everywhere, being warned not to walk alone...and then Sophie vanished. Thank God Ethan was able to track her.”
Coop looked at Glenda again. “Why did you bring that up? Did something happen?”
Glenda hesitated. “Well...the deputies are working overtime because a stranger has been hanging around near the school and he spoke to one of the girls. After what happened to Sophie, do you think Connie is in the best of moods? I think she’s wound up tighter than her kids. It’s not you, Coop.”
He drummed his fingers briefly on the tabletop. “I read you. I guess I didn’t pick the best time to visit.”
Kylie felt sympathy for him. “Like you got to pick your time? I’m sure this wasn’t on anyone’s calendar. Glenda? Is this a big deal?”
“Not yet. They’re kind of keeping a watch on it. The guy could just be passing through and there hasn’t been another incident in three days. But—” she shrugged “—nobody wants to take the chance.”
“And the threat would really hit Connie hard,” Coop offered. “No wonder she’s acting like her plate is too full. I’m just adding to it.”
“Well,” Glenda replied, “spend as much time here as you want. Kylie doesn’t mind.” She eyed her sister.
“I don’t mind at all. Coop’s been helping me sleep.”
The smile he gave her then lit the room. “I’m so glad,” he said quietly. “So very glad.”
He offered to stir-fry under Glenda’s watchful eye, and an hour later they were sitting down to a wonderful meal that exploded with the flavors of ginger and soy sauce.
Conversation hovered around the edges of Glenda’s job, a safe topic, but after they’d finished the dishes, Coop asked a question that almost left Kylie gasping for air.
“Wanna try a stroll with me after dark?”
The formless, shapeless nightmare of terror about things she couldn’t remember slammed in on her then. The room went nearly dark, and as her vision gradually returned she realized she had two very concerned people hovering over her. Glenda kept calling her name. Coop cussed quietly.
“That was dumb,” he said to no one in particular.
But as the world began to settle, as her heart started to slow down and she caught her breath again, she looked straight into the heart of the darkness that stalked her. Was she ever going to face it or was she going to cower forever?
Coop squatted beside her. “I’m sorry,” he said, touching her forearm. His fingertips on her skin almost felt like an electric shock that raced to her core. “Too soon. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
She managed to meet his gaze. “You’ve been here.”
He nodded slowly. “I’m still there at times.”
“But you take walks.”
“It’s the only way I know to beat it down. But maybe it’s not the right way for you.”
She drew a long shaky breath. Glenda immediately started to say, “She’s not ready—”
“No,” Kylie interrupted. “I want to try. My God, Glenda, I’ve got to keep trying or you might as well put me in a rubber room for the rest of my days. I won’t be alone.” She turned to Coop again. “If it becomes too much...?”
“I’ll bring you right back. Promise.”
She hesitated a little while, drew a deep breath and gathered herself, clinging to every shred of courage she could find. “I want to try.”
*
Todd had parked just down the street and was astonished to see Kylie come out of the house on Coop’s arm. Man, that guy moved fast.
Kylie wore a light jacket; Coop seemed content with a fleece shirt. Her arm through Coop’s bothered Todd more than anything. And now he’d have to wait until they came back to find out what was going on. After a moment, he decided to follow them at a distance. Maybe this was nothing. Maybe Coop was poaching.
Because for some reason it felt to Todd that he had far more right to Kylie than some guy just passing through town.
But then Kylie had broken it off with him years ago. They’d been just casual
Coop looked at Glenda again. “Why did you bring that up? Did something happen?”
Glenda hesitated. “Well...the deputies are working overtime because a stranger has been hanging around near the school and he spoke to one of the girls. After what happened to Sophie, do you think Connie is in the best of moods? I think she’s wound up tighter than her kids. It’s not you, Coop.”
He drummed his fingers briefly on the tabletop. “I read you. I guess I didn’t pick the best time to visit.”
Kylie felt sympathy for him. “Like you got to pick your time? I’m sure this wasn’t on anyone’s calendar. Glenda? Is this a big deal?”
“Not yet. They’re kind of keeping a watch on it. The guy could just be passing through and there hasn’t been another incident in three days. But—” she shrugged “—nobody wants to take the chance.”
“And the threat would really hit Connie hard,” Coop offered. “No wonder she’s acting like her plate is too full. I’m just adding to it.”
“Well,” Glenda replied, “spend as much time here as you want. Kylie doesn’t mind.” She eyed her sister.
“I don’t mind at all. Coop’s been helping me sleep.”
The smile he gave her then lit the room. “I’m so glad,” he said quietly. “So very glad.”
He offered to stir-fry under Glenda’s watchful eye, and an hour later they were sitting down to a wonderful meal that exploded with the flavors of ginger and soy sauce.
Conversation hovered around the edges of Glenda’s job, a safe topic, but after they’d finished the dishes, Coop asked a question that almost left Kylie gasping for air.
“Wanna try a stroll with me after dark?”
The formless, shapeless nightmare of terror about things she couldn’t remember slammed in on her then. The room went nearly dark, and as her vision gradually returned she realized she had two very concerned people hovering over her. Glenda kept calling her name. Coop cussed quietly.
“That was dumb,” he said to no one in particular.
But as the world began to settle, as her heart started to slow down and she caught her breath again, she looked straight into the heart of the darkness that stalked her. Was she ever going to face it or was she going to cower forever?
Coop squatted beside her. “I’m sorry,” he said, touching her forearm. His fingertips on her skin almost felt like an electric shock that raced to her core. “Too soon. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
She managed to meet his gaze. “You’ve been here.”
He nodded slowly. “I’m still there at times.”
“But you take walks.”
“It’s the only way I know to beat it down. But maybe it’s not the right way for you.”
She drew a long shaky breath. Glenda immediately started to say, “She’s not ready—”
“No,” Kylie interrupted. “I want to try. My God, Glenda, I’ve got to keep trying or you might as well put me in a rubber room for the rest of my days. I won’t be alone.” She turned to Coop again. “If it becomes too much...?”
“I’ll bring you right back. Promise.”
She hesitated a little while, drew a deep breath and gathered herself, clinging to every shred of courage she could find. “I want to try.”
*
Todd had parked just down the street and was astonished to see Kylie come out of the house on Coop’s arm. Man, that guy moved fast.
Kylie wore a light jacket; Coop seemed content with a fleece shirt. Her arm through Coop’s bothered Todd more than anything. And now he’d have to wait until they came back to find out what was going on. After a moment, he decided to follow them at a distance. Maybe this was nothing. Maybe Coop was poaching.
Because for some reason it felt to Todd that he had far more right to Kylie than some guy just passing through town.
But then Kylie had broken it off with him years ago. They’d been just casual
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