Murder at Sunrise Lake

“When you woke up, you knew someone was watching, that’s why you called to Bailey,” Stella guessed.

“Yeah. I slept about two hours and when I got up to make my rounds, I took him with me. I didn’t think you’d mind. I locked you in, not that you stayed.” He gave a little shake of his head. “Should have left you a note.”

“Do you think it’s the killer?”

“Why would he be watching you? He can’t know about your nightmares, Stella.”

“Because I was there at the lake and I stopped him from murdering you.”

Sam’s fist clenched around the thick spindles that made up the fancy railing on the porch. “There is that. You did draw attention to yourself by diving into a freezing-cold lake to save me.”

“I couldn’t possibly know you weren’t knocked out, Sam, and that you had a knife and were about to do him in.”

He reached up and cupped the side of her face. “Did I sound upset with you instead of grateful? Because believe me, Stella, I’m very grateful you cared enough to put your life on the line for me.”

“I think I just feel guilty that I got in the way.” She gestured toward the lake over Bailey’s back. “He’s still out there. If he really killed James Marley, and he does what the other two killers I’ve encountered have done, he’s going to kill again very soon. If I hadn’t gotten in your way, maybe you could have stopped him.”

“You can’t think that way, Stella, and you know it.” Sam sighed. “It’s too cold out here. Go in with Bailey. I’ll go around to the back and go in that way. We aren’t going to find him tonight, whoever he is, and there’s no use in losing any more sleep over him.”

“You don’t have to sleep at my house if you’d be more comfortable in your cabin, Sam,” Stella forced herself to say. She felt far safer with him there, but just because he’d made love to her once, she didn’t want him to think she was presuming he would want to stay with her.

“I’ve got my gear here and there are very comfortable rooms, Stella, if you don’t want me in your room. Don’t worry about me. I’d rather we be together while this is all happening.”

She nodded, not certain she liked his answer. What did that even mean? That he’d leave when it was over? That he’d not want to be in the main house any longer? When had she become someone who didn’t just come out and ask? Why was she so reluctant? Because she wasn’t good at relationships. Why didn’t she just tell him she wanted him to sleep in her bedroom?

She’d been friends with five women for several years and none of them knew who she really was. That should tell her something right there. Raine didn’t count because she hadn’t known Raine was aware of her true identity. Even Zahra, her best friend, hadn’t known who she was. She didn’t give anything of her true self away. She was guarded and careful at all times.

She stood up, murmuring to Bailey to stay at her side, not wanting the dog to give away Sam’s presence. Once inside, she leaned against the heavy door and waited, not arming the alarm system, knowing Sam would when he came in through the back. She didn’t turn on lights because that was the first thing taught to her. If windows were lit, whoever was outside could see inside, and she couldn’t see out.

“What are you doing, Stella?”

She nearly jumped out of her skin, even though she was expecting him. She put a hand over her wildly pounding heart, pressing hard. The house was much warmer than outside, and her sweater was almost too hot. It could have been that Sam had gotten too close to her, towering over her.

“I’m just thinking.” She looked up at him. “I’ve really come to rely on you around here. I didn’t realize how much.”

His dark eyes moved over her face. “How is that a problem?” He held out his hand to her. “I’m a reliable kind of man.”

She found herself staring at his palm. There was an odd scar across it. She put her hand in his and let him close his fingers around hers. His hand was large and completely engulfed hers. He tugged her into the bedroom and indicated the bed.

“You change and I’ll make you hot chocolate. That always gets you back to sleep.”

Stella watched him leave and then pulled off the sweats and got into her thin pajamas. She didn’t like heavy clothes at night. It was odd how much Sam knew about her. When had he discovered that hot chocolate helped to put her to sleep, especially if she was restless? He always knew when she was having a bad day, even if they hadn’t seen each other. It was odd how he was so tuned to her. The only other person that came close to knowing her so well was Zahra.