 
# Falling For You

## Sapphire Bay, Book 1

## Leeanna Morgan
Copyright © 2018 by Leeanna Morgan

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

# Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Thank you

Excerpt From 'Once In A Lifetime'

Chapter 1

Enjoy Other Novels By Leeanna Morgan

Bonus Recipe - Chocolate-Glazed Cherry-Pecan Pie

# Welcome to Sapphire Bay!

Nestled against the shore of Flathead Lake, Montana, you'll find the imaginary town of Sapphire Bay. Here you'll discover a community with big hearts, warm smiles, and lots of wonderful stories to be told. Romance, adventure, and intrigue are all waiting for you! Let's explore Sapphire Bay together in _Falling For You,_ the first book in the Sapphire Bay series.

# About This Book

After six years of focusing on her career, Natalie Armstrong craves the peace and tranquility that only Sapphire Bay can give her. But returning to her grandparents' cottage isn't as easy as she imagined. No one told her about her houseguest or the unexpected changes in the small town she calls home.

* * *

Gabe Lanigan is a former NYPD detective. His new career as a bestselling crime writer has brought him everything he didn't want—fame, fortune, and a deep distrust of strangers. When Natalie arrives in Sapphire Bay, their unlikely friendship sparks into something he never expected. But he needs to be careful. The real reason he left New York City is closing in fast and Natalie is standing in his way.

* * *

_Falling For You_ is the first book in the Sapphire Bay series and can easily be read as a standalone. Each of Leeanna's series are linked so you can find out what happens to your favorite characters in other books. For news of my latest releases, please visit leeannamorgan.com and sign up for my newsletter. Happy reading!

**Other Novels by Leeanna Morgan:**

**Montana Brides:**

Book 1: Forever Dreams (Gracie and Trent)

Book 2: Forever in Love (Amy and Nathan)

Book 3: Forever After (Nicky and Sam)

Book 4: Forever Wishes (Erin and Jake)

Book 5: Forever Santa (A Montana Brides Christmas Novella)

Book 6: Forever Cowboy (Emily and Alex)

Book 7: Forever Together (Kate and Dan)

Book 8: Forever and a Day (Sarah and Jordan)

Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books 1-3

Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books 4-6

* * *

**The Bridesmaids Club:**

Book 1: All of Me (Tess and Logan)

Book 2: Loving You (Annie and Dylan)

Book 3: Head Over Heels (Sally and Todd)

Book 4: Sweet on You (Molly and Jacob)

The Bridesmaids Club: Books 1-3

* * *

**Emerald Lake Billionaires:**

Book 1: Sealed with a Kiss (Rachel and John)

Book 2: Playing for Keeps (Sophie and Ryan)

Book 3: Crazy Love (Holly and Daniel)

Book 4: One And Only (Elizabeth and Blake)

Emerald Lake Billionaires: Books 1-3

* * *

**The Protectors:**

Book 1: Safe Haven (Hayley and Tank)

Book 2: Just Breathe (Kelly and Tanner)

Book 3: Always (Mallory and Grant)

Book 4: The Promise (Ashley and Matthew)

Book 5: Coming Home (Mia and Stan)

Book 6: The Gift (Hannah and Brett)

Book 7: The Wish (Claire and Jason)

The Protectors Boxed Set: Books 1-3

* * *

**Sapphire Bay:**

Book 1: Falling For You (Natalie and Gabe)

Book 2: Once In A Lifetime (Sam and Caleb)

Book 3: A Christmas Wish (Megan and William)

Book 4: Before Today (Brooke and Levi)

Book 5: The Sweetest Thing (Cassie and Noah)

Book 6: Sweet Surrender (Willow and Zac)

Sapphire Bay Boxed Set: Books 1-3

* * *

**Santa's Secret Helpers:**

Book 1: Christmas On Main Street (Emma and Jack)

Book 2: Mistletoe Madness (Kylie and Ben)

Book 3: Silver Bells (Bailey and Steven)

Book 4: The Santa Express (Shelley and John)

* * *

**Return To Sapphire Bay:**

The Lakeside Inn (Penny and Wyatt)

Summer At Lakeside (Diana and Ethan)

A Lakeside Thanksgiving (Barbara and Theo)

Christmas At Lakeside (Katie and Peter)

# Chapter 1

Natalie parked her truck on the side of the road and rolled down her window. For nine years she'd missed seeing the sparkling water of Flathead Lake, the mountains that rose around her like a warm and welcoming hug, and the wildflowers that grew everywhere. The colors, the light, the peace—it was all here and more.

Nestled against the shore of the lake was Sapphire Bay, the small town that had given her so many happy memories.

Her fingers itched to take out her sketchpad, but she had to keep moving. After countless delays and a diverted flight, it had taken three days to fly from Italy to Montana. She should have stayed with friends in Kalispell, caught up on the sleep she desperately needed. But once she'd made the decision to leave Venice, she'd wanted to get to Sapphire Bay as quickly as possible.

With one last, lingering look at the lake, she started her truck and drove toward town.

The number of vehicles on the road surprised her. So did the new stores that had opened. The sleepy little town with no traffic lights or fast-food restaurants had changed. Cafés rubbed shoulders with antique stores. There was even a fashion boutique and a gallery. There were so many new businesses that she nearly drove past the general store.

The first person she saw when she walked inside was Mabel Terry. Gray hair framed the same kind face and gentle blue eyes that Natalie remembered.

Mabel was listening to a customer, smiling at what was being said.

While they were talking, Natalie found a shopping cart and wheeled it toward the shelves. She'd buy enough food for a few days, then come back when she wasn't so jet-lagged. Halfway around the store, she remembered the apple cider that Mabel's husband used to make.

She spun her cart around and nearly bumped into another woman. "Oops. Sorry."

"That's okay," the woman said. "I've done the same thing myself. The aisles aren't very wide."

Natalie smiled and kept walking. After going up and down another two aisles, she stopped and frowned.

"You look lost. Can I help?"

The same woman she'd nearly collided with was standing beside her. "The owner of the store used to make his own apple cider. Do you know if he's still selling it?"

"I sure do. Follow me." The woman pushed her cart across the store and stopped in front of a small refrigerator. "Here you go."

Stacked in neat rows were at least a dozen bottles of Allan's homemade cider. "Thanks. I don't know how I missed them."

"I'm not sure why they're separate from the other drinks. But at least you know where they are now." The woman held out her hand. "I'm Brooke. I haven't seen you in Sapphire Bay before."

"My grandparents owned a cottage here. I used to stay with them each summer, but I haven't been back for a long time."

"I moved here two years ago and it's the best thing I ever did. Is this a visit or are you planning on staying?"

Natalie looked over her shoulder. It was silly to think that anyone would care about who she was, but old habits were hard to break.

A man took something off the shelf behind her.

After he'd moved away, she turned back to Brooke. "I thought I'd stay for a few weeks and see how everything goes."

Mabel rushed across the store with her arms open wide. "Well, I declare! If it isn't Natalie Armstrong. It's been too long since we've seen you."

Natalie returned Mabel's hug. "It's good to see you, too. I'm surprised you recognized me."

"You haven't changed one bit. We missed seeing you at your grandparents' funeral."

"I was living in Europe and couldn't get home." Natalie swallowed the knot of grief that lodged in her throat. To this day, she regretted the decision she'd made. It had taken her too long to realize that work should never come before family.

Mabel's generous smile turned into a frown. "I hope you pre-booked your accommodation. There's a craft fair and a concert this weekend. The hotels are full."

"I'm staying at my cottage for a while."

"The cottage at the end of Bluewater Road?" Mabel seemed confused. "But someone's living there. It was rented a couple of months ago."

Natalie's eyes widened. "Rented? Mom didn't tell me someone's staying there."

"Are you sure the person is living in Natalie's cottage?" Brooke asked.

Mabel nodded. "He's come into the store a couple of times but doesn't say much."

A massive headache started to build behind Natalie's eyes. "I'll pay for my groceries, then go and see him. Someone's made a mistake."

Brooke took a business card out of her pocket. "Take this. If you get stuck, give me a call. I have a spare bedroom you can use."

She didn't think she'd need it, but Natalie took the card anyway. "Thanks. I'm sure it will be okay."

"Don't forget your apple cider," Brooke said quickly.

Natalie added two half-gallon containers of cider to her cart. She might not need to use Brooke's spare bedroom, but she would definitely need the cider.

Gabe's fingers paused over the keyboard. He glanced at his story outline, then back at the page he'd spent the last hour rewriting. It wasn't working. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a convincing way to make a dead body appear in Zac Connelly's orchard.

His dog, Sherlock, looked up and sighed.

Gabe smiled. "You're right. It's time for a break. Let's go for a walk." Before he could push back his chair, Sherlock was sitting in front of the French doors, waiting to escape.

As soon as the doors opened, his black German Shepherd bolted down the path that led to Flathead Lake.

Gabe limped after him, wincing as a sharp pain shot down his right leg. He knew not to sit in one position for too long, but time had a way of disappearing when he was writing. In the next couple of hours, he wanted to finish the second chapter of his book. But that depended on the dead body floating in the Hudson River.

Sherlock had disappeared, but he wasn't worried. The German Shepherd rarely went more than a hundred yards from him. He'd be in the forest, sniffing out a skunk, chasing a red squirrel, or terrorizing the neighbor's cat.

He took a deep breath, enjoying the sweet scent of the pine trees surrounding the property. After spending most of his life in New York City, Sapphire Bay was like living in a parallel universe. He'd only been here for three months, but he couldn't imagine going back to the concrete jungle he'd called home.

His cell phone rang. Gabe sighed. Sometimes, the rest of the world found you whether you wanted it to or not. He looked at the caller display before answering. "Hi, Caleb."

"Where are you?"

Gabe stopped walking. The urgency in his friend's voice worried him. "Walking toward the lake. Why?"

"A woman is coming to see you. She's the granddaughter of the original owners of the cottage. She doesn't know you've rented the property."

"Why does that matter?"

"She was going to stay there."

Gabe rubbed his leg. "She can't. I'm here."

"That's up to you to work through. I just wanted to let you know that she's on her way. Her name is Natalie."

Of all the things he needed right now, an unexpected visitor wasn't one of them. "Where did you see her?"

"She was buying groceries at the general store. I overheard her talking to Mabel."

Anyone who spent more than a day in Sapphire Bay ended up in the general store. "Thanks for warning me."

"No problem. How's the book coming along?"

"Slowly. You don't know how to get a dead body from the Hudson River to Delaware, do you?"

"Refrigerated truck?"

"Too risky."

"Boat?"

"Maybe." Sherlock sprinted toward Gabe with something dangling from his mouth. "I've got to go. I'll call you tonight."

"Good luck with Natalie."

"I don't need luck. I've got a copy of the rental agreement and a screenshot of the original listing. If Natalie has a problem with that, she can talk to the person who rented me the cottage."

"I'm looking forward to hearing how that conversation turns out. Call me after seven o'clock."

Sherlock dropped an old shoe on the ground.

Gabe said goodbye to Caleb, then studied the rotting shoe. An idea started to form in his mind. An idea that might just get his dead body across to Delaware.

He knelt beside Sherlock and rubbed his ears. "Have I told you what a brilliant dog you are?"

Sherlock's big brown eyes seemed to laugh at him. At least someone was having a good day.

As soon as Natalie stacked her groceries into the truck, she pulled out her phone. Her mom would know if someone was renting their cottage. The only problem was that her mom didn't realize she was in America.

It only took a few seconds for Kathleen Armstrong to answer the phone. "Natalie? Why aren't there a lot more digits in front of your number?"

The pounding in her head was getting worse. "Hi, Mom. I'm in Sapphire Bay."

"Our Sapphire Bay? In Montana? Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?"

"It's complicated."

She heard her mother's sharp intake of breath. "Calling me isn't all that complicated. I thought you were in Venice getting ready for your next exhibition?"

If Natalie felt stressed before she'd called her mom, she felt worse now. "Someone broke into my apartment and stole two of my paintings."

"Oh, my Lord. Were you hurt?"

"No. I was at the opening of a friend's exhibition when it happened."

"Thank goodness for that," Kathleen sighed. "I worry about you. If something goes wrong, there's not a lot I can do from Indianapolis."

There was no point reminding her mom that she'd been living in Europe for nine years. Until a month ago, nothing had happened. "I need to paint two new canvases for Lorenzo's gallery. I thought coming to Sapphire Bay would give me a better chance of finishing them. But someone told me grandma's cottage has been rented."

"Oh, dear. I didn't know you were coming back. Gabe is a friend of a friend. He was desperate for somewhere to stay, so I let him rent the cottage. But he's only using Grandma and Granddad's rooms. Our side of the cottage is still empty."

Natalie leaned against the side of her truck. Her grandparents' cottage was originally a small two-bedroom home. When her parents divorced, her grandparents added another three bedrooms, a small living room, and a kitchen onto the cottage. She'd lived there with her mom until they'd moved to Bozeman.

"Why didn't you tell me you rented the cottage?"

"I tried calling you, but you were at the Art Expo in Milan," Kathleen said quickly. "I spoke to your landlord. He said he would tell you when you got back."

Natalie sighed. Her landlord was a nice man, but he wasn't the most reliable person on the planet. "He didn't say anything."

"Is there somewhere else you can stay?"

The chances of finding a property with enough space to set up a studio weren't great. "I'll call a realtor and ask."

The traffic lights outside the general store turned red, and a line of trucks stopped. "When did Sapphire Bay become so popular?"

"About three years ago. It's less busy during winter. If you need anything—"

"No. I'm fine. I'll go and see the man who rented the cottage. Did he know someone else might be living in the rest of the cottage?"

"No, although the rental agreement only gives him access to Grandma and Granddad's side of the cottage. If it makes you any happier, Gabe used to be a detective in the New York Police Department. If you decide to stay, you couldn't ask for a better neighbor."

"We'll see," Natalie said. "I'll call you tonight and let you know what's happened."

"You can always catch a flight to Indianapolis and stay with me."

"Thanks, Mom. I appreciate the offer, but I'll speak to Gabe first." When they'd finished talking, Natalie slid the phone into her pocket and opened the driver's door. She was so tired that she was tempted to fall asleep in the truck. And if talking to Gabe didn't work out, that's what she might have to do.

Gabe opened his front door. The woman standing on his porch didn't look like any landlord he'd met. With her long brown hair pulled into a ponytail, black jeans, and a baggy red T-shirt, she could have been one of the hundreds of tourists passing through town.

Her deep blue eyes regarded him suspiciously. "Are you Gabe?"

He crossed his arms in front of his chest, leveling his best bad cop stare in her direction. "It depends on who's asking."

She didn't even flinch. Interesting.

"I'm Natalie Armstrong. One of the owners of the cottage."

"I thought you might be."

Natalie's eyes narrowed. "You knew I was coming?"

"A friend overheard you speaking to Mabel." Reaching behind him, he took a folder off the hallway table. "This is a copy of my rental agreement."

Her gaze skimmed over the document, pausing when she saw his signature. "You've been here three months?"

"Almost four."

A deep doggy woof gave him a ten-second warning that Sherlock was running toward them.

He turned and used a hand signal. "Stop."

Sherlock's bottom hit the floor. With his ears pricked up, he looked at Gabe, waiting to see what happened next.

"You've got a dog?" For the first time since he'd seen her, Natalie's blue eyes softened. "He's beautiful. What's his name?"

Gabe studied the smile on her face. If she thought she could sweet-talk him out of his rental agreement, she was wrong. "Sherlock."

Her smile turned into a full-throttle grin. "Can I pat him?"

"Sure. Just go slow. He was a police dog and doesn't like strangers."

Natalie held out her hand.

Sherlock, being the contrary beast that he was, proved him wrong by not only licking her hand but moving closer.

"He likes me."

Gabe cleared his throat. "That doesn't mean you can tell me to leave."

"That's not why I'm here. I didn't know anyone had rented the cottage, but that's not your problem. I need somewhere to stay and the rooms at the back of the cottage are empty."

"You want to move into the cottage?"

"Not the whole building," Natalie said quickly. "Just the rooms at the back. I'll have my own bathroom and there's a separate kitchen. I'll be completely self-sufficient."

"That wasn't part of my agreement."

Natalie stopped patting Sherlock. "You agreed to lease my grandparents' cottage. The rooms at the back aren't part of the original house."

Gabe knew they weren't, but that didn't mean he wanted a neighbor. "That's not the point. I came here for some peace and quiet."

"You won't know I'm here."

He doubted anyone could live within a few feet of her and not know she was there. "How long are you staying?"

She glanced down at Sherlock. "Three months at the most."

Gabe studied the black circles under her eyes. When he'd signed the rental agreement, the realtor told him one of the owners was living overseas. What she hadn't told him was that Natalie was coming back.

"Where have you come from?"

"Venice."

"Italy?"

Natalie nodded. "I'm sorry this isn't what you expected, but it's the best I can do. I'm happy to call the hotels in town until we sort something out, but I don't think they'll have any rooms available. If I can't stay here, I might have to sleep in my truck."

Gabe looked down at Sherlock. The traitor had wiggled his way closer to Natalie's legs. "You can't sleep in your truck."

"Does that mean you don't mind me living next door?"

He had a feeling he might regret what he was about to say, but he didn't want Natalie to get hurt. "It's your cottage. As long as you respect my privacy, we'll get along fine."

Natalie's relieved smile made his breath catch. That hadn't happened in so long he wondered what was wrong with him.

"Thank you. You don't know how much I appreciate being able to stay here."

She might not be so thankful after he looked into her background. He didn't need any more surprises.

# Chapter 2

Later that night, Gabe handed Caleb a cup of coffee. "Did you get the sound system installed?"

"We did. As long as it works tomorrow, I'll be happy."

Caleb was some kind of IT specialist. He'd lived in Sapphire Bay for twelve months before a job had sent him to Washington, D.C. Two years later he moved back and started a consultancy business. He was a bit vague about what exactly he did, but that was nothing new. Secrets were a big part of Gabe's life at the moment. Caleb would tell him what he was doing when he was ready.

"Knowing you, the sound system will work perfectly. If you hadn't told Mabel you used to work in a theater company, you wouldn't have been roped into helping."

"I didn't think she'd remember," Caleb grumbled. "Are you coming to the concert?"

Gabe shook his head. "I need to get some writing done."

"How are you going to find inspiration if you lock yourself away? You only leave the cottage when I drag you into town."

"And what's wrong with that?"

Caleb smiled. "Nothing, but tickets are selling fast. I have it on good authority that no one should miss a Ryan Evans concert."

"Did those words of wisdom come from Mabel?"

"How did you guess?"

Gabe snorted. "It wasn't hard."

"It's for a good cause. The local search and rescue team needs all the help they can get."

"I'll think about it."

Caleb grinned. "Good. I'll pick you up at six o'clock. And don't worry about tickets—I've already bought two."

"You're a bad influence on me. At the rate I'm going, it will be Christmas before my book is finished."

"What did you do about the dead body?"

"It washed ashore at Slaughter Beach and was stolen from the morgue. The killer buried the body in Zac Connelly's orchard."

"Nice."

A year ago, Gabe's first book in the Zac Connelly series had hit the bookshelves. The thriller became an overnight success, propelling him into the limelight and making more money than he'd ever earned with the police.

Nine months later, book two was published. Sales of both novels skyrocketed, making him one of the most sought-after authors in America. But along with the fame came a lot of unwanted attention. Attention that had brought him to Sapphire Bay.

Caleb frowned. "If you don't want to go to the concert, it's no problem."

"The concert's fine. You're right. I need to get out more."

"Since we're talking about your social life, what happened to the woman I saw in the general store?"

"Her name is Natalie Armstrong. She's my new neighbor."

"Lucky you."

Gabe didn't think he was lucky. He'd come to Sapphire Bay to get away from everyone, but it wasn't working out that way. "I'll be too busy writing to enjoy anyone's company."

Caleb groaned. "I almost feel sorry for her. Has she met Sherlock?"

The dog in question was lying at Gabe's feet, softly snoring.

"He let her pat him."

"There you go. Sherlock's a good judge of character. If she passed his personality test, you're safe."

Gabe's eyebrows rose. "He did the same thing with you and I'm still worried."

"Very funny. Why is Natalie here? Sapphire Bay isn't one of Trip Advisor's top ten towns to visit."

"I don't know why she came here."

"How long is she staying?"

"Three months, maybe less."

"Do you know anything else about her?"

He smiled at the interest on Caleb's face. "She was living in Italy. You can always stop by and meet her."

"It's quicker to ask you for information. Why would anyone move here after living in Europe?"

"Probably for the same reason we're here."

"I doubt it," Caleb muttered.

Gabe frowned. "You're not on the run from the mob, are you?"

"You've been writing too many thrillers. Not everyone has a dark side."

"Only people who have something to hide don't answer direct questions."

Caleb picked up his coffee mug and rinsed it under the faucet. "My life isn't as interesting as yours. I bury myself in computer networks and program code. Until I met you, visiting the general store was about as exciting as my life got." His mouth dropped open. "Mabel has rubbed off on me. I'm turning into the town busybody."

Gabe laughed. "You've got a long way to go before that happens. And for what it's worth, your social life is ten times more exciting than mine."

"Except for tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at six o'clock. The concert starts at seven."

Gabe followed Caleb to his truck. "Do you want to come here for dinner?"

"It will have to be another night. I need to do a final sound check before the band arrives. Mabel is paranoid about something going wrong."

"I don't blame her. How many people will be at the concert?"

"About three thousand."

Gabe glanced at the light coming from Natalie's side of the cottage. No wonder all the accommodation was booked. Sapphire Bay had a population of about eight hundred people. If Natalie hadn't moved into the cottage, she wouldn't have been the only person sleeping in a vehicle.

Caleb slid into his truck and rolled down the window. "I'll see you tomorrow night. And even if it kills you, try to be nice to your neighbor."

As Caleb drove away, Gabe's phone beeped. He read the text.

Cold dread crept along his spine. His publisher had received another letter from the person stalking Gabe, and the message was getting worse.

The next morning, Natalie stepped off the veranda and smiled. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so soundly.

