The Stone Family Heart - Taylor Hart Page 0,13

around. “Which way, then?”

Kensi turned to Tim. “Which room do you think?”

“For Mr. Banks,” Tim said, making it a point to call him by his formal name. “The one down by the laundry room.” Tim grabbed her hand and tugged her with him down the stairs. “Let’s show him together.”

They all walked down the hallway and got to the living room. It was actually comforting to have Tim’s hand in hers, but she didn’t have time to analyze that.

“Hold up, Kensi. Come here for a sec.” He moved to the office. “Mr. Banks, I need a word with Kensi. Please stay right here. Don’t wander, please.”

“What am I, a cow that needs to be herded?”

Kensi paused, glaring at the man. If the man was here to treasure hunt, she wouldn’t put it past him to wander. Tim was making the right call in asking him to stay put. “We’ll be right back,” she said to him as if she were threatening to put him in jail.

“Sure, but …”

They moved back. Tim faced the kitchen, clearly not wanting to talk where Ryan could hear. “I just got a text from Lucy. Something about Tatum’s cat. I need to go help them.”

“Now?”

He nodded. “Look, I’ll stay in the room next to your father’s office. I don’t trust that man, but I do trust you. I have to go.”

He turned to the door, then looked at his phone. “I’ll be bringing them back with me, if that’s okay with you. You might prep other rooms.”

“Of course.” Her mind spun. She felt like a little kid who didn’t want her parents to leave her.

Tim pointed to the desk. “There’s a gun in the second drawer. The code to unlock it is 411.”

A gun. This had just gotten real. Her heart hammered as she watched him walk away.

“Be careful.” That was the last thing he said before he stepped through the door.

“Where are you going?” she heard Mr. Banks ask.

“I’ll only be gone for a bit. No funny business,” Tim said in a threatening tone.

Mr. Banks was shaking his head. “What is wrong with that man?”

Should she go get the gun? Her brothers, when they got together and they weren’t fighting, often talked about different times they’d been on missions and they had to listen to their inner voices. Her father had spoken of that voice a lot. Her mother had always said to pray to God when she needed help.

Lord, help me.

“Well, are you going to show me to the room or not?” Mr. Banks asked.

“Yes,” she said. Deciding to forego the gun, she moved past him. “This way.” Luckily, the lights on the floor kept the hallway lit.

“I don’t like storms,” Mr. Banks said. “That’s part of the reason I moved to California.”

“I don’t know who does,” she said, making her way to the room by the laundry room. “This is the fisherman’s room.” She opened the door and flipped the switch. To her relief, the lights came on.

Mr. Banks bumped into her as he entered the room. “Sorry,” he said, but he looked her up and down.

Dang it. She was still wearing her swimsuit. At least she had wrapped the blanket around her, so she had a little cover. “There’s a bathroom attached and towels.”

“I’m hungry,” he said. The look in his eyes told her that he wasn’t talking about food.

“I’ll cook something up. Tim says we’ll have a houseful.” The thought of her friends coming back here actually made her feel better. Hopefully the wind would die down and they’d get back here safely.

Lord, help Tim and Lucy and Matt and Tatum.

Mr. Banks dropped his bag and moved close. Too close. “But they’re not here right now.” He reached out and put a hand on her bottom.

Kensi didn’t even think about it. On a reflex, her knee flew up and hit the guy hard in the groin.

“Ahh!” He backed up, reaching for his crotch. “Why’d you do that?”

Now she wasn’t afraid; she was pissed. “You’d best stay in your room tonight, Mr. Banks. Or you’ll find yourself with a gun pointed at your head.” She yanked the door closed.

This was not the break from city life that she’d had in mind at all.

Chapter 4

Tim drove through the maniacal storm. As the sheriff and a lifetime resident of South Port, this town was his responsibility. “Darla,” he called out as he drove, his phone on speaker. “What exactly did Lucy say?”

“She said there was a pack of creeps roaming through downtown. I