CHAPTER TWENTY

Sam felt something rough, warm, and wet against his cheek. He groaned. There was a splitting pain in his head. His eyes fluttered open and he realized he was staring up at Ruth. She barked, making him wince.

He pulled himself to sitting.

“Okay, girl,” he said to the husky, who was licking his face all over. “I’m awake.”

He pushed her down and looked around. He was alarmed to find himself in Caitlin’s dark kitchen, on the floor.

Memories came back to him in fragments…. There had been a girl, worried about Scarlet. But what had happened next? He couldn’t quite remember. He must have fallen or blacked out or something.

The pain in Sam’s head was unbearable. He finally got to his feet and poured himself a glass of water. Ruth fussed round his legs, almost tripping him over.

“Will you give it a rest?” he said to the dog.

He patted her thick fur and took a deep sip from the glass. Then his memory flooded back to him, so quickly and with such clarity he dropped the glass. It smashed in