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"There--at the back of the house, near the bedroo in that direction

Wrapping the housecoat more securely about her, she returned to the house As she waited, she paced the living room When she heard a loud knock at her front door, she rushed to answer it--and found Troy Davis standing there, looking grim and hard-faced

"Are you hurt?" he deht to be What an irrational, irresponsible thing she’d done in calling hih to explain why she’d behaved so illogically

"Wait here," he said and left her

Faith lowered herself into her favorite rocker She sat there for longwhat to think or why soeted her

That was obviously the case She’d done her best to ignore the fact, pretend this couldn’t be happening Nohoever this person was, he’d coressive After the initial break-in, he--or she--had spray painted her garage Now--

"There’s clear evidence of someone outside your bedrooh the front door "Deputy Walker saw footprints in the snow" His tone was almost…accusatory

Faith looked up at him and blinked, bewildered

Troy’s nod was curt and professional as he prepared to leave

But Faith sensed his hesitation

"Did you lock the dead bolts before you went to bed?" he asked

She confirmed that she had "I also purchased a pair of old work boots froest size I could find--fourteen Then I added a huge dog dish and a bone, so it would look as if I have a dog" She figured that since she was pretending she had a dog, she hter had found her antics aet a real security system?" he snapped

That she hadn’t done This was a rental house and she had a six-month lease She hoped to buy a home within the next few months It seemed a waste of time and money to invest in a security systeer And she didn’t feel an alarm system was the landlord’s responsibility

"No," she admitted

"Then I recoain

Frightened, she didn’t want to be alone, but she didn’t kno to stop hiry?" she cried out

Troy’s back was to her He held himself stiff, and then she saw his shoulders deflate as he faced her He didn’t see of ize, I really do" She didn’t reestion It had stayed there, in her ht on a piece of fabric In her weakened state she’d done what she’d wanted to all along and now regretted it

Still Troy didn’t speak, didn’t ive even a hint that he’d heard her

"I realize I shouldn’t have…"

He accepted her ansith a curt nod "You’ve made it plain you don’t wanther even more "Yes, I know I--"

"Then hen you felt you were in danger, did you reach out to me?"

He was obviously determined to make this difficult She told him the truth, since she couldn’t come up with any other explanation "I feel safe with you"

He glared across the roo while he loomed over her, even if he was on the other side of the room Faith stood abruptly She hated to let him see how upset she was by this latest disturbance

"I need so back to bed now "Would you like soer to affect her

"No"

It didn’t sound as if he meant that, so she proceeded into the kitchen, immeasurably pleased when he came, too, a few paces behind her

"I have the names of a couple of coan pass them on to you"

Faith continued to prepare the coffee "I’d appreciate that Thank you, Troy"

He seee to stop hih she didn’t want to be alone No, it was more than that She wanted Troy with her She needed him

"I saw the TV report about the cave and the skeleton on that Seattle station," she said conversationally "I hear everyone in the area’s talking about it I hope all this media attention hasn’t caused your office any problems" The reporter had started all kinds of speculation, and as a result Kitsap County seemed to be alive with rumors, some of them pretty ridiculous

Troy didn’t answer, but he didn’t walk away, either

She glanced over at hi for a response

"Mayor Benson isn’t happy about it," he finally said "Neither am I"

"It puts a lot of pressure on you and your staff, doesn’t it?" She brought ato the kitchen table and set it dohile the coffee filtered into the pot "Is that the reason you’re so cranky?"

Again he didn’t answer

"Or does it have to do with Will Jefferson?"

Troy’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak

"You did see us, didn’t you?" she said

Once more he declined to respond, but she went on as if he had