Page 56 of No Bed Of Roses
Stan laughed and reached over to punch Levi lightly on the shoulder. “She’s a keeper. Don’t screw it up.”
Isla’s eyes widened, but Levi laughed. “She is, and I don’t plan to.”
While the others checked over the car and cabin for evidence, he moved toward the water with Isla and Stan. Thousands of feet had created a small path over the years. They walked slowly, checking for anything Pringle might have dropped or for any evidence he was still in the area.
When the trees thinned, Levi motioned the others to stay put and moved forward on his own. There were drag marks along the water’s edge. Someone had put a boat into the water since the last heavy rain, and he’d left behind a few bootprints. The soles were smooth, and he wondered if they were from shoes, not boots.
Levi pulled out his phone and took pictures from several angles. They wouldn’t help find Pringle, but they’d help prove that he’d been here with a boat once they had him. He wondered if Pringle could feel the escape routes disappearing around him.
When he got back to Isla and Stan, he showed them the pictures. “I think they look more like shoes than boots, but Marcus might be able to tell more. Do you know if Pringle does any hiking or camping?”
That earned him a smile. “I don’t know him well at all, but I doubt it. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who goes camping.”
Stan hooted. “What kind of life have you led, Isla? Camping is one of life’s pleasures.”
Isla raised an eyebrow. “I like my indoor plumbing, thanks.”
Levi laughed. “We’ll have to try it sometime. I bet I can change your mind.”
She shook her head but smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tent in real life. I’ll stick to my cottage.”
He grinned at her, pretty confident he could change her mind. Starry nights, bright campfire, cozy sleeping bag. Yeah, he would definitely have her enjoying camping before the summer was over. As they walked back to the clearing, he slung his arm over her shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Campfire, S’Mores, fireflies, and a sleeping bag big enough for two. I think I can talk you into it.”
She grinned. “You’re going to have to be creative to get me to agree.”
He squeezed her into his side, grateful for the light-hearted topic. “I can handle that.”
They just had to catch the asshole first.
CHAPTER 19
Stop And Smell The Roses
Isla knew the men didn’t truly relax until she was inside the farmhouse. Their finely honed protector instincts worried until she was in a safe space.
It might be a little over the top, but as someone who’d rarely had anyone at her back, it was also overwhelming in the very best of ways.
They took up seats around the kitchen table to discuss the next steps as Branna came in from working at the saloon. The light of the day was fading, so Sean flipped on the light and closed the curtains against prying eyes. Hopper and Jabba snoozed at their feet.
They’d searched the area around Stan’s property and along the edges of the creek but had found no further evidence or any indication of where Ed was hiding.
Marcus leaned forward. “It’s too late to start a search tonight, but I’d like to call in the Midnight Lake team and do that tomorrow. The more trained people we have looking, the better. There’s no reason to believe Pringle is comfortable in the bush, although it’s a possibility. The odds are better that he’s going to hide in someone’s barn or shed. I’m going to send out a text telling people to stay inside their homes tonight and to not check on their outbuildings until morning. Pringle has a gun, and he’s likely feeling trapped. He might shoot as soon as someone opens a door.”
Isla shuddered and wasn’t surprised when Levi’s arm came around her. “I think he’s probably scared. That might make him do things he wouldn’t normally do. He’s more weasel than bobcat.”
All the men chuckled at her description.
Marcus smiled. “Even weasels can be deadly if they’re feeling trapped. Tomorrow is early enough to start looking.”
Levi ran his thumb absently over her shoulder. “We’ll stay here tonight rather than at the cottage. Safety in numbers. And we’ll keep an eye on the sensors over there.”
She turned to him. “Do you think he might try to harm the property? Vandalize it, or burn it down?”
Levi shrugged. “Maybe. He probably thinks he’s pretty smart, but nothing he’s tried has worked as planned. He might throw a hissy fit and do something stupid.”
“If he was the one who cut the ladder, he knows a way into the barn.”
Marcus spoke again. “He’s got an alibi for that time, and we still don’t know if that was connected. Pringle was back in Texas, drinking at a bar every day and complaining about losing his job. The cameras Sam installed are active. If he tries to hide in the barn for the night, we’ll know about it.”