The Right One (9 page)

“Can you go inside with him?

She shook her head. “No, this is as close as we can get unless he’s drugged. He’s as tame as a wild animal can ever be, but he’s still very much a wild animal, and dangerous to be too close to one another.”

Paul dropped his hand, looking at Cami. “So he’d hurt you, then?”

She shrugged, scratching the cat’s neck. “Probably not. But there’s a risk, even with my boy here.  Anything can happen, something can put him on edge, it could be a bad day, or just a freak accident.” Regellius let out a soft mew and Cami pulled her hand back while he walked away from the fence. “Animals like this, you have to respect them, never take for granted they’re wild. They are born with certain instincts, one is to kill. Being careless is dangerous.”

Paul crossed his arms, and Cami watched as he studied her with a faint smile.

“What?”

A deep breathe and a wide grin. “You’re right, all along. I was underestimating you. It’s … really something, seeing you like this, with him. You’re a special woman.”

She smiled. “I don’t know about special. I’m doing what I was meant to do. This isn’t just something I decided to do on a whim. Doing this means giving up a lot. I can’t leave the sanctuary without putting some very special plans in place. The cats always need care, and someone who can provide that care without getting reckless. So vacations, and weekend trips,” she shrugged. “But I made that trade, for something else very unique and special.”

“I can see that. You glow around him.”

She smiled. “Would you like to meet the others?”

“Are they at least somewhat friendly?”

She laughed. “Mostly? No. Not even close. But you’re safe. I won’t throw you in the cages.” She winked. “Not yet anyway.”

Back inside the house, Cami handed Paul a cold cola. “So those are the cats. I still have room for three, maybe four, more. And we’ll expand more in the future. Right now, I might have cubs coming in a couple weeks, waiting to hear the final word.”

He leaned back, elbow resting against the counter. “I thought I was impressed when you showed me the cages and empty enclosures. But this, it’s pretty –"

“Thanks.”

Placing the can on the counter, he stepped closer to her. “Thank you for introducing me, especially Regellius. I’m guessing that wasn’t easy for you to do.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers.

As Paul pulled away, Cami pulled her lips over her teeth, watching him carefully.

“And thank you for not slapping me just now.”

She laughed. “Don’t be so confident. Jury is still out.”

He leaned forward, lips inches apart. “Maybe I can try one more time, then.”

His lips pushed against hers, soft and gentle, with all the ease of a first kiss, without the hunger of burning lust. A moment later, he lifted his head. “And the verdict is?”

“Jury will remain adjourned until further notice.”

Paul smiled and nodded. “Then I won’t press my luck.” Backing up, allowing her room to breathe, he smiled. “Listen, you’ve been so wonderful, opening yourself up to me with the cats, I’d like to take you somewhere tomorrow. Can I pick you up in the morning, say, ten o’clock?”

“Okay. Do I need to wear anything special?”

“Something comfortable. Some gym shoes. I’ll take care of the rest. Can you be gone from here for a few hours?”

She took a sip of cola. “How many is a few hours?”

“Five, maybe six.”

She nodded. “Sure, I’m sure Alyssa and Alex can hold the fort down for that long.”

Paul smiled. “Wonderful. I’ll see you then.” Picking the cola up from the counter, he walked sideways towards the back door. “I’ll just take this with me.”

She smiled and nodded, watching as he left. Tracing her lips with an index finger, Cami considered the kiss. Sweet, a little forward, dangerous. “What was I thinking?”

Whatever it was, it was nice. Turning away, she returned to the office. Now was as good a time as any to make those final arrangements to receive the cubs.

Outside, Alex leaned casually against a fence, listening to Paul Schotter’s truck pull out of the driveway. He growled under his breath, struggled to gain composure as Cato began pacing around the den. Alex knew the cat sensed his mood. “What’s she doing kissing him?” He gritted his teeth, righted the hat. None of his business anyway. He never even attempted to kiss Cami, and had no right to be jealous. The burn on the back of his neck said otherwise, and Alex stomped to the stables, needing a good long ride on Tradewind.

Chapter Fourteen

Cami stepped on the porch, drew a deep breath of fresh air. The birds chirped in the distance, dew still glistening on the wood planks of the porch. Sipping a cup of hot chocolate, she arched her back, eyes closed, swallowed and drew in another deep breath. The freshness of morning. A favorite time of day, before everything and everyone was spent, the quietness, the preparation for what lie ahead. Good, bad or indifferent, every day started the same way, with softness, stillness, and hope.

Another deep breath, her mind pushed forward to the upcoming morning. Paul was supposed to arrive in three hours, taking her away for the day. Cami knitted her eyebrows tight, swallowed hard. The promised five to six hours with him and the kiss the day before battled her thoughts. A grimace played across tightening lips. None of it was a good idea.

She took a step forward without looking where she was going, toe stubbing hard against something. “Ouch!” Cami looked down, a brick lying in her path. Stooping down, she rested the cup on the porch and picked up the cooked clay. She turned it over in her hands, pausing as big black letters became visible on the bottom. Brows narrowed as she studied the letters, each distorted in the uneven surface.