She took a deep breath, relaxing her shoulders and enjoying the clean, fresh scent of pine and spruce trees. In all her travels, Sapphire Bay was the only place where she felt truly at home. She could hike in the mountains, swim in the clear blue water, or walk around the edge of Flathead Lake, skipping stones across the gently lapping water.

This morning, she was heading toward the lake. With her backpack sitting snugly against her shoulders, she strode away from her grandparents' cottage and into the woods.

Walking through the trees was like stepping back in time. For as long as she could remember, she'd trodden the same path, ducking under stray branches and skipping over fallen logs. Even the stubbornest worries melted away when she was here.

And those worries had dragged her out of bed at five o'clock this morning. She'd spent an hour going through everything in her studio. Her grandma used to tell her that everything would be here for her whenever she returned. Even though she was five years too late, she'd never been more grateful for what they'd done. Her easels, a pile of old canvases, her brushes, even her tubes of paint were still sitting where she'd left them.

She stopped in the middle of the path, frowning at a commotion in the trees. Before she could decide if it was a bear, Sherlock bolted from between two trees.

He ran straight toward her, only slowing when it looked as though they were going to collide.

"Hey, boy. Where's your dad?"

Sherlock sat in front of her, tilting his head to the side.

"Does he know you're here?" It didn't seem likely that Gabe would let Sherlock roam the forest on his own. There never used to be many bear attacks, but attracting more tourists to a town sometimes brought the bear population closer.

She patted Sherlock's thick black coat and peered through the trees. Apart from the German Shepherd's heavy breathing, she couldn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

Sherlock was wearing a collar but, with no harness or leash, he might not follow her. "Come on, boy. Let's go back to your house."

Sherlock woofed, then looked over his shoulder.

Gabe walked toward her with a slight limp. She wondered if he'd hurt his leg trying to catch his dog.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "I would have kept Sherlock closer if I'd known you were here. We usually have this trail to ourselves at this time of the morning."

"I'm fine. I thought Sherlock might have been a bear or a wild animal."

Gabe patted his dog's head. "He's big enough to be a bear. Are you heading down to the lake?"

Natalie nodded. "It's the best part of the day. Everything is so peaceful on the water."

"If you're planning on swimming, be careful. A couple of kids nearly drowned last week."

"I'm not going into the water. I thought I'd take a few photos of the lake and go for a long walk. It wasn't comfortable sitting on the plane for so long."

"Why did you come all the way from Italy to Sapphire Bay?"

"I'm a full-time painter. I need to finish two canvases for an exhibition."

"You couldn't do that in Venice?"

Natalie pushed aside the memory of what her studio had looked like after the burglary. "I didn't feel safe."

Gabe snapped Sherlock's leash onto his collar. "And staying here makes you feel safe?"

"It used to." Her softly spoken words were met with silence.

"I'd better head back to the cottage." Gabe took a whistle out of his pocket. "Take this. If you need help and you can't get a cell phone signal, blow it. As long as you're no more than 400 yards away, Sherlock will hear it and let me know you need us."

Natalie held the small wooden whistle in her hand. "Did you make it?"

"My dad did. You can give it back to me when you get back to your cottage."

"It's nice of you to be worried, but I'll be okay. I spent most of my childhood in the forest. I won't get lost." She held out the whistle, but Gabe didn't take it.

"There are a lot of people in town for tonight's concert. You can't be too careful when you're on your own."

Before she could disagree, he was walking along the trail with Sherlock trotting beside him.

She watched them for a few minutes before turning toward the lake. She had no idea why Gabe was living in Sapphire Bay. For someone who'd been a detective, life on the edge of Flathead Lake wouldn't be all that interesting.

She slipped the whistle into her pocket and kept moving. As soon as she finished her walk, she'd clean her studio and start planning her first canvas. And maybe, if Gabe forgot about being grumpy, he might tell her why he was here, too.

Gabe closed his laptop. After three hours of non-stop writing, he'd finally reached the point where Zac had found the dead body in his orchard. Now all Gabe had to do was introduce Zac to the medical examiner and watch the sparks fly.

Sherlock whined and scratched at the back door.

Gabe let him outside, then walked across to the kitchen. When Sherlock still hadn't returned fifteen minutes later, he went looking for him.

It would be just like Sherlock to be rolling around in something he'd found under the trees or digging another enormous hole in the backyard.

He whistled, hoping the short, sharp burst distracted his dog from whatever he was doing.

Sherlock woofed and ran around the corner of the cottage.

"Where have you been?" Gabe sniffed. Sherlock didn't smell bad, so at least that was one bonus for the day.

Natalie stepped around the edge of the building. With a big floppy sun hat perched on her head and a tote bag slung over her shoulder, she looked like she was heading out for the day.

She smiled and an odd feeling of protectiveness snuck up on him.

"Sherlock wants to stay with me, but I'm going into town. Is there anything you need?"

Gabe shook his head. "We're fine, but thanks for asking."

Natalie's eyebrows rose. "You seem a lot happier than you were this morning."

Telling her that a person with serious mental health issues was stalking him wouldn't make her feel safe. Telling her the same person was recreating the scenes in his books would be even worse. So he settled on something resembling the truth and hoped he never had to tell her what was really happening.

"I'm a writer. When you saw me, I was trying to figure out how my hero would find a dead body in his orchard."

"I take it you don't write romance novels?"

It was Gabe's turn to smile. "Thrillers."

"Has your hero found the dead body?"

"His dog found it."

Natalie looked at Sherlock and grinned. "Now I know why you have a dog called Sherlock. Has he helped you find other dead bodies?"

"Not yet. This was his first." Gabe could have kicked himself. He'd told her too much. "I'd appreciate you not telling anyone I'm a writer."

"You don't want everyone to know you kill people for a living?"

Gabe forced a smile. "Something like that. I have to finish my latest book and there are fewer distractions here."

The smile on Natalie's face disappeared. "That must be my cue to leave."

"I don't mean you're a distraction." Gabe stumbled over his apology. "I meant in general terms. At least here, no one knows me." That didn't sound any better than telling Natalie she wasn't a distraction.

She must have realized he was digging an even deeper hole for himself. "That's okay, I know what you mean." She adjusted the strap on her bag and patted Sherlock's head. "I'll be gone for about an hour."

As Gabe moved out of her way, his cell phone rang.

Natalie looked over her shoulder and grinned. "It sounds as though civilization has caught up with you."

He looked at the number of the person calling him and frowned. "You're right. I'll see you when you get back."

She nodded and headed toward her truck.

Gabe answered the call. "Hi, Caleb."

"You won't believe what I've been reading."

"You're supposed to be working on your project."

"I needed a break."

"And your break involves something I'm not going to believe?" Gabe watched Natalie reverse down the driveway. He needed to stop thinking about her and write the next scene of his book.

"Are you listening to me?"

Gabe frowned. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"I was looking on the Internet and found an article about Natalie. She's considered one of the most up-and-coming artists of the twenty-first century. She's exhibited at galleries around the world and even had an exhibition at the Louvre."

He opened his front door. Sherlock followed him inside. "Sounds impressive."

Caleb sighed. "You already knew, didn't you?"

"Natalie told me she was an artist. I looked at her website last night and it listed where she'd exhibited. Can you send me the link to the article you found?"

"I'll email it now. There's something else you need to know. Her last three paintings sold for more than fifty thousand dollars each."

His eyes widened. "Are you sure?" He didn't know much about art, but there couldn't be many artists who sold their work for that much money.

"I'm positive. I contacted a friend who works at a gallery in Los Angeles. Natalie's one of the most popular artists in America, but no one knows much about her."

Gabe had already guessed that she valued her privacy as much as he did.

"Did you know two of her paintings were stolen?"

Gabe poured himself a cup of coffee. "I did."

"There was a lot of hype about who was behind the burglary, but no one has been arrested."

"What kind of hype?"

"I'll send you another article. The Italian police are looking at a mafia connection to the burglary."

The coffeepot banged against the kitchen counter. "What kind of articles were you reading?"

"I know," Caleb said. "It sounds like something out of your novels, except it's true. What if Natalie left Venice because she's worried the burglars will come back? There were three paintings in her studio, but only two were stolen."

Gabe looked through the kitchen window. Sapphire Bay had become a magnet for people on the run. "How do you know she'd finished three paintings?"

"The reporter said there were three."

"You know what the media are like. They could have been lying." Gabe had been placed in the center of more than one false story. And no matter what he said, most people believed what they read. "If Natalie's life was in danger she wouldn't come to Sapphire Bay."

"Why not?"

"It's too remote."

Caleb snorted. "That's why most of us are here. You might want to let her know about the articles. If I found them, someone else could, too."

"I'll talk to her when she gets back from town."

"Good. I'd better keep working. I'll see you at six o'clock."

"Bye." Gabe left his phone on the counter and opened his laptop. Any discussion with Natalie about her paintings wouldn't end well. If she'd come here to keep a low profile, it might have just backfired. Especially if someone connected her to Sapphire Bay.

Natalie took a plate of cookies out of her truck. She'd called Brooke before she left the cottage. The cookies were her way of saying thank you for offering her a bed when she'd first arrived.

She checked the address on the piece of paper she was holding and smiled. Brooke's house was adorable. With deep blue wooden siding, white trim, and a red door, it was warm and welcoming.

Brooke had told her to follow the driveway around the back of the house and knock on the garage door. As soon as Natalie's hand left the door, it opened.

"You made it."

The sweet smell of chocolate made Natalie's tummy rumble. "Your directions were easy to follow. These cinnamon cookies are for you. Thank you for offering to help me when I arrived in Sapphire Bay."

Brooke took the plate and smiled. "You didn't need to bake me cookies, but thank you anyway. I was about to stop for a drink. Do you want to join me?"

"That would be great. I've been sorting through my art supplies all morning." Natalie looked over Brooke's shoulder. "Wow. This isn't what I expected to see."

The garage had been converted into a commercial kitchen. Stainless steel counters ran across one wall and down the center of the room. Three large mixing bowls sat beside refrigerators that were as tall as Natalie, and pots and pans in all shapes and sizes filled a wall of metal shelves.

"What are you doing in here?"

"This is where I create my confectionery. For the last couple of hours I've been wrapping chocolate fudge for the craft fair."

"It smells wonderful." On the center island, bags of fudge were neatly stacked in boxes.

Brooke grinned. "It's my granddad's secret recipe."

"This looks like it's more than a hobby."

"One day I want to open my own confectionery store but, for now, I work from home and send orders to stores around Montana." Brooke took a container off one of the shelves. "Try some."

Natalie bit into the fudge and sighed. It wasn't the super-smooth type she usually ate. This fudge had a dense, textured chewiness that melted in her mouth. "It's delicious."

"Making bulk quantities of the recipe is different from making smaller amounts, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Come and have a hot drink."

Natalie followed Brooke out of the garage. "How long have you been living in Sapphire Bay?"

"About eighteen months. I was a nurse in Arizona before I moved here."

"That's a big change."

Brooke stepped inside her kitchen. "I was only supposed to stay for two weeks, but I loved it so much that I decided to move here. Would you like coffee, hot chocolate, or cold apple cider?"

"Apple cider would be great."

"What brings you to Sapphire Bay?" Brooke asked.

"I need to paint two canvases for an exhibition that's only a few months away."

"That's why you were checking your art supplies. What do you paint?"

"Landscapes. I like the way I can use oil paints to add texture and life to a scene."

"Did you bring any finished paintings with you?"

"There are a few of my older canvases at my grandparents' cottage. Most of my work is sold as soon as it's displayed in exhibitions or galleries."

Brooke handed her a glass of cider. "I'm impressed. Most artists struggle to make a decent living. Do you know what you'll paint while you're here?"

"I want to focus on Flathead Lake. I have a lot of happy memories of the time I've spent either in or around the water."

"It sounds like you made the right decision to return to Sapphire Bay."

"I hope so."

"It's okay to be unsure." Brooke studied her with a serious expression in her eyes. "Sometimes you have to trust that you're where you need to be."

Natalie thought about her grandparents and her mom and dad. There were a lot of things to be thankful for, but it was the things that made her heart ache that had brought her home. She wanted this visit to be so much more than a chance to create two paintings. She needed to forgive herself for the choices she'd made and learn to like the person she'd become.

She looked at Brooke. "I'm glad I met you."

"I'm glad I met you, too. Welcome home."

# Chapter 3

Gabe knew a lot of people liked country music. The playlist on the local radio station was full of songs by Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, and Dolly Parton. If you enjoyed music about achy-breaky hearts and love gone wrong, Sapphire Bay was the place to come. What he hadn't expected to see were hundreds of people waving American flags and wearing Ryan Evans Fan Club T-shirts.

"I thought you were exaggerating when you said there would be a lot of people here. Where did they come from?"

Caleb pulled him out of the way of a lady pushing a stroller. "Beats me. Mabel said she got inquiries from people as far south as Texas. It's just as well I bought our tickets when I did."

Gabe looked over his shoulder. The line of people waiting to buy concert tickets hadn't shrunk since they'd walked through the makeshift gates.

"We're sitting over there in the VIP area." Caleb pointed to an old, gnarly oak tree on the right-hand side of the stage. "If anything goes wrong with the sound system, I'm not far away."

"I thought you'd be backstage."

"Not this time. Ryan brought his own sound technicians. All I had to do was set up everything."

For Caleb's sake, Gabe hoped nothing went wrong. Even though they weren't sitting far from the stage, it would still take a few minutes to move through the crowd.

"Gabe!"

He turned around, searching for the person who'd yelled his name.

"Over there." Caleb pointed to a woman waving a red sun hat in the air. "Is that Natalie?"

Gabe watched a smile appear on Natalie's face. "It is."

"Come on," Caleb said as he changed direction. "We'll need to be quick. The concert starts in fifteen minutes."

"You don't need to say hello. I can meet you by the tree."

"Are you kidding? You might not be intrigued by your neighbor, but I am." Caleb kept walking toward Natalie.

"What do you mean 'intrigued'?"

"She's a woman with a mysterious past. Sapphire Bay is a great place to hide, but she might need our help to cover her tracks."

Gabe frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I know a thing or two about creating decoys. It wouldn't take much to confuse whoever is looking for her."

"We don't know if anyone's looking for her."

"A wildly attractive artist, who by all accounts is close to being a millionaire, is on the run from someone who broke into her apartment. With your imagination and my IT skills, we could convince most people that she's living in New Zealand."

"You should have been a writer."

Caleb grinned. "I'd make a better undercover agent. Just call me Bond. James Bond."

Gabe shook his head. "MI6 wouldn't be safe with you around." He moved the blanket Caleb had given him to his other arm. "Don't ask Natalie about her personal life."

Caleb stopped in the middle of the walkway. "Why not?"

"She might not want to talk about it."

"Most people enjoy talking about themselves. It's only when you've got something to hide that it becomes uncomfortable."

"She isn't the only person who likes their privacy," Gabe reminded him. "When was the last time you talked about your work?"

"I _can't_ talk about my latest project. I've signed a confidentiality agreement."

Gabe's eyebrows rose. "Can you tell me anything about what you're doing?"

"I told you—I'm building a computer network." Caleb pulled his baseball cap lower. "We'd better move before we get trampled by the crowd."

Gabe sighed. The sooner they said hello to Natalie, the sooner they could leave. "There are now eleven minutes until the concert starts."

"That's plenty of time."

He wasn't so sure. There were a lot of people looking for somewhere to sit. They'd be lucky to make it back to their seating area.

They hadn't walked more than a dozen steps when Caleb turned around. "Have you told Natalie that we know about the burglary in Italy?"

"No. I haven't seen her since you called me this morning."

Caleb seemed genuinely worried. "You need to tell her."

"If I tell her, she'll think we've been snooping into things we should have left alone."

"It was investigative journalism. I wanted to make sure she wasn't a homicidal psychopath."

Gabe snorted. He already had one of those in his life. "You were being nosy."

"I had the best of intentions. What if she thinks we only want to talk to her because she's a successful artist?"

Gabe wasn't sure when Caleb's discovery had become his problem, but it was there all the same. And if he were honest, he'd sooner tell Natalie what Caleb had found. His friend was one of the nicest guys he'd met, but he loved drama.

And if there was one thing Gabe didn't need in his life, it was more drama.

Natalie pulled her sun hat onto her head. "They're coming."

Brooke clambered to her feet. "He's with Caleb."

"Who?" Natalie frowned. She'd seen the tall man walking in front of Gabe before—she just couldn't remember where.

"Caleb Andrews. He owns an IT consulting business and lives about twenty minutes north of you."

"He looks worried about something."

"I saw him when I was setting up my stall for the craft fair. Caleb organized the sound system for the concert. He's probably hoping nothing goes wrong."

Natalie smiled. "Is there anyone you don't know in Sapphire Bay?"

Brooke looked around the field. "There are a lot of people I don't know at the moment. But I've met most of the residents at the Saturday morning market. Even if they don't have a sweet tooth, they buy my candy for their friends and family."

Even though Natalie was a teenager when she'd left Sapphire Bay, she remembered the close sense of community, the way everyone looked out for each other. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed that feeling until now.

Brooke sighed. "It's not every day that you see two handsome men heading toward you. Why did you want to see Gabe?"

"I need to give him something."

"Now?"

"It's important. I was supposed to give him a whistle when I got back from my walk, but I was longer than I thought I'd be." From behind her sunglasses, Natalie studied Gabe. His short brown hair framed a face that was strong and kind. Brooke was right. In a quiet, unassuming way, he was one of the best-looking men she'd met. A restless energy surrounded him, drew her closer and left her wondering what was behind his steel-gray eyes.

She'd thought Caleb looked worried, but Gabe looked worse. "Hi, Gabe."

"Hi." He looked at his friend. "Caleb, this is Natalie Armstrong. My neighbor and owner of the cottage I'm renting."

Caleb held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you. I saw you at the general store when you first arrived in Sapphire Bay."

Natalie smiled. "I thought I'd seen you before. How long have you lived here?"

"About twelve months. I'd be happy to show you the tourist hot spots."

"I forgot to warn you about Caleb," Brooke said with a grin. "He can be extremely charming when he wants to be."

"Which is most of the time," Caleb replied.

Gabe cleared his throat and looked at Natalie. "Did you want to see me about something?"

She nodded and handed him the whistle. "This is for you. By the time I arrived home you'd left the cottage. I didn't need to use it, but thanks for thinking of me."

For some reason, Gabe looked uncomfortable. "That's okay. Did you enjoy your walk?"

Her walk had been everything she needed and more. "It was amazing. I'd forgotten how colorful the stones are on the bottom of the lake. And the sound of the water washing to shore is so relaxing. I'll have to allow lots of time for hiking while I'm here."

Gabe slipped the whistle into his pocket. "If you want to take my whistle with you again, just ask." He moved out of the way of a person wanting to sit behind Natalie. "Caleb and I should head to our seating area. Enjoy the concert."

"You could sit with us," Brooke said. "There's plenty of room and we have food."

Gabe looked at Caleb.

"I've got a better idea," Caleb said quickly. "Why don't you sit with us? Mabel gave us tickets not far from the stage. No one will complain if you join us."

Before Natalie could say anything, Brooke picked up their picnic basket.

"That's the best idea you've had since I met you."

Natalie looked at Gabe, then at Caleb. Something didn't feel right. "That's nice of you, but we're—"

"Happy to accept your offer," Brooke said. She handed Natalie the blanket and smiled at Caleb. "Lead the way."

Brooke and Caleb stepped around a family sitting on the ground.

Natalie looked helplessly at Gabe. "I'm sorry. If you have other plans we could sit somewhere else."

"It's okay. I don't mind company."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You'll see more of the concert from where we're sitting."

Natalie silently followed Gabe across the field. He didn't seem happy that they would be sitting so close, but what could she do? Caleb and Brooke were well ahead of them, chatting away like long-lost friends. Gabe, on the other hand, was as talkative as a block of wood.

When they stopped behind a line of people, she made sure she wasn't standing too close to him. He was probably annoyed that he was seeing more of her than he wanted to. She'd have to make doubly sure that she stuck to her side of the cottage and didn't disturb him. Keeping out of his way wouldn't be too hard. As soon as she started painting, he wouldn't see much of her, anyway.

She jumped when Gabe touched her arm.

He pointed to a gap in the crowd. "We should go that way. It will be quicker than waiting for this line to move."

She ignored the tingle of awareness shooting along her arm. Gabe wanted her to respect his personal space and, so far, she hadn't stopped bumping into him. It was time to distance herself from her neighbor and concentrate on why she'd come to Sapphire Bay.

Later that evening, Gabe sat at his desk, writing the next scene in his novel. It could have waited until tomorrow, but he was restless and needed something to take his mind off Natalie.

She'd hardly spoken to him all night. They'd been at a concert, so that shouldn't have worried him. Even when she sat on the far side of Brooke, he hadn't been concerned. It wasn't until the band left the stage for a thirty-minute break that he knew something was wrong.

Maybe she'd discovered that he'd been snooping into her personal life? Caleb might have said something about the burglary or asked too many questions about why she was here.

A flash of headlights lit the living room. Natalie was home.

He had a choice to make. He could stay on his side of the cottage, pounding words into his laptop, or he could ask her if everything was okay.

After deleting and rewriting the same paragraph three times, he made his decision. He'd talk to Natalie.

He opened his front door and frowned. Natalie was trying to take a long package out of the bed of her truck. He jogged toward her. "It looks like you could do with a hand."

She glanced over her shoulder. "I should be okay." Wiggling the large, bulky package sideways didn't make it move. She opened the tailgate and peered under the topper.

Gabe shone his cell phone's flashlight into the cargo area. "This might help."

Natalie leaned forward and sighed. "The edge of the packaging is caught on a screw. I hope it hasn't damaged the canvases."

He glanced at the size of the parcel. It was huge—at least five feet long and four feet wide. "They'll be impressive paintings."

"They will be if I can get the canvases inside. I'll have to remove the topper."

Gabe slid his phone into his pocket and flicked open the catches on his side of the truck. It was just as well Natalie had parked close to the back door. Without the security lights, they wouldn't be able to see what they were doing.

"Where did you find them?"

"I always buy my canvases from a store in Chicago. They stretch each piece of canvas onto a frame and prime the surface for me. Mabel called this afternoon to tell me they'd arrived."

