Chapter 14
Cat Thief’s Home
Monday 4:00 p.m.
neighborhood of well-kept homes with carefully shoveled walks and driveways, “Why is it I’m here again?” she asked, as Killian parked the car in front of a charming cape style home.
“Because you’re the cat whisperer,” he teased. “Besides, Dylan claims the ‘law’ has had no success getting Allen to change his ways and we’re hoping...”
“I would have more luck.”
“Exactly.”
“And he’s not dangerous?”
“No, Doc.”
Emma couldn’t help it, but the husky tenor of his voice had her stopping and glancing up at him.
“But if he was,” Killian continued. “I’d protect you with my life.”
His words had simultaneous thoughts running through her head.
Who’s going to protect me from you?
and
He’s thinking about the person he couldn’t save in New York.
The intensity with which his eyes were locked on hers rendered her incapable of speech.
They stood there for several minutes before he rested his hand at the base of her spine and guided her up the last step. “Ready?” Killian pushed the bell.
The combination of his nearness and touch had her knees feeling like jelly as they waited. When no one had responded after several minutes, Killian knocked with more force than she thought was needed.
The door suddenly opened, and Emma looked up into the face of the largest man she’d ever seen. “You didn’t tell me he was a giant.” she murmured out of the side of her mouth.
“Oh, hello,” Allen greeted the pair in a friendly voice. “I was wondering who would come visit me this year.”
Killian sent her an ‘is-this-guy-for-real-look’ before replying, “You were expecting us?”
“Oh sure.” Allen opened the door wide for them. “Come on in.”
Emma stepped inside, again unsure what to expect. But the neat and orderly front room that smelled like cinnamon and chocolate wasn’t it.
“Allen,” Killian shut the door behind her with a little too much force, “have you met Emma Foster, the town’s new veterinarian?”
“Doctor Foster,” Allen shook her hand. “Welcome to Swan Harbor.”
His eyes held hers and while his words and tone were soft and friendly, she couldn’t get past thinking there was more going on behind them.
Much like someone else she knew, she thought, sending Killian a quick glance before turning her attention back to the big man. “It’s nice to meet you, Allen.”
“You need to give your neighbors their pets, Allen,” Killian snapped, not willing to make idle conversation. “They aren’t yours.”
Allen’s face quickly morphed from happiness to sorrow. “I know.” He dropped onto the sofa.
Emma sent Killian a look of reproach for his impatience. “Allen,” she sat diagonally from him. “Killian tells me this isn’t the first time it’s happened. Is that true?”
“Yeah,” Allen muttered. “It’s been a few years.”
“But why?”
When he looked at her, she saw a combination of pain and something she couldn’t decipher.
“I was lonely.”
He smiled, but it felt like an ah-shucks smile, making her think she was seeing only what he wanted her to see.
Animals are so much easier to work with, she decided. They couldn’t hide from her what she needed to know.
“But why collect other people’s pets?”
“For years, I took care of my father and his cat, Mr. Bubbles,” the gentle giant admitted. “When dad passed and then immediately afterward, Mr. Bubbles followed, I was lost. But I had my work, at least until winter.”
Emma frowned, “What do you do?”
She learned he was a gardener who was busy most of the year. In the dead of winter, though, he grew lonely and went searching for company.
“But why the neighbor’s cats?”
“Because I can give them back when it’s time to work,” Allen stated, as if it was obvious. “Mr. Bubbles hated being alone.”
While there seemed to be a sliver of truth in his comment, Emma still felt she was missing something. “Allen, have you thought about getting two pets? Then when you’re working, they can keep each other company.”
“They could do that?” he asked, with a child-like voice that didn’t match the look in his eyes.
“They could.” Emma assured him. “And you know what? I just happen to have several kittens at my clinic ready for new homes. You could even have first choice, if …” she hesitated, “you promise you won’t do this again.”
“I promise, Emma.” Allen nodded enthusiastically.
