WindSwept Narrows: #19 Lacie

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “I have the menu here on the breakfast bar,” Mason walked confidently into the suite, tossing his key card on the counter. “What would you like?”

  Lacie had never been in one of the rooms of the massive resort. And this was a little bit more than a room. It was a really large single bedroom apartment, she thought, absently taking in the coordinating colors, thick comfortable furniture and gleaming hardwood floors. Sunlight poured in through the glass of the patio doors.

  “Lacie?”

  “Oh…sorry…” she swallowed and looked down at the menu. “The Mediterranean soup with crunchy bread is very good. Mia makes that for the staff all the time.”

  “Then we’ll make it two. Salad?” He accepted her nod before lifting the phone and placing his order.

  “Did you design this?” Lacie stood over the table, reading over the very large drawings stretched out over the top.

  “Part of it,” he crossed the room to stand beside her, watching her fingers inches from the printed surface.

  “There’s a basement?”

  “Underground, more than basement,” he responded, one brow arched at the interest and ready understanding of what she was looking at. “It won’t be used as much for manufacturing as for all the heating and cooling and traveling, a lot like the underground beneath the resort for employees,” he met the quizzical stare on her face before she turned back, fingers sliding pages aside. “That type underground makes repairs and control of upgrades simpler.”

  “You don’t have enough structural support,” her head shook slowly, fingers pointing and eyes darting swiftly from drawing to drawing. She laid her drawing pad on the chair, fingers moving and lining up a couple pages. “If this is what will be here…the space is too large. You need a holo program. It will show you the weak points.”

  Dark eyes scanned what she was gesturing to and he took out his blackberry and made notes to himself. “I thought you were an art teacher?”

  “I am. Structural engineering and architectural design were hobbies in college.”

  “Hobbies?”

  “Hmm…I can build a holo of this in a few minutes with the right program,” she circled the table, fingers sliding the below ground portion of the blue prints into full view. “This is a lot of weight.”

  “It’ll have a solid concrete and steel enforced base. The electrical and communication cables will run the ceiling in contained units to protect them,” Mason went on to explain and answer her questions for the next thirty minutes, both of them looking up when the knock sounded on the door.

  “Anticipating problems is often the hardest thing in building,” Lacie sighed, her head shaking. “No one wants to believe someone inside will sabotage their building or work, but someone on your team should have pointed this out.”

  Lacie relaxed as they ate. He was smart and his eyes sparkled when he talked about the blue prints and plans. She liked watching him talk, a gleam of excitement and anticipation in his eyes when he outlined plans for the massive structure that will bring several hundred jobs to the area.

  “We’ll put in some roof-top wind turbines to help offset the cost of the electrical,” Mason discovered he was upgrading his opinion of the waif-like woman across from him with each new foray and topic.

  “The security measures they’ve put into the resort are amazing,” Lacie commented half way through the meal. “We have the technology for both anticipation and prevention but too often ignore both in the interest of profit and the bottom line. Then people spend their time playing the blame game when a simple preventative could have…” she stopped and looked into his eyes. “Sorry. Humans tend to make me angry and lecture.”

  “You’ve nothing to apologize to me for, Lacie.” Mason laughed at the slight wince crossing her features. “Why did you settle for being a teacher in a child care facility, Lacie?”

  “I did not settle,” she said, a hard edge on her voice. “Maybe if we get to them when they’re young and pliable, a lot of the issues that make us a crappy society can be avoided.”

  “My apologies. Settle was the wrong choice of words,” Mason lifted the open wine bottle and offered more.

  “No, thanks. And I’m sorry for snapping like that. Maybe…maybe it’s just a question of what we value as a society. Engineers are important but teaching a child to care, isn’t.”

  “The kids are fortunate to have you,” he said quietly. “The…extremes of your interests are fascinating.”

