The next day it was still foremost on his mind. She had appeared scared, uneasy, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with him, or worry about her reputation. When he’d arrived at her house he’d heard a noise inside. Later he’d realized she’d had a chair wedged against her door. Before she’d allowed him to enter, she had returned it to its place by the table. Why? What was she so afraid of? And why didn’t she want him to know? The more he thought about it the more certain he became that he had cause for alarm. Instead of working until dark as had become his custom, he quit early and headed for the house. “Tanner, is something wrong?” Matt asked when Tanner strode through the door. “I’m not sure. I think I need a second opinion.” Tanner removed his coat and hat and hung them on the rack, then he poured himself a cup of coffee. “Why don’t you and Mark gather round the table here and see what you think.” When they were settled on either side of the long wooden table, Tanner told them about the visit he’d made to Kate and her strange behavior.