Emma studied him for several seconds, convinced he was ‘cloaking’ his real thoughts from her. But why?
When the front door opened and Killian entered with several people Emma didn’t know, Allen’s face shuttered. The real Allen Little was cloaked behind a persona of simpleness.
“Allen, it’s time,” Killian practically snarled, “to return your visitors.”
The way Allen greeted his neighbors and led them out of the room had Emma confused. He was hiding something. But the what and the why, she had no idea.
neighbors thanking Allen for caring for the pets, Killian was still confused. Why were they taken, treated as if they were on vacation, and then returned?
And if the neighbors were happy with the way their pets were treated, why turn Allen into the Sheriff’s Department?
“Were you serious, Doctor Emma?” Killian heard Allen ask, “You’ll let me choose my very own kittens?”
Visions of Trudi, Millicent, Nina, and Bree, living with a stranger danced in Killian’s head. Did he want that?
Trudi blinked her amber eyes at him, stealing a piece of his heart.
Millicent winding around his legs and rolling over to expose her stomach, stealing another piece.
Emma hesitated, making Killian wonder if he’d get a reprieve, but then he heard, “I will, but why?”
What’s she talking about, he moved closer to where she was deep in discussion with Allen.
“Why what?” Allen responded defensively.
“I grew up around people who pretended,” Emma scoffed. “I can tell you’re holding something back. What is it? Why let everyone believe you’re something you’re not?”
Allen stared at Emma for so long, Killian almost stepped between them. Somehow, she had known, as with a gentle touch, she stopped his interference.
She dealt with beings daily who couldn’t talk to her, so staring down one man; easy. It just showed him dealing with Emma Foster would require his full attention.
Then just as he’d anticipated, it wasn’t long before Allen’s entire body wilted, and he sank onto the couch. And not surprisingly, Emma followed.
“How did you know?” Allen asked, his voice more confident and slightly lower in pitch.
Emma gave Allen a crooked smile. “Never kid a kidder, right?”
How did she do that?
“You know how it is,” Allen was saying, “people see what they want to see.”
“There has to be more.” Emma pushed. “What are you leaving out?”
Allen sighed, “Look at you; you’re pretty, blonde, smart and thin. And,” he pointed at Killian, “look at him. He can have any girl he wants. Look at me...”
Killian winced, uncomfortable with his past behavior, and how he might have ignored someone like Allen because of how he looked.
“But,” Emma began before she was interrupted.
“When people look at me, they see someone who is overweight and must only care about one thing...eating.” Allen replied cynically. “They don’t see a guy who is shy and has no idea how to make friends and talk to others.”
“When you pretend to be a dumb jock or a simple gardener who borrows cats for company, you’re treated differently?”
“Yeah,” Allen admitted. “Then, I can pretend I have friends.”
Killian exchanged looks with Emma and walked away. Cloaking came in all forms.
How then do you know if the person you meet is someone real or just pretending?
“Think about what I said.” Emma handed him her business card. “Call me when you’re ready to come choose the two you want.”
“Okay. I will. And thanks.”
Several thoughts and feelings were coursing through Killian as they said goodbye and got into the car. But the emotions were foreign, and he wasn’t sure what to do with them.
“Do you think that was a good idea?” he asked as soon as he was backing away from the house.
“What?” Emma gave him a blank stare. “Offer him kittens?”
“Aye.”
“I do,” she answered slowly. “Studies show animals give a person a reason to live, and cats are pretty independent. So, if he feeds them, which I have no reason to think he’ll forget, they’ll be fine. He’ll have two friends who will love him unconditionally, and those two friends will have homes.”
“True.” However, he didn’t like the idea she was giving his cats to …
“In addition, there’s the possibility that communicating with the cats will help him in other ways,” she added almost as an afterthought.
“Meaning?”
“Maybe he can drop the pretense.” She sent him a side-eye look that had him metaphorically squirming in his seat. “Seems we all know something about that, don’t we?”
