Free Promises by Angela Verdenius Page A

think so, wouldn’t you?”  A small smile curved his mouth.  “Okay, Miss Independence, get ready to steer.  I’m going to push.”
    The man was crafty.  Because he pushed the wardrobe, all she had to do was steer it and that not much because he slid it to one side and simply had to slide it back again once he’d seen the wall had no holes.
    “I’m starting to think you’re cunning,” Izzy said.
    He laughed.
    It was a good laugh, low and warm, making her laugh in return.
    They went through the rest of the house without discovering how Arnie had escaped.
    “I don’t get it.”  Standing in the kitchen, her hands on her hips, Izzy blew a lock of hair out of her eyes.  “Arnie had to get out of here first to get into your house.  How did he do it?”
    “Do you sleep walk?”  Jason plugged in the kettle.
    “No.  And what’s that got to do with it?”  Izzy placed two mugs on the bench.
    Seemingly at home in her little kitchen, Jason grabbed the jar of tea bags and pulled two out, dropping them into the mugs.  “You could sleepwalk and unlock the door.”
    “You think I let my cat out in my sleep and then -what?  Relocked the door and went back to bed?”
    “Hey, I’m just saying.”
    “You’re saying wrong.”  She gestured with the sugar bowl.  When he shook his head, she placed it back in the pantry.  “Besides, Mikki is a light sleeper, she’d have heard me.”
    “Ah, Mikki.”  Jason didn’t bat an eyelid when Arnie jumped up onto the bench and sat down.  “Your ghost believer.”
    Arnie reached out a paw to grab the tag from the tea bag in the nearest mug and Jason calmly tapped his paw with one finger.  Arnie grabbed his finger and Jason scratched behind his ears, making the cat go almost limp with pleasure, his purr filling the room.
    “Mikki’s a nice girl.” Pouring milk into her mug, Izzy jiggled the tea bag and handed the bottle to Jason.
    “Who believes in ghosts and picks locks.”
    “Two very endearing qualities if you really know her.”
    Jason poured hot water into the mugs.  “I’ll take your word for it.”
    “She only picks locks in dire circumstances.”
    “Last night was a dire circumstance?”
    “For me and Arnie, yes.”
    Lifting up the mug to his mouth, Jason watched her over the rim as he blew gently on the steaming liquid.  “Why?”
    “Seriously?”
    He nodded.
    “Jason, I don’t really know you.  My cat had somehow escaped my house, broken into yours, and I had no idea if you’d hurt him or something.” Izzy was nothing if not honest.  “My main concern was getting him out before you discovered him.”
    His eyebrows rose.  “You thought I’d hurt him?”
    “Well…yeah.”  She shrugged.  “Sorry.”
    “Huh.”  He continued to blow thoughtfully on the steaming liquid.
    Izzy ventured a smile.  “But now I know you’re okay.”
    “You do?”
    “Sure.  You’re in my kitchen, drinking my tea and letting Arnie play with your finger.”
    Jason glanced down to where Arnie was batting and pulling at his finger, which Jason obligingly wiggled.  Then slowly his gaze rose to mesh with hers.  “But you don’t really know me, do you?”
    Okay, that was true, she didn’t really know him.  Not well.  Hadn’t met him until a couple of days ago, and both encounters hadn’t been sterling.  “You’re related to Luke.”
    “Cousin.”
    “Luke’s an okay bloke.”
    “Yep.”
    “And he visits you.”
    “Yep.”
    “And Luke hasn’t warned me not to go near you.”  Izzy grinned.  “I take that as you’re not going to hurt me.”
    Jason went still.  His gaze continued to be locked onto her, seeming to see something of which Izzy had not a clue.  The silence stretched for a full ten seconds.
    She was just starting to wonder if she’d made a big mistake when he stated quietly, “I would never hurt you, Izzy.  You have my word on that.”
     

Chapter 3
     
    The woman had no idea what it meant for Jason to say it.
    She