By the time Gabe finished lifting the catches, Natalie was ready to lift the cover off the truck.

"Where do you want the topper?" he asked.

Natalie looked behind her. "Over there will be okay."

They each took a side, carefully maneuvering it onto the ground.

Natalie walked back to the truck and unhooked the packaging from the screw.

He waited by the tailgate. "I'll help you take them inside."

"I'll be all right. The canvases aren't heavy."

The package was larger than Natalie. There was no way she'd be able to lift it into the cottage on her own. "It's an awkward size. Where are your house keys?"

She reached into her pocket and held up a key ring. "Here."

"If you open your back door, I'll carry it inside. Tell me if I'm going to hit anything." Gabe lifted one side of the wrapped canvas and balanced it on the bed of the truck.

Instead of unlocking the back door, Natalie didn't move. "You don't need to help me. I'm perfectly capable of moving it inside."

"Maybe I want to help."

"Why?"

He took a deep breath. Telling the truth had never been so hard. "Because I'm feeling guilty. I know who you are and what happened in Italy."

Natalie's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Two of your paintings were stolen from your apartment in Venice. A third painting had already been sent to Bozeman for an exhibition."

"How do you know what happened?"

"Caleb read about the burglaries on the Internet. Did you know the police think the mafia are involved?"

Natalie nodded. "They said something about that."

"Were they involved?"

"I don't know and I probably never will. Why were you looking for information about me?"

Gabe relaxed his hands. Poking holes in the packaging wouldn't help anyone. "I wanted to make sure you were here for the reasons you said you were."

"Why?"

He looked at the canvases. He couldn't tell her the whole truth. Not yet. "I had a bad experience with the media. When my second book was published, everyone wanted to know who I was. Some people who I thought were my friends spoke to a reporter. Before I knew it, stories about me started appearing in magazines and newspapers. What the reporter didn't know, they made up. I came here to get away from all of that."

"I don't blame you. It's hard making new friends when you don't know who you can trust."

Gabe studied Natalie's face. "You have the same problem?"

She nodded. "When I first lived in Europe, I didn't know anyone. After my third or fourth exhibition, I met a couple of people who seemed really nice. Six months later, one of those people sold a story about me to a magazine. I try not to let that experience change how I interact with people, but it's hard."

"How do you keep your personal life and public profile separate?"

Natalie shrugged. "I don't let myself get close to people, but that creates other problems."

Gabe didn't say anything. He'd done the same thing and it wasn't easy. Loneliness snuck up on you so slowly that by the time you were there, it was too late to do anything about it.

"But we're not here to discuss my depressing personal life," Natalie said. "Just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"If you want to know anything about me, just ask. But be warned. If I end up in one of your books, I'll sue the pants off you."

Gabe lifted the canvases off the truck. "You won't end up in one of my books. Where would you like this?"

Natalie opened the back door. "In my studio. It's the first door on your left." She raced across to Gabe and grabbed the front of the parcel. "If we carry it together, I won't feel so bad about keeping you awake."

"It doesn't matter. I couldn't sleep, anyway." And that, Gabe knew, wouldn't be changing anytime soon.

Natalie threw back her blankets and jumped out of bed. Today she was starting her next two paintings. After a quick walk and an even quicker breakfast, she'd take the ideas she'd sketched onto paper and transfer them onto the canvases in her studio.

She was excited to be working on two new projects. But with that excitement came a good dose of fear. Would the paintings live up to her expectations? Would Lorenzo like them enough to add them to her exhibition? And most importantly, would anyone buy them?

She took a deep breath and tried not to think about the things that could go wrong. Her mom called it opening night nerves. Natalie called it her worst nightmare.

After brushing her teeth, she headed outside. It was another glorious summer's morning. There wasn't a wisp of wind anywhere. The sky was so blue it hurt her eyes and the sun was already warming her skin.

She took her cell phone out of her pocket and took a photo of the trees. Part of her success as a painter was being able to recreate the texture and feel of the landscapes she painted. As well as sketching lots of different scenes before she started on a canvas, she took hundreds of photos.

The best images made it onto a board in her studio. The others were saved on her computer.

A hawk squawked. She looked across the lake and snapped a series of photos as it circled the water.

"We'll have to stop meeting like this."

Natalie held her hand over her heart. "I wish you'd make more noise when you walk toward me."

"I thought I did, but you were miles away." Gabe's smile didn't stop her from noticing the black circles under his eyes.

"Were you writing all night?"

"No. I couldn't sleep so I read someone else's book."

"You look tired."

Gabe rubbed his hand along the stubble on his jaw. "I'll survive. I thought you'd be painting by now."

"I wanted to get some fresh air before I bury myself in my studio." Natalie searched the stony shore of the lake. "Where's Sherlock?"

"He'll be here soon. He never goes far."

"How did he end up living with you?"

Gabe stuck his hands in his pockets. "He belonged to a friend in the NYPD K-9 unit. When Michelle died, Sherlock came to live with me."

A deep sadness clouded Gabe's face. Natalie knew how devastating it was to lose someone you loved. "I'm sorry about your friend," she said softly.

"She was a great person."

Natalie wanted to reach out, touch his arm and let him know she understood. But that would cross a line she needed to stay away from. "There's a deep bond between you and Sherlock. I thought you must have raised him from when he was a pup."

Gabe shook his head. "I spent lots of time with Michelle, but Sherlock was definitely her dog. They did everything together. When she died four years ago, Sherlock came to stay with me. It helped both of us."

From between two trees, the big German Shepherd bounded toward them.

Natalie smiled. "He looks as though he enjoys living in Sapphire Bay."

"He's never had so much freedom. When he was on patrol his days were spent in Grand Central Station, the subway, or on the streets of New York City. Central Park was the closest we found to what you have here."

Sherlock woofed, then sat quietly at Gabe's side.

Natalie used her cell phone to take some pictures of him.

He lifted his head and looked straight at the camera.

"He's a supermodel." Natalie laughed at the comical expression on Sherlock's face. "Why did your friend name him Sherlock?"

"Michelle read my first novel four years before it was published. My main character's dog is called Sherlock. It stuck to this little guy when he arrived."

Natalie knelt on the ground and rubbed Sherlock's thick coat. "Your name suits you."

Sherlock's pink tongue licked the side of her face.

She laughed and moved out of his way. "As cute as you are, I don't want your tongue anywhere near me. You can save your slobbery kisses for Gabe."

She slipped her phone into her pocket and looked at her neighbor. For some reason, he seemed surprised. "I have to get back to the cottage. If you don't see me for a few days, don't worry. I'll come up for air eventually."

"You know where I am if you need me."

Natalie smiled. "I do." She gave Sherlock another pat before heading home.

She imagined the blank canvas sitting on her easel, waiting for the first brushstroke to bring it to life. Her mind was already racing over different possibilities, the twists and turns that would make the painting special.

By the end of the day, the image would be fully sketched and ready for the first layer of paint. From there, it was a matter of letting the painting tell its own story. A story that would be as unique as the man who was living next door to her.

# Chapter 4

Gabe turned on his microwave and reheated the leftovers from last night's dinner. He'd already taken Sherlock for a walk, thrown out the trash, and brought his washing inside.

He'd also finished chapter six of his book, discovered an interesting person in his hero's past, and given the medical examiner a flimsy alibi on the day the dead body went missing from the morgue. Not bad for a day that had started with a bang. Literally.

At precisely five thirty-six, a pale blue Ford Fiesta had collided with an oak tree at the end of the street. The tree survived. The car didn't.

Gabe had thrown on his tracksuit and rushed outside. Natalie wasn't far behind him. While he helped the driver, she'd called 9-1-1 and found a first aid kit in the trunk. The car was a rental, the driver, a tourist. After a long flight and an even longer drive, the man from Sydney, Australia, was about to discover the joys of paperwork. Falling asleep behind the wheel of a car wasn't something he'd be doing again in a hurry.

It wasn't until the man was being driven away in the ambulance that Gabe noticed what Natalie was wearing.

She blushed beet red when she caught him staring at her legs. Long legs covered in the tiniest pair of shorts he'd ever seen.

As she'd yanked her sweatshirt lower, she'd glared at him. Only it wasn't a mean-ass glare that told him to back off. It was the type of glare that dared him to say something.

Which would have been fine and dandy if he could have thought of something to say. But by some miracle of human biology, his brain had short-circuited and left him bug-eyed and tongue-tied.

He really needed to get a life. Thirty-nine-year-old men did not go gaga over a pair of woman's legs. Except he had and he wasn't sure it would lead to a productive day in his office.

So, after Natalie made a hasty escape, he'd gone for a swim in the lake. A cold swim that did nothing to erase the image of her legs from his brain. It wasn't until Sherlock jumped on his back and nearly drowned both of them that he started thinking logically.

Long legs or not, Gabe was on a mission and chapter seven would wait for no one.

The microwave beeped and he took out his mac and cheese. The congealed mess did nothing for his appetite, but food was food. When he was on a roll, the only thing he needed was fuel. Whether it looked okay wasn't important.

Sherlock followed him onto the veranda, not even bothering to poke his nose into Gabe's plate.

Looking at the gooey pasta, Gabe didn't blame him.

Sherlock's nose twitched at about the same time Gabe's did.

Roast chicken.

He sniffed again. Onions, celery, and if he wasn't mistaken, a good dose of mixed herbs.

His stomach rumbled.

Sherlock looked pleadingly up at him.

"No. Definitely not," he whispered. "That's Natalie's dinner. You've had your dog roll and I've got my..." he looked down at his mac and cheese, "...dinner. Yum."

Sherlock wasn't buying his fake enthusiasm. He woofed, sending a flock of swallows high into the air.

The K-9 super dog who'd found more criminals and drugs than any other dog in New York City, took off across the yard, barking like an out-of-control freight train.

Natalie walked around the side of the cottage. "Is everything all right?"

Apart from this morning's unexpected meeting, he hadn't seen her for three days.

"We're fine. Sherlock's blowing off some steam."

Natalie's eyes widened when she saw his dinner. "That looks...interesting."

"Last night's leftovers. I've been writing all day. How's the painting?"

A smile lit Natalie's face. "It's great. I don't know whether it's because I'm in Sapphire Bay or because I'm trying something new, but it's coming together really well. How's the book?"

"I'm up to chapter seven."

"Does your hero know who the body belongs to?"

"He thinks he does, but he's about to be proven wrong."

Natalie leaned against the rail. "How do you know what's going to happen?"

"I have a broad outline of the plot on my computer. After every third chapter I look at what's coming up and decide if I need to make any changes."

"Have any of your stories done a complete U-turn and left you wondering what will happen next?"

"My last book was like that." Gabe thought about _Taken_ , the first book in the eight-part series he was writing. "Sometimes a character does something so unexpected that it surprises me. When that happens, you need to decide whether their actions make the story stronger or if it will take you down a dead end."

Natalie smiled. "And if it takes you down a dead end, you need a dead body, too."

"Exactly."

Sherlock ran toward the cottage.

"I'm sorry about this morning," Gabe muttered. "I didn't mean to stare at your legs."

Natalie shrugged as if it didn't matter, but the blush on her face told him it did. "It's okay. I don't normally wear my pajamas outside."

Gabe's imagination worked overtime. If they were her pajama bottoms, he wondered what the top looked like.

He cleared his throat, hoping Natalie didn't realize what he was thinking. "I'm glad you were there to help."

"I didn't do much. I'm just happy the man wasn't badly hurt." Natalie moved away from the rail. "I hope you don't think I'm rude or anything, but you're welcome to share my dinner. I baked chicken and vegetables."

He didn't have to think twice about her offer. "I'll bring dessert."

Natalie's smile made his breath catch. "I'll see you soon. Don't forget Sherlock."

While the big German Shepherd ambled toward the cottage, Gabe took a carton of ice cream out of the freezer. Between Natalie's chicken and his dessert, they had a meal fit for royalty. Or a man and a dog who were desperate for a home-cooked dinner.

After dinner, Natalie rinsed the soapsuds off a plate and handed it to Gabe. "Was that better than your mac and cheese?"

"A lot better. I should have cooked something, but time has a habit of slipping away when I'm writing."

"It's the same with painting."

"I saw some of your landscapes on the Internet. They're incredible."

She smiled at his softly spoken compliment. "Thanks. I always try to do something a little different with each canvas."

Gabe stacked the plate on top of the ones he'd dried. "How long does it usually take to finish a painting?"

"It depends on the size of the canvas and what I'm trying to achieve. If the painting has a lot of layers, it can take five or six months. Each layer needs to dry before the next one can be added. That's why I work on multiple canvases at the same time. I once had five paintings all in various stages of work. That was a little crazy."

"Some authors are the same. They'll write one novel in the morning and another in the afternoon. I guess we all have to find a process that works for us."

"My process wasn't great. I used to think that shutting myself off from the world was the only way I could create my paintings. But I've turned over a new leaf and I'm trying something different."

"How different?"

Natalie grinned. "Life-changing different. I've given myself three days to lay the foundations for my paintings. From now on, I paint from seven in the morning until four in the afternoon. Unless I'm on a roll and then I'll take extra time off the next day."

"What made you want to change your painting process?"

"Because it wasn't a process. It was desperation. I went to art school on a full scholarship. I knew I'd need to sell paintings right after I graduated if I was going to have money to eat. So I worked hard, slowly building my collection into something I could market. Even after I became well-known, I worked long hours. The last six years have disappeared and apart from a healthy bank account, I don't have anything to show for it."

"You don't seem like the type of person who could lock herself away from the world."

She handed Gabe the last dish. "You can do anything if you have the right motivation."

His gaze lingered on her face. "I'm sensing there's a 'but' in there somewhere."

"I lost track of what's important. I was so caught up with being a commercial success that I didn't spend time with the people I love." She glanced at Gabe, wondering if he would understand the guilt she was carrying. "Until Mom and I left Sapphire Bay, we lived in the cottage with my grandparents. Even when I was at college, I used to spend each vacation here. When I moved to Europe, all that changed. I could have come home more often, but I didn't."

"You were building your career."

"That's what I told myself. Last year my grandparents died in a car accident. I'll never get back the time I could have spent with them." She took a deep breath and stared through the kitchen window. "Grandma and I used to sit on the veranda, talking about what's happening in our lives. Granddad used to take me fishing and tell me stories about the steamboats that used to cross Flathead Lake. They were wonderful people."

"Your grandparents would have understood why you didn't come home."

"That doesn't make it okay." She turned to Gabe, half-afraid to tell him how selfish she'd been. "Instead of going to their funeral, I went to the opening of my exhibition in London. Afterward, I knew I'd made the wrong decision."

"Why are you here now? I know you need to paint two canvases, but you could have done that anywhere."

Natalie sighed. "This might sound strange, but I need to find the person I used to be. I was going to leave Venice in September, but the burglary brought my plans forward."

"And I nearly derailed them by renting the cottage."

"It worked out okay."

"It did."

The sadness in Gabe's eyes worried her.

He folded the dishtowel and placed it on the counter. "If it's any consolation, I can relate to what you've said. While I was working in the police force, my entire life centered around my job. When I met Michelle, I never thought we'd be more than friends. But over time, our friendship grew into love." He looked down at his hands. "I was going to ask her to marry me."

"That must have been a horrible time."

"Not as horrible as realizing how isolated I'd become. After Michelle's funeral, I took six months off work. I needed to make some changes in my life."

"Did you go back to your job with the police?"

Relief replaced the sadness in Gabe's eyes. "No. While I was on leave, I submitted my first novel to an agent. They loved it and sent it to one of the largest publishing houses in New York City. Two weeks later, I signed a contract and started editing my second novel."

"Is your life heading in the right direction now?"

He looked away. "Until five months ago, I thought it was."

She didn't know what had happened, but he didn't seem happy. "Can you fix what's happened?"

"I thought coming here would have helped, but it hasn't. Someone is stalking me."

That was the last thing Natalie expected to hear. "I didn't think people did that anymore."

"You'd be surprised. It started with emails, then escalated to letters and photos. I ignored most of what the person said until the photos started arriving. I heard about your cottage from a friend of your mom's. After what was happening, it seemed like the perfect place to lay low. Unfortunately, it hasn't stopped the letters."

"Does the person know you're here?"

"I don't think so. The letters are still being sent to my agent."

Natalie frowned. "Is that why you don't want anyone to know you're a writer?"

"If the person who's stalking me knows I'm here, they could make everyone's life difficult. If you want me to move out, I will. It was hard enough dealing with what's happening myself. I don't expect you to get caught up in my mess."

Natalie looked at Sherlock. He was curled in a ball, sound asleep on her rug. They'd both been through so much. "I don't mind you living beside me, but I think we should get a security system. It wouldn't hurt to replace the locks on the doors, either."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. The chance of anyone finding you here must be a million to one."

Gabe didn't seem so confident. "If anything changes, I'll leave right away."

"If that makes you feel better, then okay. But for now, let's enjoy dessert. Would you like some chocolate cake with the ice cream you brought?"

"That would be great. I'll get the ice cream."

She was still thinking about what Gabe had said when he placed the carton of ice cream beside her.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Natalie looked at him and frowned. "It's Brooke you should be thanking. She dropped the cake off this afternoon."

Gabe touched her hand. "I don't mean about the cake. I was thanking you for letting Sherlock and me stay here."

She moved her hand. The tingles rushing along her arm weren't the kind that boded well for a platonic friendship. Gabe intrigued her. He made her wish she could let go of the past and jump into a new life. But she wasn't ready and didn't know when she would be.

"We're both making changes in our lives," Natalie murmured. "If we can't rely on each other, who can we trust?"

"I wish it were that simple."

"So do I." She found a knife and cut two slices off the cake. When her apartment was broken into, she'd felt violated. Knowing someone had gone through her belongings and trashed the one place she should have been safe, was devastating.

No one had ever stalked her, but it must be worse than what she'd experienced. No matter where you went or who you saw, you'd feel as though someone was watching you. That kind of stress could break a person's confidence and their ability to live a normal life.

If she could make Gabe's life easier by giving him somewhere safe to live, then that's what she'd do. Even if he made her wish for things she'd never wanted—until now.

Two evenings later, Natalie turned to the next page in the document Brooke had given her. "I don't know much about business plans, but this looks great."

"Do you think I've included the right information?"

Natalie hadn't been exaggerating when she said she knew nothing about business plans. If Brooke asked her to critique a painting or write a marketing plan for an exhibition she could have done it with her eyes closed. But this was different. Brooke's dream of opening her own confectionery store rested on the strength of the plan in front of her.

"We should ask Gabe. He's good with words." Natalie had no idea if he knew about business plans, but it was worth a try.

Brooke leaned her elbows on the kitchen table. "I haven't seen him in town very much. He must be enjoying his vacation."

Gabe had told everyone he was here to enjoy a summer beside the lake. And if they really pushed, he said he used to be a police officer.

Natalie just hoped no one dug any deeper into his life. "I see him when he's walking Sherlock each morning. It looks as though he's enjoying his time here. If Gabe can't help, you could ask one of the business owners in town. They might know what the bank manager wants to see."

Brooke bit her bottom lip. "Do you think Gabe would mind us interrupting him now?"

Natalie picked up her cell phone. "I'll call him and ask."

After a short conversation, Natalie handed Brooke the draft document. "He's happy to look at it now."

By the time they walked around the outside of the cottage, Gabe and Sherlock were waiting for them on the veranda.

"Come inside," Gabe said with a smile. "I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'm happy to add my thoughts."

Natalie looked around her grandparents' cottage. Gabe had added a few things of his own, but the furniture and rugs were exactly the same.

She looked above the fireplace and frowned. "Did the realtor take all the photos and paintings off the walls?"

Gabe cleared a space on the dining room table. "I'm not sure. What you see is what was here when I arrived." His hands stilled. "You haven't been inside your grandparents' cottage since you came home."

Natalie swallowed the lump in her throat. "It's your home. I didn't want to intrude." Gabe's gray eyes connected with hers. There was so much compassion and understanding in their depths that she had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying.

"Why don't you have a look around while I read the business plan."

She shook her head. "I don't need to. Just being in the living room is enough." Natalie ran her hand along the back of the rocking chair. Her grandfather had built it from trees that grew around the cottage. Her grandma had made the bright orange rug under the coffee table, and the TV was the same one her mom had bought them many years ago. So much was the same, but without her grandparents, it would never feel like the home she remembered.

Sherlock sat beside her.

She knelt on the floor and gave him a big hug. "Who's a good boy?"

He leaned into her arms, panting softly.

Gabe sighed. "You're the only person apart from me who can do that."

Natalie ran her fingers through Sherlock's thick coat. "That's because we've got a special bond."

"And you give him chicken for breakfast."

"It was only a couple of times," Natalie murmured. "He loved it."

"I'm sure he did." Gabe picked up a pair of glasses and opened the folder Brooke had given him. "It shouldn't take me too long to read this."

"Brooke and I did some research about what should be in a business plan. I left our notes at the back of the folder."

"We think we've covered everything," Brooke added. "But it would be good to get a second opinion."

Gabe settled into one of the chairs. "I hope I can help. The coffee's still hot if you'd like a cup."

"Why don't we take Sherlock for a walk?" Natalie suggested. "I've got my cell phone with me. If we're not back by the time you've finished, just call."

Sherlock ran across the room and sat beside the French doors.

Gabe's gaze moved from his German Shepherd to Natalie. "It looks as though you've got your answer. Take the whistle. It's on top of the refrigerator. If Sherlock goes too far, blow it and he'll come running."

"We won't be long," Natalie said as she headed toward the kitchen.

He nodded and opened the folder.

Whatever advice Gabe could give them would be better than none. All Natalie and Brooke had to do was get Sherlock home without him rolling in anything too smelly. And that, she knew, would be harder than fine-tuning Brooke's business plan.

By the time Natalie and Brooke came back from their walk, Gabe had finished reading the business plan. He'd made some notes and highlighted the text he thought needed to be more obvious.

"What do you think?" Brooke asked.

"It looks great to me. The only question I have is whether you want to buy or lease the store you've found."

"I'd like to buy the building, but I don't know if the bank will lend me the money. That's why there are two different budgets."

