Erotic Deception by Karen Cote' Page B

the other side.
    Her perpetual motion sent them both careening into the side of the front stoop archway, narrowly avoiding toppling them over the side. The sheriff cursed, but Lily didn’t care as she clung to his big hard body. He held her for a moment and then pushed her to arm’s length.
    “Lily,” he demanded in a rough voice. “What happened? Are you hurt? You said someone broke in. Were you attacked?”
    She shook her head. “H-he was by the window.”
    Jet moved her aside and entered the house. She followed on trembling legs.
    “Which window?” he asked and pointed at the bay window. “This one?”
    “No, downstairs in the basement.”
    “He was in your basement?” he asked, but she shook her head again.
    “No, I was in the basement.”
    His face took on an exasperated look and Lily gathered herself together.
    “He broke into a room on the other side of the basement.”
    “Which way to the basement?” he asked, already moving.
    She gestured and he strode away while she collapsed against the wall. Soon after, the French doors off the sitting room opened.
    Lily ticked off the minutes before he called out to her. On knees still weak, she went to where he was standing on the deck by the French doors.
    “Come on, I want to show you something.”
    Warily she hesitated.
    “It’s alright, whoever it was is gone,” he reassured.
    With lips trembling, she followed him out the door. He led her down the stairs and to the yard below, but he didn’t stop there. She frowned as he continued underneath the patio deck to an opened door hidden from view.
    “Did you know this room was here?” He queried.
    She shook her head, advancing to the small room behind it. It was barely over six feet in height, forcing Jet to angle his head as he entered. Lily, not hampered by height restriction, followed into a small compact space made up of concrete walls. The only concession to the concrete was a small narrow window angling three feet from the floor. It was as she bent down to peer through it that she saw the dim light in the basement only barely visible.
    She turned to him with puzzled eyes.
    “Was he trying to break through this tiny window to the basement?”
    The improbability was evident and the sheriff let the silence speak its own answer.
    He motioned to her and they both stepped out of the cramped room. The sheriff’s presence and bright sunshine made what had seemed a threat before much less scary now. The idea it had been Anthony also appeared implausible. Not his style. Then she remembered the flashlight incident and brought it up.
    “Maybe it’s the same person,” she offered.
    He didn’t respond as he checked around the outside of the house, stopping on occasion to inspect the ground where the grass had worn. He went deeper into the backyard before coming back.
    “The ground is too hard to give up any tracks.”
    Silence stretched for a moment before Jet suggested they get out of the heat. They returned to the kitchen and he leaned against the counter, folding his arms.
    “You know Lily, that door doesn’t latch. It’s possible an animal got in and that’s what you saw.”
    “An animal wasn’t holding the flashlight the other night. Besides, I know what human legs look like.”
    “Are you sure?” Jet was skeptical. “The basement window is burlap glass. It would be difficult to distinguish any shapes through it.”
    “I don’t need a See-N-Say to tell an animal from a human.” Her tone sounded waspish even to her own ears.
    “I didn’t say you did. However,” he began and then broke off.
    “However, what?” she prompted, but his expression made her suspicious.
    He hesitated and then shrugged. “You’ve been through a lot this past week. It’s understandable anyone in your position could make that mistake.”
    “My position?” Lily’s eyes narrowed “What position is that, Sheriff?”
    His look of discomfort intensified her irritation.
    “That I’m imagining things? That I’m