by Lena Gregory
Even though the daytime temperatures still felt like summer, it could get a little nippy at night. Either that, or she just had a permanent chill she couldn’t seem to shake. She pulled on her light jacket and slung her bag over her shoulder, then started toward the door. “It seems nice.”
He ran ahead of her and held it open.
“Thank you.” After he let the door fall shut, she locked it and dropped the keys in her bag, then stuck her hands in her jacket pockets so Trevor wouldn’t get any ideas about holding hands while they walked.
He untied a gorgeous, full-grown German shepherd from the bike rack. “This is Brandy.”
She petted the big dog’s head. “Hello, Brandy. It’s nice to meet you.”
Brandy barked once.
Trevor kept a loose hold on the leash as they walked, but Brandy remained right at his side regardless.
“She’s so well behaved. Did you take her for training classes or train her yourself?”
He kept Brandy on the far side of him and walked close to Gia, but he made no attempt to hold hands or put an arm around her. “I took her to classes. I can give you the trainer’s business card if you’re interested.”
She started to relax a little. “Sure, that’d be great. I want to make sure Thor gets trained well.”
“I agree. It’s so important, especially with big dogs. You don’t want them to hurt someone by accident because they jump up or anything.”
She inhaled deeply. He was right about it being a beautiful night. The sun had just begun to sink behind the horizon, painting the sky in bold colors. “How old is Brandy?”
“She’ll be six next month.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, not the awkward silence that could often lay between strangers but the kind of comfortable silence that often fell between friends. It seemed a lot of people had decided to take advantage of the clear, warm night. Couples strolled hand in hand, children skipped and ran beside their parents, and young mothers pushed strollers along the sidewalk. It was the first time Gia had walked through town, and she found she was enjoying herself.
“Do you live around here?” Trevor asked.
“Out in Rolling Pines.”
“It’s gorgeous out there. I take my ATV four-wheelin’ through the trails sometimes on the weekends. Maybe you’ll join me one of these days.”
“Maybe.” She needed to get through one night before she committed to anything else, and she didn’t want to give him the wrong impression.
“Just don’t let the skunk ape stories scare you too much.” He laughed.
“Skunk ape?” What in the world was he talking about? Were there some kind of apes running around the forest with the bears?
“You know, skunk ape. The Florida version of Big Foot.”
She stopped walking and stared at him.
“Don’t worry,” he backpedaled. “I doubt the stories are even true.”
“Stories?”
“You know, the ones where people swear they ran into the skunk ape out on the roads at the edge of the forest, late at night. Alone. They always seem to be alone. Makes you wonder, right?”
“Uh…”
“Anyway, there’s no such creatures running around in Rolling Pines. Probably. But according to local legend, you’ll know if they’re near because of the awful stench. So I guess, if you smell something horrible, you should…probably…uh… I should probably stop talking now, huh?”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s okay. I’m scared enough walking to and from my car every day looking for bears and snakes and whatever else might be lurking nearby. I can’t imagine skunk ape will make it too high on my list of phobias.”
Easy to say while walking down the middle of a crowded sidewalk in a well-lit area, surrounded by open stores and shops. When she drove home later, and the dark forest threatened to swallow her whole, she had a feeling the stories would seem a whole lot more plausible.
They reached the doggie day care center, and she left Trevor and Brandy sitting on a bench out front and picked up Thor. After introductions were made, they headed toward the park. Trevor entertained her with stories of local traditions. She was looking forward to some of the art and craft fairs. Savannah talked about them all the time, but Gia had never been in Florida at the right time to visit one.
“So, tell me a little about New York. I’ve never been there, not much of a traveler really. Is it very different from here?”
She’d thought a lot about the differences lately. About what she liked better in Florida, like the weather, and what she didn’t, like the critters. “There’s huge skyscrapers, so high that if you look up, it feels like they’re falling over on you.”
“Oh. I don’t think I’d like that.”
“It’s not so bad. If you go up to the top of the Empire State Building on a clear day, it feels like you can see the whole city.”
Trevor pressed a hand against his chest. “I’m not much for heights. Honestly, the thought of standing on top of a building that tall makes me queasy.”
Gia wasn’t surprised. He didn’t strike her as the adventurous type, more the type to settle down and snuggle on the couch with after a long day. Yikes. Where had that thought come from? “It’s beautiful in its way, especially at night, when millions of lights dot the city. But not like here. The forest where I live is so gorgeous, almost…I don’t know…primitive. Untouched. It’s weird for me.”
“Do you miss it? New York, I mean?”
“Sometimes.” More than she’d like to admit, even to herself. “And sometimes not.”
“I don’t think I’d like starting over somewhere new. Some people enjoy new experiences. I’m more of a creature of habit. I admire your courage. It can’t be easy to give up everything in search of a new life.”
Yeah. Except, she wasn’t brave. Not really, because in the end, she wasn’t really running toward something as much as she was running away from something. That needed to change. She needed to gain control of her life if she was going to succeed. “You know what?”