STOP

Cami bit the inside of her lip, scanned the front yard, unsurprised to see she was alone. Whoever left the brick wouldn’t have the guts for a face to face confrontation. Foot prodded the cup to the side, careful not to spill the warm contents, then stepped onto the concrete walkway. Turning around, she studied the porch and house, content there was no damage, laid the brick on a step and circled the house, walking the grounds.

Ten minutes later, she stood before the enclosures, perusing the fencing, doorways and barriers. All intact. No doubt the animals were fine as well. The fencing would’ve been damaged before anyone could to get to the animals. And she would’ve heard something had someone tried to hurt the cats. 

Deciding to check on the tigers later, Cami returned to the house, heart dropping as Alex came into view. She didn’t have to talk to him to know how he’d react about a brick with a veiled threat written on it.

Don’t have to tell him. I’m not looking for a knight in shining armor to come in on his steed and rescue me.
She grimaced.
Ugh, fairytales
.

He wasn’t standing near the porch. Maybe he hadn’t seen the brick yet.

“Alex. Up and at it early.”

“Being a bit casual, aren’t you?”

Oh no.
“What do you mean?”

“I saw it.”

Crap.
“It’s no big deal. Just a prank or something.”

He snorted. “A prank? Is that what you call it?”

“Well, I admit it’s a bad prank, but that’s gotta be all it is, right?”

“Then why would you go along with it?”

Cami’s head jerked back. “I’m not exactly going along with it, what else … wait. What? What are you talking about?”

“The …” He paused, studying her face. “What are you talking about?”

“Why are you acting so crazy? The brick, of course.” She stopped.
Double crap
. “You weren’t talking about the brick?”

He looked around in amazement. “Brick? No, I wasn’t talking about some brick.” He stared at her. “What brick, Cami?”

Shoulders dropped hard.
Triple crap
. “It’s nothing. I’m going to let the police know, and it’s going to be nothing. The cats are all fine, the house is fine, so, no big deal.”

He stepped forward, hands gripping the sides of her arms. “I want to see this ‘no big deal’.”

“Alex, really, I don’t need you to …”

“Save it, Cami. Show me what you’re talking about.”

With a heavy sigh, she led him to the front of the house and pointed to the brick on the first step. “See, a stupid prank, masquerading as a threat. Nothing to worry about.”

Alex leaned over and picked it up, face chiseled and hard. Holding it in the air, he turned to face her. “No big deal? First emails and now this? What are you waiting to get concerned? Someone to break into your house? This to come sailing through a window and hit you on the head?” He hurled the brick across the front lawn, and Cami watched with wide eyes as the baked clay landed with a hard thud in the grass. “What you’re doing is good, Cami, I don’t deny the cats need you. But nothing is worth you getting hurt.” He picked his cell phone from a front pocket of a black t-shirt and began dialing. “I’m calling Tommy out here. If he thinks we need to shut this place down, then that’s what we’re going to do.”

“Screw that, Alex.” She stepped forward, hands in the air. “Where are the cats supposed to go if we did that? They’re not just rescue dogs, or guinea pigs. There is no other home for them.”

“I don’t know, Cami, but we sure aren’t –" He turned his back to her. “Hi, Sergeant Thomas Wilson please.”

She rolled her eyes. “Over my dead body.” Rushing at Alex, she grabbed the phone from his hands.

“Cami!”

Putting the phone up to an ear, her voice dripped of honey as she spoke. “Oh, hi Tommy. It’s Cami. Alex just overreacted a bit, everything is fine.”

“Cami, I’m at the precinct. I don’t have time …” His voice trailed off. “What happened?”

She glared at Alex, and he glared back.
An impasse
. “It was nothing, really. Just some dumb kid’s prank and Alex is getting all heated over it.”

“He wouldn’t be calling me if it was nothing, and you wouldn’t be trying to pacify me either. Do I need to come there?”

Crap again
. “No, you do not. Why doesn’t anyone think I can handle things? Good grief. You men think you have to rescue the damsel in distress. I’m not a damsel, and I’m certainly not in distress.”

“I’m on my way.”

The line went silent and she tossed the phone at Alex’s unprepared hands. “Great. Thanks. Just … thanks.”

He fumbled and finally caught the phone in his broad hands. “You don’t have to be pissed. I’m looking out for you. And I’m pretty pissed at you right now.”

“I don’t need you to look out for me. I didn’t hire you as my bodyguard. You’re here to help with the construction, the cats, take care of business. That’s it.”

He looked away, sliding the phone in the pocket. “Nice, Cami. Thank you for that. I guess I figured that out yesterday afternoon, but thank you for spelling it out. Now there won’t be any confusion in the future.”

Cami threw her hands up in the air. “What’s. That. Supposed. To. Mean.” Her voice climbed decimals, and ended with a chorus of roars from cats.

