James sighed. Law enforcement officers, himself included, were often too jaded to see a stray rock thrown through a window as anything more than mischief. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that the sheriff, deputy, and Ms. Appleton weren't being completely honest with him. Something lay just under the surface of the events of the day that none of them were willing to discuss.
Not that they should confide in him. After all, he had been the one to wage war on her doorstep. Besides, he had his own secret. He hadn't told them about the stalker of the night before.
Because he didn't want to be further involved.
James's conscience jumped up to body-slam him. Ms. Appleton had handled his intrusion with more grace and courage than many a suspect he'd arrested. She didn't seem the victim type. Nothing like that worn-out young mother, in too deep to crawl back to life before it was too late. Yet her wary gaze held the suspicion of someone who had been through something hard, and no longer trusted the world to be on her side. Did it have something to do with the man in the truck?
Something nudged the back of his mind. The fact that she'd seemed prepared for trouble. If not from him, then from something equally unpleasant. Yet that, too, was none of his business. She had Deputy Ward to watch over her.
Life was tough. He had his own problems.
He rolled down the windows for a breath of country air, put his truck in gear, and headed down the rural lane that led back past the lake to reach the highway. He didn't need to pass Shay Appleton's cabin to do that. He could have taken the shorter route.
Ten minutes later, when the cabin came into view through the trees, he could have swerved right and hit the tarmac and headed toward Interstate 85 and home. Instead, he stepped on the brake to roll past at a speed that barely registered on his odometer.
There was a truck in the yard. It looked suspiciously like the one that had been parked at the edge of the woods the night before. Of course, it might be coincidence, or his imagination working overtime. Or a maintenance man, or a-
Bogart suddenly lunged forward in his harness; his ears pricked forward, and from deep within his chest came a low guttural growl. He'd caught a scent.
"Shit!" James turned into her drive. Bogart on alert was good enough probable cause for him.
* * *
The door was ajar, wide enough for James to see inside before he even reached the porch. In seconds, he took in every pertinent detail.
A tall man in jeans and a blazer stood facing the far wall, legs apart as he leaned forward. Shay was behind him, forced tightly against the wall by his body. James's pulse ticked up at the sight. Was this a threat, or a sexual encounter he was about to disturb?
The man was speaking, his voice so low James couldn't pick out words. Shay suddenly turned her head away as if to avoid looking at him.
James saw her expression. It was one of a small animal cornered by a larger one. Before James could react, the man seized her shoulders and her head snapped back against the wall with a sickening thud. "You stupid bitch!"
James tensed, equally angry and relieved. The man's threat gave him every right to enter without invitation.
He released Bogart's leash and said firmly, "Geh weiter."
Bogart shot through the opening, barking in alarm.
The sounds of an angry dog stopped the man from shaking Shay. He glanced around and into the jaws of a snarling Belgian Malinois.
He whipped his head back to Shay. "You said your dog wasn't here."
Without seeking to explain Prince's appearance, Shay seized the moment to try to free herself. "Let go of me, Eric. If you don't, he'll tear you to pieces. I swear."
"Shit!" Eric shoved her away, freeing her.
James pushed the front door wide, his gaze fanning the perimeter of the room as he entered. Satisfied no one else was present, he gave his partner a new command. "Pass auf!"
Ordered to guard the man, Bogart moved in, head low.
James watched his canine doing his job. Bogart was getting details he couldn't sense, like the odor of pheromones flooding off the pair. The man would be running high, giving off pheromones of an aggressor. Shay would be shedding fear. The man began backing slowly away.
"I'd stand still, if I were you." James kept his voice calm though his own emotions were running high.
The man stilled, eyeing the dog warily as Bogart sniffed his pants leg. When he gave a soft growl and bared rows of flesh-tearing teeth, the man involuntarily stepped back in alarm. "Call him off!"
James waited a beat, just to make certain the threat had been delivered and received, before giving the command to back off. "Fuss!"
Instantly obedient, Bogart trotted back over to James.
"Good evening, Ms. Appleton." He spoke to Shay as a courtesy. His attention was focused totally on the man beside her.
"What is this?" Eric's head swung from Shay to James. "Who the fuck are you?"
James braced his legs apart, arms slightly flexed. "I'm the police. Who the fuck are you?"
Eric shifted toward Shay. "You tell him."
Shay shook her head.
James kept his gaze on Shay's guest. "Step away from Ms. Appleton. Now." When the man had moved grudgingly a couple of feet away, James spoke again. "I'm going to ask you one more time, nicely, who are you?"
The man smiled a professional's smile, all charm and confidence-building. "I'm a friend of Shay's."
That brought a sound of derision from Shay as she rubbed her upper arms. "We're not friends, Eric."
James shifted his weight. "Want to try again?
The man's smile dissolved. Obviously, charm had a short half-life with this guy. "I don't have to answer your questions. I haven't done anything wrong. She let me in. Tell him, Shay."
"Why do you keep telling Ms. Appleton what to say?" James cocked an eyebrow. "Afraid she might say something not so flattering about you?"
The man's gaze narrowed as it moved from James to Shay, and then the dog. "What's going on here?" He looked back at Shay. "Is this guy really a cop? He's not in uniform."
James moved back the edge of his camo jacket to reveal his badge, hung on his belt, and then the gun on his hip. The man's demeanor changed from intimidating to nervous. A muscle flexed just below his left eye while, at his sides, his hands began flexing and unflexing. Maybe he was the kind of jerk who saved his rage for women.
"Is that your truck outside?"
The guy's gaze shifted toward the door. "Why?"
James reached into his pocket and retrieved his police notebook. He thumbed through it until he found what he was looking for. "I've got a partial of a license plate and a description of a vehicle just like the one you're driving. It was reported as a prowler in this neighborhood last night."
The man sucked in a breath and turned to Shay. "Unbelievable!"
James let a smile ease into his features. He had the bastard. "Ms. Appleton didn't make the complaint. Added to that, I just witnessed you shaking her in a manner that could constitute assault. I need to see some ID, Mr.-"
The man let out a heavy sigh as he reached for his wallet. "Eric Coates."
James took his time as he made a note of the information on the license, letting the man stew as he pondered what he was going to do next. So far, Shay had contributed four words to the conversation. He was going to have to get rid of the guy to get her side of the story.
When he raised his gaze from his notepad he was pleased to see a sheen of sweat had formed on Eric's upper lip. Definitely nervous. "You need to know I can arrest you right now for harassment and assault." He waited a beat to allow the man time to absorb his situation. "If Ms. Appleton wants to press charges, I'll be happy to add a laundry list of other offenses."
Eric's head swiveled toward Shay. "You can't do that. Not if-" He seemed to catch himself before he finished.
James glanced at her. "Shay?"
She offered a stiff lift of one shoulder. "Stay away from me, Eric." She looked at James, a small frown pinching her brows together. "No charges."
James didn't take his eyes off Coates. "But Shay-"
"I said no charges."
James suppressed his annoyance with her decision while noting that relief flooded Coates's expression. "In that case, I'm issuing you a citation." He signed a sheet and ripped it off his pad and held it out.
Looking smug, Eric took it, then turned to Shay. "Remember what I said. We'll talk later."
"I wouldn't advise that." James came up behind Eric, close enough to make his physical presence a direct threat. "On a personal level I'm telling you to leave Ms. Appleton alone. Permanently."