“What?”
“I’m really enjoying myself. Thank you.”
His cheeks flared red. “You’re very welcome.”
They walked together with the two dogs trotting happily beside them. Brandy seemed to be a good influence on Thor, and he walked at her side without pulling on the leash or trying to escape.
Trevor led her to a small clearing where several food trucks had set up. “What do you feel like eating?”
After the lunch she’d eaten, she wasn’t particularly hungry, but she’d have a little something so as not to disappoint him. “What’s good?”
“The tacos are amazing.”
“Tacos it is then.”
He gestured to a round picnic table in a small gazebo. “Why don’t you grab that table, and I’ll get the food? We’re lucky we got here early. Half an hour from now, there won’t be a table free.”
“Sure. Why don’t you leave Brandy with me, so you can carry the food?”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
He walked Brandy to the gazebo and settled her with a bone before heading to the taco truck.
Thor nestled down beside the big dog with a bone of his own.
All in all, she had to admit she was glad she hadn’t canceled. Trevor seemed like a nice guy, more than a nice guy really, and she enjoyed the company. It had been a long time since she’d spent a relaxing evening with a friend. Even her nights with Savannah for the past few months had been filled with work on the café.
“Thank you.” The man’s voice came from directly behind her.
She turned and found Harley standing beside the Gazebo. “Oh, hey, Harley. You startled me.”
“Sorry.”
“No problem. Did you enjoy the food?”
&nbs
p; “Yes. Thank you.” He looked down at his hands gripping the gazebo railing.
“Would you like to sit down?”
“No. I… You shouldn’t go to that place. It’s a bad place.”
“The motel?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for saving me.”
“You’re welcome.” He gripped the rail tighter. “You were nice to me.”
Her heart broke. Was it so unusual for someone to treat him kindly?
Harley glanced over his shoulder, then leaned farther over the railing and pitched his voice low. “The bad man goes there.”
“Bad man? Goes where, to the motel?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“You mean the man who bothered me?”
“No, the other one, from behind your store.”
“What?” She shot to her feet.
Harley lurched back.
She held her hands out toward him. “I’m sorry, Harley. I didn’t mean to startle you. I was surprised is all.”
“I-I-I wasn’t looking for anything to eat. I p-p-promise. Newspapers. I was only looking for newspapers in the dumpster, not food. It gets cold at night in the winter and they keep me warm. People don’t read them as much anymore, with all these new-fangled computers, so I have to start collecting as soon as it starts getting chilly at night.”
“It’s okay, Harley. I’m not mad.”
“I didn’t mean to do anything wrong.”
“You didn’t.” She had to figure out who he was talking about. Could it be Bradley’s killer? “Can you tell me about the bad man?”
“No.”
“No? Why not?”
“He didn’t see me. I don’t want him to see me.” Harley looked over Gia’s shoulder. “I have to go. Thank you. Your food is good.”
“You’re very welcome. If you tell me what you like, I’ll make sure to leave it for you.”
“I like everything.” He smiled, such an innocent smile, and then he turned and limped off into the shadows. She got the impression Harley was good at going unseen.
“You didn’t say what you wanted to drink, so I got you tea. Hope that’s okay.”
“It’s perfect, thank you.”
Trevor set two tacos in front of her and a large sweet tea. “Was that Harley?”
“Yes.”
“He’s a nice guy.”
“Yes, he is.” She wanted to ask Trevor if he knew much about him, but she wasn’t sure how far into the trees he’d gone, and she didn’t want him to overhear. But his warning about the bad man haunted her. If not the man who’d approached her at the motel, then who?
Chapter 18
She’d enjoyed spending the evening with Trevor. She had a feeling if she stayed in Florida he could become a friend.
Thor squirmed in the back seat. He still had to be fed, and she wanted to work on his training for a little while before it got too late. He was getting better at sitting on command, plopping down about half the time, but he still needed work. Plus, it would be nice to get some play time together before she passed out. If she could sleep at all.
She hit the turn signal and made a left into her development, leaving the streetlights behind and heading straight into skunk ape territory. Her nervous laughter echoed in the quiet car. Creepy.
Darkness and silence surrounded her, the tall trees nothing more than shadows clawing at the sky. Little moonlight filtered through the canopy of trees and the cloud cover leftover from the afternoon storms. She flipped on the radio, but switched it off just as quickly. It was too loud. Intrusive.
She turned onto her street. Only a few houses lay scattered amid the trees. Soft light spilled from their front windows. Flickering light in one window brought visions of a family gathered in front of the TV. She wondered about these people, her neighbors. What had brought each of them to live on the edge of the wilderness, with bears and snakes and… well, whatever else might lurk in the shadows. Would she ever fit in? Would she ever have a family of her own to snuggle up and watch TV with?
She slowed down as she approached the end of the development. Even with her brights on, it would be easy to go right past the house.
