Page 43 of Claimed By the Deputies

“Something isn’t sitting right.” I sigh deeply, then take another sip of my hot chocolate. “Too many people turned a blind eye to a clearly rampant problem embedded in the very heart of Frost Valley. Why?”

Either they truly had no idea as to what was going on—or worse, they were complicit.

Which brings to mind the unfortunate death of Farrah Hanson. Wife of Armand Hamilton II, the Mayor’s son and well-known party boy. Supposed accidental overdose. I understand why Lucas never bought it.

“Her most recent blood work should tell me something.” I take my phone out to text Lucas, knowing he’s still at the station with Mitch and Tyler, likely arguing with Johnson’s lawyer.

Movement somewhere at the corner of my eye makes me look up and toward the wooded ridge. A shrouded figure stands outside my cabin, looking intently at it.

Darkness has fallen over the mountain, and I can’t make out who it is, but my instincts are flaring. My heart races as I shoot up from the outdoor couch and practically jump off the porch.

He hears me running across the stony path of Lucas’s front garden and his head turns.

If I keep my eyes on him as I make my way toward my cabin, I run the risk of losing my footing or tripping over one of the jagged rocks jutting out of the mountain road. And that’s all it would take.

One moment to look down and lose sight of whoever is standing next to my cabin.

“Dammit.” I release a long exhale upon reaching the fence. I can’t see him anymore. It’s as if he vanished into thin air, and it doesn’t sit right with me. Something’s off. Feeling uneasy and vulnerable, I catch my breath and take my phone out, fumbling through my recent calls until I find Timothy’s number.

“Hey, Tim.” I try to sound as calm as possible when he picks up.

“Hey, Tassia. Listen, if you’re calling about the insurance payout, they said it’ll take a few more weeks for them to conclude their internal investigation and process the payment.”

“No, I wasn’t calling about that. It’s… I know you said Trevor was going to be in prison for a long time, but?—”

“He is. Last I heard, he was still in Sing Sing, trying to get a transfer.”

“When was that, exactly?” I ask, constantly looking around, trying to listen for any alien sound while focused on Timothy’s voice.

“I don’t know... about six months ago,” he replies. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason.” I know he’ll hear the lie.

“Tassia, come on. It’s never nothing with you. What’s going on? You wouldn’t have called me without reason.”

“Honestly, it’s probably nothing. It could just be stress from the fire and that incident with Stuart Johnson and my nerves are jittery. I just thought I saw somebody outside your cabin.”

“Somebody?”

“Yes, a figure. I couldn’t make out a face or anything. By the time I got here, they were gone.”

Silence follows for several seconds while I look around again. Still nothing but the night blanketing our side of the mountain while the stars shine bright above and a waning moon rises from the east.

“I could’ve just imagined it. It’s getting pretty dark. Lots of shadows up here.”

“Or it could’ve just been some curious onlooker. Most everyone in town heard about the fire. It is a small community, Tassia.”

“You’re right. It’s probably no cause for alarm.”

“Are you alone at Lucas’s cabin right now?”

“Yes. Listen, it’s okay. I’m sorry to bother you,” I tell him.

“No bother. You know I’m here whenever you want to talk.”

“I know. Can you do me a favor, though?”

“Sure.”

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