“Touché,” he responded quietly, realizing he needed to explain some of his behavior from their first meetings. Question was when and how much to share.
“Killian,” her voice broke into his thoughts, “what’s going on?”
“I don’t like the idea of Trudi going to live with someone else,” he blurted, deciding the kittens were the most pressing matter.
Killian fought to keep his eyes on the road, but knew Emma was staring at him. It felt as if she were trying to decipher what he hadn’t said before getting to what was said.
“Oh!” She giggled, allowing him to deal with one thing at a time. “Stole your heart, did she?”
“Aye,” he confessed. “She did.”
“So, what does that mean?”
The words, “I’m going to adopt her,” were uttered before he’d realized the thought had completely formed.
“And,” Emma prodded, already reading him better than anyone besides Liam.
“One of her siblings,” Killian acknowledged, out loud, whereas internally he was screaming. Bloody hell, what are you doing?
“That wasn’t so hard to say, was it?”
A corner of his mouth curved up, “I’ve never had a pet before,” Killian admitted breathlessly. “I’ve no idea where to begin.”
“I’ll help you.” Emma reassured him. “You won’t be going into it blindly.”
The bubble of something rising inside quieted. “Promise?”
“Promise. Now which of Trudi’s siblings will you take? Let me guess.”
“Think you know me that well, Doc?” Killian hesitated. “I’m not so sure …”
“It shouldn’t be too hard,” Emma teased. “But why a sibling when it’s obvious you love Millicent too?”
“Because you’re going to keep Millicent.” He grinned at her quick intake of air. “You’re an open book … about some things anyway.”
“Huh,” she snorted softly. “I guess I am.”
The tone of her voice had him sending her a quick glance, “Is that surprise because I read you or because you just realized you were going to keep her?”
“A little of both … maybe,” Emma answered noncommittally. “I never had a pet growing up either.”
“No cats, no dogs, no fish,” Killian spouted off the same things she’d said to him not so long ago.
“Not a one.” Her laugh was self-deprecating, “Poor little rich girl who collected strays, helped them heal, and then gave them all away. Grandfather was allergic. Cook didn’t want them around. Always an excuse.”
“What about college? Didn’t you and Elsa adopt any strays?”
“No.” Emma continued. “I volunteered at a shelter where I was able to love them, but never kept one for myself. Strange, isn’t it?”
“Maybe you were waiting until you were home.”
“Perhaps.” She returned his smile with one that had his heart flipping several times.
To Emma’s Home, Monday 4:00 p.m.
driving, Emma gave herself permission to think back on their earlier talk. There was a gentleness about him she hadn’t expected. And the feelings that side of him elicited unsettled her.
He cupped her jaw, his thumb resting lightly in the slight indention below her bottom lip, “You,” his voice dropped an octave, “make me feel.
His touch had sent her pulse skyrocketing but soothed her at the same time. How was that possible?
Even Trudi realized he would never harm her.
It’s okay, Little Lass,” he promised, holding the small body close to his chest. “I’m right here. Just trust me.
And Trudi had trusted him from the beginning.
“I’ve got you,” he stood up, cradling the tiny grey kitten in the palm of his hand.
The more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to rearrange her priority list. But that behavior was foreign to her, as Emma Foster lived and died by her list, didn’t she?
She sent him a quick glance and when a lock of black hair fell across his forehead, her fingers itched to push it back. He was deep in thought, but about what?
As the sign for Peter Pan Park came into view, her thoughts once again jumped back to their talk.
Oh no!
Her eyes registered what was in front of her before her brain could send the message to her mouth. “Killian!” Emma cried. “Stop!”
Killian slammed on the brakes, reacting to the hysteria in Emma’s panicked yell. The brakes locked just as they hit a patch of black ice, sending the car into a spin.
Emma’s seatbelt tightened, almost painfully, as Killian fought for control of the car.
Time both raced by outside the window and slowed down while waiting for the car to stop. Until finally, he was able to regain control, and the car came to a rest sideways in the street. Before the rocking motion had even stopped, Emma had unlatched her seatbelt and thrown open the door.