Gabe flipped to the pages Brooke was talking about. "I think you should make it really clear that your preference is to buy the building. Why are you asking a bank manager in Polson for the loan?"

"Because that's the closest bank."

"Will they know about property prices in Sapphire Bay?"

Brooke frowned. "I don't know. Do you think I should include some kind of property overview?"

"It wouldn't hurt. A realtor could give you a list of commercial buildings that have sold in the last twelve months. I've made some notes about small things. Apart from the property prices and making it clear that your preferred option is to buy the building, the plan looks okay to me." He handed the folder to Brooke. "What will you do if the bank won't give you the money?"

"I'll keep working from the commercial kitchen in my garage. But the store in town is perfect. It used to be a French bakery. Apart from some painting and signage, I won't need to change anything for a long time."

"Where's the building?"

"On Main Street. It's about five buildings away from the general store."

Gabe knew the property Brooke was talking about. The French bakery was still open when he'd arrived in town. With its wide veranda, arched windows, and red-brick exterior, the building would make a wonderful candy store.

"Have you thought about working with a business partner?"

Brooke nodded. "I did, but it didn't seem realistic to expect someone to invest in a confectionery store. Most of my sales are through word of mouth and at the markets and fairs."

"You described ways your business could grow. Putting those actions into place might appeal to an investor."

Brooke sighed. "I really want to do this on my own. If the bank doesn't lend me the money, I'll rethink my decision to involve a business partner. Otherwise, my garage will have to do. Thanks for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate the suggestions you made."

Gabe smiled. "You're welcome. If you want another opinion, talk to Mabel at the general store. She could review your sales projections to see if the peak business times match what you've identified."

Brooke picked up her bag and patted Sherlock.

His dog didn't even bat an eyelid. Sapphire Bay was turning him into a giant teddy bear.

Natalie grinned. "Don't worry. We won't corrupt him too much." She handed Gabe his whistle. "We didn't need this. Sherlock stayed beside us the whole time."

Gabe's eyebrows rose. "What did you bribe him with?"

Natalie patted Sherlock's head. "We didn't have to bribe him. He enjoyed our company."

Sherlock wasn't the only one. And that worried Gabe almost as much as the stalker who was following him.

# Chapter 5

The screech of a drill rattled through the cottage. Natalie dropped her head into her hands. It had been four hours since the team from Fletcher Security had arrived. Four hours of non-stop drilling, banging, and questions.

A dark-haired man stuck his head around the doorframe. "We're turning off the power for about half an hour. Is there anything you need to do before we cut the switch?"

She looked at Tanner and sighed. She didn't need power, all she needed were a few hours of peace and quiet. "I'm okay. Have you checked with Gabe?"

"He's not here. He went to the lake with his dog."

Natalie looked enviously through the window. If she could have picked up her canvas and worked from somewhere else, she would have.

"I'll tell you when we've turned on the power."

"Thank you."

Tanner's slow smile made her feel slightly less grumpy. Finding a company to install a new security system was harder than she'd thought. Polson was their closest town and the contractors were all busy. When she'd mentioned her problem to a friend in Bozeman, Holly told her to call Fletcher Security. Within two days, Tanner and his team were reviewing her non-existent security and recommending different options.

Gabe had added his thoughts and between them, they'd come up with a plan that would keep the property and themselves safe.

Natalie sighed as silence wrapped itself over the cottage like a thick, fluffy blanket. She studied her painting, dipped her brush into the gray-green paint, and added more color to the background.

Half a blissful hour later, Tanner knocked on her door. "We're finished. Is it a good time to go over the setup?"

"I'll just clean my brushes. Where do you want me to meet you?"

"We'll start by the back door of your side of the cottage. Gabe's home, so I'll show both of you at the same time."

Natalie slid off her stool and replaced the lids on her paints. At least they wouldn't have to worry about someone breaking into the cottage. If Gabe's stalker got past the state-of-the-art security system Tanner had installed, they were in more trouble than they thought.

Gabe smiled as she walked through the living room door. "You look comfortable."

She hoisted her old dungarees higher and grinned. "They're my favorite things to wear when I'm painting." She twirled and gave a theatrical bow. "I found them in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul." She ran her hands down the paint-splattered denim. It was so thin she could have been wearing cotton.

"They're very...artsy."

"You should see my other paint clothes. I've got a shirt for every occasion." She jumped when Tanner cleared his throat.

"I don't have any multi-colored clothes, but I have installed some flashing lights. Do you want to see how they work?"

She smiled at their security installer. "Go for it."

After twenty minutes of moving around both sides of the cottage, Natalie was in awe of what the team from Fletcher Security had achieved.

She waved her hand in front of an infrared beam protecting Gabe's French doors. "This is amazing. Are you sure it works?"

Tanner nodded. "When you walk through the beam, an alarm will be activated on your cell phones. You won't hear anything inside the cottage." He pointed to what looked like a light switch. "But you will hear a piercing alarm when you press these buttons. If you set off any of these, the whole world will know about it."

Gabe frowned. "Define 'the whole world'."

"As well as the internal siren, Fletcher Security, a private security business in Polson, and each of your phones will let us know you're in trouble. If you hit any of the buttons by mistake, call the number I gave you. Fletcher Security will deactivate the alarm from Bozeman."

"It's so simple to use," Natalie said.

Tanner took some papers off his clipboard. "That's our aim. If it's not simple, people don't use it. Here are the instructions. I've also emailed you a copy of the warranty and our contact information. If you have any issues, don't hesitate to call us."

Natalie shook Tanner's hand. "I don't know what to say except thank you."

"Remember to use the system, even if you're only planning on being away from the cottage for a few minutes. It's there to protect you."

For one brief moment, fear crept under Natalie's skin. Part of her wanted to be safe in her own home without the additional security. The other half wanted barbed wire on all the windows. For now, she'd found a good compromise.

Later that evening, Gabe picked up his coffee cup and frowned. Empty again. He really needed to do something about the amount of caffeine he was drinking, but that could wait for another day. He had a hero who was on the brink of death and a medical examiner who couldn't find him. If Zac died before he made it to the next scene, the story would be over.

Gabe rubbed his hand along his jaw as he walked across to his whiteboard. Zac Connelly might be James Bond on steroids, but even he couldn't defy death. Something had to happen to give him another hour or two of breathing time, something no one was expecting.

"How will we do this, Sherlock?"

Without lifting his head, Sherlock looked up at Gabe and sighed. He was a dog of few words, except when it came to mealtimes.

"Zac's been shot. He's cold, hungry, and in the middle of a National Park. What would he do to stay alive?"

Sherlock yawned.

"He can't sleep. The mafia is closer than the medical examiner. How can we change that?"

Sherlock's paws covered his eyes.

The story couldn't be that bad. Gabe's eyes narrowed as he studied the next couple of scenes. Somewhere along the line, the medical examiner had missed an important clue. Gabe needed to make sure she not only found it but linked it to Zac's disappearance.

After twenty minutes of tossing around different ideas, he was still no closer to getting out of the hole he'd painted his hero into.

Finding inspiration from within the cottage's four walls wasn't happening. In desperation, he grabbed his cap from a hook beside the front door. "Let's go for a walk, Sherlock. It might clear the cobwebs from my brain."

Sherlock leaped to his feet, almost nose-planting into the wooden floor in his haste to get outside.

With one word from Gabe, he sat on the edge of the veranda instead of racing into the wilderness.

After punching in the code for the security alarm, Gabe headed toward Sherlock. "Good boy. Let's see if we can buy our hero some time." And hopefully, by the end of the night, Zac Connelly wouldn't be dead.

Natalie sat on a log at the edge of the lake. It was such a still evening she could have sworn the whole world was holding its breath. She was waiting for sunset, when the sun would dip below the towering ranges and paint shadows across the rocks and trees.

She lifted her camera and snapped a picture of swallows racing across the water. Her grandma had given her the camera before she'd flown to Paris. It had been a going away gift, a reminder to take plenty of photos so that her grandparents could enjoy her time in Europe.

For the first two years, she'd sent lots of photos to Sapphire Bay. Then gradually, she'd stopped using the camera and started using her cell phone. Quick emails replaced the long letters she'd written, and the phone calls home became less frequent.

What had her grandma and granddad thought? They must have been heartbreakingly disappointed. As their only grandchild, Natalie knew she held a special place in their hearts. But that hadn't stopped her from focusing on her own life and ignoring them.

A noise farther down the shore made her turn around. She smiled when she saw Gabe. Then grinned when she realized he hadn't seen her.

He walked closer to the edge of the lake, picked up a stone and skimmed it across the water.

Sherlock leaped after it, bounding through the water like an Olympic swimmer. His shaggy black coat stuck to his body like asphalt as he raced back to shore, waiting for the next round of play time.

Natalie focused her camera on Gabe as he launched another rock into the air. The smile on his face made her breath catch. She'd never seen him so happy or carefree. He was living in the moment, enjoying the time with Sherlock before the night sky sent them home.

She moved to the right and took another photo.

Sherlock's head swiveled toward her. Before she could lower her camera, he ran across the stones, thumping through the lake and sending water everywhere.

She froze. Sherlock used to be a police dog. If he thought she was a stranger, she could lose an arm or a leg or even her camera.

Gabe's shrill whistle made Sherlock spin around and head toward the shore.

With trembling hands, Natalie placed the camera in its bag and walked toward Gabe. By the time she reached them, Sherlock's tail was wagging. He barked at her as if he'd just found his long-lost friend.

Natalie patted Sherlock's wet head. "Hi, boy. Thanks for calling Sherlock back to you, Gabe."

"He's a big dog. It can be frightening when he's running toward you. Are you taking more photos for your painting?"

"I am. I need a few more of the mountains at sunset. How is your book coming along?"

"My hero will die if the medical examiner doesn't find him."

"How far away is she?"

Gabe sighed. "Too far. She overlooked the clue the killer left in the body she examined."

"You could change the story. Maybe she reviews the file and sees what she missed the first time?"

"That would be too easy."

Natalie shrugged. "Sometimes the easiest options are the best. Life doesn't need to be complicated."

"Maybe you're right. Do you want some company while you wait for sunset?"

"That would be great. Apart from Mom and Mabel, I haven't spoken to anyone all day." Most people would have found that odd. But Gabe knew how much she appreciated having time to concentrate on her paintings.

"Did you get plenty of work done?"

She sat on the log, leaving lots of space for Gabe. "I did. The paintings should definitely be ready in time for my exhibition."

"What will you do when they're finished?"

"I'm not sure. Lorenzo wants me to return to Italy, but I don't know if that's the best place for me."

Gabe frowned. "Who's Lorenzo?"

"The owner of an art gallery in Venice. He's organizing my next exhibition."

There was a moment of silence before Gabe asked, "Is he your boyfriend?"

Natalie smiled. "Lorenzo would have a heart attack if anyone thought that. He's sixty-eight years old, has a wonderful wife and five children."

The top of Gabe's ears turned pink. "I just wondered...you know...if you were dating anyone."

Gabe wasn't the only person who was embarrassed. "I haven't dated many people. My last boyfriend was annoyed that I spent more time painting than I did with him."

"Did he see what you were creating?"

She nodded. "We met at one of my exhibitions."

"He must have known how hard you worked before you started dating?"

"He did, but I think he liked the idea of going out with an artist better than the reality. I have a job that doesn't always work in with other people's schedules."

"It sounds as though you're better off without him."

She lifted the camera out of the bag. "He had a point, but at the time I was more annoyed than hurt. I painted one of my best landscapes after he left."

Gabe smiled. "Silver linings."

"Exactly." Natalie checked her watch. "Sunset is about ten minutes away."

He stretched out his leg and rubbed his thigh.

"I noticed the other day that you were limping. Have you hurt your leg?"

"It's an old injury from when I was working in the NYPD. I've been writing all day and sitting in one position for too long makes the muscle cramp."

"Were you shot?"

Gabe nodded. "My partner and I were running after a drug dealer. He took exception to being arrested." He looked down at her camera. "I didn't think anyone used manual cameras anymore."

Natalie smiled. He was changing the subject, but that was okay. "It's a 1969 Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic. It was my grandmother's."

He studied the buttons and levers.

"It takes wonderful photos. A digital camera could probably do the same thing, but I feel close to my grandma when I'm using it. She was a great photographer."

After waiting for so long, the sun was falling rapidly toward the mountains. Natalie held the camera to her eye, focused the lens on a crop of spruce trees, and waited.

Within seconds the last rays of sun splintered across the top of the range, cascading through the trees and onto the lake as softly as the wings of an angel. Natalie clicked the shutter, waited for a second, then did the same thing again. By the time the sun disappeared she knew she had some great shots.

She grinned at Gabe. "That's a wrap."

"Will you develop them yourself?"

"Not this time. Mabel gave me the name of someone in the local photographic club. He'll develop them for me tomorrow."

Gabe patted Sherlock. "You've got everything worked out."

"Don't be fooled," she said softly. "I might not have a dying hero to worry about, but plenty of other things stop me from sleeping."

"It might be easier now that you've installed a state-of-the-art security system."

Natalie nodded, but it wasn't the people who were alive that kept her awake.

Gabe parked his truck outside the general store. If it weren't for the fact that he'd run out of food, he wouldn't be here. Coming into town always increased the risk of someone recognizing him, but seeing Mabel was more of a worry.

Each time she spoke to him she dug a little deeper, trying to uncover more information about his life. It didn't help that he was equally as skilled at evading her questions.

He peered through the window at this week's display. Drills, sanders, chainsaws, and grinders sat on wooden crates, all waiting for DIY adventurers to take advantage of the discounts. Gabe didn't need any tools, but he _was_ thinking about buying a barbecue.

Before he ran the gauntlet of Mabel's questions, he wanted to see the store that Natalie's friend wanted to buy. As he walked farther down the sidewalk, he realized how good an investment the building could be.

The general store was the only place you could buy groceries in Sapphire Bay. Everyone who lived here regularly visited the store. Tourists stopped by to refill their coolers or buy enough food for a few days. If that wasn't a good enough reason to open a candy store close by, then the tourist buses were.

According to the sign on the lamppost, ten buses a week stopped here. Multiply that by the number of people on each bus and you had a good opportunity to broaden your customer base.

Gabe pressed his face to the French bakery's window. The glass counter was still sitting where the owners had left it. Half a dozen tables and chairs, complete with red tablecloths, were waiting for the next customers to arrive. Even the light fixtures could have come straight out of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

If the kitchen was as well maintained as the front of the store, it would be perfect.

"I can't believe it." Caleb held his hand over Gabe's forehead. "You've come into town on your own. Are you feeling all right?"

"Very funny," Gabe muttered. "I thought you were working on a tight deadline."

"I am, but everyone needs to eat. My cupboards are bare, and a certain someone hasn't invited me for dinner."

"If you want to test drive a new barbecue you can come over tonight."

Caleb smiled. "Do I get to choose the meat?"

"As long as it comes from an animal. The vegetarian steaks we ate last week wouldn't be considered food in most countries."

"I'm stretching your comfort zone." Caleb pointed to the sign hanging from under the veranda. "If you're looking for fresh bread, you won't find it here."

"I'm surprised the building hasn't sold."

Caleb shrugged. "Sapphire Bay is busy with tourists for six months of the year. The rest of the time it's quiet. You'd have to be sure that customers will buy your products year-round to keep in business. Are you thinking about buying the building?"

Gabe smiled. "Not me. I've got too many crimes that need solving. Do you know anything about barbecues?"

"Are you kidding? My dad was the barbecue king of Milwaukee."

"Good. You can come with me to the general store. Allan gave me some pamphlets about the different barbecues he sells. I think I know which one I want, but it might have too many features for what I need."

"You can never have too many gadgets on a barbecue. When was the last time you used one?"

Gabe added up the years. Where had the time gone? "I was living with Mom and Dad. It must be at least twenty years ago."

Caleb's eyes widened. "It's just as well you asked me to help. Everyone should own a barbecue."

Gabe's phone rang. He checked the caller display and frowned. His agent was supposed to contact him today, but he was too early. "I'll just get this call."

"I'll meet you inside the store."

"Sounds good." Gabe held his phone to his ear. "Hi, Eric. I thought you were calling me in two hours?"

"You need to hear this now."

"What's happened?"

"I received another letter and a set of photos from the stalker."

Gabe sighed. "I was hoping you'd tell me the police have arrested him."

"Not yet, but he's given them a lot more to work with. He recreated the first murder scene in _Taken_."

Fear crept along Gabe's spine. "What do you mean, 'recreated'?"

"He staged everything. From the blood splatters to the position of the furniture."

"What about a body?"

"Not this time, but the police aren't taking any chances. They want you to hire a bodyguard."

Gabe frowned. They'd talked about bodyguards three months ago, but that was the last thing he wanted. "It will only draw attention to me. It's not like I'm living in Brooklyn."

"Come home, then. At least if you were living here you'd have more people looking after you. It's better than staying in the middle of nowhere."

The people around Gabe would have taken exception to Eric's description of their town. "Sapphire Bay isn't big by anyone's standards, but I can keep a low profile here. Is Kevin Knoppfler still the lead detective on my case?"

"He is. He wants you to call him."

Gabe was grateful for what Kevin was doing. Finding the stalker wasn't easy, but he was doing everything he could to stop the craziness from continuing.

"How's the book coming along?"

He pulled his thoughts back to Eric. "It's on track. Did you get my feedback on the cover design?"

"I did. It's with the graphics team."

Gabe leaned against the bakery's front door. "I'll ask Kevin to send me a copy of the latest police report."

"Good idea. I've got to go, but if you see anything out of the ordinary, call the police."

"I will. I'll talk to you next week." Gabe ended the call. If the police didn't find the stalker soon, he would have no choice but to hire a bodyguard. He wouldn't risk anyone else's life. Not again.

Flames leaped around the meat on the barbecue. Gabe turned another sausage and prodded the steak. So far, so good. He hadn't burned down the veranda or filled the cottage with smoke. Sherlock had taken up guard dog duties beside the picnic chairs. Whether that was to stop anyone from burning themselves or to be first in line for the food, Gabe wasn't sure.

"Here's a bowl for the onions." Caleb left the dish on the table. "What do you think of your new barbecue?"

"It's better than the one dad used to have."

Caleb grinned. "I hope so. You won't need to order takeout ever again."

Natalie walked around the edge of the cottage. "Who's eating takeout?"

Gabe sighed. He didn't think he'd ever get used to the way his heart pounded whenever he saw her.

"Not Gabe," Caleb said quickly. "From now on, this is a takeout-free zone. I can't believe he's never owned a barbecue."

"Gabe isn't the only one." Natalie grinned at Caleb. "I probably had barbecued food three times while I was in Europe."

"I'm surrounded by philistines," Caleb groaned. "You can't cross the threshold into adulthood without burning at least one sausage."

Gabe waved the metal tongs over the meat. "I refuse to burn the first meal I've cooked on the grill."

Natalie placed a bowl of salad on the table and opened the bottle of wine she'd brought. "I'm pleased to hear it. Thanks for inviting me over. I should have finished painting an hour ago."

Caleb handed Natalie a wine glass. "I hope you don't mind the snooping we did to find out who you are."

"It happens all the time. That's why I don't have any personal social media accounts. Would you like a glass of wine?"

She filled Caleb's glass, then looked for Gabe's.

"Not for me." Gabe cleared his throat. Now was as good a time as any to tell Caleb and Natalie the other reason they were here. "I need to tell you both something."

Caleb groaned. "You're putting us in your book, aren't you?"

"I wish it were that simple. A few days ago, I told Natalie that someone has been stalking me. I moved to Sapphire Bay, hoping he would lose interest and go away. He hasn't."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Caleb asked. "I might have been able to help."

"The police are doing all they can. What Natalie doesn't know is that a couple of days ago the stalker recreated a murder scene from my first book. No one was hurt, but the police are worried the stalker will eventually kill someone."

Natalie sat on the edge of a chair. "Are the police any closer to knowing who he is?"

"Not yet."

Caleb frowned. "Why would he recreate a murder scene from your book?"

"I've got no idea. Maybe he's living his life through my characters. If the police don't find any new leads, I'm hiring a bodyguard."

"I know some people who might be able to help," Caleb muttered.

Gabe's eyes widened. "You do?"

"I work with people who use high-level personal protection services. If the police aren't able to find the stalker, let me know. I'll call a company I've worked with in the past."

Natalie sighed. "I thought my life was complicated. Can I do anything to help?"

Gabe shook his head. "Just be careful. I don't know what the stalker knows about my life but, if he finds me here, you may not be safe."

"I can't believe anyone would get so involved in a story."

"It happens more than you think," Gabe said. "I worked on a lot of cases that involved copycat murders while I was a detective."

Caleb studied the camera that was mounted under the veranda's roof. "Is that why you installed a security system?"

"Partly," Natalie replied. "Sapphire Bay isn't the sleepy little town I remembered. It's changed. Without the extra security, the cottage was too vulnerable."

Gabe checked the meat. "The sausages and steaks are almost cooked. Is everyone ready for dinner?"

Natalie searched Gabe's face. "I don't know how you stay so positive. If someone were looking for me, I'd be stressed beyond belief."

"It's been going on for a while." Gabe used a fork to move the meat onto a plate. "I thought the police would have found the stalker by now."

"Maybe that's where we can help," Natalie said.

Gabe slid the plate of meat onto the table. "What do you mean?"

"You told me that Caleb works with computers. The three of us have different careers, but we have two important things in common. We're creative and we think logically." Natalie looked at Caleb. "What do you do when you can't find an answer to a problem?"

"I make lists and brainstorm." Caleb snapped his fingers. "We need a timeline. We can compare what he's doing now with what happened during the first couple of months."

Gabe frowned. "The police have already done that. I'll send you a copy."

Natalie took the plastic wrap off the salad. "Have they linked what's happened in real life with your books?"

"I don't think so."

"We could do that. If the stalker is following what happens in your stories, we might be able to anticipate his next move."

Gabe ran his hand around the back of his neck. "Are you sure you want to get involved? I told you about the stalker because I want you to be careful."

Caleb stuck his hands on his hips. "It doesn't matter whether you want us to get involved or not. The reality is that we're already involved. If the police haven't found the stalker by now, something's not right."