  “I’ve heard them called worse,” she exhaled slowly. “I guess I don’t think of them so much as extremes as simple interests. Things that fascinate,” she drained the glass of ice water, listening to an insistent chime. “You’re here on business. Please. I understand urgency.”

  “Thank you,” dark eyes watched her move off to study the drawings again as he moved off to the far side, listening to one of his managers.

  Lacie walked past the table spread with blueprints, stopping at the wide expanse of windows. She pulled the cord, opening the thick drapes and staring out at the Puget Sound very far in the distance.

  Her body froze suddenly. Pale lashes blinked and blinked some more, slim fingers up and spread to touch the chilling thick glass in front of her. She knew the scene spread before her.

  She saw it now without the artist taking in colors and placement, but as a woman who had been part of the picture.

  Her bench.

  The fencing.

  He could watch her from his room. She felt her breathing increase.

  He had been watching her.

  It explained how he was there when she was.

  How he snuck up on her.

  Wasn’t that what wolves did? Stalk their prey? Why did she think that? Her hands were suddenly shaking and she didn’t like it. She found her drawing pad, glancing casually to where he stood with his back to her, his voice hard and firm.

  Lacie moved quietly across the floor, the door open just enough for her slim form to fit through into the hall. She went straight to the stairwell, taking them two at a time down and out into the main lobby. She used her pass and slipped through the employee door, leaning against the wall and hugging her drawings to her, trying to level her breathing out.

  Shouldn’t she be flattered? He found something about her, something he saw that made him want to know her better? A shiver raced through her when she straightened up, hoping her knees would stop shaking sometime soon.

  She stepped into her apartment and leaned heavily against the door, fingers still shaking and a little cold as she slid the locks into place. She liked him. She liked taking to him. She didn’t like being watched.

  Routines, she thought, setting her pack and drawing pad on the table and preparing a large cup of fragrant chamomile tea to carry into her bedroom as she prepared for bed. She needed her routines and to most certainly not think about the intelligence of the man she’d spent the last several hours with.

  Chapter Three

  She sat at one of the far tables in the cafeteria, her back to the rest of the room and fingers toying with the sandwich she was pulling apart and nibbling on. Pale brown eyes stared through the large window and the slowly emerging sunlight melting off the fog outside. She stared but didn’t see much. A soft groan broke free when the familiar voice seeped into her self-argument.

  “Well, well, well…” Faith began calmly, her tray on the left side.

  “If it isn’t our BFF…” Hope continued as she set her tray on the right side.

  “Who forgot about the game last night?” Charity moved across from her, head tipped slightly to look into the closed eyes.

  “Oh, god…I am so sorry, guys…” Lacie looked from one to the other, her head shaking. “I…stuff…”

  “We kicked ass, it’s okay,” Faith assured her with a nod, absently flipping pages on the drawing pad lying forgotten on the table. “Well…wow…” she looked from the human male to the wolf. “Are they related?”

  “Faith!” Charity glared at her friend. “Your ob
session with men and wolves is getting on my nerves.”

  “Is this why you missed the game?” Faith looked at the sudden rush of color in Lacie’s cheeks. “You are totally forgiven.”

  “They could be related,” Hope commented with a nod at Faith, both of who read paranormal romances about werewolves and shape shifters.

  “Increasing the pack,” Faith said in a low whisper, wincing at the fingers that caught the back of her head before she could duck.

  “Working on the new story board?” Hope asked with a long breath, taking a large bite of her salad and changing the subject.

  “Finished. Copied and shipped back,” Lacie said with a half grin. “Mina tells me it’s brilliant.”

  “That’s because my daughter is wise and discerning beyond her three years,” Hope said with a chuckle.

  “I slipped a copy into her pack for you,” Lacie said with a sigh.

  “Thanks, it’ll make a nice good night story.”

  “So…what happened last night?” Charity asked curiously.

