Where Shadows Meet(41)

He turned his thoughts back to the kid. Maybe they really could be a family. His head filled with notions of throwing a baseball on Saturday afternoons and taking her for ice cream. Fatherhood might not be so bad. They’d be the perfect little family. But he’d have to make sure this was the only kid. No more. He couldn’t handle a bunch of screaming brats.

Hannah hadn’t believed that he’d joined the Amish church. He really was trying. Their religion was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo to him, but at least he was giving it an effort. She should give him credit for making the attempt.



THE SMALL HOUSE radiated cleanliness. Hannah wondered about that. Most guys didn’t notice things like the soap dishes at the sink, but Matt’s were spotless. Did he have a cleaning service that kept this place up even when it wasn’t rented?

When she went back to the living room, Angie was stretched out on the sofa with her shoes off. Ajax lay beside her, his face a picture of contentment as she stroked his ears. Hannah dropped into the oversized chair and propped her feet on the ottoman.

“Nice place Mr. Detective Man has,” Angie said. “Fully furnished too. Wonder why he has a rental?”

“It’s pretty,” Hannah agreed. “It’s definitely a man’s place, though. The furniture is oversized and a little big for this room. No pictures on the walls. Nothing on the tables but lamps.”

Angie chuckled. “A woman’s touch would change that. Still, it’s nice. And everything is so organized in the kitchen.”

Hannah heard the sound of a vehicle, then a dog barking. Ajax’s ears perked, and he got off the couch and stretched before padding to the door. “I think he’s back.” She went to the door just as it opened.

Matt entered, lugging two cat carriers. His partner came behind him with two more. All four cats hissed when the dog barked. “It’s going to be a zoo,” he said, setting the carriers down on the tile floor in the entry. He appeared tense, and irritation hunkered in his eyes. “Have I mentioned that I hate cats?”

“Is that right?” It was all Hannah could do to keep a straight face. She knelt before the first carrier and opened the door. With a yowl, Spooky rushed out. Every hair on end, the black cat leaped over Ajax, who was crouched down peering into the cage. The outraged feline disappeared under the sofa.

“He won’t come out for hours,” Hannah said. “Maybe I’d better take the rest of them to the bedroom and let them out.” She lifted the carrier containing Marmalade and started down the hall. Matt followed with the other two carriers. “Thanks for getting them for me,” she told him.

He grunted in response, and her smiled vanished. “Look, I know it’s a trial to you. I’m sorry. You want us to go to a hotel or back to Aunt Nora’s?”

“No, you stay here. It’s just that I hate cats.”

“I think I heard that somewhere.” She smiled. When he didn’t respond, she gave a mental shrug. “Why do you have a rental anyway?”

“It was my first house. I got too good a deal to throw it away, so I’ve rented it out, and it’s paid off now. A good investment.”

“It’s a nice place. But I really don’t mind staying with Aunt Nora.” Hannah was dying to find out what her aunt knew, but she wanted to give Nora at least a day of grieving space. “Maybe we can go back in a day or so.”

“She said something about needing to tell you what’s been going on. But what’s her role in this?”

It was a piece that didn’t fit. “I wish I knew. Reece sent her the picture of the girl, and she mailed it on to me. Maybe he called her or something. Maybe he threatened her. Like you said, maybe he threw the Molotov cocktail in the window and she knows he did and why.”

He set the two carriers on the floor and opened them before answering. The cats poked their noses into the room before stepping daintily out onto the carpet. “I’m frustrated,” he said. “I’ve got no real direction on this murder. The guy who found the body was back at the scene today. I’ll follow that and see where it goes, but there’s no obvious motive.” He glanced at her. “I shouldn’t be saying anything about the case, but you’re easy to talk to.”

The warmth in his gaze brought heat to her cheeks. “Here I thought you hated me.”

“I’d like to,” he said softly.

The heat in her face kicked up a notch, and she looked away from the interest in his gaze. “About the murder. Maybe it’s a case of prejudice. The day I met Reece, some kids were throwing rotten tomatoes at me. He chased them off and took me for a soda.” If only she’d known then that his rescuer persona hid a controlling personality as well.

Matt stashed the carriers in the depths of the closet and backed out. “It’s possible. But murder is a far cry from pranks.” His tone went back to impersonal.

“Arson isn’t a prank,” she pointed out. “Remember those fires that took place before Mamm and Datt died? When you’re a farmer, that’s your livelihood.”

They walked to the living room. The back door was open, and Hannah could see Angie outside throwing a stick to Ajax.

“Did they ever figure out who was behind the rash of attacks?” he asked.

“No. This was about a year before my family was murdered. Before you got on at the sheriff’s department.”