Part 29 (1/2)

Kirra frowned. ”What?”

Reef looked over at his sister, dark splotches under her eyes, and then back to Kirra. ”Let's take this outside.” His sister needed her rest.

Kirra looked at Kayden and nodded at Reef. ”Fine.”

They stepped from the room.

”All right. Time to explain.”

”Why do you think I owe you anything? Maybe it's none of your business.” Okay, he was being rude, but she had a way of getting under his skin.

”None of my business? Carol volunteered at my shelter for months, was a trusted volunteer, and now you're claiming she's someone else? Trust me, if someone's not who they appear to be, it is so my business.”

Nothing had changed. Kirra still a.s.sumed everyone else's business was her own. Just like in grade school, when she'd caught him and his buddies playing an innocent prank and she busted them to their teacher. He'd spent more hours in time-out and detention because of Kirra Jacobs. The woman may be beautiful but she was still Killjoy Kirra.

Relief and worry wrestled inside Jake as Gage helped Kayden, or attempted to help Kayden, back into her house. Doc Graham had given her the all clear, but Jake feared it was too soon. He preferred she stay in the hospital with a deputy posted at her door. At home, out in the open, he feared what Angela had planned.

She swatted at her brother as they crossed the front porch. ”I got it.”

Gage lifted his hands. ”Suit yourself.”

She hobbled on her crutch. With her right leg broken and casted and her left shoulder swollen from the fall, it made an awkward combination for moving, but Kayden, as always, insisted on doing everything herself, despite the pain. All Jake wanted to do was jump up and help her, but he resisted the urge, knowing she'd only shoo him away.

A wonderful aroma greeted them as they stepped inside. Piper and Gage had spent the day making a delicious meal for Kayden's homecoming.

Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp, along with lemon-steamed broccoli, homemade seven-grain bread, and organic cobbler for dessert-it was made with sugar in the raw and steel-cut oats, all the healthy things Kayden loved and the rest of them tolerated, but tonight was for her. If Jake had his way, the rest of his life would be for her. Now Angela was threatening any fledgling hope he had of him and Kayden one day building a life together.

He hadn't realized how much hope he'd actually had of it really being a possibility, of it really happening, until Angela threatened it.

”I still can't believe Carol was a total fake,” Kirra said, settling in Piper and Kayden's family room after the meal. ”How could I not see that?”

”You had no reason to doubt what she claimed,” Gage said. ”Stop beating yourself up.”

She sighed. ”It's just that, since everyone who works at the kennel is a volunteer, there's no reason to fill out employment records or tax forms. I've never even asked to see an ID. I guess that's pretty naive.”

Reef s.h.i.+fted in his seat. ”I'd say.”

Piper gave her brother a stern look before turning to Kirra. ”No it's not. We live in a small, close-knit community. It's only natural to be trusting.”

Kirra swallowed, painful memories nipping at her. ”It's never wise to be too trusting.”

Reef arched a brow.

”Is there anything you can think of, anything Angela said or did that seemed odd to you?” Jake asked.

She started to say no, but then . . . ”Well, there was this one time she said something about having to s.h.i.+p her good face cream all the way across the country, that she couldn't find good stuff way out here.”

”So?”

”So she said she was from Anchorage. That's hardly across the country.”

”What else?” Jake asked.

”That was it.” Kirra shrugged.

”No. I mean what other conversations did you two have?” Jake scooted forward.

”Mostly basic stuff. The weather, the dogs . . . Kayden.”

His eyes widened. ”You two discussed Kayden?”

Kayden frowned. ”What about me?”

”Well, she asked about all of you at one point or another, but I guess she just showed more interest in you. Not weird, at least it didn't seem so at the time. Just casual conversation.”

”Like what?” Jake pressed.

”I'm trying to remember. We've talked a lot over the past few months.”

”Take your time,” Jake said. ”Anything you can think of. You never know what might be helpful.”

”I guess she seemed interested in how Kayden spent her time when she wasn't at the shelter.”

”And what did you tell her?” Kayden asked.

”That you enjoyed rock climbing and spending time with your family. I'm sorry. I was just making conversation.”

”Don't worry about it. I told her as much myself,” Kayden said.

Angela had worked at the shelter for months, interacting with her and Kayden on a daily basis. Kirra shuddered to think how much Angela had learned about the McKennas during that time. It was staggering.

34.

Kayden hobbled down the pier, frustration searing inside. She hated being on crutches, hated feeling weak and dependent on anything or anyone.

It was chilly and starting to get dark, and Jake's home-a forty-two-foot converted trawler-sat moored at the end of the dock, a light s.h.i.+ning inside.

She tried to tell herself she was there because she was interested in the case, and she was, but that wasn't the real reason she was approaching his houseboat at ten thirty on a Thursday night. It was him. She missed him, and it'd only been a day. Pathetic.

As she hobbled down the gangplank, her foot caught on a raised board and she went tumbling, her jaw colliding with the wood. Heat and embarra.s.sment flushed through her. She scrambled for her crutch and pulled somewhat to her feet as Jake came running out.

”Kayden?” He squinted in the dim light. ”Is that you?”

She blew the hair from her eye, horrified by how she must look. ”Hi.”

”What are you . . . ?” He stepped toward her. ”Are you all right? I heard a thump.”