  “Last night…you want to know what happened last night?” Lacie shoved her plate back and lifted her drawing pad, opening to a clean page. The need to vent finally bursting free. “Let me just tell you what happened yesterday…”

  “Uh-oh…” Faith said quietly, swallowing and ignoring the man coming up quietly behind Lacie, one long finger against his lips and humor in his eyes.

  “Let’s begin with…”

  “Hmmm…grounds…I know the barrier fence,” Charity said quietly, watching the skillful pencil glide over the large sheet of paper.

  “Ahh…the Sound in the distance…the park outside…nice trees…” Hope complimented absently.

  “Your bench…oh, look at the little Lacie sitting on the ground,” Faith said with a nod.

  “Oh, but wait…there’s more…” Lacie moved closer, adding in the distance.

  “I…that’s one of the patio balconies…” Charity said with a little frown.

  “And a window frame,” Faith added carefully, chewing on her fingernail as the picture formed. “Ahhh…”

  “You were being watched,” Hope said very slowly, her tongue out and drawn over her lower lip, refusing to raise her eyes from the table.

  “You’ve neglected to add the three men with guns,” came the cool, low male voice over her shoulder, his long arm out and finger tapping on the paper near the cluster of tree in the distance. “About here, I think…and the wolf that ran off into the brush of the preserve.”

  “Guns? In the park?” Charity repeated firmly. “Hello, Mason.”

  “Wolf?” Faith whispered, eyes wide. “Real wolf? Fur and fangs?”

  “Why didn’t you guys say something?” Lacie hissed furiously, pale lashes down as her breath caught in her throat. “I…I called the police, Char…they came out and I guess they handled it.” Pale lashes widened and focused on Charity. She leaned over a little closer. “Yes,” she said looking at Faith. “Real wolf. He ran off into the reserve.” She paused thoughtfully before looking at Charity. “You know him?”

  “He’s right here,” Mason leaned over a little closer to her ear, laughter in his voice.

  “Hello…PR girl, remember? New business joining the collective…”

  “Perhaps you can offer a few words, Charity,” the deep voice requested, mildly amused. “Something along the lines that I don’t generally stalk or kidnap women.”

  “Generally?” Faith quipped.

  “That’s a state park and wildlife refuge,” Charity said, collecting her tray and tugging on the strap of Faith’s coveralls. “Let’s go, ladies…I think Lacie needs a little privacy.”

  “Says…oww…alright…” Faith stood with slowly, eyes darting to the man and back. She leaned next to Lacie’s ear. “I’m telling you…pack leader quality…”

  “Faith!” Charity grabbed the back of her coveralls and pulled, glaring at her friend. “I swear…”

  “Later, Lacie,” Faith winked and walked off with the others.

  “May I?” Mason gestured to one of the empty seats, sinking down to watch her when she reluctantly nodded. “Why did you run, Lacie?”

  “You’ve been watching me.”

  “Admitted. And I would have admitted it last night if you’d asked,” he wasn’t sure if he was surprised at the abject suspicion in her eyes or not. What was there in her life to have caused such for her? After the few hours they’d talked, her intelligence, curiosity and humor had drawn him even further down into the rabbit hole.

  “Why?”

  “Why did I watch you?” Mason asked in honest surprise as he leaned back in the chair. “It’s a window…a gaping wide set of patio doors that open onto something from an artists’ painting. And smack in the middle sat you. Perched on the ground or cross legged on the wide bench, drawing.”

  Brushing away annoying, long strands of straw and gold from your face without thinking about anything but what you were putting on paper. Barely aware when the winds blew or the occasional drop of rain sputtered around you, he thought, continuing why inside his head. He’d half expected to see gossamer wings sprout from behind her at times, especially when the long hair wasn’t bound back. But he decided it might be best to keep those thoughts inside for the moment.

  And still she looked at him.

  No, she was studying him, he realized abruptly. And then he corrected himself again. She was an artist. She knew design and god knows what else rattled around in that brain. She was analyzing his structure, he realized with a crooked grin.

