The window where they’d been sitting only a few hours before, enjoying tea and making plans for the future.
“No one breached the building. Stay here while I check it out.”
“Not a chance in hell.” This was her home, and she wasn’t going to hide while he investigated.
In the dim light, Sam glowered at her, but sighed and turned to the door.
The floor was cold, but Tansy didn’t waste time looking for her moccasins. Sam moved quickly and silently down the stairs and she followed his pattern. He’d obviously mapped out the creaking stairs in his head and knew where to step. She’d have to memorize the pattern, too.
At the bottom of the stairs, he motioned her to stay behind him.
They passed the front door that was locked up tight. The alarm keypad blinked green.
He moved forward again, not turning off the alarm. No other sounds reached her ears.
At the opening to the main room, Sam stopped and flattened himself against the wall.
Tansy hadn’t been nervous before. His app said there hadn’t been an intrusion, and she believed it.
Now her heart thudded. He was about to stick his head around the wall for a visual and put himself at risk. If someone was waiting, he’d be vulnerable.
Tansy barely stopped herself from grabbing him. Not only would she distract him, but she would only delay the inevitable. Sam would check out the room. And the rest of the lodge.
He was brave, but not reckless. He was trained and smart. She would trust him.
But she would still be scared.
He peeked around the wall and then stepped into the room, cautious but not tense.
Tansy followed.
They stayed close to the wall and away from the windows. No sense in providing a target if someone was looking.
Tansy kept her body poised and ready for action, but Sam’s worry level hadn’t escalated.
Instead of looking out the window, Sam moved back and pointed at the kitchen. They moved there, and he edged to the side of her hydroponic garden and looked out from there.
After that, he did the same from the windows in all the other rooms.
He brought her back to the hallway and opened the closet in the hallway. Stepping inside and shielding his actions with his body, he opened his phone.
She wasn’t tall enough to peek over his shoulder, so she leaned into his side to watch.
He opened the feeds for all the cameras and brought each one up. No people. Sam tapped another few buttons and silenced the alarm.
Keeping his voice low, he finally spoke. “I’m going to rewind the camera from the deck, see what caused the breach. With so much cover out there, a person could be nearby waiting to see what we’ll do. Or he could be testing to see if anyone is here.”
“Or it could be a bear looking for snacks.”
He huffed out a small laugh. “Doubtful.” It didn’t take long to prove he was right.
A hooded human crept up on the deck and looked in the windows before lifting some kind of tool.
When the alarm sounded, the figure fled through the woods. Sam checked the various angles, but there were no more signs of the intruder.
Chills ran through Tansy at the sight. Someone had tried to invade her home.
They were miles and miles from anyone else. This wasn’t an easy target for a smash and grab.