“Emma!”
“Buster. It’s Buster,” she chanted, running to where the large brown dog lay on the road. Tears ran down her face as she remembered her thoughts earlier in the day. She’d been annoyed, his barking had broken a moment. One that could be recaptured, but Buster...
Emma dropped onto the cold ground and gently touched the matted fur.
“Emma?”
Killian’s soft voice accompanied by his gentle touch on the top of her head almost was her undoing.
She’d known the dog was gone before she ever touched him. It was evident in the unnatural way he was laying.
In the bits of brown fur stuck to the asphalt that was visible.
In the streaks of red in the white snow.
It was several seconds before she was able to pull her emotions back under control. Once that happened, she wrapped her professional cape tightly around her feelings. And in doing so answered her own question about personas.
There was an interesting dichotomy between Dylan and Killian’s professional personas versus their personal ones.
Her entire life she had pretended to be someone else. But as she worked to let others know the real Emma, she had to wonder if the concept of different personas fit. Were those Emmas still her?
“It’s Buster.” Emma moved closer to Killian’s warmth.
“Is he?”
“Yeah.” She closed her eyes and tightened the cape even more. “It’s for the best as based on the scene, it was painful. Poor Buster.”
“That’s seven,” Killian spit out the anger flowing off him in almost palpable waves.
“Yeah.” Emma forced down the bile rising in her throat. “I met Buster a few weeks ago when he came in for vaccines. He was a sweet dog.”
“I’m going to get this guy, Emma,” Killian promised.
“I know you will.” She took a deep breath, “I just hope it’s soon.
“I need to make a few calls.” He looked around the scene of the crime, before once again meeting her eyes. “Do you want to wait in the car?”
“Actually, if it’s okay, I’m going to go break the news to Sydney, Buster’s owner.” Emma pointed to a mailbox not far from where they were standing. “He lives at the end of that drive.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
Her thoughts were spinning with what must be done, but even she knew Killian Reade, the Investigator, was working against time. She could point out what she thought happened, but he was the one collecting evidence. And with the light not lasting forever ….
“I can handle it, but first I need something from my bag.”
He walked back to the car with her and the way he rested his hand at the base of her spine felt natural. A connection she was growing more comfortable with each day.
“What do you need?” he asked, when she grabbed the small pack behind the passenger seat.
“Gloves,” she pulled a pair of disposable ones and a clear bag from a zippered pocket. “I want to remove Buster’s collar and give it to Sydney.”
“Do you?”
“No,” Emma interrupted him. “I’ve got this. You take care of solving that,” she waved her arm over the scene, “and I’ll go talk to Sydney.”
“Okay, Doc.” Killian squeezed her arm, “Yell, if you need me.”
“Thanks.”
She gave him a crooked smile, and as she walked away, he was already taking out his phone to call Dylan.
Chin up, Emma. You’ve got this.
Once Buster’s collar was removed and placed in a bag, she couldn’t help but wish there was something she could do about his remains. But it was a crime scene and for that, she had respect.
The dog killer had struck again, this time during daylight hours. And she’d seen enough police shows to know there were clues around the body. She hoped they would be able to get clean casts of the tire tread and maybe then, the dog killer would be found.
After a quick wave in Killian’s direction, Emma started walking toward Sydney’s mailbox. There were footprints surrounding its base as well as prints going in both directions at the bottom of the drive.
“So, after running in the park, he picked up the mail on his way back inside,” Emma surmised as she started up the drive. “But why did he leave Buster behind?”
The driveway went on for about fifty feet before making a sharp right. Emma tried to follow the same path Sydney had, but since he hadn’t been very diligent in shoveling his driveway, it was trial and error. Several times she slipped, until finally giving up and moving into softer snow.
She’d just rounded the curve, when the scene in front of her, sent a rush of fear through her veins. “Killian!” she screamed, “come quick.”