Alex smiled ruefully and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger. “Unbelievable. Just completely unbelievable.” The hand dropped to his side. “The kiss, Cami. That’s what I’m talking about. You kissing that stuffed shirt. Isn’t that how you referred to him when we saw at the courthouse when he was trying to shut you down? You can kiss him and get pissed at me?” He waved her off and turned to walk away.

“Don’t walk away from me.” She rushed to his side. “What are you doing? Spying on me?”

He didn’t look at her, the stride quickening. “Why in the world would I be spying on you? I never realized you were so conceited.”

“And I never realized you were such a jerk. If that’s how you feel, you don’t have to come back.”

Alex stopped and spun to face her. “What are you talking about?”

She shrugged. He didn’t intimidate her, any more than the brick did. “If you think I’m conceited, and so incredibly reckless, why be here?”

“You are unbelievable. All the years we’ve been friends, and you’re going to say something like that?”

“Yeah, I am. I never thought I’d have to fight you about all this,” she waved an arm in the direction of the tigers. “You. And really, a voyeur now? That’s a new hat for you, Alex. Maybe I don’t even know who you are.”

He snorted and looked up, scanning the yard, looking lost. When his eyes met hers again, darkness swallowed them, and a ping of pain flushed through her. Dismissing it, she crossed her arms, widened her stance.

“Cami, I-" He looked up for a moment before staring at her again. “I don’t even know what to say. You know better, and I know you’re pissed, but –" Alex dropped his eyes to his feet. “I’ll finish up with what I have to do today, go home. Maybe take tomorrow off. Give you a chance to cool off.”

She didn’t speak, lips pursed tight, arms tighter around her ribcage.

“Yeah, right. Later.”

He stormed off, shaking his head, and Cami relaxed, then hung her head low.

Why did I just do that? Alex of all people
.

The cruiser pulled up the driveway and she tensed again. “That’s why.” A low moan escaped her throat as she trudged to greet Tommy.

Sitting at the kitchen table, the brick bagged in plastic, Cami signed the statement as Tommy sat looking on. Scratching out the last letter in blue ink, she slid the paper back across the table.

“So where’s Alex?” he asked, shuffling the paperwork together and sliding it into the a folder. 

She shrugged, fingers tracing the strips of grain. 

“But he’s the one who called me.”

She looked up. “Yeah, so?”

He leaned into the chair, legs stretched to the side of the table. “You argued.”

She shrugged.

“Because he called me.”

“Look, Tommy, I’ve got this covered. It’s no big thing. He overreacted, and now I’m going to have police watching the sanctuary like guard dogs. It wasn’t needed.”

“He cares about you, Cami. What’s wrong with that?”

She dropped her head back with closed eyes. “Don’t you get started too, Tommy.”

“You can only push someone away so many times before they don’t come back, you know that, don’t you?”

She met him with a roll of her eyes. “How’d I get so lucky to have so many hopeless romantics around me? There’s nothing going on between Alex and I. Never has been.”

Tommy sighed, palm rubbing along the side of his face. “Okay, Cami. Hey, whatever you think. Either way, he was just trying to protect you, like he always does.” Redirecting attention to the paperwork, he asked, “Any idea who might have done something like this? Has anyone you haven’t known long been spending a lot of time here, or anyone who works here been acting strange that you’ve noticed?”

Cami shook her head slowly. “No, not really.”

“From the town hall meeting? Seen any of those faces around here?”

She paused, looked out the window. “Paul Schotter,” she said quietly. Turning to face Tommy, she asked, “He’s been asking me out on dates, taking tours of the sanctuary, things like that.”

Tommy looked up, eyes twinkling. “Could be worth talking to him. Do you think there’s a relationship starting there?”

“Between us?” She laughed and shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. He’s actually a nice guy, I think. He seems to be. But, he tried shutting me down and I’m always careful with him. Still, I don’t think he’s the violent type – I’d think he’d come after me with another petition or something legal.” She looked out the window again. “But I can’t be sure. I don’t know him that well.”

“I’ll talk to him. I know Paul, so it won’t be a problem. In the meantime, keep an eye open, be extra careful. I’ll have a patrol car drive by a couple times a day, but you know with the size of the property, a drive by isn’t going to do much.”

She nodded. It wasn’t going to do much, and it was unnecessary. Someone may want to scare her, but they wouldn’t succeed.

“And Cami, I shouldn’t have to tell you, but I’m thinking I do. If anything else happens, I want you to contact me, okay? We’ve got to keep everything that happens recorded. Okay?”

Cami rolled her eyes, “Yeah, okay, Tommy.”

“I’m serious, Cami. Don’t play around with this, understand?”

She nodded. “I get it. I’ll call you.”
Does he want it written in blood
?

“Please do.” He stood. “Next time we get together, let’s do it socially, okay? Maybe give Cilla a call and we can have you over for dinner sometime.”

“All right. Tell her I said hi, and give the little one a hug from me.”

“Will do.”

Alone in the country kitchen, she rapped her hands against the table, a soft growl sounding between her lips. Alex. Threats. Paul. The cats.

Crap.