Right now Adam and Quinn were in a deep discussion with the tall, lean man in a black coat over slacks and a white dress shirt that they’d introduced as Detective Dunbar, from the sheriff’s office. He was clearly well-known to them, and Hayley had pronounced him as one of the good guys, the best in fact. Amanda believed it. He’d been amazingly kind as he gently led her through it again, so he could hear firsthand. And hadn’t made her feel at all guilty for going outside, which was good because she was doing a fine job of that herself.

“I just couldn’t believe someone was really after me,” she had admitted.

“That’s a normal reaction,” the detective had assured her. “But now you know.”

She barely managed to suppress a shudder. “Lucky me.”

He’d said then, with quiet confidence, “You’ve got the best on your side, Amanda. Let them do what they do and it will all work out.”

It was much later—or at least it seemed so to her—that things finally calmed down. Hayley and Quinn had their heads together over near the kitchen, and Adam stood beside the couch she was lying on, staring out her front window. It played through her mind again, the way he’d never hesitated to chase that man. And nearly caught him, probably would have if that car hadn’t been there waiting.

“What were you doing out there?” she asked, almost without thinking, because her brain felt so scrambled.

Adam turned to look at her, his brow furrowed. “What?”

“You were out there in the trees.”

“Yeah. There’s a good spot there, up the hill a little, where I can see the house, front and back.” He frowned. “Obviously it’s too far away, though. Although I didn’t expect you to come outside.”

It was her turn to frown. “I took Cutter out. I saw him stop at your truck and then track you.”

“He’s usually on his own when he comes to visit up there.”

It finally registered on her weary brain. “You mean you have been up there...what, every night?”

“Like I said, it’s a good spot.”

“But it’s nearly freezing out at night.”

He merely shrugged.

“Adam—”

“You should try to rest. The crash is going to be ugly enough without you pushing so hard.”

“I will—when you tell me why you’ve been up there, out in the cold.”

He looked genuinely puzzled now. “I told you, to watch the house. But I need a new spot. It’s close enough to the back, but not the front.” Cutter had padded over to them, and nudged Adam’s hand. He stroked the dog gently. “You still almost had him, didn’t you, boy?” he said approvingly.

Amanda took a deep breath and tried again. “You’re watching the house because of me, right?”