A Love to Treasure (Sunriver Dreams Book 1) by Kimberly Rose Johnson Page B

and faced him then leaned against the dresser. “Guess they needed your expertise on this case, huh? I don’t imagine the crimes in Sunriver compare to Portland.”
    He caught movement in his peripheral and turned. Spencer stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. Was his secret out?
    “Anything missing?” Spencer leaned in and scanned the room.
    “No.” She closed the closet doors. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”
    “Just doing our job,” Spencer said. He nodded his head toward the front door. “Let’s move out.” He strode outside, not waiting for Mark.
    Mark turned to Nicole. “Are you going to be okay? You don’t need to see a doctor for your head?”
    “I’m fine. My head is throbbing, but it’s nothing a pain killer won’t fix.”
    He studied her pupils and noted she still had no signs of concussion. “Okay then, guess I’d better go.” Although he didn’t budge. “Call me if you need anything.” He pulled a card from his wallet and wrote his cell number onto the back.
    She nodded and took the card. “I should find Connor before he thinks I abandoned him.”
    “Good idea.” He thanked God she was safe. Whether Spencer wanted his help or not, he was going to get it.
    She offered a wobbly smile. “I’m glad you were the cop that responded to my call.”
    His insides warmed. “Me too.” Her emerald green eyes shone with trust. He didn’t want to leave her here alone and hesitated. The fact that they were still inside when she entered suggested they weren’t finished. Was Nicole in danger? “Do you have any place else you could stay for a few days?”
    “Why?” Worry shot into her eyes.
    He pressed his lips together.
    “You think they’ll come back!”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “I’m outta here.” She pulled a suitcase from the closet and proceeded to toss her stuff into it.
    “Where will you go?”
    “They can find me another house for the summer, and if not I’ll demand my grandmother’s money back.”
    “What about Connor?”
    “I’ll call him. Hopefully he’ll understand.”
    “He’s a smart kid. I’m sure he’ll cut you some slack. I’ll get in touch with you later.” He wanted to stay, but Spencer was waiting. Mark turned at the door. “Lock the front door behind me.” She instantly followed him to the door. He waited until he heard the deadbolt turn and then walked to the cruiser.
    “Any time, Mark.” Spencer called out the car window while tapping his watch.
    “Sorry.” He got in and buckled up.
    Spencer stared out the windshield on the way back to the station. “Pretty lady.”
    Mark shot him a curious look. “I’ve noticed.”
    “You two seeing each other?”
    “I asked her out for dinner earlier this afternoon.” Mark wondered at the direction of the conversation. The man was clearly uptight about something, but he doubted it was his acquaintance with Nicole. “Is there a problem?”
    Spencer cast him a sideways glance. “It strikes me as odd that this house was occupied, when none of the other targets have been. You mentioned checking into renters. Maybe Nicole is our perp, and she staged this to throw us off.”
    “What? That’s nuts! I suppose she hit herself on the back of the head, too.” Clearly the man was eager to point the finger at someone.
    “Desperate people do desperate things. She had opportunity, and according to Miss Davis, none of her personal belongings were stolen. Seems suspicious. That’s all I’m saying.”
    Mark worked his jaw. No way Nicole did this. He knew it in his gut, and it was never wrong. “Nicole is the victim. She said herself the missing television would’ve taken two people to carry. She didn’t have anything worth stealing except her laptop, and I suspect they’d have taken that too if she hadn’t come home and surprised them.”
    “Maybe. Or maybe she had help.”
    “No. It doesn’t add up.”
    “Prove it.”
    “Prove you’re right.” Mark crossed his arms and stared through the