Seeking Dangerous Treasure

Chapter 4

Two days later, Kelsey's grandmother's home—correction, Kelsey's home—was no longer a crime scene, and most everything had been put back. Pictures—of her parents before they'd died in a car accident, her grandfather with that old car that always backfired when he got home—were rehung on the walls. Hayden had loved that car when he was a kid. Someone had violated this home that was filled with love for so long.

The destruction coupled with her attack that afternoon prompted the sheriff to send techs from the crime lab to gather fingerprint and any other evidence at the house.

Hayden stood in Kelsey's kitchen along with his grandmother Elsa. She'd brought over a taco casserole and a homemade lemon meringue pie. Kelsey's warm smile and hug for his grandmother stirred Hayden. He was off duty today and decided to spend his day close. Kelsey seemed to be recovering quickly, and, though wariness lingered in her gaze, her smile was brighter than he'd seen since the attack on the trail.

"Please, sit and eat. I can't eat this casserole all by myself—" Kelsey glanced at the pregnant black lab that looked up at her with doleful brown eyes "—and I don't think this would be good for you, Chickory. You and those puppies." Kelsey glanced up at him and crossed her eyes then sent him a teasing glare.

He chuckled. "Don't look at me. My grandmother has cats."

"Well, if I'm staying to eat, then so are you, Hayden." Elsa pulled out a chair for Kelsey. "You sit. Hayden and I will serve. He'll do the dishes when we're done."

"Gee, thanks." But he would have done the task without asking.

A little while later, Kelsey finished the last bite of pie. He was glad to see her eat such a full meal. She handed the last piece of pie crust to Chickory. A look of mischief on her face, she laughed when she caught him watching. "Ivy had already picked out names for every one of the pups. She was hoping for eight but expected six. Sage, Basil, Oregano, Chervil, Chives, Bay. Now tell me what she was going to do with all those dogs."

He enjoyed the sound of his grandmother and Kelsey laughing. They all needed this moment. Then his grandmother cleared her throat. "The dog is one thing, but I'm concerned about you staying here, Kelsey. What did someone think they would find in Ivy's home?"

His grandmother was right. They needed to talk about the danger and figure out who had both attacked her on the trail and ransacked her home, but he'd wanted a few more minutes of pretending that everything was all right. This almost seemed like old times. Them sitting at the kitchen table together—either at his grandmother's or here at her grandmother's home—eating cake or cookies. He'd had a crush on Kelsey forever, but she'd never noticed him. At least, she hadn't looked at him as boyfriend material. But that was long ago, and he pushed those childish thoughts aside and tamped down that old longing that Kelsey would notice him. This wasn't the time or place.

Her safety was far more important. "Any ideas on who's behind this?"

She shook her head. "I would have told you. There is something that I could use your help with."

She pushed from the table and led them out beyond the herb garden and into the woods. "I'd like to expand Ivy's herb garden."

Hayden was glad to hear that she intended to stay, but he couldn't be completely happy about it until they knew her attacker had been caught. He just hoped nothing more would happen and the one attack, her home vandalized, would be the end of it.

Kelsey stopped at a hole in the ground. "Since you used to rehab animals, Elsa, I'm wondering what I can do to trap an animal that's digging out here. I don't want to hurt it, but neither do I want it digging in my garden. There's no point in me planting more herbs until I catch it."

"Oh, honey." Elsa glanced at Hayden. "That's no animal."

Hayden crouched to get a closer look at the hole. "Only a two-legged animal uses a shovel."

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please remember to vote

So.. we seem to be getting a clue as to who/what has been digging at her backyard

what animal is two legged??