since. But I was living on high alert anyway, and I knew from experience that could be exhausting.

I pulled up in front of their house to find a couple of men I’d never seen before working on the front window. Andy had told me they were having the windows in the house replaced while they were gone—that was why I was taking Seph with me—but I hadn’t expected them to get such an early start.

I waved at them as I made my way up to the front door and knocked. Jesse pulled it open and stepped back.

“Hey, Mika. You’re just in time. We’re almost ready to get on the road.” He smiled at me, then turned to yell over his shoulder. “Or at least we would be if Andy would hurry up.”

“Where’s Seph?”

“She’s in her crate. All the banging and hammering was driving her insane.”

“I was surprised you weren’t taking her with you.”

“She does love the cabin, but we’ve got some non-dog-friendly plans this trip and didn’t want to leave her cooped up all day while we were out.”

“Jesse’s taking me to a wine tasting at a new winery just outside of Bishop.” Andy walked into the room and straight into Jesse’s arms. “They make all the wines right there on site.”

“I didn’t know you could grow grapes for wine in this part of the country.” I didn’t know much about plants. I wasn’t a gardener or anything, but it seemed to me that you’d need a fair amount of rain to grow grapes.

“I think they have the grapes shipped in and just make the wine there. But I’m excited to go check it out.”

“Bring back a couple bottles for our next wine day.” Andy, Caleb, and I tried to get together at least once a month to drink wine, eat food, and talk about men. Well, they talked about their Daddies, and I lived vicariously through them.

“You know I will, assuming any of their wines are wine-day worthy.”

Bam! Bam! Bam!

I jumped and let out a little squeal. My heart pounded in my chest, and I spun around toward the sound. Of course, it wasn’t anyone here to attack us. I’d completely forgotten about the guys outside working.

“No wonder you guys are going out of town for the weekend. That was loud.”

“Yep. And they’re going to be here for either two or three days. I couldn’t take it. Not to mention, they’re stressing Seph out.”

I looked up to find Jesse watching me. I knew my reaction to the sudden banging was probably a little extreme, but it was loud and unexpected.

“Everything okay, Mika?” he asked.

“Yeah, just a high startle reflex,” I lied. I probably should’ve told Andy about the note, but I knew what would happen if I did. He’d either cancel his trip or insist I come with them.

“My sister Molly’s like that. It provided endless hours of entertainment for us growing up.” Jesse chuckled.

“I bet. Let’s get Seph loaded up so you two can get on the road.”

I’d planned to take Seph to the pet store to get her some special treats, but she was pretty wound up over the noise and the strangers at her house, so I decided just to take her straight home and give her time to settle.

Which was how I found myself sprawled out on my couch, acting as a dog bed a short time later. She was a large breed of some kind—I wasn’t sure what—and Andy wasn’t interested in having her DNA tested. He said her breed was best dog ever, and that was all he needed to know. I didn’t think he was wrong.

I’d grabbed myself a drink, selected a mystery movie on TV, and propped my feet up on the ottoman, fully expecting her to lie next to me. But apparently, that wasn’t close enough. By the second movie, she’d slowly inched her way over until I had a hundred pounds of pup across my lap. Not that I minded. It was almost like having a weighted blanket draped across me—but even better because I could talk to her and pet her.

I actually dozed off and almost missed the end of the movie, but my phone rang, waking me up. I paused it so I could answer, but I was sure I’d missed too much. I’d have to start it over if I had any chance of figuring out who used the cupcakes to kill the mayor of the small town.

The caller ID said it was my mother.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, sweetie. What are you doing today?”

“Hold on.” I turned the phone around so she could see Seph. “I’m dog-sitting for Andy.”

“Oh my, that’s a big dog.”

“She is. I think I’ll get one.”

“I think that would be a great idea. It would be good for you to have the protection.”

I hadn’t planned on telling her what happened between me and Butch, but when I told her I’d left him, she’d begged me to come home, and the only reason I had for not going back was the truth. I’d never been good at lying or hiding things, so in the end, I told her the whole story and admitted that I was afraid to go home because he knew where that was.

I knew my mom wanted me to move back, and it had been long enough that I didn’t think Butch cared where I was anymore. I could admit that when I went home for Christmas, it had been nice to spend time with my family again, but after thinking I saw him at the market—and that stupid note on my car—I realized I was still way too worried about him to feel safe back home. Knowing that he had no reason to look for me in Vesper had been the thing that kept me sane for the last couple of years. Besides, I’d miss my friends and my job. At some point over the last couple of years, Vesper had become my home.