"It wouldn't hurt to create a new timeline," Natalie added. "If we find any similarities we could share the information with the police."

"Are you sure you've got the time? We're all working with tight time frames."

Caleb looked at Natalie. "I can volunteer a few hours of coding time."

"I can't code anything," Natalie replied. "But I'm a quick reader. I could start listing all the things that happen in the books."

Gabe sighed. "I wish I'd brought some paperback copies with me."

"We could download the novels," Caleb suggested. "Ebooks are just as good as paperbacks."

Natalie jumped to her feet. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't eat all the sausages."

# Chapter 6

Natalie placed a brown cardboard box on the table. "You aren't the only ones who did a little snooping. These arrived a few days ago." She took four copies of each of Gabe's books out of the box. "I bought one copy for me, one for Mom, and the other two for friends." She handed Caleb and Gabe a copy of each book. "I was hoping Gabe would sign them, but this is more important. We can use them to work out what your stalker might do next."

Caleb looked at the cover of _Taken,_ then stared at Gabe. " _You_ wrote this?"

Gabe nodded. "My last name isn't Langley. It's Lanigan."

"This book has been on the New York Times bestseller list for weeks. I read it in one night and bought the second book the next day."

"Don't give anything away," Natalie said quickly. "I'm only up to chapter five."

"You'll know a lot more about Zac Connelly in the next few days," Caleb's face was alive with excitement. "Wait until you get to the end. You won't believe what happens."

She picked up her copy and held it close to her chest. "Don't say another word. I'll read it tonight."

Gabe looked at Natalie, then Caleb. "You know this isn't a game, don't you? The stalker isn't a fictional character I created to make my life interesting. He's a real, live human with serious mental health issues."

The excitement on Caleb's face disappeared. "We know. That's why we want to help." He pulled a notebook out of his jacket pocket. "And to start the ball rolling, I'll design a template we can use for our timeline. I should be able to come up with a simple algorithm that compares your stories with what's happened in real life."

Natalie watched Caleb write something in the notebook. "Do you always carry a pen and paper with you?"

"I never know when inspiration will hit. Computer code waits for no man."

Natalie didn't know if that was a techie joke or if he was being serious. When he didn't smile, she assumed he was serious.

Caleb clicked the button on the top of his pen. "We'll need columns for what happened, where it happened, when it took place, and who was involved. Do you want to document the character's motivation?"

Gabe wiped his fingers on a paper napkin. "I've got a lot of that information already. I'll email you my plot outline and print two copies of the police report. We'll need to include some of the columns the police used. I'll be back soon."

While Gabe was gone, Natalie scratched Sherlock's head. It amazed her how quickly they'd moved from talking about their dinner to designing a template that could predict the stalker's next move.

Caleb watched her. "Are you worried about what could happen if the stalker comes here?"

"I'm hoping the police will catch him before that happens. It's just as well Gabe has Sherlock. This big guy won't let anything happen to him."

Sherlock licked her hand.

"Are you enjoying living here?" Caleb asked.

"It's different than what I thought it would be like. Nine years ago, there were a lot fewer tourists visiting Sapphire Bay. I could walk to town and only see a few vehicles on the road. I went into town yesterday and there was a traffic jam on Main Street."

"It doesn't take long for people to discover how special a place is."

"How did you hear about Sapphire Bay?"

"A friend used to come here to fish. After hearing about how great Flathead Lake was, I decided to see it for myself. I ended up living here for a year before I started a new job in Washington, D.C. When my contract ended, I came back and opened my own consultancy company."

"You're not being stalked as well, are you?"

Caleb shook his head. "Not at the moment."

Sherlock's head swiveled toward the front door.

Gabe held a folder in his hand. "I didn't photocopy the entire file, but if there's anything else you want, let me know." He handed Natalie and Caleb a copy of the paperwork. "This is what the police came up with."

Natalie let her gaze slide down the first sheet of paper. "You weren't kidding when you said the stalker has been harassing you. This is crazy." Line after line detailed each incident. It was a wonder Gabe hadn't left Brooklyn a lot sooner than he had.

Caleb folded his copy of the report in half and placed it under his notebook. "I'll work on this tonight. But for now, we've got a barbecue to enjoy and a story to dissect."

Natalie opened her copy of _Taken_. She had a feeling it would be a long night.

"Arms up!"

Natalie groaned but lifted her arms in front of her.

Gabe moved fast, stepping into her body like a force four hurricane.

She deflected his punch, twisted to the right and kicked her foot toward his kneecap.

He spun away and finally stood still. "You're learning."

Natalie dropped to the ground. Sweat dripped down her face and splattered against her arm. "This isn't what I imagined when you offered to show me how to defend myself."

"You're on a fast-track program." Gabe grinned.

"My mother always said I was an overachiever." Natalie rolled over and groaned. She'd landed butt first on the ground so many times that she was sure she'd have a permanently bruised bottom. "I thought you might have been a little rusty after leaving the police force."

Gabe held out his hand. "It's like riding a bike. Once you've learned how you never forget."

She wrapped her hand around his wrist. He pulled her upright, setting her on her feet as if she were as light as a feather.

For the third day in a row she'd learned two things. One, she was unfit. Two, Gabe's smile was every bit as lethal as his self-defense moves.

"When you punch with your right arm, throw your whole shoulder into it. You've got more strength in the left-hand side of your body and it leaves you vulnerable."

"Yes, sir." If she could have lifted her incredibly strong left arm, she would have saluted him.

Gabe stuck his hands on his hips. "Caleb thinks these classes might be too much."

"What gave him that idea?" Natalie stretched her arms in front of her. She bit her lip, determined not to groan twice in as many minutes.

"He saw the way you were hobbling around the dinner table last night."

"I'm using muscles I didn't know I had, that's all. After I have a hot shower, I'll feel much better."

Gabe didn't look as though he believed her. "If I'm going too fast, I can slow down."

Natalie knelt on the ground and stretched her hamstrings. "You don't need to do that," she wheezed. "I'll be okay."

Sherlock ambled across the backyard, sitting beside her as she slowly stretched the other leg.

"You should keep this." Gabe shoved his hand under her nose.

She stared at the small, wooden whistle. "I can't do that. Your dad made it for you."

"If something happens and you need help, Sherlock will find you."

"Nothing will happen to me. Between what we're doing and the police investigation, the stalker doesn't stand a chance." She closed Gabe's hand around the whistle. "Keep it somewhere safe."

As soon as their fingers touched, she knew she'd made a mistake. She was attracted to him and it would spoil their friendship.

Falling for her neighbor was a definite no-no. Especially when that neighbor was hiding from someone with mental health issues.

She picked up her towel and pulled herself to her feet. "Have you heard from the detective in New York City?"

"They found some fingerprints on the furniture at the warehouse. The FBI is running them through their database."

"Do the police think they belong to the person who staged the murder scene?"

"They're keeping an open mind. The building was abandoned and squatters have been using most of the rooms. The police have to be careful not to arrest the wrong person."

Natalie wouldn't have been so forgiving. "Someone has been harassing you for five months. There must be more evidence than a couple of fingerprints."

"If there is, no one has said anything to me. He could have done this before."

"Why do you keep saying 'he'? Could the stalker be a woman?"

Gabe sat on the veranda. "In theory, yes. But statistically, there's more chance the stalker is a man."

Natalie wiped her face on the towel and carefully sat beside him. "We should add that to the spreadsheet," she groaned.

After a few changes, Caleb had created a document they could use to compare what had happened in Gabe's book with the stalker's activities. They'd just started adding data but, so far, they'd come up with some disturbing similarities.

She wasn't sure how Gabe was going to react to her next piece of news. "Mom's coming to see me this weekend. I told her she can't tell anyone about your real identity, but not why."

Gabe dropped his head to his chest.

"I know it isn't the best timing, but Mom's discreet."

"I'm more worried about her safety."

"I'll be with her the whole time. Besides, I'm used to disappearing into crowds."

Gabe's eyes narrowed. "There aren't many crowds in Sapphire Bay."

"I'm meeting her in Polson. The Cherry Festival is a huge annual event. There'll be so many people that no one will know who we are."

"I'll ask Caleb for the name of the security company he told us about. You should have at least one bodyguard with you."

Natalie smiled. "Mom and I aren't immune to the charms of big, muscly men, but we can manage on our own."

Gabe didn't return her smile. "It's too dangerous."

"If anything makes us feel uncomfortable, we'll come home right away."

"We'll see."

"Don't get a bodyguard."

"I bought some chicken at the general store yesterday. Do you want to have lunch with me?"

Natalie studied his face. "No bodyguard, Gabe."

His jaw clenched tight.

"I mean it."

"So do I." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "If you won't let me hire a bodyguard, you'll have to take the next best thing."

"What's that?"

"Me."

"You?"

"You're not the only person who can disappear into a crowd. And most importantly, I've got a Concealed Weapons Permit."

"Carrying a gun doesn't make anyone safer."

"From where I come from it does." Gabe stood in front of her. "Lunch?"

"You can't come with us," she growled. "If the stalker is in Polson, he'll recognize you."

"The chance of that happening is about a million to one."

Natalie sighed. There was no point arguing with him. The stubborn tilt of his jaw told her he wouldn't be changing his mind anytime soon. Her mom was looking forward to going to the festival and so was she.

Perhaps he was right. There was a slim to zero chance of the stalker being anywhere near them. If he knew Gabe was living in Sapphire Bay, he would have contacted him here, wouldn't he?

"Okay. You can come with us."

Gabe's grin didn't make her feel more confident that they were doing the right thing.

"Does this mean you'll have lunch with me, too?"

Natalie shook her head. "I can't. I need to paint."

"Fair enough. But make sure you eat something."

This time Natalie did salute him. "Aye, aye, captain." She jumped off the edge of the veranda and winced. She was really looking forward to a hot shower. "Mom's flight arrives in Polson at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. We're going straight to the festival from the airport."

"What time are you leaving the cottage?"

"Eight o'clock."

Gabe nodded. "If I don't see you tonight, I'll be waiting beside your truck tomorrow morning."

Natalie patted Sherlock's head. "Enjoy your lunch." And without hobbling too much, she walked to her side of the cottage. Hopefully, after a good night's sleep, Gabe would realize he was overreacting and stay in Sapphire Bay.

Seeing him for a couple of hours each day was bad enough. Spending the whole day with him would be sheer torture.

Natalie stepped away from the cottage and sighed. Gabe stood beside her truck, looking for all the world like he belonged there. "I thought you might have changed your mind."

Gabe grinned. "There was no chance of that. Are you ready to paint the town cherry red?"

She smiled at his early morning joke. The Cherry Festival could have used his words in their advertising. "You're in a good mood."

"I finished chapter eleven at three o'clock this morning."

"Congratulations." She looked around the yard. "Where's Sherlock?"

"Caleb's looking after him."

"For the whole day?"

Gabe nodded. "Sherlock's stayed with him before. Is there anything you need me to carry?"

Natalie unlocked her truck and left her pack on the back seat. "No. I've got everything I need. What about you?"

Gabe swung a small day pack off his shoulder. "I've got everything in here."

"Including your gun?"

"That's here." Gabe turned around and lifted his shirt.

She stared at the gun he'd tucked into the back of his jeans. "I should tell you that I don't like weapons of any kind."

Gabe stared at her in mock horror. _"Really?_ You could have fooled me."

"I'm serious. Guns freak me out. I don't care whether they're stun guns, tasers, or guns with bullets. All of them are dangerous."

"Only when you don't know what you're doing."

"Maybe." Natalie slid into the truck. While Gabe adjusted his seat, she checked her cell phone. "Mom's flight must be on time. She was going to text me if her plane was delayed."

"Where does she live?"

"Indianapolis. When my grandparents died, she moved from Bozeman and bought a house around the corner from her sister."

"Are you and your mom close?"

Natalie thought about the long phone calls and unexpected gifts they sent each other. "Yes. After my parents divorced, I didn't see dad very much. Mom means the world to me."

"Have you thought about living in Indianapolis?"

"I have, but I'm not sure I want to live there." She turned right and headed out of town. "When I was younger, I thought moving away from Montana sounded exciting. Going to college in New York City was a dream come true. But it didn't take long to miss what we had in Bozeman and Sapphire Bay. Nothing beats waking up to birds singing in the trees and hiking in the clean, fresh air."

She glanced across the cab. "What about you? Before you moved here, had you ever thought about living in a small town?"

Gabe shook his head. "My job was in New York City and my family was in Brooklyn. Leaving wasn't an option."

"And now?"

"I'm not sure."

Natalie thought about the person who was stalking Gabe and the constant worry about what they'd do next. She didn't blame him for not knowing where he wanted to live.

"What's your mom like?" Gabe asked.

She grinned. "I hate to say this, but she's an awful lot like me."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"Wait until you see us together. Mom's like a human dynamo. She never slows down."

"It sounds as though we're going to have a busy day."

Gabe didn't realize how right he was. The festival was one of the biggest events in Polson. There would be people, food, and cherry-themed activities everywhere. It was the perfect place for a runaway novelist, a reclusive painter, and a Mom who wanted to make sure her daughter was okay.

Gabe searched the faces of the people coming through the arrivals gate. So far, he hadn't seen anyone who looked like Natalie.

"There she is." Natalie walked toward a woman wearing a blue dress.

He wasn't surprised he hadn't seen a family resemblance because there wasn't one. Natalie's mom was a few inches shorter than her daughter. Blond hair, cropped close to her head, framed a smiling face. If Gabe had to guess her age, he'd say she was in her late fifties, but he could be wrong.

So far, she hadn't looked away from her daughter.

Natalie wrapped her arms around her mom and gave her a hug. It was the kind of reunion that made him homesick for his own parents. It had been too long since he'd last seen them, but he wasn't taking any chances with their safety.

After she'd finished hugging her mom, Natalie brought her across to meet him. "Gabe, this is my mom, Kathleen Armstrong. Mom, this is Gabe, the man who's renting Grandma and Granddad's cottage."

Gabe took off his baseball cap and held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Armstrong."

Her grip was firm. "There's no need to be so formal. You can call me, Kathleen. Are you enjoying living in Sapphire Bay?"

"It's exactly what I needed." Gabe pulled his cap onto his head. The chance of anyone recognizing him was remote, but stranger things had happened.

Natalie looked at the crowd hovering around the luggage carousel. "Did you bring any suitcases with you, Mom?"

"No. This is it."

Natalie seemed surprised. "Are you feeling all right?"

Kathleen smiled. "I'm only here for a couple of days. Besides, if I need another bag, I can always buy one. Before I forget, Aunt Jennie says hello and wants to know when you're coming to see her."

Natalie looked at Gabe. "Aunt Jennie is Mom's sister. She makes the best lemon shortbread I've ever tasted."

"It's funny you should say that." Kathleen opened the side zipper of her carry-on. "This is for you."

Natalie held the cellophane-wrapped cookies in her hand and smiled. "You should come to Montana more often."

"I will now that you're home." Tears filled Kathleen's eyes. "I've missed you."

"I missed you, too." Natalie hugged her mom again, then stepped away and wiped her eyes. "We'd better go to the Cherry Festival before Gabe regrets coming with us."

"No one regrets going to the Cherry Festival," Kathleen said. "Even if they have two emotional females with them."

"Don't worry about me," Gabe said. "As long as we find a stall that sells cherry pie, I'll be happy."

Natalie held onto the handle of her mom's carry-on. "You won't need to worry about that. Last time we were here, Mom bought at least a dozen pies."

"I didn't eat them all at once," Kathleen said quickly. "I stored them in the freezer for the right occasion."

Natalie grinned.

"Okay. I admit I didn't need much of an excuse to nibble on them. Sweet cherries with a little whipped cream can become addictive."

Gabe thought of his mom's fruit pies and smiled. There was nothing like the taste and smell of homemade pie to make you feel good. His smile disappeared as soon as they started moving. For such a small town, Polson Airport was busy.

They eventually maneuvered their way out of the terminal building. Walking across the parking lot was like riding the bumper cars at the county fair. Everyone wanted to make a quick exit and no one wanted to wait for three pedestrians. Unless something else was happening in town, most of these people would be heading to the Cherry Festival.

Gabe searched the parking lot, looking for anyone who didn't seem to belong.

Natalie made sure her mom was safely inside the truck before turning to him. "Is everything all right?" she whispered.

He pulled her toward the truck as another vehicle drove slowly by them. "I hope so." His body tensed as he waited to see what the driver did next.

"Have you heard from the detectives in the NYPD?"

Gabe shook his head as the vehicle left the parking lot. "Not for a couple of days."

"Hopefully, no news is good news."

"I wouldn't count on it."

Natalie frowned. "What happened to the guy who woke up with a smile on his face?"

"He just realized how many people will be at the festival."

"No one will recognize us. Between our baseball caps and sunglasses, we'll look like everyone else." Natalie tapped the end of his cap. "And just for the record, don't pull out your gun unless it's really necessary. Mom has an even worse phobia about them than I do."

Gabe looked into Natalie's smiling face and sighed. Her blue eyes sparkled. He forgot about the real-life drama the stalker was creating and the team of police who were trying to help him. All he focused on was the woman standing in front of him.

Natalie was different from most of the women he'd known. She always saw the good in a situation and didn't have any trouble trusting people. He wished he could say the same about himself. But fourteen years in the police force had changed him—and not for the better. His only hope for today was that neither of them regretted their decision to be here.

# Chapter 7

After more than two hours of shopping, Natalie was ready for a cold drink. They'd already filled the back seat of the truck with all kinds of cherry treats, including more pies than they could possibly eat.

As they walked into The Soda Fountain, she smiled. It was exactly as she remembered. A long red counter ran across the entire width of the room. At least a dozen people sat on the vinyl bar stools, and the booths were full of happy customers. The sweet smell of chocolate sauce reminded her of the ice cream sundaes she'd loved.

She walked toward the only empty booth in the room. "I'm glad we took our parcels back to the truck. I didn't think it would be this busy." A waitress walked past their booth with four hamburgers and a bowl of fries balanced on her arms.

Natalie's stomach rumbled. She picked up the menus and handed one to her mom and another to Gabe. "I'll buy everyone lunch."

Gabe's frown said more than words could have.

"And I'm not taking no for an answer. It might be the last time I'm away from my studio for a while."

It was her mom's turn to look worried. "I thought you were happy with where you're up to with your paintings."

"I am, but I'd like to get them finished as soon as possible. After I've sent them to Lorenzo, I'm taking a couple months off work."

Only her mom knew how rare it was for her to stop painting.

"Is everything all right?" Kathleen asked.

"I'm fine. I just want to live a normal life again."

Her mom's eyebrows rose. "I've been telling you that for years. What made you finally listen?"

As much as she wanted to look at Gabe, Natalie kept her gaze on her mom. "I've enjoyed living in Sapphire Bay. I go for a long walk each morning. I'm cooking meals instead of eating frozen food. I'm meeting different people and I'm not stressed about how much work I need to do. It feels good to be doing something for me."

Her mom looked as though she was going to cry. "It must be Grandma and Granddad's influence. They always said Sapphire Bay was a special place."

Hot tears stung Natalie's eyes. She'd never apologized for not coming home for her grandparents' funeral. Looking back, she could only imagine how difficult it must have been for her mom. "I'm sorry I didn't come home for their funeral."

"I'm sorry you weren't here, too. But you're here now and that's all that matters." Kathleen pulled a tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose.

Natalie wanted to tell her mom about why she'd stayed in Italy, the reasons that would never be enough to make up for not being here. But with Gabe sitting beside them, wondering what was going on, that would have to wait for another day.

She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "I found Granddad's hideout the other morning."

Gabe frowned.

"It's not really a hideout," Natalie said quickly. "Granddad had a quiet space where he used to sit and contemplate life. It's so well hidden that you could walk straight past it without knowing it's there."

Kathleen sighed. "My mom called it his dream space. Dad liked inventing things. He used to say that he needed time to clear his mind and plan what he would do next."

Gabe nodded. "I can understand that. It sounds as though they were a perfect match."

"Just about perfect in every way." Natalie sat taller in her seat. "They loved the Cherry Festival as much as we did. Grandma used to enter the cherry pie contest each year."

"Did she ever win?" Gabe asked.

"Not that I remember, but it was fun. She used to make a different pie each night for weeks before the contest. When she found one she liked, that was what she entered."

"Sounds like everyone was a winner."

Natalie smiled at her mom. "I guess we were."

The waitress stood beside Gabe. "Welcome to The Soda Fountain. What can I get you?"

After everyone had placed their order, the waitress smiled. "I'll be back soon with your drinks. Your meals will be ready in ten minutes."

"Thank you." Natalie handed the waitress her menu. "Do you know where the cherry pie contest is being held?"

"I sure do. It's in front of the Cove Deli and Pizza. The judges announce the winner at midday."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'm hoping my sister finals. She entered a chocolate-glazed cherry-pecan pie. It tastes incredible."

Natalie's taste buds were watering just thinking about the chocolatey treat.

Gabe laughed. "I didn't know you had a sweet tooth."

"It's a family trait," Natalie said. "Mom's just as bad as me."

"It's true," Kathleen said. "There's nothing that makes either of us happier than a big box of chocolates."

"I'll have to remember that."

The warmth in Gabe's eyes made Natalie blush. She was fast learning that spending time with him was just as addictive as the sweetest dessert.

After lunch, Gabe waited beside Natalie and her mom. Standing on a raised platform in front of them were the judges of the cherry pie contest.

A woman in a red polka dot dress held a chocolate-glazed cherry-pecan pie in front of her. It hadn't won the pie contest, but it was creating quite a stir in the post-contest auction. Each of the pies that made it to the final round of judging was being offered to the highest bidder.

Natalie was desperately trying to outbid a man in a cotton plaid shirt and blue jeans.

"One hundred dollars," the stranger yelled.

Gabe's eyebrows rose. He turned to Natalie, expecting her to shrug and walk away. He was wrong.

"One hundred and twenty dollars!"

"What are you doing?" Kathleen whispered. "We already have enough pies to last the summer."

"It's for a good cause," Natalie whispered back. "Besides, the waitress said her sister's pie was delicious."

