“Were you able to get any sleep?”
“Some. It took him three hours to fall asleep before I could slip in his room. Do you want some toast?”
“No, thanks.”
Pushing the lever of the toaster down, she went to the refrigerator for the preserves. “I promised myself I wouldn’t go inside his room. I sat on the steps, telling myself I wouldn’t.” Ginny closed the refrigerator door, empty-handed. Pressing her forehead against the door, she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.
Silas pulled her away from the fridge and into his arms. “I saw you. I was relieved when you went in. I couldn’t take it any longer myself. I was going to break and wake him up. Probably would have gotten my ass kicked for the effort.”
Ginny reached for a paper towel next to her. “Good thing you didn’t. He’s mad at you.”
“He was good.” Silas took the paper towel from her, wiping her tears away. Then, opening the refrigerator, he took out the preserves to give her. “Just not as good as me.”
“Not many are.” After making her toast, she went to take a seat at the table.
Carrying his thermos, Silas went to the hall closet to take a metal box off a shelf. Going to the table, he opened it and took out a gun.
Ginny paused with the toast halfway to her mouth. “I don’t think he’s mad enough that you’ll have to defend yourself.”
Silas gave her a crooked smile as he loaded the gun. “This isn’t to protect myself from Reaper. Knox called me this morning to let me know Fish & Wildlife posted an alert. A man was about to be arrested for hoarding dogs. Before they arrived, he set them free. His daughter told them what dogs were released. They’ve been able to capture thirteen, but two are still missing. The daughter told them the dogs are vicious; that’s why she made the report. That was over the border four days ago. If they make it this far, they are going to be hungry, and I don’t want to be their next meal. Moses is keeping an eye out for them. I don’t want you going out without me or Reaper.”
With her mouth full, Ginny made the okay sign with her fingers at his steely look.
After Silas left, she cleaned the already clean kitchen, then poured another cup of coffee as she searched recipes on the internet with the television on mute, so she wouldn’t wake Gavin. Yawning, Ginny wished she had slept with him another hour, but she had been afraid he would wake.
A breaking news alert flashed across the television screen, warning about an approaching storm with severe thunderstorms that were supposed to have hit last night, but it had stalled in Ohio, causing torrential rains.
Texting Silas about the alert, Ginny heard the shower go on. Getting up, she made Gavin a couple of eggs and toast. She was filling a cup when he walked into the dining room.
“I made you a small breakfast. If you don’t want it, I’ll stick it in the microwave for Silas.”
“I can eat.”
“When you’re done eating, do you mind walking with me to bring the goats in? Moses milked them for me this morning and put them out. Silas doesn’t trust the storm won’t stall and wants them pinned back in. And Knox called this morning to warn him about a report of vicious dogs on the loose, and he doesn’t want me to go outside alone. Silas left with his gun.”
Gavin frowned. “I hope your brother isn’t like the Porters.”
Ginny frowned back. “What do you mean?”
“Shoot first, ask questions later. Some of the trees on your property are thick; I don’t want either of us being mistaken for one of the dogs.”
Ginny raised her eyebrows at him. “Are you doubting Silas’s ability to shoot?”
“He enter shooting tournaments too?”
“You’ll have to ask to see his gun collection.”
“He has a gun collection?”
“One that has been handed down for generations.”
“I’m beginning to understand how he pays the taxes for this mountain.”
“It’s how Freddy managed, plus kept all of us fed. I told you that my family didn’t need any money from me. They don’t have a lot, but they manage to make—”
“Ends meet,” Gavin finished.
“Exactly.” Carrying the dishes to the sink, Ginny then went to the living room closet to put on her raincoat. It wasn’t raining yet, but the cloudy skies showed the storm was close.
“Have you asked him about your father’s will?”
“No, I haven’t. I trust him.”
“Ginny, someone has been stalking you. We’ve checked out everyone you have come into contact with from your past and your present. Nickel is still in Nashville, and no one has shown any overt interest in you leaving.”
“With the virus going on …” Ginny sighed. She couldn’t explain her stalker’s behavior. “You really think Silas is planning to hurt me just to keep the property?”
“I think it’s a possibility.”
“You’re so wrong.”
“How am I so wrong? You showed me your parcel. The back road that Silas uses goes through the rear. If you ever get in an argument, you could threaten to close the access—”
“I would never do that, and Silas knows that. He also knows me well enough that he wouldn’t have to kill me to get the property.”
“Why not?”
“Because all he would have to do is ask, and I would give it to him.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
“She likes you.” Closing the gate to the goat pen, Ginny patted the male Australian Shepherd for doing a good job, observing Suki bump against Gavin for her share of attention.
“She’s okay.” Gavin used a jean-clad knee to push her back when Suki wouldn’t move from him. “Moses coming to get them?”
Ginny looked up at the rapidly darkening clouds, taking out her cell phone to text her brother. “Moses said he just finished loading the cows. While we’re waiting, I’m going to get some hamburger from the freezer. Try not to get licked to death while I’m gone,” she joked.
A crash of thunder had Suki cowering against Gavin’s leg. Ginny caught Gavin petting the dog’s head.
“I saw that.”
Gavin made a face. “This dog is a big baby. She hid behind me when you released the goats from their tether.”
“Which shows you how smart she is,” Ginny called back, making a silly face back at him.
Going inside the outbuilding, Ginny went to the freezer, taking the frozen package out. Deciding to get some bacon for breakfast, she was opening the second freezer when she heard Suki and Jack start barking. Thinking the dogs were playing with Gavin, she ignored them and grabbed the bacon when she heard the dogs’ warning growls.
Slamming the freezer door shut, she ran out and was confronted with mayhem as Moses’ dogs fought with two dogs that she had never seen before.
Wanting to scream, she bit it back at seeing Gavin reach for the gun tucked at his back.
Pointing his gun at the dog fighting Suki, he hesitated, as the dogs viciously fighting weren’t giving him a clear shot.
Running closer, Ginny threw the frozen bacon at the one fighting Suki, and the dogs broke apart for a split-second, then started lunging again. However, before the other dog made contact with Suki, it fell to the ground.