“Josiah, that’s not funny.”
“It’s not a joke. The word bitch is scrawled in big letters and there’s a dead squirrel out there. Another dead squirrel.”
“Where are you now?”
“Inside.”
“You should have stayed outside. The perpetrator could be there.”
“Doors were still locked. I don’t think he got in.” He glanced at Max. “The dog would have noticed, right? If someone had been here?”
“Yeah, he would have chased the scent of someone he didn’t recognize.”
“You still shouldn’t have gone in, but since you did, stay where you are,” Garrett said. “I’ll be there in a minute. Which house is it?”
“Next to the new one.”
“Got it. On my way.”
He ended the call and slipped his phone back in his pocket. “Are you okay?”
I took a deep breath and kept petting Max. “Yes? No? Maybe? I don’t know, I’m kind of freaking out. But also not, mostly because you’re here.”
His expression softened and he came over to sit next to me. “You’re safe with me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Some of the tension in my body melted. I believed him.
“Do you think this means the other squirrel was on purpose?” I asked.
“Yes.”
As if he could read my mind and knew I needed his touch, he clasped my hand. His were warm and strong.
I was so glad he was there.
“I don’t understand why someone would do this. I don’t have any enemies. I know you’re thinking Colin, and maybe you’re right, but why would he do this now? Our relationship ended so long ago and he’s been married for years.”
“Yeah but you didn’t live here. Now you’re back.”
“But I’m not even in his town. He can still strut around and be the biggest fish in the tiniest pond in Pinecrest and I’m not there to bother him.”
“It doesn’t make sense to me either.”
“I guess it wouldn’t. We’re talking about someone who’s willing to murder poor defenseless animals.”
“You’re worried about the squirrels in all this?”
“Of course I am. They didn’t do anything to deserve being a pawn in some madman’s horrible game. What did they ever do to anyone?”
“They’re Tilikum squirrels, so they’re probably thieves.”
“But even that doesn’t mean they deserved to die. Theft isn’t a capital crime.”
He squeezed my hand. “You’re right. They didn’t deserve to die.”
I wasn’t sure if he was saying that to keep me calm or if he meant it, but it probably didn’t matter. I did feel terrible for the poor squirrels, but thinking about them was mostly a distraction from the fact that someone had vandalized my house.
A car pulled up in the driveway. I waited on the couch while Josiah checked to make sure it was Garrett. It was, so we left Max in the house—thank goodness all the swimming and hiking had tired him out so much—and went back to the crime scene.
My house as a crime scene? This couldn’t be happening.
Garrett Haven was a tall guy with arms that gave his deputy uniform a workout. He had dark blond hair and stubble rather than a full beard like Josiah. He paused a few feet from the door and looked up and down.
“What the fuck?” he muttered.
“Exactly.” Josiah gestured to the poor little squirrel. “That’s about where they left the other one.”
Garrett crouched to inspect the squirrel. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and turned it over. “This isn’t roadkill.”
Josiah pointed at the door. “You think?”
“I just mean someone could have found a dead animal and used it. But this was a precision kill.”
“Is Colin a hunter?” Josiah asked.
“I don’t think so. He didn’t used to be at least.”
“Colin is the ex?” Garrett asked.
I nodded.
Garrett stood and turned his attention back to the door. “Not very subtle, is it? Have there been any other incidents? Times you might have been followed or noticed something strange or out of place here at home?”
“Not really.” I paused, wondering if I should even mention the weird feeling I got at the Mountain Man festival. “There’s nothing I can point to with any certainty, at least.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just that when I was at the festival earlier today, there were a few times when I felt like maybe someone was watching or following me. I know that doesn’t give you anything to go on. I thought I might have seen Colin, but I didn’t get a good look.”