Twilight at Blueberry Barrens (Sunset Cove #3)(25)

She pushed open the door and started to enter, but the scent of male cologne wafted toward her. Her eyes widened and she stopped, her fingers clutching the key chain.

A man was inside. Or had been.

She backed up a few feet. “Uncle Paul?” Her voice echoed in the entry and bounced back at her. She advanced a step closer to the door. “Is that you?” But if her uncle was inside, wouldn’t he have turned on the light? Maybe he’d been there earlier and left.

Her groping hand touched the doorjamb, then she reached in and flipped on the dooryard and porch lights. The instant illumination made her blink, but she let her gaze sweep past the tiny entry to the living room beyond.

It was empty of everything but her furniture.

She stood in the doorway and listened, but it was hard to hear anything past the thumping of her heartbeat in her ears. Idiot! I should be calling for help.

Her purse fell to the floor as she tried to dig for her cell phone, and the contents spilled across the oak floor. Her phone came to a stop under the foyer table, and she dove for it.

Her chest heaved, and her heart pounded as she punched in 911 and told the dispatcher she thought someone had been in her house. The woman told her to lock herself in her car and someone would be there shortly, but Kate retreated only as far as the porch.

The woman kept talking, but Kate slipped the phone into the pocket of her jacket. The dispatcher’s strident voice inflamed Kate’s nervous energy even more. She peered into the house again. The cologne smelled elusively familiar. Did Uncle Paul even wear aftershave or anything with a scent? She couldn’t remember, but surely he was the one who had been in her house. Maybe he was still there, laughing at how skittish she was. He was always telling her to grow a backbone and not be pushed around, but no amount of inner urging made her take a step toward the house again.

“Uncle Paul?” The answering echo made the house sound empty. Whoever had been there was probably gone. And if it had been her uncle, he would have heard her call for help.

A faint siren pealed in the darkness behind her, and she turned to see a game warden SUV coming her way. Dizzy with relief, she whirled and ran down the steps to meet her cousin as he stepped out of his vehicle.

Kevin peered past her to the house, and his hand went to the butt of his gun. “Kate, you okay?”

“I’m fine. My door was ajar when I got home, and I smelled male cologne. I thought maybe Uncle Paul had broken in.”

“Did you go inside?”

“I stepped into the dooryard and called to him. He didn’t answer. The house feels empty, but I didn’t want to go in by myself.”

“Wise decision.” He brushed past her and advanced to the porch. “Wait here.”

Kate ignored his order and followed on his heels. He glanced back and frowned but didn’t say anything when she tipped up her chin.

He drew his gun when he reached the door. “Game warden! Come out with your hands up.” When no one answered, he stepped into the entry and began to walk through the house.

Kate followed him to the kitchen and watched him inspect the pantry. It was empty. She felt a breeze on her face and turned to look at the back door. It was slightly ajar too. “He left that way.” She stepped to the door and threw the lock. “I need to get a dead bolt.”

“Looks like it.” He sniffed the air. “I smell pizza.”

She caught the scent herself, but everything seemed to be in place. She went to the fridge and opened it. The pizza box from last night was still on the shelf, but the partial piece of pizza she’d put back was missing.

She tossed the box to the counter. No way would she eat those leftovers now. “A partial piece is missing. I don’t know why he didn’t eat a full piece if he was hungry.”

“Where’s your bedroom?”

“Down the hall.” She led the way to the biggest bedroom in the small house, then stood aside while Kevin checked it out. The other bedroom was tiny with barely enough room for the double bed and nightstand it held.

“No one hiding here. Let me check the bathroom.” He stepped across the hall and pulled back the shower curtain to reveal only the empty bathtub and surround. His shoulders relaxed and he holstered his gun. “He seems to have gone. I think you’re right and it was Paul. You need to consider him dangerous, Kate.”

“Uncle Paul wouldn’t hurt me. I hope he comes back so I can talk to him. He needs to turn himself in before he gets shot.”

He shook his head and frowned. “You never really knew him. I know he was a great uncle to you, but he had a lot of darkness he concealed. I caught him poaching more times than I can count, and he was always mean about it. Be on your guard.”

“I will. Sorry to call you out tonight. Mallory will kill me. Is she doing okay?”

He grinned. “Now that the morning sickness is over, she’s busy getting a nursery ready. We just found out we’re having a boy. The girls will be thrilled when they hear about it. Haylie’s at swim camp, and Sadie is having a blast at a special camp for the blind.”

“That’s wonderful!” They already had two girls, one of Kevin’s and one of Mallory’s. They both deserved to be happy. Kate led him to the door and locked it behind him before walking through the house again. The darkness pressed in on her, and her unease returned. If only she could call Claire to come stay with her.