  “So, yes, Lacie Barton, I was watching you,” he continued when she remained silent. “I’ve had the room for almost two weeks. I’m guessing you’ve been using that spot a great deal longer than that, though.”

  “I’m sorry.” She finally worked the words out, slim fingers absently tucking a thick strand of hair behind one ear. “I don’t know why I…I left. Certainly not very adult of me,” she closed the drawing pad and dragged in a slow breath. “I didn’t think I was nervous. Not very nervous, at least.”

  “It was puzzling. If I act offended, would you consider dinner this evening?” He almost laughed at the spark of fire in her eyes. “We were having a decent discussion about the new buildings. I don’t often get people with the backbone to tell me the truth.”

  “Then you need new people. If they tell you what they think you want to hear to save money, they aren’t smart or safe to have around,” Lacie collected her plate and stood up. “I have to go to work. I am sorry,” she paused when he took out his phone, looking at her patiently. She opened her mouth once and closed it, her eyes following as she recited her number, thinking what Faith had said about her drawings and the books they read. Feral, she thought.

  “I’ll call you later, Lacie,” he promised, remaining seated and watching her leave.

  Chapter Four

  She knew where she wanted to go and had the almost empty backpack in the Rover beside her on the seat. Parking was easy since Friday afternoon was almost over. Boots echoed over the hardwood floor, her fingers up with a fluttering wave at Ginny as she shut down the computers for the day.

  “Is she busy?”

  “Office…last patient gone. Looking for work, Lacie?”

  “Not today,” she said with a smile, waiting for the buzzing release of the door before striding down the hall. “I need some stuff,” she said from the open doorway, groaning at the arched brow from across the room. “Sorry…hi…”

  “Nice to see you, too, sis, what’s up?” Shauna Brooks pushed away from the computer and stood up with a little creak in the thirty-five year old body. She smiled at her sister, accustomed to her thinking of social niceties after the fact. “And what kind of stuff?”

  Three years was only one of the things that had separated them at one time. Shauna had red-gold hair that was cropped short and barely touched her neck and green eyes the color of the spring grasses outside. They were the same height and build and almost wore the same clothing at
the moment. Two sets of boots echoed in the hall.

  “Stuff…two shots of antibiotics…”

  “For?”

  “Mammal, about a hundred-fifty pounds, I think,” Lacie chewed on her cheek in thought. “Antiseptic, gauze…scissors, wire cutters, tweezers…portable small clippers…for fur…thick fur.”

  If Shauna had questions or concerns, she didn’t show them, gathering the things and finding a small square container. She put a small stainless steel bowl inside before attaching the syringes to the lid and arranging the other things inside.

  “What’s the bowl for?” Lacie accepted the closed case.

  “Clean water…you just never know,” Shauna accepted the faint nod and absent look on her half-sister’s face. “Should I ask?”

  “Not sure yet. But I’ll let you know after the fact,” she answered, a brief beaming smile up as she tucked the case under her arm and waved as she left the office, humming to herself. For some reason the sight of Mason Wells came to mind and made her shiver because it rang in at the same time as the sight of the eye teeth on the large silver wolf. “Definitely not a good mix in the mind.”

  Lacie drove back to the resort and parked outside her apartment. She quickly went inside and stuffed a thick blanket in her pack, two large bottles of water and a couple snack bars. She sat long enough to brush and braid the long hair before heading out toward the back of the resort.

  She ran her badge through the back door and headed for the refuge, pale lashes blinking in the combination of sun battling with clouds that shot around in the sky. She was the first to admit she wasn’t sure what she was looking for or if she was simply a little more than off center with the thoughts in her head.

  It was after six-thirty when he saw her go through the gate, a pack on her shoulders and hands shoved into her pockets. While part of him expected her to head to the right and into the state park, his jaw tightened when she turned left and went into the wildlife refuge. But at least it half explained why she hadn’t answered his calls.