“I agree, Mom. A dog would be great for protection. Especially if she’s as good a dog as Seph. So what are y’all up to?”

“Nothing much. Same old, same old. I just miss my boy.”

“I miss you, too, Mom. Oh, hey, let me show you something.” I lifted the necklace Mary Ellen had given me and held the pendant in front of the phone. “This was Mr. Thompson’s necklace. He never took it off. Mary Ellen gave it to me. Isn’t that sweet of her?”

“That’s very nice. Are you still liking your job?”

“I really am. It’s my favorite job I’ve had so far.”

We chatted for a while until she had to leave to meet her friend Deborah at the mall. After we hung up, I decided I’d rotted long enough. My house wasn’t going to clean itself, and since I was the only one who lived here, guess who had to be the one to do it?

When I told Seph she had to move, she gave me the side-eye and huffed, but she did as I said and hopped up.

It took me longer than it should’ve to get everything done because I kept stopping to go outside and play with the dog. But by dinnertime, my house was sparkling clean, and I’d worn her out throwing her favorite ball.

I decided against cooking in my perfectly-clean kitchen and instead ordered delivery. Then Seph and I got comfy on the couch again to rewatch my movie.

About forty minutes later, someone knocked on the front door.

Seph sat up at attention, staring at the door, waiting to see if it was a threat or not.

“Don’t worry, sweet girl. It’s just my dinner.”

I hurried to the door and almost pulled it open without looking—but luckily, habit kicked in, and I checked the peephole first.

That wasn’t the food I’d ordered from Bo Thai . That was my worst nightmare, standing right there on my front porch.

His beard was longer, and it looked like his hair was too. His dark eyes were still beady and hateful, and I wondered one more time how I’d ever found him attractive. He lifted his big hand to bang on the door again, and I instinctively flinched back. I’d seen the damage those hands could do up close and personal.

I double-checked the lock as quietly as possible and used trembling fingers to lift the chain and slide it into place. Shit. Had I locked the back door when Seph and I came back in the last time?

He knocked again, harder this time, and I rushed across the room to check. Thank God I did because I’d foolishly left it unlocked. I flipped the deadbolt and came back to the front to look through the peephole again.

I couldn’t see much, but it was enough to tell he was getting agitated. I leaned my forehead against the door and closed my eyes.

What the fuck is he doing here? How had he found me?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He pounded on the door much harder this time, and I jumped back, staring at it, waiting for him to bust through.

“Mika, I know you’re in there,” he yelled in a booming, angry voice. Something in the way he sounded set Seph off. She rushed to the door, barking and growling.

“Good try, but I know you don’t have a dog. Do you think I haven’t been paying attention?”

“I do have a dog in here, so just go away, Butch!” I yelled back.

“I don’t think I want to do that. Now open the damn door!” He banged on it again, even harder, and Seph ran from the door to the front window, sticking her head behind the curtain to get a look outside while barking fiercely.

“What the fuck? Where did that bitch come from?” Butch yelled. I guess he’d seen Seph in the window. She did look ferocious—and she could be if the situation called for it.

I rushed to the couch and grabbed my phone. I should’ve called 911, but what were they going to do about a guy knocking on my door? The police in Vesper didn’t know anything about Butch or his biker gang, so they wouldn’t understand how dangerous he was.

So I called the one person I knew could help me.

Hawk

The Vesper County Rodeo and Livestock Show wasn’t exactly an exciting event from a security standpoint. There were some people who’d had too much to drink, which meant a couple of fights had to be broken up, but for the most part, all we had to do was monitor the animal holding pens to make sure no one tried to make off with a prized bull.

It was a week-long event, and for the most part, we’d only had a couple of guys on site at any one time, but because the rodeo dance was tonight, we had all hands on deck. I was standing by the arena watching the pairs roping competition when my phone rang.

I answered the call without checking the caller ID, putting it up to my ear so I could hear it over the noise of the rodeo.

“Hawk,” I said.

“Hawk,” a small, scared voice that was barely above a whisper said. “He’s here. Hawk, he’s here at my house.”

