Read Online Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Traci Hunter Abramson
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really at her family’s cabin that he hadn’t done an inventory when he’d first arrived. Instead, he’d dropped his bag in one of the bedrooms and had headed straight to her place.
Better be prepared , he told himself. He started in the household section, picking up some matches, a lantern, a flashlight, and a bag of charcoal. He hoped he didn’t have to cook outside, but he suspected a summer town like Pinewood was probably low on the priority list when it came to winter power outages.
After filling up one cart with emergency supplies, Charlie moved to the grocery side of the store and began making his selections. He heard Kendra’s laughter ring out. Maybe, if he could convince her to have dinner with him, he would have an excuse to keep an eye on her. And just maybe, he could find out why she was refusing protection.
* * *
Kendra put the hood up on her newly purchased parka and stepped out of Charlie’s SUV, her purse in one gloved hand and her tote in the other. The shopping spree had depleted most of the cash she had on her, especially since she had followed Charlie’s example and bought enough supplies to last her for at least a week or two. If she decided to stay longer, she would have to talk to Mrs. Burgess about setting up an account with her rather than risk using a credit card.
Charlie moved to the back of the vehicle, opened the rear door, and hefted a box of supplies. “If you’ll unlock the door, I’ll get this stuff inside for you.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not a problem.” Charlie shrugged. “That way you won’t have to keep tracking snow through the house.”
“That’s true.” Kendra offered him a smile. Then she started up the steps and retrieved her key to unlock the door. To her surprise, when she started to slide the key into the lock, the doorknob shifted. Testing it, she turned it to find that it was already unlocked.
She looked at it a moment, puzzled. Had she forgotten to lock the door? She tried to bank down the uneasy feeling that instantly surfaced. Before she could turn to look for any signs of an intruder, Charlie’s hand came down on her shoulder.
His eyes were intense, as though he, too, were sharing her thoughts, her questions. His voice was low, barely louder than a whisper when he said simply, “Wait.”
Kendra nodded obediently. Then she watched him as he moved back to the front of the porch and studied the yard. She looked out, wondering what he was looking for. She could see their tire tracks on the road and the faintest outline of the footprints Charlie had left when he had walked across the street to her cabin earlier.
Was it her imagination, or were there also smaller tracks on the road? Perhaps from a sled or a snowmobile?
Charlie turned back to her. “Have you seen anyone but me since you got here?”
She shook her head. The directness in his eyes had her fumbling, and the truth, at least part of it, tumbled out of her mouth. “No one but my grandparents knows where I am.”
“Is it okay if I check out your place before you go inside?” Charlie asked softly. “It may sound silly, but it would make me feel a lot better if I know you’re safe.”
Kendra’s head bobbed up and down, and she swallowed hard. If Charlie was worried too, maybe her concerns weren’t just from her imagination running away with her.
Charlie handed her his car keys. “Why don’t you go wait in the car. I’ll be right out.”
Again, Kendra nodded. She started back down the stairs, slipping on the second step and having to carefully regain her balance. Then she hurried to Charlie’s SUV and climbed back inside. Her tote fell onto the floor, and she absentmindedly pulled her favorite stuffed animal free and clung to it.
When she looked up at her front door, she saw Charlie glance back at her, making sure she was safely inside the vehicle. Then he slowly pushed the door open and disappeared inside.
Chapter 9
Charlie entered Kendra’s cabin
Better be prepared , he told himself. He started in the household section, picking up some matches, a lantern, a flashlight, and a bag of charcoal. He hoped he didn’t have to cook outside, but he suspected a summer town like Pinewood was probably low on the priority list when it came to winter power outages.
After filling up one cart with emergency supplies, Charlie moved to the grocery side of the store and began making his selections. He heard Kendra’s laughter ring out. Maybe, if he could convince her to have dinner with him, he would have an excuse to keep an eye on her. And just maybe, he could find out why she was refusing protection.
* * *
Kendra put the hood up on her newly purchased parka and stepped out of Charlie’s SUV, her purse in one gloved hand and her tote in the other. The shopping spree had depleted most of the cash she had on her, especially since she had followed Charlie’s example and bought enough supplies to last her for at least a week or two. If she decided to stay longer, she would have to talk to Mrs. Burgess about setting up an account with her rather than risk using a credit card.
Charlie moved to the back of the vehicle, opened the rear door, and hefted a box of supplies. “If you’ll unlock the door, I’ll get this stuff inside for you.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not a problem.” Charlie shrugged. “That way you won’t have to keep tracking snow through the house.”
“That’s true.” Kendra offered him a smile. Then she started up the steps and retrieved her key to unlock the door. To her surprise, when she started to slide the key into the lock, the doorknob shifted. Testing it, she turned it to find that it was already unlocked.
She looked at it a moment, puzzled. Had she forgotten to lock the door? She tried to bank down the uneasy feeling that instantly surfaced. Before she could turn to look for any signs of an intruder, Charlie’s hand came down on her shoulder.
His eyes were intense, as though he, too, were sharing her thoughts, her questions. His voice was low, barely louder than a whisper when he said simply, “Wait.”
Kendra nodded obediently. Then she watched him as he moved back to the front of the porch and studied the yard. She looked out, wondering what he was looking for. She could see their tire tracks on the road and the faintest outline of the footprints Charlie had left when he had walked across the street to her cabin earlier.
Was it her imagination, or were there also smaller tracks on the road? Perhaps from a sled or a snowmobile?
Charlie turned back to her. “Have you seen anyone but me since you got here?”
She shook her head. The directness in his eyes had her fumbling, and the truth, at least part of it, tumbled out of her mouth. “No one but my grandparents knows where I am.”
“Is it okay if I check out your place before you go inside?” Charlie asked softly. “It may sound silly, but it would make me feel a lot better if I know you’re safe.”
Kendra’s head bobbed up and down, and she swallowed hard. If Charlie was worried too, maybe her concerns weren’t just from her imagination running away with her.
Charlie handed her his car keys. “Why don’t you go wait in the car. I’ll be right out.”
Again, Kendra nodded. She started back down the stairs, slipping on the second step and having to carefully regain her balance. Then she hurried to Charlie’s SUV and climbed back inside. Her tote fell onto the floor, and she absentmindedly pulled her favorite stuffed animal free and clung to it.
When she looked up at her front door, she saw Charlie glance back at her, making sure she was safely inside the vehicle. Then he slowly pushed the door open and disappeared inside.
Chapter 9
Charlie entered Kendra’s cabin
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