He was on his third cup of coffee when he pulled up in front of Cedar’s house. He parked, climbed out. He was early because he wanted to see his dogs, wanted to take them for a walk. He heard Cooper before he saw him, charging from the woods to the left of the house. Max was right behind him and holding up the rear was Cedar. He hunched down and caught Cooper, who almost knocked him over when Max joined them. He rarely stayed away so long. They weren’t used to it.
“I missed you, too,” he said, giving back as good as he was getting.
“Morning, Sheriff,” Cedar said.
“Killian,” he corrected.
She grinned. “Are you hungry?” He was starving. She didn’t wait for him to answer and added, “I’m going to make some eggs and bacon. Told them I’d make them some.” She didn’t look at all repentant about bribing his dogs with food. He bit back the grin. “I’ll make some for you, too.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“We didn’t get far on the walk when they heard you,” she said, already moving to the house. “Dinner was amazing,” she said, reaching the door and looking back. “Maybe I could get the recipe.”
The thought of Cedar meeting his mom, knowing she’d lost her own; yeah, he could make that happen.
He appreciated that she didn’t hover, didn’t press for answers. He understood because he was the same. It happened when you spent more time with yourself than others. “Enjoy your walk,” she said, before she disappeared inside.
His dogs took off; he followed and reached for his phone and called home. “Hey, Mom.”
“I’m going to kill your father. You’re going to be forced to arrest your own mother, but I can take it no longer.”
He grinned, kept an eye on Cooper and Max, and asked, “What’s he done now?”
“I found his stash.” She was simmering with temper. “Was cleaning our bedroom and found it under the bed in the shoe organizer. The shoe organizer, Killian.”
His parents had been married for over fifty years. They fought, who wouldn’t after all that time, but they were like an extension of one another…unable to function separately. He didn’t appreciate their connection until he got older and realized it wasn’t so easy to find.
“His stash of what?”
“Candy bars.”
He waited because she wouldn’t be that upset that his dad was hording candy. He had a sweet tooth, he always had.
“We’re supposed to be going to California on vacation. A vacation you were so generous to offer us. We made a pact to exercise and get into shape, and he’s sneaking off and stuffing his face with chocolate.” There was still more, so he waited. She exhaled then confessed, “And now that I know where it is, I’m sneaking it, too. There I’ve said it. I have no will power.”
“Mom, you’re being dramatic.”
“Me, dramatic? I’m the least dramatic person I know.”
He chuckled. “The vacation is meant to relax you, to give you time to getaway and enjoy each other. It’s not meant to cause anxiety. And hell, Mom, you and Dad are in better health than most people in town. Sneak some chocolate, live a little.”
Cooper was focused on something, and when he reached him, he realized it was a pile of cigarette butts. The hair at his nape stirred. “Mom, I gotta call you back.”
“Are you coming to dinner on Sunday?”
“Yeah, I might be bringing someone.”
He hadn’t meant to share that. His mom was like a dog with a bone when it came to his love life. “Someone who? Details.”
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Not now, Mom. I’ll call you later.”
“If you don’t, I’ll hunt you down. I want details.”
“Alright. Love you. Later.”
He disconnected, slipped his phone in his pocket. Someone had been hanging out here, and, from the number of cigarettes, they’d been there for a while. He glanced around, warning lighting through him, when he realized from that spot in the woods whoever was looking would be concealed, but there was a clear shot of Cedar’s house.
He studied the ground around the butts, saw the footprints, and followed them through the woods to a section of her property that butted up against the road. He hunched down, in front of the oil spot; it was still wet. What the fuck. He stood, reached for his phone.
“Hey, Boss—”
He cut Johnny off. “I need you at Cedar Walker’s place, but come down Sassafras Road.”
“What’s up?”
“I’ll be waiting.”
He hung up and snapped a few pictures. Then walked up and down the street, saw another butt, same brand as the ones in the woods. He snapped a pic of that. Johnny pulled up and parked.
“I need you to bag this,” Killian said and waited for Johnny to do as he asked before he started back into the woods. “With me.” He pointed. “Take pictures of the footprints and cast one. Then photo and bag these,” he said, stopping at the pile of butts. “I want you to run a DNA test, see if we get any hits.”
Johnny was looking in the direction of Cedar’s house. “You think someone’s watching her? Frank?”
“Maybe, look into him, find out his whereabouts for the last few days. And see if he smokes and what brand. Someone was definitely watching the house. I want to know who and why?”
“You think she’s in trouble, or do you think she brought it with her?”
Yeah, Johnny would make an excellent sheriff. “Get it done.”
“You want me to run her?” he asked, gesturing to the house.
“No.” If anyone was going to invade her privacy, it was going to be him. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Alright.”
He started back to the house but stopped and added, “Check in with Sebastian. It’s his job to know the land, see what he can tell you about this property, particularly since it sat empty for so long. Teenagers might be using it to party.”
“Will do.”
He strolled back to Cedar’s house. It was possible Frank was watching, but that wasn’t really his style. He was more in your face. Was it possible the person watching her house was a peeping Tom? He rejected the idea; she was new and a looker, but they’d have had calls about other incidences. No, his instincts were telling him whoever had been in those woods had been there for one purpose, surveillance. So the question was, were they watching her because of where she lived, or was she the target? And if she was the target, what the hell was in her past that would have someone following her halfway across the country?