Showing Cover of Night by Linda Howard

Cate Nightingale owns and operates a struggling guest house in a small community; occasionally enlisting the help of Cal Harris, the shy, enigmatic local handyman. To Cate's shock, Cal proves much bolder than expected when a trio of thugs invades her home, demanding the possessions of a guest who vanished some days before. Though Cal manages to run off the intruders, the men soon regroup and shut down phone access in the village, holding its citizens hostage. In a desperate bid for survival, Cate and Cal strike out on their own, determined to solicit help from a neighbouring town. But as Cate witnesses Cal's astonishing evolution from reticent carpenter to fearless protector, she begins to wonder if there is more to Cal than meets the eye...