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Again, she nodded. “Unless she drastically changed her appearance. But even then, I think I’d recognize her. The shape of my face is the same as hers, although I have more of my dad’s coloring. And his eyes.”
He took another sip of wine then handed her the glass to finish it. “It sounds like she’s not the right profile. And I have a hard time seeing her gaining access to your house to plant that device. But I agree, you should mention it to the team tomorrow. In the meantime,” he said, taking the empty glass from her and shifting her around so that she faced him. “In the meantime, it’s time for us to crawl back into bed.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Ellie rose from the workout bench and released the bar she’d been using for her pull-downexercises. Her trainer had created a workout routine for her based on the available equipment in Asher’s garage gym, and she followed it diligently. As a successful actress in her thirties, she hadsomeleeway with her body. But although she no longer stressed about every pound gained or lost, Hollywood remained as exacting as ever, and she did try to keep in shape.
Picking up her phone, a message from Sofia flashed on the screen.
Sofia:Want me to pick you up for lunch? We can swing by the Boom, meet with Angelica, then I can bring you back to get your car
Ellie:That would be great, but maybe a late lunch. 2ish?
It would take about three hours to eat, meet with Angelica, then pick up her car and get to HICC. Putting her there right at five. It would also give her time for a leisurely shower and maybe even a nap. It was only eleven in the morning, but she and Asher had been up—and active—most of the night.
Sofia sent a thumbs-up back, and Ellie set her phone down and reached for the towel she’d brought with her. Wiping her face and arms down, she remained seated on the bench, letting her body cool. She supposed she should do some stretches, but the quiet stillness of the morning brought a sense of peace she wanted to savor.
She breathed deeply, in and out, almost meditatively. She loved the tranquility of Mystery Lake. No, more specifically, she loved that she couldhavetranquility while in Mystery Lake. With a population of 50,000 people and a steady seasonal flow of tourists, the town had everything anyone could need in terms of services. A dozen or so excellent restaurants, a handful of great bars, boutique clothing shops, and art galleries lined its streets. The town even hosted a well-regarded summer theater festival every year. And yet it also had a kind of quiet peace to it—especially out where Asher lived—that allowed her to truly relax. Not something she experienced often.
As her body cooled, she considered looking for a place of her own to buy. It was close enough to LA that traveling back when needed wouldn’t be a problem. And through Sofia, Ava, and the Warwicks, she already had the beginnings of a friend circle. Then there was Asher. She liked the idea of being closer to him. More than liked the idea. It might be early days for them, but it couldn’t hurt to start looking. If the right house or piece of property came on the market, she could evaluate her options then.
Smiling at her decision, a decision that felt right, she rose from the bench and started stretching. She had her hands on the floor, stretching out her hamstrings, when a sound caught her attention.
She stilled and listened. Again, she heard it. Like a shuffling noise. Not the sound of something moving through the deep snow. But more like something dragging its feet along the edge of the driveway. Something on the heavier side.
She straightened and cocked her head toward the garage door. Asher’s house had a security system. And she knew it was on. But even so, her heart hitched as her mind began to race with possibilities.
Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she was in the country and surrounded by all sorts of wild animals. She’d seen deer, rabbits, and coyotes. Surely there were other animals, too. Raccoons, maybe? Did they come out in the winter?
And bears. She knew there were bears. She hadn’t seen any yet, but Asher had mentioned it wasn’t unusual for them to be out during the winter these days. Not now that the human population gave them year-round access to food, and they didn’t need to hibernate to survive.
There! She heard it again. The crunch of icy snow against the driveway. Even with her senses heightened and poised for danger, excitement coursed through her. Could it be a bear? She’d never seen one in the wild. And watching one lumber across the lawn—from the safety of the house—was an experience she didn’t want to miss.
Still, mindful of the fact that someone was targeting her, she grabbed her phone and brought it to life. Other than Harry and Ricardo, no one knew she was in Mystery Lake. And even if someone figured it out, she doubted they’d tie her to Asher’s house. But she’d seen enough horror films to know better. She’d rather have her phone with her and not need it than need it and not have it. Besides, if it was a bear, she’d want pictures. Dozens of pictures.
Pulling a sweatshirt on over her jog bra, she exited the garage and entered the breezeway. She paused to glance out a window. The opening was small, though, and her line of sight was restricted to a sliver of the west side of the driveway. Where she saw nothing but snow and trees.
Entering the house, she made her way down the hall and past the kitchen. When she stepped into the living room, she glanced out the window and caught a flash of something big and dark moving across the lawn. Whatever it was—and she was hoping it was a bear—moved out of sight too quickly for her to identify.
Toeing off her shoes, she tiptoed across the room toward the big picture window. She doubted that the bear, or whatever it was, would hear her padding across the floor. But she didn’t want to take the chance of scaring it off.
With her back against the wall, she began inching her way to the window when she heard the shuffling again. Only this time it was louder. Closer. Like something approaching the house.
That brought her up short. Did bears do that? She’d seen videos and heard stories of them being a bit shameless, and reckless, when it came to food. Would the door hold it back if it decided it wanted in?
Wanting to be safe rather than sorry, she unlocked her phone and sent a quick text to Asher.
Ellie:I think there’s a bear outside. I want to see it—I’ve never seen one before in the wild—but will it be dangerous? Will it try to get in the house?
She didn’t have to wait long for his reply.
Asher:It would be unusual for one to come so close to the house, but it has happened. The door will hold, but the windows won’t. There’s nothing for it to find, so my guess is it will poke around for a bit then leave. If it looks like it’s going to get aggressive, I have bear spray—and an air horn—in the closet by the door. You can also set the alarm off, and the sound should scare it away. Do you want me to come home?
She already had the closet door open. Sure enough, both items were sitting on a shelf in front of her.
Ellie:No, I’m good. I just wanted to check before I have a look. Didn’t want to be too stupid about something like this
Asher:They aren’t animals to take lightly, so be careful and try not to call attention to yourself. You should be fine in the house, though. Text me when it’s gone
