style="font-size:15px;"> She bolted to her feet, grabbed at the door, fumbling for a handle, a latch. “Let me out!”
Shout, don’t cry, don’t let yourself cry or the panic will take over.
“Help! Help me!”
The door jerked open, and she hurtled out. She caught back a sob, her hands closing on the soft fabric of a shirt and solid muscle. She knew him by instinct before she could see him.
“Cal—there was someone here. Did you see him?”
He pulled her clear of the door and slammed it shut. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” They’d had this exchange before, hadn’t they? “I’m fine. Did you see him?”
“I saw him.” He sounded grim. “Not enough to describe him, unfortunately. You?”
She shook her head. “Just a blur of movement when he pushed me into the shed. I’m sorry.”
He grunted, a frustrated sound. “I was following him. If you hadn’t sounded the alarm, I might have caught him.”
Cal shook his head in response to Katherine’s repeated offer of another cup of chamomile tea. “No, thanks, I’ve had plenty.” One cup of the pale brew was surely enough to satisfy the demands of politeness.
“I think that’s everything we need.” The young township cop sat awkwardly at the kitchen table, looking half-afraid to touch the delicate Haviland cup and saucer that sat in front of him.
“Do you think you’ll catch the thief?” Katherine was as much at ease in her kitchen, wearing a fuzzy red bathrobe, as if she sat in the parlor.
“That might be too much to expect, Grams.” Andrea spoke before the cop could come up with an answer. “None of us actually saw the man, and he didn’t take anything, as far as we know.”
While the cop’s attitude toward Katherine was one of respect bordering on awe, the glance he turned on Andrea was simply admiration.
Cal understood. Even casual and disheveled, wearing jeans and a loose blue shirt, Andrea was cool and elegant.
And frosty, when she looked at him. Apparently his comment about her interfering with his pursuit of the intruder still rankled.
“I’d best be on my way, ma’am.” The cop rose, settling his uniform cap over a thatch of straw-colored hair as he headed for the back door. “We’ll do the best we can to keep an eye on the place.”
“Thank you, Officer.” Katherine was graciousness itself. “We appreciate that.”
Once the door closed behind him, Cal shook his head. “That won’t be often enough. The township cops have too much territory to cover and too few men. What you need out there is better lighting.”
“That’s just what I was thinking.” Once again Andrea looked faintly surprised to find herself agreeing with him. “I’ll call about it in the morning.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. If we leave on the lights we have, that should suffice.” Katherine set a cup and saucer in the sink, the china chattering against itself, betraying her emotion.
“I can install them,” he said, knowing she was probably worrying about the cost, “if Andrea gets the fixtures.”
Andrea nodded. “Of course.” Her gaze crossed his, and he knew they were thinking the same thing. “It’ll be my contribution to the renovations.”
“I don’t want you to spend your money on this.” Katherine’s eyes darkened with distress. “After all, you didn’t think the inn was a good idea.”
She probably still didn’t, but she managed a smile. “I have to take part. The sign does say The Three Sisters Inn, after all.” She put her arm around her grandmother’s waist and urged her toward the stairs. “You go up to bed, Grams. I’ll just talk to Cal about the lights, and then I’ll see him out.”
“Thank you, dear.” Katherine patted her cheek, and then came over to touch him lightly on the shoulder. “And you, Cal. I don’t know what we’d have done without you tonight.”
“No problem,” he said easily. “Have a good night’s sleep.”
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