Light pooled at the end of her driveway. She’d left the porch light on, but as far as she knew, there were no lamps close enough to the road to cast the puddle of light.
She slowed even more, creeping toward the driveway that was still blocked by trees. As soon as she passed the tree line, a car came into view. Someone had backed in and parked against the garage. The headlights shone straight at her, keeping her from determining if the vehicle was even familiar.
She rolled past the house to the end of the street and turned around. Now what? No way could she call the police and tell them there was a car in her driveway. Yet, with the circumstances surrounding the past week, she couldn’t just pull in with a stranger parked there either. She pulled out her cell phone. Great. No service.
Resisting the urge to slam the phone onto the seat, she headed toward the front of the development. She moved slowly, keeping her eye on the bars on her phone. Service in the development was spotty at best, but sooner or later she’d get it. Of course, by then the car in her driveway might be gone.
As soon as another bar popped up, she pulled over, locked her doors, and dialed while keeping her eyes on the rearview mirror. Though she couldn’t see her driveway from where she sat, she could see the end of the road, so at least she’d know if whoever it was left.
Savannah answered on the first ring. “Hey. What’s going on? Want company again?”
“Are you at my house?” She tried to keep her voice neutral, but she couldn’t help the slight quiver. Hopefully, Savannah wouldn’t notice over the spotty cell connection.
“No, but I can be if you give me about half an hour to shove a few things into my overnight bag. But if this keeps up, you’re giving me my own bedroom. Your couch is lumpy and…”
Who else besides Savannah would come to the house? No one she could think of. Other than Savannah, Hunt, and Leo, no one even knew where she lived. She’d only bought the house recently and had just moved in. She had told Trevor what development she lived in, but hadn’t given him the address. She really hoped the first nice guy she’d met—well, second if you counted Hunt, but he was apparently taken—wouldn’t turn out to be some kind of weirdo stalker.
“Gia? Gia!”
Ah jeez. She’d zoned out, hadn’t heard what Savannah was saying, hadn’t even paid attention to any cars pulling out from her street. “I’m sorry, Savannah. What were you saying?”
“Are you okay? You sound off.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry. I just got distracted. When I got home there was a car in my driveway, and I thought it might be you.”
“Where are you?” The slight edge of panic in her voice didn’t lessen Gia’s fears.
“Down the street from my house. The car backed into the driveway and left the headlights on. It’s too dark up here to see anything, so I have no idea who it could be. And with…well…you know, everything that’s gone on lately, I was…um…nervous.” Terrified. Chicken. Whatever. “I thought you might have stopped over, so I figured I’d call and check.”
“Stay where you are.”
“No, Savannah. I didn’t mean for you to come out here. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t you at the house.”
“Just stay where you are. Promise me.”
She wanted to give in so badly. If she was to be honest with herself, she was scared and she wanted Savannah’s company. Even though she didn’t want her in danger. “I mean it, Savannah. I don’t want you out here. I have no idea what’s going on lately, but I want you to stay away from it.”
“I’m not leaving you out there by yourself if you’re in danger. Promise me you won’t go home.”
“I won’t. I promise. I’m park
ed down the street. I’ll wait until whoever it is gets tired of waiting around and leaves before I go home. For now, I’ll just sit here with Thor and wait.”
At the mention of his name, Thor poked his head between the seats.
She petted his head. “You’re a good boy, Thor.”
“Hang on a second, and I’ll stay on the phone with you until they leave,” Savannah said.
“Sure, thanks, Savannah.”
Thor tilted his head into her hand.
She weaved her fingers through his soft puppy fur, scratching the spot just behind his ear that he loved having pet.
“Okay, I’m back.”
“We’ll be fine, Savannah, thank you.” She forced a laugh that probably didn’t fool her friend for one minute. “It’s probably a delivery or something, and I’m just panicking over nothing. Or maybe it’s the police. Maybe they came back about the break in at the shop.” Or the garage, which Hunt had no so gently reminded her of earlier.
The more she thought about it, the more foolish she started to feel. “I’m sorry, Savannah. I know it’s probably dumb, I just—”
“Don’t be silly. Of course, it’s not dumb. You have every right to be scared. Let’s just chat until whoever it is leaves. Okay?”
“Yeah. It’s more than okay. Thank you.”
“That’s what friends are for. Now. What do you want to talk about?”
She didn’t want to talk about her night out with Trevor, not yet anyway. Even though he was a nice guy, she didn’t really have a romantic interest in him, and she didn’t want to have to explain herself to Savannah. She did want to talk about the blonde Hunt had come into the café with, but she couldn’t think of a tactful way to ask without pinging Savannah’s radar. That was the down side of being so close to someone. They always knew when you were trying to hide stuff. Even from yourself. “You never liked him.”
Rustling came through the static-filled cell connection, and she could picture Savannah tucking her legs beneath her on the couch and wrapping a blanket tighter around her as she settled in for what could be a long talk. Exactly as she had so many times when they’d lived together.
“Never liked whom?”