“Mika? Is that you?” I thought I recognized his voice, but he was being so quiet I wasn’t sure. “Who’s there? Are you in danger?”

“Yes. No! I mean, I don’t know. He’s outside banging on the door, but it’s locked, and I don’t think he can get in. Or at least, I hope not. He’s a big guy, so maybe he could, or maybe not, but I have Seph here, and she’ll protect me. Or at least she’ll try. Unless he hurts her. Oh my God. What if he has a gun? He used to carry a gun. He could shoot her.”

“Mika, I need you to breathe for me, okay? Just take a breath. Are you at your house?”

“Yeah,” he answered, but I heard him taking in deep breaths and letting them out, just as I’d said.

“Okay, I’m on my way. Who’s Seph? And who’s at your door?”

“Seph’s a dog, and it’s my ex. He’s... well, he’s not a good man.”

“Okay, I want you to find a place to hide. Can you do that for me?”

I heard a loud banging sound followed by someone yelling. “Get your ass out here, boy, and then I won’t have to kill your dog.”

“Do not go out there. You hear me?” Shit. This didn’t sound good. My chest tightened at the idea of Mika in danger when he was far enough away from me that I couldn’t get to him, but I called on all the training I had for how to deal with situations just like this. Mika had called me for help, and I couldn’t do that if I freaked out.

“I hear you, Hawk. And I won’t. I can’t. I can’t go back with him. He’ll kill me this time.” He let out a broken sob, and my heart broke for my sweet little mouse. No wonder he was so jumpy and timid.

“You aren’t going anywhere. I’m at the rodeo grounds and headed your way. It won’t take me but maybe ten minutes to get there.”

I pressed the button on my com. “I have an emergency and need to leave. Also, I need someone to call nine-one-one and send a car to fourteen-oh-eight Sycamore. Tell them there’s a possible intruder who’s dangerous and possibly armed.”

“Copy that,” Gator said.

“Go away, Butch!” Mika yelled at the guy. “I’ve called for help, and this is a trained guard dog. You need to leave!”

“Did you find a place to hide?” I asked.

“I can’t leave Seph out here, and she won’t come with me,” he said, and I swear he was crying at that point.

“Listen to me, little mouse,” I said calmly. “You said she’s a trained guard dog, right?”

“I was lying,” he said quietly—I assumed so the guy at the door wouldn’t hear him. “She’s a great dog, and she’s well trained, but she isn’t a guard dog or anything.”

There was another bang on the door, and the guy said, “I’m leaving, you ungrateful little slut, but we aren’t finished. I know where you are now, and you won’t get away this time.”

There was a little gasp on his end of the phone, and I could just imagine how terrified he must be. I didn’t like this one bit. I didn’t know who Mika’s ex was, but I intended to find out. A second later, I heard the distinctive sound of a motorcycle starting up.

“Is he gone?” I asked.

“I think so. I don’t know. Seph isn’t barking or growling now, so maybe,” he said with a whimper.

“You’re okay, baby boy. I’m on my way, and you’re okay. Just stay put until I get there, okay?” I grabbed my keys and headed for my truck.

“Okay.”

“So tell me about this dog.” I didn’t know he had one, so I was curious, but mostly, I wanted to keep him talking until I got to him.

“She isn’t my dog. She belongs to my friend, Andy. You know him.”

“Right. He’s the firefighter?”

“Yeah. So he and his boyfriend went out of town for the weekend, and I’m keeping her for them.”

“Well, it’s a good thing she was there.”

“It was. It really was. I don’t think he would’ve left if she hadn’t been.”

“I’m almost there, mouse. Will she be okay with you letting me in?”

“I think so. She seems to have calmed down. But maybe I should put her out in the backyard just to be safe.”

“No,” I said firmly. “Don’t open that door. I’ll take my chances. Dogs love me. I’m turning onto Sycamore now, so I’m almost there.”

“Maybe I should put her in my bedroom, just to be safe. She was pretty wound up when he was banging on my door.”

“That’ll work. Just don’t open the doors to the outside until I’m there.”

“Okay, I need my hands to get her situated, so I’m going to hang up now.”

About a minute later, I pulled up in front of a cute little brick rancher and got out of my truck. He must’ve been watching for me because as soon as I stepped up on the porch, the front door swung open. The second I saw him, the training that had been keeping me focused and on task fell away, and without even thinking, I reached for him, pulling him into my arms.