“I know you will.”
Something about the casual certainty in Ev’s words twisted everything inside me. “I need you to do me a favor.”
Wariness filled her features. “And what’s that?”
I picked up my keys and worked one off the ring. “Run by my house and pick up Koda. He’ll at least be an early warning system until I get off work.”
“Until you get off work?”
“I’ll be a couple of hours, but Koda and Shiloh will keep you company in the meantime.”
“You’re coming over?”
“You’ve got a guest room, right?”
She nodded slowly.
“I’m going to stay with you until we’ve got this sorted.” There was no way I was going to leave Everly alone when this asshole was clearly watching.
She tipped her face up to the heavens as if praying for patience. “It’s normal to ask, Hayes. ‘Hey, would it be all right if I stayed with you for a few days? It would make me feel a lot better.’ Something like that.”
I shrugged. “Normal’s overrated.”
Everly let out a sort of growl of frustration and threw up her hands. “I give up. Give me the damn key.”
I grinned as I placed it on her palm. “See you tonight.”
“You’ll be lucky if I don’t short-sheet your bed.”
I chuckled. But the humor didn’t quite reach the depths it usually did. I was too damn worried. I hated that I had to watch her drive away right now. But she’d have others looking out for her until I could return. I pulled out my phone to text Shy and my dad to tell them to do just that.
I pulled up to the tiny cabin. As I climbed out of my SUV, I caught movement in one of the paddocks. I moved towards it, leaving everything I’d hauled over in my vehicle. As I approached, Koda lifted his head from the blanket bed someone had made for him. He thumped his tail but didn’t bother getting up to greet me. He was too enthralled with the scene in front of him.
Shy and my dad braced a two-by-four on the inside of the metal animal shelter while Everly hit it with a nail gun. They moved in a silent rhythm that spoke of all the time they’d spent working together over the past couple of months. I cleared my throat. “Aren’t you supposed to be resting? You do have a concussion.”
Everly glared at me. “I’m fine.”
Shy snickered. “We’re almost done.”
They fit two more boards into place, and then the interior walls were done. As Everly straightened, she wobbled just a bit. I pushed off the fence and strode to her side. “You’re pushing it too much. If you don’t rest, you’re going to end up back in the hospital.”
Dad wiped his brow. “He’s annoying and interfering, but in this case, he’s also right. Don’t push it. We can pick back up in a couple of days.”
Everly handed the nail gun to my dad. “You guys are ganging up on me.”
“Or we just don’t want you to keel over.”
She rolled her eyes, but I didn’t miss the slight wince afterward. “I’m fine.”
I resisted the urge to throw something. “A couple of days isn’t going to make a difference. Give yourself a break.”
Everly opened her mouth to say something and then promptly shut it when Shiloh sent her a look. She turned her annoyed glare to me. “Then you’re giving me work hours this weekend.”
I held up both hands. “I’m happy to help.”
She traced a design I couldn’t make out in the dirt with the toe of her boot. “Any leads on the note?”
“Not yet.” It was amazing to me that in a town so busy with local foot traffic, no one had seen anyone hovering by Everly’s SUV. “I’ve still got officers asking around and looking at camera feeds from nearby stores. And the lab will process the note first thing tomorrow.”
“Maybe they’ll find some prints.”
She didn’t sound especially optimistic, and neither was I given what we had right now. “I won’t stop until we find him, Ev.”
“I know.” She gave herself a little shake. “I think we’re done here for the day.”
Everly gave my dad a quick hug and then moved to give one to my sister, but Shiloh stiffened. Ev didn’t miss a beat, simply gave her a light shoulder bump instead. I could’ve kissed her in that moment. She seemed to be so in tune with Shy and didn’t make her feel out of place. Shy wasn’t one for casual affection. It was as if she needed space in all things. And Everly gave her that.
“How about Friday?” Ev glanced at me. “Will I be free by then, warden?”
“Depends if you’re on your best behavior.”
She looked at Shy. “I’m going to short-sheet his bed, I swear.”
“You could always put pink dye in his shampoo,” my sister offered.
“Traitor. My own flesh and blood, stabbing me in the back.”
Shiloh shrugged. “You’re bossy. It gets annoying. I’m team Everly on this one.”
Ev crossed her arms over her chest, the action causing my focus to zero in on the swells peeking out from her tank top. “Face it, you’re done for, Easton.”
I forced my gaze up to her face. “I guess I’ll just have to watch my back.”
“Sleep with one eye open,” Shy warned as she headed towards her truck with Dad.
“Come on, Mr. Bossypants. I’ll show you to the guest room.”
“I’m not sure I’m a fan of that nickname.”
Koda lumbered to his feet, and I picked up the blanket he’d been resting on. Everly gave him a scratch behind his ears. “And what nickname would you like?”
“Oh, I don’t know…ruggedly handsome. Ruthlessly charming.”
“Those aren’t nicknames.”
“But they work.”
Everly shook her head. “I think I’ll stick with Hayes.”
“That works, too.”
We headed up the steps to the small front porch, and Everly pulled open the screen door. “Welcome to Chez Kemper.”
I’d been inside once or twice before, but this time, I took a few moments to really study the space. It was small but homey. The cabin’s rustic history somehow worked with the slightly feminine décor—an overstuffed, light gray sofa scattered with pink and cream pillows, two chairs, and a coffee table. A small TV on a console against the wall—though I doubted she got cable up here since I hadn’t seen a dish on her roof.
“Worrying about how you’re going to watch the ballgame?” she asked.
“It might have crossed my mind.”
“You might be able to pick it up on the radio.”
I scrubbed a hand over my jaw. “You know how to wound me.”
The corners of her mouth tipped up. “You’re the one who wanted to stay here.”
A flash of fur flew across the room, making me stumble back again. “Shit. Let me get a shovel. I think I can get it.” Apparently, with the rustic history of this place came rodents.
“Don’t you dare.” Everly moved to the kitchen and pulled out a bag of nuts. Crouching down, she made a clicking noise behind her teeth. A small chipmunk appeared from around the corner.