Gabe looked at the cherry pie. Even though it was drizzled in dark chocolate and would probably melt in your mouth, it wasn't worth more than sixty dollars, let alone a hundred.

The cowboy wearing the plaid shirt raised his arm. "One fifty."

Half the audience gasped. The other half clapped and cheered. It looked as though the Polson Literacy Program was about to get a large donation.

Kathleen shook her head. "This is ridiculous. Let him have the pie. He looks as though he needs it."

Gabe smiled. "Your mom's right. He _is_ a little skinny."

Natalie's gaze shot across the room. The cowboy in question lifted his hat and winked.

_That's right—winked! Straight at Natalie._

Gabe moved half a step closer. "Two hundred dollars."

"What are you doing?" Natalie gasped. "You were the one who told me not to bid."

"It's for a good cause," Gabe muttered. Although it wasn't the same good cause she thought he meant.

Kathleen stood on tip-toes, trying to peer over the heads of the people in front of her. "Has the other man raised his hand?"

Gabe crossed his arms, hoping the cowboy got the hint.

The woman wearing the red polka dot dress waited a few seconds before sending a beaming smile at the audience. "Do I have any advances on two hundred dollars?"

A heavy silence fell across the crowd.

"In that case, folks, this lovely chocolate-glazed cherry-pecan pie will be going home with the man in the blue shirt."

More than a hundred pairs of eyes swiveled toward Gabe. It was a heck of a way to keep a low profile.

After they left the auction, there were still a lot of people walking along Main Street. It reminded Natalie of the times she'd traveled the same sidewalk with her grandparents. The Cherry Festival had been one of the highlights of their year.

"Fudge?" Gabe held a bag of cherry ripple fudge under her nose.

She blinked away her tears. "No, thanks."

"Are you sure? It tastes great."

Natalie looked into Gabe's eyes. "You're leading me astray."

He wiped a tear off her cheek. "I've got the best of intentions."

"And what would those be?"

"To save myself from a sugar overload."

He handed her a piece of fudge. "Do you and your mom want to come to my place for dessert?"

"We've already taken up most of your day."

Gabe stepped out of the way of a family coming toward them. "Another hour won't hurt. We could all take Sherlock for a walk. Your mom would enjoy seeing the lake again."

"That sounds good to me," Kathleen said. "I'm looking forward to meeting Sherlock."

Natalie smiled. "It looks as though you've got two visitors for dessert. Would you like us to bring anything?"

"Definitely not. We can have the cherry pie I bought at the auction." Gabe's cell phone beeped. He took it out of his pocket and stopped walking. "It's Detective Jameson."

Natalie held her breath. Maybe the police had found the person who'd staged the first crime scene. Or perhaps the person responsible had done something worse. She hoped not. It was bad enough being stalked by someone. It was worse knowing what they could do next.

When Gabe finished the call, he slid the phone into his pocket.

Her heart sank when she saw the worry on his face. "Someone broke into the cottage. The police are there now."

Kathleen wrapped her arm around Natalie's waist. "How bad is it?"

"There's no graffiti and nothing looks as though it was moved. The police think the alarm scared whoever it was away. Tanner is on his way to Sapphire Bay."

Natalie's heart pounded. She wasn't worried about the large pieces of furniture being stolen. Although they had belonged to her grandparents, most of it could be replaced. What upset her the most was the thought of losing the small keepsakes her family had collected. They weren't expensive, but they had a lot of sentimental value. Then there was Gabe's manuscript and her canvases. If anyone wanted to upset either of them, their work would be an easy target.

She just hoped the security camera had caught whoever had broken into the cottage.

# Chapter 8

While Natalie drove home, Gabe called Kevin Knoppfler, the detective who was looking after his case. The results from the fingerprint search still hadn't come through. With no new leads or incidents, no one was holding out much hope of the stalker ever being found—unless the break-in at the cottage wasn't as random as they assumed.

Natalie gripped the steering wheel so tight that her hands were white. "I think I'm cursed."

Gabe glanced across the cab. "What do you mean?"

"This is the third time my home has been broken into. The odds of that happening are so low there must be more to it."

Kathleen leaned forward from the back seat. "You only told me about one of the burglaries in Venice. When was the other one?"

"About a month before my paintings were stolen." Natalie looked in the rearview mirror at her mom. "The only thing they took the first time was my laptop."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry."

Kathleen sighed. "Next time anything like that happens, tell me."

"It worked out okay. Lorenzo was great. I stayed with his family on the night of the burglary. The next day, he found a company who could install a monitored security alarm."

Gabe's eyebrows rose. "How did the burglars break into your apartment the second time?"

"They short-circuited my alarm and the security camera in the front entrance. The police didn't find any fingerprints and no one saw them enter or leave the building."

Gabe had to stop his mind from working overtime. Natalie hadn't said much about Lorenzo, apart from him not being her boyfriend. He had no idea if the gallery owner could be trusted, but he would find out.

"What did the police say about the first burglary?" he asked.

"They said to be extra careful. Sometimes burglars come back if they see something of value in the apartment. That's why I had the alarm installed. I made sure it was on whenever I wasn't there, but it wasn't enough."

Natalie had kept a low profile in Italy. Most people wouldn't have known where she lived or that she was an artist. And most people, except for Lorenzo, would have no idea that each of her paintings sold for more than fifty thousand dollars.

Lorenzo had the means, motive, and opportunity to stage the burglaries. In Gabe's world that was too much of a coincidence.

"What's Lorenzo's last name?"

Natalie frowned. "Ricci. Why?"

"Did the police ever consider him a suspect in the burglaries?"

Natalie's eyes widened. "You can't be serious? Lorenzo didn't have anything to do with what happened. He's a good man."

"Good men do stupid things. You haven't answered my question."

"I don't know who they interviewed."

He picked up his phone and texted Kevin. If the NYPD couldn't pull the reports on Natalie's burglaries, Gabe's next call would be to Fletcher Security.

If Lorenzo Ricci was even remotely involved in the Italian burglaries, they needed to know.

Natalie turned into her driveway and parked beside a big black truck. Because of the Cherry Festival, the drive back to Sapphire Bay had taken three times longer than it usually would.

From the outside of the cottage, nothing seemed different from when they'd left this morning. Gabe's front door was closed. His truck was still parked beside the house and the front yard was spotless. Whoever had broken into the cottage hadn't disturbed anything on this side of the building.

"That's Tanner's vehicle." Gabe took off his seatbelt.

"Who's Tanner?" Kathleen asked.

"He's a security specialist at Fletcher Security. He designed and installed the alarm system." Natalie studied the rest of the yard. Even if one of her neighbors had walked by, they wouldn't have known anything was wrong. Apart from Tanner's truck, everything looked normal.

She opened her door and took a deep breath. For the entire drive home, she'd imagined the worst. Even if nothing was missing, the thought of someone being inside the cottage made her feel sick.

Tanner walked around the side of the house. Last time Natalie saw him he'd been wearing jeans. Today, his black trousers and gray pinstriped shirt only made her more nervous.

Instead of going straight into the cottage, Gabe walked around the truck and stood beside her. "Are you all right?"

She looked at the cottage, then at Tanner's unsmiling face. "I'm worried about what we'll find when we go inside."

Her mom slid out of the truck and rubbed Natalie's arm. "The most important thing is that neither of you were in the cottage."

"It's like being in Venice all over again."

Gabe's gray eyes softened. "Except this time, you're not alone. Let's hear what Tanner has to say before we go inside."

Tanner reached out and shook their hands. "I'm sorry I'm not here for a better reason."

"I'm glad we had the security system installed," Natalie said. "I don't want to think about what could have happened if you hadn't helped us." She turned to her mom. "Tanner, this is my mom, Kathleen Armstrong. She's staying with me tonight."

Tanner nodded. "It's nice to meet you. I've been in both sides of the cottage. It doesn't look as though anything was taken, but you can confirm whether that's the case."

Natalie swallowed. "Have the police finished what they need to do?"

"They have. The security cameras caught the person who broke in. We should have more information by tomorrow afternoon. You should know that the only area of the house they went into was your studio."

Natalie's stress levels soared. "How did they get inside?"

"They broke one of the windows in your studio. The alarm was activated as soon as they walked across the room." Tanner handed her a business card. "This is the name of the detective who came here. He wants you to call him as soon as possible."

"Okay." Natalie glanced at Gabe. Even though Tanner didn't think the burglar had gone beyond her studio, he must be worried about what he'd find in his side of the cottage. She needed to pull herself together and put the burglary into perspective. No one was hurt, the cottage hadn't burned down, and Tanner had assured them that none of the rooms were trashed. Sometimes, you had to be thankful for small mercies. And this was one of those times.

"We should go inside," Gabe said. "Do you want me to come with you into your side of the cottage?"

Natalie nodded. Even though the burglar was long gone, she felt safer knowing Gabe and her mom were close.

"I'm heading into Polson to talk to Detective Jameson," Tanner said. "If something's missing, make a note of it and give the list to him. I'll call you on Monday with an update of what's happening. And a glazier should be here soon to fix the window in your studio."

"Thanks. I appreciate you coming here on the weekend," Natalie said.

"You're welcome. Take care."

After Tanner drove away, Natalie walked toward the cottage. Gabe was on one side of her and her mom was on the other.

She looked at the window that had been smashed. Black fingerprint dust coated the wooden surround. "It looks as though someone's picked up the shards of glass."

Her mom squeezed her hand. "We can have another look later. I'd hate Sherlock to cut his paws."

Natalie braced herself as she walked inside the cottage. She pushed open the studio door and stepped inside the light-filled room. Her gaze shot straight to where she'd left one of her paintings. The air whooshed out of her lungs when she saw it was still on the easel, untouched by whoever had been inside the cottage. With a sickening sense of dread, she moved farther into the room.

Her studio in Venice had enough room for three or four canvases to be on easels at the same time. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the cottage. Leaning against the back wall was the most ambitious project she'd ever started.

Her breath caught. It wasn't damaged.

When she turned around, Gabe was studying the canvas on the easel. Natalie looked at her mom, imploring her to keep him busy while she found something to cover the second painting.

"Come and look at these paintings, Gabe." Kathleen took his arm and turned him toward the left-hand wall. "When we moved to Sapphire Bay, Natalie's granddad framed some of her early paintings and hung them on the wall."

Natalie moved fast. Grabbing a large piece of cheesecloth, she draped it over the canvas. It didn't cover everything, but at least Gabe wouldn't see the most important part.

"Are the two people in this painting your parents?"

Natalie turned toward Gabe. He was pointing to a portrait she'd painted while she was at art school.

Her mom sighed. "It is. Of all the canvases Natalie has painted, this one is my favorite."

Natalie checked the cheesecloth once more before walking across the room. She stood beside Gabe, not sure what to say. When she'd lived in New York City, she'd been incredibly homesick. Even though she'd managed to find a part-time job, she didn't have enough money to go home very often. Instead, she'd called her mom and grandparents each week, using the Internet to show them what she was doing.

Between assignments, she'd made them gifts. On one of her few visits home, she'd taken a photo of her grandparents in front of their fireplace. They were smiling at each other, caught for all eternity in a love that had endured through good and hard times. That photo was her inspiration for the painting she'd made for their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

"It's an incredible portrait."

Natalie swallowed the lump in her throat. "They were amazing people." Her face warmed under Gabe's intense gaze. It felt as though he were looking into her soul, searching for an answer to something that was confusing him.

"Your website only shows the landscapes you've finished. Why don't you paint more portraits?"

Gabe's question didn't surprise her. Anyone who knew her at college would have been just as curious. She'd won two portrait awards while she was studying and sketched enough people to fill a gallery. But after painting her grandparents, she hadn't wanted to start another portrait. Until now.

"Artists are like everyone who's self-employed. If you want to make a living, you have to provide something people will buy. Until recently, I haven't had the luxury of being able to choose what I paint."

"Commercialism over creativity?"

"I needed to eat." She wondered if Gabe had ever worried about paying tuition fees, rent, or living expenses. "You think I sold my soul to the masses, don't you?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't need to." She lifted her chin. "Each painting is a huge investment in my time and energy. When I paint a portrait, I'm painting more than I see. I want to catch the essence of the person, understand what makes them unique, what makes them happy and sad. Otherwise, the painting doesn't have a soul."

"You don't have to worry about money now."

"No, I don't." Natalie's pulse raced. Unless Gabe had seen the painting leaning against the wall, he wouldn't know she'd already started another portrait.

"Is anything missing from the studio?"

Her mom's voice cut through the fog in Natalie's brain. Without thinking, she walked across to the wall of shelves her grandfather had built. Old jars filled with different sized brushes ran along the bottom. Paint, sandpaper, cheesecloth, rollers, and containers of sponges filled the other shelves. The things she needed to create her paintings were exactly where she'd left them.

"Everything looks okay. I'll check my bedroom. Could you look in the living room, Mom?"

"I'm not sure I'll be any help."

"Not much has changed since you were last here. I'll be back soon." Natalie searched her room and the bathroom. As much as she could tell, nothing had been stolen.

Apart from the black fingerprint dust, the living room was just as untouched. She opened the windows to let in some fresh air. "Do you want us to help you check your side of the cottage, Gabe?"

"I'll be okay. Do you want me to get everything out of the truck that you bought in Polson?"

"I can do that," Natalie said.

Kathleen patted Gabe's arm. "I'll help Natalie while you check your side of the cottage. You're a good man."

If she hadn't been watching Gabe closely, Natalie might have missed the longing in his expression. There was so much she didn't know about his life. So much she would have enjoyed discovering.

A knock on the back door made her jump.

Gabe strode across the room. "I'll see who it is." A few seconds later, his head appeared around the side of the doorframe. "It's okay. It's the glazier."

Natalie let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. She just hoped nothing else went wrong today—there was only so much chaos her nerves could take.

After dessert with Gabe, Natalie and her mom walked into their side of the cottage.

Spending time with him had calmed Natalie's nerves and made her less worried about the burglar coming back. "I'll make us a hot drink."

Her mom nodded. "That sounds wonderful." Kathleen sat on the big, comfy sofa they'd bought many years ago at a market. "Gabe's cherry pie was incredible."

Natalie turned on the kettle and found her favorite herbal tea. "It was." Just thinking about the layers of cherries and pecans made her mouth water all over again. "The top layer of chocolate was _so_ worth all the calories we ate."

"We should go for a walk in the morning."

"If the day had turned out differently, I'd suggest going now." Natalie handed her mom a mug of tea. "But tomorrow is a much safer option."

"Don't let the burglary scare you. Between that lovely man called Tanner and the police, they'll soon have whoever was here behind bars."

Natalie wasn't so sure. The Italian police were still investigating the theft of her paintings. If the American police worked just as slowly, it would be Christmas before anyone identified the person in the security camera.

Her mom held the mug close to her nose and closed her eyes. "The tea smells heavenly."

"It's wildberry and cinnamon. Mabel sells it at the general store."

"How are Mabel and Allan?"

"They're happy and busy. Do you think they'll ever retire?"

Kathleen smiled. "I don't think so. Last time I spoke to them they were looking at expanding their business. The store beside theirs was for sale and they thought they could make use of the space."

"That's why it looked bigger. I thought my memory was playing tricks on me."

"Not this time. How did you feel when you saw the cottage?"

Natalie took a deep breath. "Sad. When I stood on Gabe's veranda, I half expected grandma to open the door."

"She had a way of filling up the world with kindness." Kathleen's hand trembled as she placed the mug on the coffee table. "They died so suddenly."

Natalie understood the grief in her mom's voice. It had been a hard twelve months for everyone. "I'm sorry I didn't come home more often."

"You needed to stay in Europe."

Regret, grief, and guilt made Natalie's stomach churn. "Not all the time."

"You were busy creating more wonderful paintings. After your grandparents died, I was more worried about you not getting the chance to say goodbye."

Hot tears filled Natalie's eyes. "I need to tell you the truth about why I didn't come home for their funeral. It wasn't the exhibition that stopped me from being here. I stayed in Europe because I felt guilty. I let Grandma and Granddad down. After everything they did, I hardly ever saw them. If I'd visited or called more often, they would have known I loved them."

"Come here." Kathleen pulled Natalie into a fierce hug. "Your grandma and granddad knew you loved them. They enjoyed hearing about what you were doing. Visiting them in Sapphire Bay was a big ask, especially with the schedule you had."

"It didn't have to be that way."

"Maybe not, but it made a difference to your career. Granddad understood. He used to say you were a chip off the old block."

Natalie wiped her eyes. "He sent me his set of pilot wings. He said they were a good luck charm to help my dreams fly."

"They knew you wanted more than the life you had in Sapphire Bay. Grandma said you were destined for great things, and she wasn't wrong. You needed to be in Europe."

"I wish I'd come home."

Kathleen pushed a strand of hair off Natalie's face. "I know you do. Have you visited the cemetery?"

Natalie shook her head. "I nearly went there last week."

"How about we visit their grave together?"

"I'd like that." Fresh tears stung Natalie's eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Her mom wrapped Natalie in another hug. "I used to say the same thing to your grandma. But no matter how hard it is, you find the strength to put one foot in front of the other and keep going."

Natalie rested her head on her mom's shoulder. The thought of ever losing her was more than she could bear. She took a deep breath and tried to see something positive in all the heartbreak. Changing the past was impossible, but she could change her future. And she knew just how to do it.

After Natalie and her mom went home, Gabe turned on his computer. There was too much going on inside his brain to sleep, so he might as well do something constructive—even if it created more questions than answers.

He opened the spreadsheet Caleb had designed. So far, with Natalie and Caleb's help, they'd gone through the first half of his book, adding anything that might give a clue to what the stalker would do next.

There was nothing to make Gabe believe the break-in had happened because of the stalker. But that meant diddly squat when they were faced with something that was unusual for Sapphire Bay.

One of the reasons he'd come here was because of the town's low crime rate. Petty theft, the odd alcohol-induced bar brawl, and speeding tickets were about as action-packed as it got. Until today.

His finger tapped against the top of his mouse. If the stalker was here, how on earth had he found Gabe? And if it weren't the stalker, who had broken into the cottage?

Maybe the burglar lived locally. If that were the case, it might have been Natalie's art that was the target. But why hadn't they taken anything?

He closed the spreadsheet and opened Facebook. The Sapphire Bay community page relied on the local residents to update the happenings around town. Even the police and fire departments added their callouts to the stream of information flooding the page.

Gabe skipped through the list of weekend markets, a plea for empty plastic bottles for the high school's art department, and a sale on strawberry plants at the garden center. What he was looking for were the police reports from the last few weeks.

Bingo. Three days ago, the police had issued a warning for the duration of the Cherry Festival. From what the post said, there had been an increase in crime each year the festival was held. Residents were warned to lock their homes and keep watch over neighbors' properties.

That made perfect sense for anyone living on a traditional street. Natalie's home, however, was stuck in the middle of nowhere. Three houses, dotted between towering pine, spruce, and oak trees, were her closest neighbors. They were so far away, that if Natalie screamed, he doubted anyone would hear her.

Gabe scrolled farther back, reading more posts about what had happened over the last few months. He jumped when his cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"You didn't call me." Caleb's irritated voice echoed down the phone.

"What are you talking about?"

"The burglary. It's all over the community Facebook page and you didn't tell me."

Gabe flicked to the top stories of the day. _Damn._ Tanner had asked the police to keep news of the burglary to themselves. They'd kept their word, but that hadn't stopped someone else from telling everyone.

He read the name of the person who'd posted the story. "How did Mabel know about the break-in?"

"She must have had covert spies operating in your area. You know what she's like." Caleb clicked his tongue. "Scrap that. You don't know what she's like."

Reading the post gave Gabe goosebumps. "How the heck did she know about Natalie's paintings? She's even told everyone what they're worth."

"Mabel is the font of all knowledge when it comes to this town. If you believe what she says, she's partly responsible for Natalie becoming a famous artist."

"Do I want to know why?"

"It might come in handy when the news crew from KTMF come visiting."

Gabe really hoped he'd misheard Caleb. "Who?"

"KTMF. They operate out of Missoula. They're an ABC-affiliated television station. Someone in their office has liked the post."

He dropped his head to his chest. "They can't do a story about the break-in."

"That's why I'm calling. Apart from being emotionally bruised from your lack of communication, I'm offering you a place to stay. But only until the interest in Natalie's art dies down. I don't want you to think you can permanently cohabitate with me."

"That sounds as though it's on the murky side of weird."

"It's better than having your face splashed across the national news stations. Imagine the reporters' delight when they find not one, but two international megastars in Sapphire Bay. The fans will come running."

"So will the crazies," Gabe moaned. "I can't leave Natalie on her own."

"Sounds to me like we need an emergency meeting."

"You're thinking like someone in my novels."

"As long as I don't get killed, I'm happy to inspire you." Caleb rustled some papers. "When do you want to meet? The best time for me is now."

"Don't you ever sleep?"

"I try not to."

Gabe knew as well as anyone how hard it was to sleep when you had a lot on your mind. And Caleb, in spite of the happy-go-lucky personality he let people see, had issues that were as complex as Gabe's.

"I need to call Natalie." Gabe checked the time and hoped she hadn't gone to bed. "If she's asleep, I'll talk to her in the morning."

"Sounds good. I'll bring Sherlock with me. He missed you."

Gabe had missed his partner in crime, too. "At least he'll act as a deterrent to any would-be burglars."

"Or overzealous reporters," Caleb said with a smile in his voice. "I'm leaving now."

"See you soon." Gabe ended the call. He stared at his phone before sliding it into his pocket. Knocking on Natalie's door would create less noise than calling her cell phone, especially at this time of the night.

They needed to work something out before the media descended. Because whether he wanted them here or not, they would be coming.

# Chapter 9

Natalie turned to the next page in Gabe's book. Pulling her notebook closer, she wrote a comment on the sheet of paper. She had to admit that reading thrillers wasn't her idea of fun. She liked happy endings, not murders, unsolved crimes, or an abundance of dark alleys.

But Gabe's books were different from what she'd expected. There was no happy ending in sight, but the characters were believable, the plot was intriguing, and she wanted to keep reading to see what happened next. No wonder his books had become bestsellers. If she could be hooked, then he must be a great writer.

