Consequential Heart by Freda Paula

Author:Freda, Paula
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: suspense, murder mystery, canada, contemporary, clean romance, montreal, novella, sequel, northeast, prequel, the sketchbook, driscoll saga
Publisher: Paula Freda

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The silence in the room amplified the sound of the door lock unlatching. Jim tensed. Adrenaline flowed into his arms and legs. He listened intently to make sure he had not imagined the sound. The doorknob turning slowly, as quietly as possible, alerted Jim that someone had used a key and was entering the cabin.

He placed his hand gently on JoAnn's lips and whispered into her ear, "JoAnn, dearest, don't make a sound."

As he expected, she started to say something as she woke to his warning. He pressed his hand against her lips, as gently as he dare to avoid frightening her and to keep her silent. "It's all right; it's me. Don't move, don't make a sound. Someone is entering through the front door."

He tried to hold her closer as he felt her stiffen at the news, her nerves tensing with alarm. "I'm going to release you slowly, and crawl around the coffee table so I can surprise him from the rear. Be ready to grab the rifle to protect yourself." Jim wished he had placed it nearer than at the side of the fireplace. To go for it now would divulge his position.

Slowly he removed his hand from her lips. JoAnn did not move, but he felt her trembling. "Be strong, sweetheart," he whispered. Their gazes met, and JoAnn eyed him curiously. Then her eyes widened as he whispered in a voice barely audible even at their close proximity. "I love you. Always have, just didn't realize it." Ever so gently, he placed a feathery kiss on her lips, then letting her go, crawled silently on all fours to the other side of the coffee table.

The front door opened and the moonlight above silhouetted the figure of a robust man in a zippered winter jacket. Jim noted with some relief that the man held no weapon in his hand, although that did not guarantee the intruder did not have a weapon on his person. Jim waited for the figure to inch slowly into the room, until there was enough space for him to assault the intruder from the back. He might not be as robust, but he was tall and muscular enough to grab the man by his neck and shoulders from behind and pin him for a moment while he shouted, "JoAnn, get the rifle! Don't shoot, just aim."

JoAnn hurled to her feet and grabbed the rifle and pointed it. It was heavy, but she managed to hold it in place, without placing her finger on the trigger, and risking it going off by accident. The truth was she had never fired a rifle. Wouldn't even know how to. Hopefully the intruder didn't know or guess, and the threat suffice.

A gruff voice hollered, "Yo! Hold it! It's me, Harkins."

Jim didn't let go immediately. He peered sideways at the man's neck and face. It was Harkins, the detective assigned to the case. He let go slowly, warily, the thought playing at the back of his mind that Harkins was not beyond suspicion.

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