Page 67 of A Brambleberry Summer

Rosa didn’t know what to do. They were on the side of the house without an entrance. The only way to get inside to safety was through the front door. To get there, they would have to go around this man.

Aaron Barker was dangerous. She recognized the fierce, violent look in his eyes. She had seen that before...

Old, long-suppressed panic started to bubble up inside her, those demons she thought she had vanquished long ago.

Rosa drew in a harsh breath and then another, suddenly desperate to escape.

No. She had to protect her friend. She wouldn’t let her be hurt again.

“What do you want?” Jen asked again. She took a sideways step, Addie in her arms, and Rosa realized she was edging closer to the front door.

“Just to talk. That’s all.”

Jenna shuffled to the side another step and Rosa moved, as well, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

“I don’t want to talk to you. I tried that before and you wouldn’t listen. Please. Just leave me alone.”

He moved as if to come closer but Fiona growled. She wasn’t particularly fierce-looking with her long, soft fur and her sweet eyes, but she did have sharp teeth.

The dog’s show of courage gave Rosa strength to draw upon her own.

“You heard her.”

Jen took another sideways step and Rosa did, too. The front porch was still so very far away.

“This is private property,” she went on. “You are trespassing. Please leave.”

“I’m not leaving without talking to Jenna.” When he spoke, she caught a definite whiff of alcohol on his breath. He had been drinking and he already had to be unstable to put Jenna through long months of torture. Rosa knew this was not a good combination.

“She clearly does not want to talk to you.”

“She has to.”

“No. She does not.” Hoping to distract him further from realizing she and Jenna had maneuvered so that they were now closer to the door than he was, Rosa reached into her pocket for her cell phone. “I must ask you again to leave or I will have to call nine-one-one.”

“You think that worries me? I’m a police officer.”

“Not here,” she said firmly. “The police here do not stand by while someone hurts a woman, even if he is also a police officer.”

She had to hope that was true of all officers in the Cannon Beach Police Department and not only Wyatt.

“Now. I am asking you for the final time to leave or I will call the police.”

Now Jenna was backing toward the door and Rosa did the same, with Fiona still standing protectively in front of them.

He frowned. “I’m not leaving without Jenna. We love each other.”

He took another step closer and from behind Rosa, Jen made a small sound of panic.

“Jenna. Go inside. Call nine-one-one.”

She must have made a move toward the house because several things happened at once. Aaron Barker growled out a sound of frustration and lunged for her. Fiona jumped into protective mode and latched on to his leg and he kicked out at the dog, who whimpered and fell to the ground.

“No! Fi!” Rosa cried out. The coward pulled his leg back as if to kick again and Rosa instantly dropped to the ground, her body over the dog’s.

Seconds later, she felt crushing pain in her back and realized he had kickedherinstead of the dog.

This was the first time in fifteen years someone had struck out at her in anger. Instantly, she was transported to another time, another place. The past broke free of the prison where she kept it, the memories pouring over her like acid.

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