She rubbed her eyes and kept reading. After what had happened she was even more determined to finish the book. Especially if it helped the police locate Gabe's stalker.

The outside security lights flicked on. She kept reading. An animal was probably scurrying across the backyard.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Her heart leaped in her chest. She took a deep breath, then looked at the curtains covering the living room windows. Either the local raccoon population was on the move or someone was standing outside the cottage.

_Tap, tap, tap._

She picked up her cell phone to call Gabe, then frowned. This was silly. She was a grown woman. A little late-night noise on the window shouldn't spook her. If it weren't a raccoon, it could be some other sort of animal.

As she tiptoed across the room, she picked up the poker from beside the fireplace. When she was a teenager, a bear had lumbered out of the woods and onto their veranda. Her mom had joked about it coming to visit Goldilocks, but Natalie had been terrified. The thin, metal poker wouldn't keep a bear away, but it made her feel better.

What would help was the can of bear spray sitting on the shelf beside the front door. She held it tight, hoping that whatever was outside had gone away.

With trembling hands, she used the end of the poker to flick back the edge of the curtain. A blue plaid shirt appeared out of nowhere.

She dropped the bear spray onto the shelf and opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

Gabe held his finger to his lips. "Ssh. I didn't want to wake your mom."

"You scared the living daylights out of me," Natalie whispered. "Why didn't you knock on the door like a normal person?"

Gabe's eyebrows rose. "The lights were on. Tapping on the glass created less noise."

Natalie stepped onto the veranda, closing the door behind her. "We can't whisper out here all night. What's happened?"

"Mabel posted a story on the community Facebook page about the burglary. Everyone knows who you are and what you're doing here. The media won't be far away."

Natalie's jaw dropped open. "Why would she do something like that?"

"Because she likes sticking her nose into other people's business. Someone needs to have a word with her—she shouldn't be posting things about other people on Facebook." Gabe took a deep breath. "We need to work out what we're doing next."

"What do you mean?"

"Caleb's on his way over. Come to my place. I'll explain there."

"I need to leave Mom a note. If she wakes up, she'll wonder where I've gone." Natalie rushed inside. After she'd left a note on the dining room table, she met Gabe on the veranda. "I'm ready."

They quietly made their way around the cottage. Beyond the glow from the security lights, the forest was a mass of dark shadows. After reading Gabe's books, Natalie could easily imagine a serial killer hiding behind the bushes, ready to pounce.

"This is kind of freaky," she whispered. "I've never felt unsafe at the cottage, but I'm beginning to see the benefit of living in town."

Gabe unlocked his front door. "You're not the only one."

Stepping into the living room still felt a little strange, but it didn't bring tears to her eyes like the first time she'd been here.

Gabe pointed to the sofa. "Have a seat. Caleb will be here soon."

"What did you mean when you said we have to work out what we're doing next?"

"If a reporter arrives, I don't want them to know I'm living next door to you. If the stalker doesn't realize I'm in Sapphire Bay, he will after your story hits the news."

Natalie chose her next words carefully. "You might be overreacting."

"I'd sooner be prepared than leave anything to chance." The headlights of a big truck swung across the living room walls. "That'll be Caleb." Gabe strode across the room and opened the door.

If someone had told Natalie six months ago that she'd be talking to a New York Times bestselling author in her grandparents' cottage, she would have laughed. But there wasn't anything funny about the predicament they were in.

She'd thought coming to Sapphire Bay would solve a lot of her problems but, so far, it had created a whole lot more.

Gabe crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You're not staying here on your own. We still don't know if the stalker was the person who broke into your cottage."

"And we might never know." Natalie raised her chin and glared at him. "Detective Jameson said it's going to take a few days to compare the fingerprints from the break-in to what they found in the warehouse. Even if they are the same, they might never find the person."

"Fletcher Security is sending the police the photos of the burglar," Caleb said. "If it's the same person, they could use facial recognition software to identify him."

Gabe's eyes narrowed. "Only if he's been arrested before. But I'm not worried about the fingerprints or the security camera. I'm worried about Natalie and her mom."

"We don't need you to look after us."

Natalie's defensive tone and clenched jaw wasn't helping their discussion. It was at times like this that he realized just how stubborn she could be.

Caleb cleared his throat. "There is an alternative solution."

Gabe glared at him. For the last half hour, they'd done nothing but go around in circles. Natalie refused to see how much danger she could be in and Caleb thought he was worrying about something that might not happen.

"What's your solution?" Gabe asked.

"You could all stay with me. It would be a tight squeeze, but it would only be for a few days."

"Mom's going home tomorrow afternoon, but I still don't like leaving the cottage. My paintings are here along with all my art supplies." Natalie looked straight at Gabe. "You could stay with Caleb until the reporters have gone."

Gabe ran his hands through his hair. At the rate he was going he'd be bald by the time Natalie left Sapphire Bay. "If the fingerprints belong to the stalker, you could be in danger."

Natalie pulled the printout of Caleb's spreadsheet closer. "So far the stalker has recreated most of what has happened up to chapter five of your book. He hasn't done anything for..." she checked the date on the last column, "...six days. That's the longest break he's had from contacting you or doing anything crazy."

"That we know about," Gabe muttered. That earned him another frosty glare.

Natalie ran her hand down one of the columns. It listed the exact timing of each event in his book. "Zac Connelly, the hero of your series, has been tracking the person who killed the woman in the warehouse. If the stalker is following the book's timeline, you'll be sent a photo of the murder scene in the next few days."

Caleb typed something onto the keyboard of his laptop. "According to my calculations, there's a ninety-eight percent chance the photo will be sent to Gabe's agent in the next twelve hours."

Gabe studied the spreadsheet. After the photo came a confrontation. And it didn't end well for Zac. "There are two things wrong with your prediction. First off, the stalker must know the police are tracking his emails and letters. Why would he keep sending them? And secondly, the stalker doesn't know if my agent is sending me the letters."

"You disappeared from Brooklyn." Natalie glanced at Caleb, watching his reaction as much as Gabe's. "I'd say that was a big clue as to whether you know about the stalker. What if the break-in was his way of telling us he knows where you're living?"

Gabe sat back in his chair. "Then he's not as smart as he thinks he is. We know what he looks like and the police are comparing the fingerprints they found. Sooner or later, he'll be arrested."

Caleb's jaw tightened. "I hope for your sake it's sooner rather than later. For the record, I'm with Natalie. I don't believe she was the target. Even after the burglar triggered the alarm, they had time to grab a couple of paintings. But they didn't take anything from the studio or the rest of the house. Either they were looking for something specific or they realized they were in the wrong side of the cottage."

"Or they didn't expect the house to have an alarm," Natalie said. "If the burglar was looking for high-value art, they wouldn't have found any. The canvases on my side of the cottage are at least ten years old. They aren't something a collector would want."

"Have you had the paintings valued recently?" Gabe asked.

Natalie shook her head. "They're not as good as the ones I paint now."

"When an artist sells their work for more than fifty thousand dollars, even the earlier paintings can reach high prices."

Heat scorched Natalie's face. "How did you know how much I earn?"

Caleb slowly lifted his hand into the air. "That would have been me. My only defense is that I'm a professional snoop and couldn't help myself."

Natalie took Caleb's admission of guilt better than Gabe would have done.

"Don't believe everything you read," she said softly.

Gabe had been trying to tell them the same thing, but no one was listening to him.

"I didn't purposefully look for what you earn," Caleb added. "The sale price of some of your paintings appeared on one of my searches."

Natalie shrugged. "It doesn't matter. But in case you're wondering, I'm not a billionaire."

Caleb seemed relieved. "In that case, I'll buy you a coffee next time we're in town. Now, what about the stalker?"

Gabe pointed to the spreadsheet. "I'll be the first to admit there are similarities between my first novel and the stalker's movements. But that doesn't mean he'll keep following the rest of the story."

"Check out these stats." Caleb turned his laptop around. "The predictability algorithm is off the charts. From when your agent received the first message, the stalker's actions have mimicked your book almost exactly."

Relying on an algorithm to anticipate someone's behavior didn't sit well with Gabe. Especially when they were comparing a fictional character, living in a make-believe world, to a real person who should be locked away.

"Zac Connelly never broke into someone's home."

"But he did travel across three states to find the person responsible for the woman's death," Caleb said.

"And look at this." Natalie pointed to the entry that was the closest match to the date of the break-in. "Jericho Walton, aka your novel's bad guy, broke into an associate's apartment to steal thousands of dollars. I don't have that kind of money lying around, but the principle is the same."

Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose. " _If_ Natalie stays in the cottage, and that's a big if, how will she look after herself?" He directed his question to Caleb, but Natalie was having none of it.

_"Hello._ I'm sitting beside you." She sent a pleading look in Caleb's direction. "Someone with immense technical know-how and muscle could stay with me. Between my self-defense moves and his brawn, we've got all contingencies covered."

"Except for one crucial fact," Caleb said half-apologetically. "We're dealing with someone who is mentally unstable. If I stay with you and something happens, I'd never forgive myself. Gabe's right. You shouldn't stay here on your own. Your mom would be the first person to agree with us."

At the mention of her mom, Natalie's shoulders sagged forward. She sat silently in the chair, staring at the spreadsheet. "Okay. I'll stay with you for a few days, but that's all. Do you have somewhere I can paint?"

"My mezzanine floor will be perfect." Caleb sent her a reassuring smile. "You made the right decision."

Moving to Caleb's home solved one problem, but it didn't remove their biggest hurdle. "When do we leave?"

Caleb closed his laptop. "My house is ready whenever you are."

Gabe stared at Natalie.

"A local television station already knows about the burglary," Caleb said. "We should move fairly quickly. What about seven o'clock tomorrow morning?"

"What about now?" Gabe replied.

Natalie checked her watch. "It's nearly eleven o'clock."

"We'll be at Caleb's home before midnight."

"What am I going to tell Mom?" Natalie groaned.

Gabe thought that was obvious, but she knew her mom better than he did. "The truth?"

"I can't wake her and say, 'Mom, a crazy stalker is recreating the scenes in Gabe's books and we think he broke into the cottage.' She won't go back to Indianapolis without me."

At the risk of being raked over hot coals, Gabe said, "That's not a bad idea."

Natalie's eyes narrowed. "I'm not leaving Sapphire Bay."

Caleb snorted. "You won't win that argument, Gabe."

He sent Caleb the kind of glare he reserved for psychotic criminals.

Caleb raised his hands. "I get the message. We're in a stressful situation and we're doing the best we can. Do you want me to take Sherlock back to my place?"

Gabe glanced at the furry black shadow sound asleep on the sofa. "I'll take him. Can you take some of Natalie's art supplies in your truck?"

"Sure."

Natalie stood. "I might as well show you what I need." Her blue eyes focused on Gabe. "I hope we're doing the right thing."

"Staying here would be worse." And for the first time, he was one hundred percent sure they were doing the right thing.

Kathleen folded her clothes and placed them in her suitcase. "I don't understand why someone would be stalking Gabe."

"Neither do I, but Gabe and Caleb think it's best if we leave the cottage." Natalie hadn't told her mom the whole truth about why they were leaving. She didn't need to know about the warehouse or that the chance of something else happening was extremely high.

"How long are you staying with Caleb?"

"No more than a few days."

Kathleen stopped packing. "How will you know it's safe to return to the cottage?"

Natalie had been wondering the same thing. "When the police arrest the stalker or at least identify him."

Kathleen pursed her lips. "That doesn't give me much comfort. Come home with me to Indianapolis. We have to pack your paintings and art supplies, anyway. We could leave them in their boxes and ship them to my house."

"I want to stay in Sapphire Bay," Natalie said.

"Why?"

"I belong here. I love everything about living in a small town."

"Including the person who posted the article on social media?"

Natalie handed her mom a jacket. "It was Mabel. She didn't know I wanted to stay out of the spotlight."

Kathleen frowned. "I've known Mabel for years. She should have asked if it was all right. How would she feel if someone broke into the general store and posted information all over the Internet? And what about Gabe? He doesn't need any distractions and neither do you."

"Have you read his stories?"

Kathleen picked up a book from beside the bed. "I'm reading the first one now. I can hardly put it down." She added it to her suitcase, then looked around the room. "I think that's everything. Do you need a hand with your art supplies?"

"Caleb and I have packed most of what I need. I just need to take my photographs with me."

"Let's do that now." Kathleen closed her suitcase and extended the handle.

They left the bag by the door and walked into Natalie's studio. Without the canvas on the easel or the paints spread across her worktable, the room looked bare.

"How's Gabe?" her mom asked.

Natalie took the pins out of the photos on the board. "He's good at hiding how he's feeling, but he's worried."

"I don't blame him. You hear horror stories about what some stalkers do to their victims."

Natalie bit her bottom lip. She'd seen the same TV shows as her mom and it scared her, too. "The police know what they're doing."

Kathleen placed the photos in an envelope. "I hope so."

Natalie picked up a bag of old fabric she used as rags. If staying with Caleb didn't work, she had no idea what they'd do next.

As she came downstairs the next morning, Natalie ran her hand along the banister. For some reason, she'd thought Caleb's home would be a small cabin in the middle of a forest. The only thing she was right about was the forest.

When they'd arrived, she'd stared at the exterior of his home. It was too dark to see much, but she knew from the pitch of the roof and the wide veranda, that the house was much larger than she'd imagined.

Once they were inside, she was blown away by the rustic grandeur of the design. With its sweeping staircase, moose antler chandelier, and polished wooden floors, the house wrapped you in its warmth and made you feel at home.

Caleb walked out of the living room and smiled. "How did you sleep?"

"Better than I thought. Your home is amazing."

"The original cabin was an eighteen-foot by twelve-foot room. I barely survived my first winter."

"When did you build this house?"

"Last summer. It was a logistical nightmare. We needed to make sure the house was watertight before winter hit. We were lucky that a forecasted storm never made it as far as Sapphire Bay. After everything was enclosed, we had to make sure we could get the building supplies on site when we needed them. We had so many delays because of the weather that I never thought we'd finish."

"I'm glad you kept going. Everything is perfect."

"You're more than welcome to explore the rest of the house. And when you're ready for breakfast, the kitchen is that way." He pointed to a wide doorway at the end of the hallway. "There's cereal, toast, and pancakes waiting for you."

"Pancakes?"

"Your mom has been busy. She was telling me about Sapphire Bay when she was younger. It was completely different."

Natalie remembered the stories about covered wagon trips, rodeos, and playing music around campfires with Granddad and Grandma. "It was a much simpler life. No computers, no internet, and no social media."

"There goes my job," Caleb said, although he didn't look too upset. "I'm heading outside. If you're looking for Gabe, he's in the garage."

"Thanks." Instead of heading toward the kitchen, she opened a door a few steps away. The garage was big enough to hold four vehicles. Having extra room during winter would come in handy, especially if the house was surrounded by six feet of snow.

Gabe's head was under the raised hood of a vintage truck. Its shiny red paint and chrome grill gleamed under the fluorescent lights.

"The engine looks great," he said. "I can't believe you found a 1948 Chevy in Billings."

When she didn't reply, Gabe looked over his shoulder. Their eyes connected and a tingle of awareness shot through her body.

"Sorry. I thought you were Caleb."

She smiled and moved closer to the truck. Some days she felt as though she was walking on an emotional tightrope. One slip and she'd fall into the beginning of a relationship that wouldn't be good for either of them.

"I didn't want to surprise you in case you bumped your head on the hood." The thick sheet of metal would have been okay, but Gabe would have had a headache for a few hours.

He picked up a rag and wiped his hands. His eyes skimmed over her sundress, then returned to her face. "You look summery."

Warmth filled Natalie's cheeks. "It's going to be a hot day. What are you doing?"

"Caleb bought this truck a few weeks ago, but I haven't had a chance to see it. I didn't want to wake you, so I took a look after breakfast."

"I don't usually sleep for so long."

"With all that's happened, you would have been exhausted."

Natalie nodded. "Where's Sherlock?"

"In the kitchen with your mom. There must be something about the Armstrong genes that makes him happy. I had to bribe him to go for a walk with me."

"Mom and I are a novelty. Once this is over, he'll be happy to go anywhere with you."

Gabe's smile disappeared. "Only if you leave."

Natalie looked at the truck's engine. She'd never promised him she'd stay, in fact she'd told him the opposite. His life was in Brooklyn and she didn't want to live anywhere near a big city.

She lifted her eyes to Gabe's serious face. "I haven't told Mom what the stalker has been doing."

"I guessed as much. I half expected her to take you back to Indianapolis with her."

"She wants to, but I'm staying in Sapphire Bay."

Gabe crossed his arms. "I don't want you to get hurt. The stalker is looking for me, not you."

"We're living on opposite sides of the same house. If the stalker did break into the cottage, he's already found both of us. Have you called your agent to let him know we're here?"

"Not yet. I called Kevin from the NYPD and Russell Jameson in Polson. The rest of the world still thinks we're at the cottage. As of seven o'clock this morning, no one had posted anything on social media about either of us."

"I guess that's a good thing."

Gabe ran his hand around the back of his neck. "I really am sorry about everything. I didn't think any of this would happen."

"I know you didn't."

The garage door opened and Sherlock pushed his way around Natalie's mom.

"There you are," Kathleen said. "I thought I heard voices coming from the garage. Are you ready for breakfast, Natalie?"

"I am." She sniffed the air and sighed. "Did you make apple pie pancakes?"

"How did you guess?"

"I can smell the cinnamon and mixed spice. It's making my tummy rumble."

"You'd better come through to the kitchen, then. What about you, Gabe? The coffee pot's still hot."

"Sounds good," Gabe said from behind them. "We can work out what we're doing today while Natalie's eating breakfast."

Natalie patted Sherlock's head, trying to get the sense of impending danger out of her system. She was overreacting to what happened yesterday, that's all. But somewhere, deep inside, she knew something was about to happen. It was just a pity she didn't know who would be involved.

# Chapter 10

"Take care of my little girl." Kathleen hugged Gabe, then turned to Natalie. "Don't do anything foolish. The media can be pure misery. They'll twist any piece of information they find to make a headline."

Natalie wrapped her arms around her mom. "I know. I'll be careful. Thank you for coming to see me."

"If I didn't have to go home, I'd stay for longer. If you need somewhere to stay, come to Indianapolis. It's not Montana, but it has its own charm." Kathleen linked her arm under her daughter's. "Call me each day. I want to make sure you're okay."

"I will."

Kathleen led her toward Caleb's truck. They'd decided it would be safer if he took her mom to the airport. "Gabe is a nice man," her mom whispered. "Don't discount him just because he's a writer."

"What's wrong with writers?" Natalie whispered back. She couldn't wait to hear why her mom thought she should be wary of him.

"Your dad wrote articles for magazines and you know how that ended."

Natalie bit her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling. "Dad had other issues. Gabe's not like him."

Kathleen glanced over her shoulder at the man in question. "No, he's not. He likes you."

"He thinks I'm stubborn."

"There's nothing wrong with a person who knows their own mind."

"I hope you haven't discussed any of this with Gabe?" Natalie opened the door of Caleb's truck.

"Of course not. But let me know if I need to plan a wedding. I still know a few people in Polson and Sapphire Bay."

Natalie sighed. Her mom never missed an opportunity to tell her how much she was looking forward to her wedding and holding her first grandbaby. "It's not going to happen, Mom."

Kathleen hugged her. "We'll see. I'll call you when I arrive home."

"That would be great."

Kathleen sent Gabe another wave before sliding into the truck.

Caleb leaned forward. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Drive safely." As the truck disappeared down the gravel driveway, Natalie sighed.

"She'll be okay."

She turned to Gabe. "I hope so." The warmth in his eyes made her breath catch. "Oh, no. You heard what Mom said, didn't you?"

Gabe's smile widened. "Most of it. What happened to your dad?"

"He ran off with the editor of the magazine he was writing for. They're happily married and living in Arizona."

"How often do you see him?"

"Once or twice a year. Apart from that, we call each other at Christmas and for our birthdays, but that's about it." Natalie pushed away the sadness that settled in her heart. "Everything seemed normal until one day, dad told us he was leaving. Mom fell apart. That's when we moved into the cottage."

"It must have been a difficult time for everyone."

Natalie nodded. "It was, but we're okay now." She looked away from Gabe's steady gaze. Her father's betrayal had hurt more than she'd told anyone. And after her first real relationship ended the same way as her parents' marriage, she'd never dared to let someone close again.

Gabe stuck his hand in his pocket. "I know you said you don't want this, but I'd like you to borrow it." He placed his dad's small wooden whistle in the palm of her hand. "Caleb's nearest neighbor is five miles away and the cell phone coverage is hopeless. If anything happens, Sherlock might be able to find you."

"What about you?"

"I'll be okay." Gabe called Sherlock to him. "While Caleb's taking your mom to the airport, I'll show you where he keeps his satellite phone and how to use it. If you need to call anyone, that's your safest bet."

Natalie slipped the whistle into her pocket. "Thank you."

"I hope you never have to use it, but if you do, we'll do our best to find you."

She followed Gabe inside. For all her adult life, she'd never relied on anyone. She was smart, independent, and able to look after herself. Accepting help was as foreign to her as eating fried grasshoppers. But relying on Gabe and Caleb was the only thing that would get her through the next few days. Or maybe weeks. And for some reason, instead of feeling trapped and powerless, it gave her more strength than she'd felt in a long time.

Three days later, Gabe saved the scene he was writing and rubbed his eyes. Caleb's home was growing on him. With its sprawling downstairs living area, there was more than enough room for everyone to live together and not trip over each other's feet.

"There you are." Natalie stood in the doorway, her gaze skimming across the changes he'd made to the formal dining room. "This looks good."

"It's only minor changes, but it makes a difference." With Caleb's help, he'd attached his storyboard to one wall and pushed the table underneath. A bookcase had been converted into temporary shelves. Multicolored folders held his research notes, photos, and other information that went into making his stories as authentic as possible.

The most important addition was an old blue blanket. Each day, Sherlock curled himself into a ball and happily snoozed while Gabe wrote.

"You were up late last night."

Gabe shrugged. "The story was flowing, so I thought I might as well keep going. Are you happy with the progress you're making on your painting?"

