Page 31 of Midnight Secrets

Detective Quartermaine leaned closer, emerging from the shadowed interior with an amused smirk on his face.

“Where did you find her?” I reached out and scooped her from the vehicle. She squirmed in my arms and licked at my face.

“The security light came on in my yard. When I looked out the window, I saw her sniffing at the ground. I knew right away whose dog it was. That little bow on her head is unmistakable.”

I smiled. “Where do you think she gets her name?”

A small frown puckered the area between his brows for a second before it smoothed out and he chuckled. “The Flintstones. Makes sense. Is there a Bam Bam running around too?”

A chuckle slid past my lips. “No. One dog is plenty for me. Thank you again for catching her.”

“You’re welcome. Just be careful opening your door. I think she’s figured out she can slip past you.”

“She didn’t. Not this time. I let her into the backyard. It’s fenced. Someone cut a hole in the chain link behind my hedgerow.”

The levity on his face disappeared and a dark frown took its place. “You’re sure?”

I nodded. “The first thing I did when I realized she wasn’t in the yard was to check the fence perimeter. I found her trail and the hole. It’s not bent like an animal forced its way through and the links haven’t untwisted. It’s been cut.”

He tipped his head toward the passenger side of his truck. “Hop in. I’ll take you home and you can show me.”

Really? He wanted to look now? I just wanted to go to sleep. “That’s not necessary, Detective. It’s late, and?—”

He held up a hand, cutting me off. “First, I think since rescuing your dog is becoming a bit of a habit, and we’re neighbors; you can call me Oscar. Second, you’re right—it is late. So please just get in the truck.” Exasperation colored his rich tone.

I scowled at him, keeping my feet rooted to the sidewalk.

He sighed. “Look, it’s cold and you’re not wearing the best clothing to be out here.” He gave my attire a once-over. “If I drive you back, you get out of the cold faster, and I can make sure your house is safe. We’ll both sleep better if I do.”

My resolve wavered. Iwaschilly. And it would be nice to know someone wasn’t waiting in the wings for me to return.

A shiver that had nothing to do with the icy breeze coming off the ocean went through me. I hadn’t given much thought to why someone would cut a dog-sized hole in my fence except to steal her.

But his words made me wonder.

What if it wasn’t about Pebbles, but about me?

That thought set my feet in motion. I hurried around the front of the truck and climbed inside.

Warmth enveloped me as I settled into the cloth seat. My nose was frozen. So were my fingers.

“Buckle up.”

I blinked. Was he serious? “We’re going a hundred yards. Maybe.”

“Most accidents happen within a mile of home.” But he put the truck in gear and pulled away from the curb.

Thirty seconds later, he turned into my driveway and cut the engine.

I opened the door and slid out of the seat to the ground. It wasn’t quite as tall as some I’d ridden in, but it was up there, even for someone my height.

His over six-foot frame had no trouble getting out, though.

I frowned as I watched him. The few inches really shouldn’t make that much difference. Maybe it was just his legs; they were probably longer than mine.

Shaking off the silly thought, I rounded the hood, then waited while he took a flashlight from his back seat. With it illuminating our path, we headed for the backyard.

Traipsing along the exterior of the fence, I stopped a few feet past the start of the hedgerow and pointed to a spot near the ground. “There.”

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