No One But You (Silver Springs #2)(59)

“I appreciate you being cautious, especially with the pond out back. But wake me if something like this ever happens again. I don’t expect you to take care of my child.”

“I wouldn’t mind helping now and then.”

She took a bite of cereal but couldn’t even taste it. “I wonder what the police will find out about the fire,” she said when she’d swallowed.

“I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much.”

She gripped her spoon that much tighter. “Why not?”

He glanced at Jayden, who was still making motor sounds with his mouth and pretending to send his spoon to “outer space.”

“If it was who we think it was, I’m sure he was careful not to leave a trail.”

She stirred her cereal around in the milk, trying to gain enough enthusiasm to take another bite. “He’s smart,” she agreed. “I doubt he would’ve done something like that unless he was sure he could get away with it.”

“Exactly. Then there’re the other factors—that he could possibly sway whoever investigates or tamper with the evidence. I wouldn’t set my sights on getting some resolution for fear you’ll only be disappointed. But we can hope that the fire was put out before you lost too much. What I heard last night made that sound like a real possibility.”

“Yeah. I don’t know how I’ll replace what has been lost, so I’m praying it wasn’t a lot.”

He seemed to notice that she wasn’t particularly interested in her food. “Try not to worry, okay? It won’t help.”

“Then we should stay busy. Are we going to work in the fields today?”

“With Jayden?”

“He’ll just play close by. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“No, you stay inside. Maybe you can both have a nap later. I’ll take care of the fields. But I’m not going to work until afternoon. Last night Gage Pond, the bartender at The Blue Suede Shoe, told me a vagrant matching the description of the hitchhiker I picked up a year ago was spotted the same night by a man building a bunker for Alex Hardy.”

“What man?”

“He didn’t get a name—or can’t remember it if he did. Do you know Alex?”

“I do. He comes into the restaurant all the time.”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s about thirty-five. Shaves his head. Wears camouflage. Collects guns. Talks about buying junk silver and stocking up on ammo and food. Brags that he could survive on his property for a year even if the rest of civilization went to hell in a handbasket.”

“He married?”

“Divorced. His wife moved away last year, after they split, with both kids. He didn’t have a problem with it.” She’d been jealous that Hannah Hardy had so easily managed to leave Alex behind. She wished she had the same option.

“Do you think he’ll talk to me?”

“Might. He’s anti-government, which makes the police nervous. Sly talked about him every once in a while, said he was building up an arsenal and the department was watching him with a skeptical eye. The fact that there’s no love lost between them should be a good thing for you. At least you know he wouldn’t be likely to take their side over yours.”

“That’s good. I’d rather not get shot trying to approach his place,” he said with a humorless laugh.

“Why don’t I go with you? That should make the approach easier. I could introduce you, explain what’s going on. He’ll recognize me.”

“You think it would be safe to go along? And take Jayden?”

“I want to go!” Jayden said, even though he’d obviously just tuned in and didn’t know what they were talking about.

Sadie ruffled his hair while she answered. “Of course. Alex has never hurt anyone, not that I know of. And I’d like to feel as if I’m doing some good somewhere. Might take my mind off my own troubles.”

Dawson closed the cereal box before putting it in the cupboard. “Okay, then. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”

Getting ready wouldn’t take her long. She had only one change of clothes—the T-shirt and sweats she’d washed last night—and no makeup or anything. Dawson had stopped and bought her a toothbrush at the 24-hour mini-mart, at least.

She helped her son down from the table and wiped his mouth and hands before dumping the rest of her cereal down the sink. As she put the bowl in the dishwasher, she noticed Dawson frowning at her.

“I hesitate to say this because I don’t want you to think I’m criticizing your appearance again. I feel bad that I ever did that. But you need to eat more—for the sake of your health.”

“My health is fine,” she said. “As for taking it the wrong way, it doesn’t matter how skinny I get. No one’s going to want me as long as I’ve got Sly dogging my every footstep.”

“I wouldn’t say no one,” he said. At least that was what Sadie thought she heard, but he spoke in a mutter, as if he wasn’t even really talking to her, and left the kitchen before she could ask him to repeat it.

*

The barbed wire fence surrounding Alex Hardy’s place had half a dozen Keep Out and No Trespassing signs posted along the road. Once he saw that, Dawson was glad he’d brought someone who knew the property owner. Given the anger that simmered just under his skin these days, it wouldn’t take much to get him in a fight. Sometimes he wished for a target, some way to vent his despair and frustration. And the person who owned this land looked like he’d be happy to interpret anything as a threat.