Page 46 of Silent Dust
There was no room for error now. Her mind raced ahead, analyzing every detail glimpsed at Bear’s house—the comings and goings, patterns of arrival and departure, subtle habits ofhis guests. The BBQ would be her stage, but to enter unseen required meticulous planning.
Her fingers itched to begin the transformation—applying prosthetics, mastering vocal inflections, rehearsing subtle gestures. The work would be tedious and exacting, but necessary. Through disguise and deception, she would move unseen, strike decisively, and unravel the threads of Bear’s world from within.
The woods closed around her like a cocoon, shielding her steadfast resolve. This hunt was far from over. The quiet before the storm was hers to command—as long as she remained unseen, unheard, unstoppable.
Her plan was set. The BBQ would be her stage, Flora her unwitting pawn, and her revenge a masterpiece. Charlotte was ready to act, determined to claim her place at the top—whatever the cost.
30 - BEAR
By the time Moose,Stephan, and Flora arrived back home from the park, Link had already set up his computers, and everyone else had shown up. The girls were practically convinced it was Christmas with all their friends gathered—Lindsey, Hawk and his team, Hank, Swede, and Bear’s whole crew.
As soon as Bear and Flora got out of the car, Rhys bolted straight to his dad, his mind already racing from their breakfast conversation. “What’s going on? Is Mom in danger again?”
Moose caught Rhys just before he could barrel into his mom. “Easy there, Monster Truck. Let your dad get Mom inside first. Hey, can you and Samir set up a movie in the playroom for your sisters? I’ll make popcorn. Then you and your dad can have a chat, alright?”
Rhys looked between Moose and his dad, “Moose is right, Rhys, get your sisters settled and I can explain, ok?”
Stephan could sense the weight pressing down on Flora—not just the physical exhaustion from their picnic and outing, but something heavier. Her eyes held a flicker of unease, a quiet fear that gnawed at her. The thought that someone might be lurking nearby, watching her, made her shoulders slump even more, the invisible threat sapping her strength alongside the fatigue. Itwas clear her worries were deepening the weariness, leaving her drained in a way that went beyond simple tiredness.
Stephan gave into his alpha male side and picked Flora up. “Let’s get you inside and set up on the couch. I’ll get you some water. Do you need your meds?”
Flora squealed, “Stephan! Really? I’m not helpless.”
Bear carefully settled Flora onto the couch, gently easing her down before planting a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. “I like carrying you,” he whispered, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Glancing around the room, he noticed the others scattered about—some hunched over tablets or computers, others deep in quiet conversation. The low hum of focused activity filled the space, a stark contrast to the calm he was trying to create for Flora.
Rhys appeared, slipping back into the room after setting up a movie for the girls. “I startedFrozenfor them,” he announced proudly, his youthful maturity shining through.
Bear rolled his eyes good-naturedly as he looked at the crowd. “Glad to see everyone made themselves at home!”
Hank chuckled, raising his mug. “We left plenty for you. I also ordered a ton of pizza to feed everyone tonight while I catch you up on what Swede found out today—since you and Flora were lazing around.”
Offering Hank a chin lift, Bear sat down on the floor beside the couch and motioned for Rhys to join him, “I honestly can’t answer your question about the danger for sure, but that’s why I had everyone come over, so we can look and see if there is a danger out there. The lady Kenzi was talking about this morning, have you seen her?”
Nodding, Rhys answered, “Yeah..I mean, she’s hard not to see, with purple hair with pink streaks in it.”
Bear noticed that Hank and Hawk both stopped their conversations to listen in, “What else about her did you notice?”
Rhys thought for a minute, “Well, I hear the dog yapping over there all the time, but I’ve only seen her a couple times.”
Squatting down beside Rhys, Hank asked, “Do you know what her car looks like?”
Rhys swallowed and looked up, a little nervous. “No... I haven’t seen a car. She just walks from the backyard over to our house and talks to Kenzi and Amelia.” He bit his lip. “I guess I shoulda told a grown-up sooner.”
Bear and Hank both quickly jumped in to reassure Rhys at the same time.
Bear said gently, “Hey, it’s okay, Rhys. You did the right thing by telling us now.”
Hank nodded, adding, “Yeah, no worries. You’re helping us a lot just by sharing what you know.”
Bear gave Rhys a quick hug, “Would you and Samir like to play some video games in your room until later when the pizza gets here?”
The boys took off upstairs in a flash, laughter trailing behind them. Bear caught Flora’s eye and gave a silent check-in, asking if she needed anything. When she gave a small shake, he turned and joined Hank and Swede, ready to hear what news they had uncovered.
Bear’s house on this level was an open floorplan, with the kitchen, dining room, and living room flowing seamlessly into one another. The layout made it easy for everyone to spread out yet stay connected, no matter where they chose to sit. Lindsey and Flora were nestled together on the couch in the living room, speaking softly over steaming mugs of coffee. Around them, the men—Hawk, Red, Zulu, Ghost, Hank, Swede, Warden, Link, Moose, Blast, and Dog—along with Nova, were scattered throughout the space. Some sat cross-legged on the floor, others settled into chairs or leaned against walls, grabbing whatever spot they could find to pop a squat. The atmosphere was relaxedbut focused, a quiet hum of conversation and shared purpose filling the open space.
Swede took the lead. “After I got your text this morning about the lady with the dog Kenzi mentioned, I started digging through property records and cross-referenced military housing databases. That house isn’t currently occupied—it’s actually listed for sale. The owners are military, but they’re not stationed here.”
