She flushed. “I just meant—”
“I know what you meant,” he said softly.
“I still mean it. You don’t owe me anything, not even a morning-after phone call.”
“You know, I don’t think either of us has fared well in the relationship department. Busy lives, memories of the past...being haunted. You know. In many ways.”
She grinned. “It’s good that you met Mabel. She’s been great.”
“She is great, though she rather turned my world upside down.”
“But in a good way, I hope.”
“Yeah, I guess. Axel has suggested I join the Krewe. I have the background...”
“You’d be perfect,” she said. “You should. I know you weren’t happy chasing after errant husbands.”
“That would mean I’d have to go to Quantico.”
“Yes, I guess so.”
“Katie, relationships aren’t about anyone owing anyone anything. I want to call you because I want to hear your voice. I want to be with you because... I love being with you. I think I care about you more than I’ve cared about another woman ever.” He gave her a wry smile. “Well, there was Wanda Sterns in high school, and I did have a crush on her, but it fell flat pretty quickly.”
“High-school crushes can be crushing,” she murmured.
“Katie, I want to see where this goes. I think I’m falling in love with you.”
She suddenly felt like she was just made of hot liquid, and she’d melt away...
But in an amazed and grateful way.
“Really?” she whispered.
“I won’t ask you for any commitment at this moment,” he said. “But...would you think about leaving NOLA for a while, coming with me, living in the DC area?”
“I—I—I’d love to, but... I need to figure out the house, leaving... Oh, I’d have to tell Monty, and he’s been the best boss ever. He’ll need to replace me. I think he’s out with a carriage now, but he doesn’t like being a full-time guide.”
“If you’ll just think about it, that’s all I need,” he said softly. “I just want to be with you.”
She smiled. She would have kissed him right there, fallen into his arms...
But Mitch nudged into her side, tail wagging in his urgency to let her know something.
“Let’s get inside,” Dan suggested.
The dogs followed them to the porch, whining.
“They’re acting hungry. I’m pretty sure Monty was out today with Sarah and the carriage that I use. I’m going to feed them.”
“Sounds good. Do you have food?”
Katie laughed. “Dog food? Yes.”
“I meant people food—for us.”
“Yes, I keep food. Look around and see what you’d like. I’m not exactly a gourmet, but I can whip together a few things. Thing is, meat is in the freezer, but we can defrost it quickly.”
As Dan prowled in the refrigerator, Katie poured out three bowls of dog food.
“I’ll just put these on the porch for the boys,” she said.
He nodded absently, then turned to look at her.
“He did kill your parents, Katie. Sonny Hartfield killed your parents along with Jennie, whoever she really was. Jennie has met the same fate. We will get the proof we need. We will get justice for them,” he said softly.
She smiled and nodded.
Then she headed out to the porch, balancing the three bowls of dog food.
She’d thought Jerry, Ben and Mitch would be waiting there, hopefully wagging their tails. They knew she was a sucker for them, and even if they’d eaten, they’d wind up being fed again.
“Guys? Come!” she called. “Mitch? Ben, come on. Jerry!”
They didn’t respond to her. She thought she heard a whine from around the corner. Setting the bowls down, she worried that one of them had gotten hurt and that the other two were busy trying to help in their doggy way.
“Guys!” she called, and she walked toward the gate between the properties.
She saw the dogs; they were lying on the ground, all three whimpering.
“My guys, what happened?” she demanded.
Mitch was closest to her. She walked to him and knelt at his side. “Poor baby, I don’t know—”
The whack on her head was hard. For barely an instant, she felt searing pain.
Then she felt nothing at all.
“Katie?”
Dan had a pack of chicken breasts in his hand.
He dropped them and rushed to the door. She was just putting dog bowls out, for God’s sake. She should have been back by now.
He stepped out to the porch. The dog bowls were there, but there was no sign of Katie.
Or the dogs.
He thought he heard something. Drawing his weapon, he walked around the house, noting that he was stepping out of range of the cameras.
He wanted to kick himself or worse.
He should have never let her step out alone, even on her front porch, even with cameras, even with dogs...
The dogs! What the hell had happened to the dogs?
He moved toward the gate, thinking Katie might have gone that way to find them.
He saw one of the big animals on the ground. The dog saw Dan and tried to lift its head and wag its tail.
It was Mitch, he thought.
Mitch, who couldn’t quite move. But there wasn’t a mark on him, and there was only one answer that Dan could fathom.
The dogs had been poisoned.
There was something in the animal’s fur.
A dart! A damned dart. Dan quickly pulled it from Mitch, hoping that maybe the sedative hadn’t had time to work all the way.
He pulled his phone out quickly as he looked around, searching for any approaching danger, ready to call Axel. But as he held the phone in his hand, it began to vibrate.
It was Axel, calling him.
“Dan, get back here. Get Katie, and get back here.”
“Wait—”
“The lab identified the mystery hair from the crime scene. Get in here now!”
“Axel! I need backup here, now!” Dan said. As he spoke, he looked across the stables to the building that was Monty’s house.
The shadows were waving anxiously.
Mabel Greely stood with Gray Simmons, mere shadows in the dimming sunlight, and the dead were beckoning to him.
“Axel, he has her. I’ve got