A slow smile worked its way across Natalie's face. "I don't know whether it's the fresh mountain air or having a bigger work area, but I'm farther along than I thought I'd be."

"That's good." Gabe glanced at his work buddy. Sherlock was awake. His nose was still pressed to his paws, but his big brown eyes were looking at Natalie with the adoration of a dog who knew who gave him the most treats.

Natalie knelt on the floor. "Hi, boy. Do you want to go for a walk?"

Sherlock's ears twitched and his jaw opened into a gigantic yawn. Within seconds he was on his feet, stretching his front paws in front of him like a yoga master.

"Is Caleb going with you?" Gabe asked. Natalie knew how isolated they were. There was no way he'd let her go anywhere on her own.

She nodded. "I've been painting for the last four hours and Caleb has been busy in his office. He thought a walk would clear our heads."

Gabe looked at his storyboard. The next scene would take a long time to write. If he didn't have a break now, he'd still be here at dinnertime. "Do you want some more company?"

"Sure. I'll pack another bottle of water and a muffin. We'll meet you at the front door in a few minutes."

While Sherlock happily trotted after Natalie, Gabe closed the folders on his desk. He absently rubbed his leg as he walked upstairs to find his hiking boots. He should set the alarm on his watch for when he needed to move. Sitting at his makeshift desk for so long was asking for trouble.

When he stepped onto the landing, Caleb was about to go downstairs. "I'm coming with you. I just need to change my shoes."

"Something's come up. You need to see the email Fletcher Security sent me."

Gabe's whole body tensed. "What does it say?"

"They know the stalker's name."

They quickly moved downstairs. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with relief, Gabe was stunned at how long it had taken to get this far.

"Fletcher Security has contacted the police. I wouldn't be surprised if the detectives involved in your case contact us within the next few hours."

"Does anyone know where the stalker lives?"

"Not yet, but Fletcher Security is working on it." Caleb strode into the living room.

As Gabe passed the kitchen, Natalie walked into the entranceway. She looked at him and frowned. "What's happened?"

"Fletcher Security has identified the stalker."

She stopped pulling her backpack onto her shoulders.

"Caleb's showing me their email. Do you want to see it?"

With a quick nod, she followed him into the living room.

Caleb's laptop sat on the table. "I connected all my devices to the satellite phone. It makes it easier to download information." He pulled out a chair and started typing on his keyboard. "The email was sent an hour ago." He moved out of his seat.

Gabe held the chair out for Natalie, then read the email over her shoulder. "I've never heard of Leith Chapman."

"Your friend in the NYPD would have." Caleb pointed to the screen. "When you've finished the email, open the attachment."

Natalie looked up at Gabe.

He nodded and she clicked on the file. The document listed Leith Chapman's convictions from the last seven years. "He's been busy." Burglary and aggravated assault charges slotted between two prison sentences. "Is Fletcher Security sure he's the stalker?"

"The fingerprints at the cottage match a set that was found at the warehouse."

Natalie scrolled to the next page.

Chapman's photo stared back at them. He had the sort of face you could easily forget. Blue eyes, dirty blond hair to his shoulders, and a mouth that didn't look as though it smiled often. No standout features that stuck in your mind, nothing to make you think he was trouble.

"He's from Staten Island," Natalie said. "Isn't that where Zac Connelly was born?"

Gabe nodded.

Caleb pulled their spreadsheet off a shelf. "That's not the only similarity between the hero of your books and Chapman. They both served in the military. But unlike Zac, Chapman was dishonorably discharged."

Natalie moved to the next page and read Chapman's family history. "How did Fletcher Security find all this information?"

"It's better not to ask," Caleb muttered. He pointed to the spreadsheet. "I've added more information to what we've already collected. Chapman spent fifteen years in the foster care system. When he was eighteen, he enlisted with the Army. Five years later he was discharged and not long after that was arrested for burglary. Not much was stolen, but it was enough to send him to prison for a year. His life went downhill after that."

Gabe frowned. "He was released from his second prison sentence two years ago."

"Fletcher Security doesn't know what he did after that. They couldn't find his current address, but they did track down his stepbrother. I'm assuming the NYPD will try to find him. Open the second email."

Natalie closed the attachment and frowned at the screen. "Which one?"

Caleb pointed to an email below the one they'd seen. "It was just as well Gabe told his agent to send any messages to me."

Gabe moved closer. He'd spent enough time with Caleb to know when life was about to go from bad to worse.

As soon as Natalie opened the email, a picture of her appeared on the screen.

She looked at Gabe. "Why did you send your literary agent a photo of me?"

"I didn't." He glanced at Caleb.

"Chapman sent it yesterday."

Gabe barely managed to hold back a curse. Chapman was getting closer. If they didn't find him, what he did next would only lead to disaster.

He leaned over Natalie's shoulder and took a closer look at the photo. "That's at the Cherry Festival."

Natalie's face was white. "The photo was taken when we first arrived. I'm not wearing the earrings Mom bought me."

"He must have followed us to the festival, then driven back to Sapphire Bay." Gabe looked at their spreadsheet. "It was a good opportunity to break into the cottage. With both of us at the festival, he must have thought he'd have more time to cause havoc."

"He forgot about the security system," Natalie said. "If he was watching the cottage, he would have known I had one installed."

Caleb shook his head. "Not necessarily. Sapphire Bay is a small town. He would have to keep a reasonable distance away in case some of the locals saw him."

"He made a mistake." Natalie's softly spoken words made Gabe frown.

She moved away from the table and looked through the living room window. "What if he finds us?"

Gabe took a deep breath and tried to think logically. But logic had nothing to do with his pounding heart or wanting to wrap Natalie in his arms and tell her everything would be all right.

Instead of doing any of that, he stood beside her, trying to at least offer her the reassurance of who he was. "I wish I could tell you everything will be okay, but I can't. The only thing I can promise is that I'll do everything I can to keep you safe."

Caleb closed his laptop. "If it's any consolation, I've got my trusty Glock."

Natalie's eyes widened. "You own a gun?"

"I live in a house in the middle of the forest. If someone broke in, a bow and arrow wouldn't have the same effect."

She lifted the edge of Gabe's jacket.

He knew what she was looking for, and he knew how she felt about guns.

"You brought it with you." It was said as a statement of fact, devoid of the emotion he could see in her eyes.

"I was a detective. I'll only use it in extreme circumstances."

Natalie sighed.

"It's not too late to stay with your mom." Gabe waited while she thought about what he'd said.

"It wouldn't do any good. He knows who I am." Her mouth dropped open. "I need to call Mom. If he saw us at the festival, he might have seen her leave. He could easily find her."

Caleb turned away from the window. "I'll get the satellite phone."

Natalie rushed after him.

Gabe didn't know when this would end, but he hoped it was soon. One way or another, Leith Chapman needed to be found.

Natalie sat on the top stair of the veranda, staring into the sky. It was the kind of night that made her homesick for her family and everything that had gone before.

When she was little, her granddad had told her stories of Greek kings and queens, dolphins, birds, and lightning bolts—myths about the constellations that seemed as real as the world she lived in. She'd always wondered if Granddad's stories had opened the door to her imagination. Instead of words to create magic, she'd used paint and crayons, anything to bring what was in her mind to life.

Five twinkling stars shaped like a big W shone above her. She tried to remember their name. Her granddad's voice whispered through the trees, telling her about the queen who thought she was more beautiful than anyone else. It was Cassius...no...Cassiopeia. And there, behind the Greek queen, was the Milky Way.

"That's a happy smile."

Natalie's hand flew to her chest. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw who was behind her. "Thank goodness it's you."

Gabe stepped onto the veranda with two mugs in his hands. "Sorry. I didn't mean to give you a fright."

"It's okay. I was a million miles away."

"Would a hot chocolate bring you back to earth?"

"That would be great." She took one of the mugs and pulled her jacket closer. "Have you finished writing for the night?"

"I have. It's nearly midnight."

Natalie's eyes widened. "I didn't realize it was so late."

"That's what happens when you have a lot on your mind."

"Not as much as you." She cradled the hot mug in her hands. "How do you stay so positive?"

"You mean about Chapman?"

Natalie nodded. "You've turned your life upside down to get away from him, but you never seem angry or depressed."

The stair creaked as Gabe sat beside her. "I'm just as worried as you are. The only difference between us is that I've learned how to hide what I'm feeling. And in case you're wondering if that's a good or bad thing—it's definitely bad."

"Does hiding your feelings help you focus on what you need to do?"

Gabe nodded.

"Does it make you think more clearly and react faster to a new situation?"

"Usually."

"That has to be better than how I'm coping. My brain decided to go on strike this afternoon. It didn't matter what I tried, I couldn't shake the feeling that Chapman was outside, waiting for us. After a couple of hours of staring at my canvas, I gave up and spent the next hour in Caleb's gym."

"Did it help?"

"You'll find out tomorrow when we have our next self-defense class. I think I'm getting stronger." She lifted her arm and flexed her biceps. "It's hard to see under all these clothes, but my arms are pure muscle."

Gabe smiled. "I'm impressed."

"You should be. Each day I practice the moves you showed me. Maybe I could join the Polson PD."

Gabe shook his head. "I wouldn't recommend joining any police force. It's too stressful."

She sipped her drink. Being a detective must be one of the toughest jobs in the world. "Are you proud of what you did when you were a detective?"

"I arrested a lot of people, but it was like a leaky faucet. As soon as one person was off the streets, someone else took their place. There were days when I wondered if the stress and long hours were worth it."

"Why didn't you resign?"

"I wanted to make a difference. Walking away would have meant I was turning my back on the people who needed help."

"Someone else would have been there for them."

"Maybe." Gabe stared into his mug. "When I was in high school, one of the boys in my class was always late. He'd fall asleep and pick fights with anyone who got too close. For some reason, we became friends. One day he never arrived at school. By the third day, I was worried about him. I found out where he lived and went around to make sure he was okay. He wasn't." Gabe's hand trembled as he sipped his drink. "Tony didn't want to see me, but I stayed there until he came out. His father had beaten him so badly that he could hardly walk."

Tears welled in Natalie's eyes. "What did you do?"

"I called dad. He picked us up and took Tony to the hospital. After they'd patched him up, he came home with us and never left."

"Your mom and dad adopted him?"

"Fostered. Tony's dad wouldn't let us adopt him."

"Where's Tony now?"

The hint of a smile softened the hard planes of Gabe's face. "Living in Brooklyn with his wife and son. He became a teacher."

Fresh tears filled Natalie's eyes. Tony's life would have been completely different if Gabe and his parents hadn't helped him.

She pulled out a tissue and blew her nose. "You made a big difference in his life."

"He made a bigger difference in mine. I wanted to make sure other people didn't have to live through what Tony did."

Natalie looked closely at Gabe. His smile had disappeared. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be all right. How's your mom?"

"She's staying with her sister. I told her everything."

"Was she annoyed we didn't tell her the full story?"

Natalie sighed. "She was more upset that I didn't go home with her."

"I don't blame her, but now that Chapman knows about you, you're safer with us."

Natalie looked at the stars. She thought she'd be safe in Sapphire Bay, but that hadn't happened. Some days she wondered if she'd ever be safe again. "Why would anyone send you anonymous letters, then recreate the scenes in your book? It doesn't make sense."

"I have no idea, but we'll find out." Gabe wrapped his hand around hers.

His firm grip reassured her, anchored her to the here and now instead of what might happen. She took a deep breath and rested her head on his shoulder. "We can't stay with Caleb forever."

"We won't need to. Between Fletcher Security and the two police departments, we should have some news about Chapman soon."

"We keep telling ourselves that, but nothing is happening."

"It will be okay."

The gentle kiss he placed on her forehead made Natalie sigh. After what had happened, she didn't know if her life would ever be okay again.

Caleb opened a map and pointed to a ridge. "This is Lunar Peak. It's the highest point on this side of the lake. The trail we're on leads straight there."

Natalie leaned across Gabe's arm to get a better look. "How far away is it?"

"About an hour's walk to the top, but we aren't going that far. The cave we're looking for is about forty minutes away."

Gabe studied the map. They'd left Caleb's home five minutes ago. Apart from the sounds of the wildlife and an occasional bark from Sherlock, the forest was deathly silent. He didn't know how Caleb lived out here. Without the shopping trips into Sapphire Bay and his satellite phone, he was completely cut off from civilization.

Natalie frowned. "Why did you decide to buy a house in the middle of the forest?"

Gabe wondered if she'd added mind reader to her growing list of accomplishments.

Caleb folded the map in half. "I've been working on some big projects. My latest contract is more complex than the others I've done. I don't have as many distractions out here."

"Apart from us. I'm sorry we interrupted you."

The smile on Caleb's face was instant. "Don't worry about it. I'm enjoying having you here. Even for me, my house can be too remote sometimes." He checked his watch. "We'd better get a move on if we want to be back by lunchtime."

Natalie slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I'm looking forward to seeing the cave."

"As long as it's empty, so am I." Caleb looked over his shoulder at Gabe. "Do you still have the bear spray?"

Gabe patted his pocket. "In here."

"Great. Let's go."

As they walked through the trees, Gabe kept a careful eye on Natalie. They hadn't left Caleb's house to go on a simple hike. It was important they knew what was around the property, where they could go if anything happened.

After studying the map, they'd decided the safest location was the cave Caleb had found four months ago. They'd leave basic supplies inside, hoping they never had to use them.

Natalie held a branch out of Gabe's way.

"Thanks."

A smile lit her eyes. "You're welcome."

He couldn't imagine what she was thinking. For someone who'd spent a lot of time painting in Europe, this must seem crazy. She'd come to Montana to find a new kind of normal. Instead of a new life, she'd inherited his problems and a stalker who wouldn't go away. But for some reason, she was just as determined as he was to find Leith Chapman.

Each day they spent together, the more he appreciated her sense of humor, the way she calmly handled stressful situations, even when he was worried about what was happening. It didn't take much for him to realize he was falling in love but, right now, he was the last person she needed in her life.

Sherlock trotted ahead, happy to walk beside Natalie. Most mornings, Gabe had to coax him away from the studio Caleb had created. For the first time since Michelle's death, Sherlock had attached himself to someone other than Gabe. Only time would tell if that was a good thing.

"What's that?" Natalie stopped and pointed to a pile of branches under a pine tree.

Gabe glanced at Caleb. Someone had made a crude shelter out of fallen branches. From the look on Caleb's face, he was thinking the same thing as Gabe. Finding the shelter this close to his house was too much of a coincidence.

He held a finger to his lips and looked at Natalie. If someone was inside, he didn't want them to know they'd seen their hideout.

Caleb kept talking, making a big deal out of retying his bootlaces.

As Gabe took his gun out of its holster, Natalie froze. Her eyes widened and she shook her head. She thought he was overreacting. He wished he was.

With one look, Sherlock changed from happy-go-lucky hiking buddy to police dog. With his ears pricked forward and his eyes firmly on Gabe, he was ready for anything.

Caleb pulled Natalie farther along the track, making more noise than a herd of elephants.

From where he stood, Gabe couldn't see if anyone was in the shelter. Stepping sideways, he slowly moved forward.

Sherlock stuck like glue to his side.

Taking position behind the trunk of a tree, Gabe took a deep breath, raised his gun and pivoted toward the opening. "It's empty," he yelled.

Sherlock's sharp bark echoed through the trees.

Gabe smiled at the goofy grin on his dog's face. He knelt down and rubbed Sherlock's back. "Good boy." He didn't know how much Sherlock remembered about his time in the K-9 unit, but something had triggered the joy on his face.

Unlike Sherlock, Natalie didn't seem happy. She stomped toward him with a frown plastered across her face. "You didn't need to take out your gun," she growled. "Someone could have been hurt."

"Only if they were doing something they shouldn't." Gabe used a stick to flick through the trash on the floor of the shelter. "They must have been here for at least a couple of days."

Caleb's gaze skimmed over the mess. "Junk food. Could be hunters, but they usually take their trash with them. It's too far from the road for teenagers."

"Do you get many people living rough out here?" Gabe asked.

"I'm sure there are, but I haven't seen them."

Natalie didn't say anything. She studied the trees around them, scowling into the deep, dark shadows. "We should keep moving."

Gabe backed out of the shelter. "You're right. We'll mark this on our map and find the cave."

Sherlock stood patiently beside Natalie, watching what was happening with an intensity that Gabe hadn't seen in a long time. As soon as they moved away from the shelter, Sherlock visibly relaxed.

Thirty minutes later, they were walking along a rocky ledge, searching for the cave.

Natalie rested against the cliff face. "The view from here is incredible."

Gabe looked across the rugged landscape. Below them, pine, spruce, and oak trees formed a blanket of green for as far as he could see. A river wound its way through the forest, heading west to Flathead Lake.

Natalie pulled out her phone and started taking photos. She turned to Gabe and grinned. "Smile!"

As soon as she'd taken the photo, he replaced his smile with a frown. "Watch where you're stepping. The ledge is narrow."

She looked down at her feet and moved closer to Sherlock. "What would I do without you?"

Gabe's frown deepened. "You'd be working in your cottage, not worried about a stalker."

Natalie tilted her head to one side. She stepped toward him, raised her hand and gently cupped his jaw. "But then I wouldn't have met you or Sherlock."

Gabe's heart pounded. There was so much he wanted to say, but he couldn't find the words. Since Michelle had died, he'd locked his heart away, too scared to let anyone close. Natalie had changed him in ways that even he didn't understand.

Her hand left his face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. We'd better see where Caleb has gone."

Gabe reached for her hand. "It's not what you think. I'm—"

"Found it!" Caleb's voice cut through the emotion clogging Gabe's throat.

Without waiting for him, Natalie rushed along the trail, her backpack bouncing against her jacket.

Gabe touched his jaw and tried to remember why a relationship between them wouldn't work. But all he could think about was the softness of Natalie's skin and the way his heart was pounding.

Sherlock appeared from farther up the trail.

Gabe adjusted his backpack and kept walking. Regardless of what Natalie thought about him, they were here for a reason. And for now, that reason had absolutely nothing to do with happily ever after.

# Chapter 11

The following afternoon, the stairs behind Natalie creaked. "You don't have to tiptoe around me," she said to Gabe. "I won't shush you if you make a noise."

"How did you know it was me?"

She turned around and smiled. "Caleb thumps up the stairs and Sherlock's nails click on the wood."

Gabe looked at his bare feet. "I'm glad you didn't confuse me with Sherlock."

"You have lovely feet." Natalie laughed. "Unless you turn into a hobbit, your nails will never click on the wood." She looked across the landing at Sherlock. With his favorite blanket in Gabe's office, he'd decided the sofa would make a great sleeping spot. "Sherlock has been up here with me for most of the morning."

Gabe frowned. "If he becomes a nuisance, let me know."

"He could never annoy me. He's a wonderful dog." She looked at the time and frowned. "You're usually still writing. Are you finishing early today?"

"I'm having a break. Caleb just received another email from the NYPD. They've found Chapman's stepbrother."

Natalie's hand shook as she placed her brush on a plate. "What did he say about Leith?"

"Not a lot. He hasn't seen him since he was released from prison."

"Do the police believe him?"

"I don't know but, if it were me, I'd be looking at any phone calls that were made from his apartment."

She wiped her hands on an old rag and studied Gabe. "How do you feel about the police finding Leith's stepbrother?"

"I'm not as excited as I thought I'd be. There are still too many unanswered questions."

"Has Leith contacted your literary agent again?"

Gabe shook his head. "He hasn't heard from him since he sent the photos of us at the Cherry Festival."

Even though it hadn't been that long ago, their day in Polson seemed like a distant memory. Natalie rubbed her forehead, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. "Maybe Leith finally got the message and decided to leave you alone."

"We shouldn't count on that happening."

Natalie didn't want to count on anything or anyone. But that hadn't stopped her from falling in love with Gabe. "What's next?"

A blush streaked along Gabe's jaw. "Do you mean with Leith Chapman?"

Natalie didn't know what else... _oh._ He was worried about what had happened yesterday. "Yes, I meant Leith." She was proud of the way her voice didn't tremble. Last night she'd had a stern talk to herself. She couldn't assume Gabe wanted to be anything other than friends. In another couple of months she'd be in Italy, preparing for her exhibition, and he would be in Brooklyn.

Gabe cleared his throat. "We can't do much about Leith or his stepbrother. The best we can do is keep ourselves safe."

"Something should have happened by now." Natalie didn't need to explain what she was talking about. Last night, they'd studied the spreadsheet Caleb had created. In Gabe's novel, Zac Connelly was closing in on the bad guys. He was circling their headquarters, making life difficult for anyone who knew them.

In real life, Leith Chapman had stopped harassing them. It didn't make sense. Unless he'd made the shelter in the forest. But even that was grasping at straws. They'd checked the hunting season schedule for different animals, but none of them matched the end of July. Someone could have been illegally hunting, but it would have been an even bigger coincidence to find their shelter so close to Caleb's home.

Gabe crossed his arms. "I keep telling myself we should be thankful that nothing else has happened. But after six months of being harassed, I'm tired of waiting for Chapman to do something." He frowned at Sherlock, then lifted his troubled gaze to Natalie. "Can we talk about yesterday?"

She'd stayed awake for most of the night, replaying what had happened on the mountain. The last thing she wanted was to complicate Gabe's life. And starting a relationship with her was something he didn't need.

After taking a deep breath, she looked at Gabe. "I know I made you feel uncomfortable and I'm sorry. It won't happen again." She didn't expect him to smile.

"Are you always so sure about what I'm going to say?"

"It was a lucky guess."

"A wrong guess."

Natalie was confused. "I didn't make you feel uncomfortable?"

"No, I've never felt uncomfortable around you." Gabe stepped closer. "When we're together I feel like nothing is impossible."

She could have drowned in the longing in his eyes. For a woman who was determined to begin a new life, to find happiness, his words should have made her feel like the luckiest person alive. But she was terrified.

Terrified of making a mistake, of reading too much into the gentleness on his face, the smile that always made her stomach twist in knots.

Gabe's fingertips brushed her jaw. "I never thought I'd care about anyone again, but I was wrong. When this is over, would you like to go on a date with me?"

"A date?"

"You know...where two people go to the movies or out to dinner. Or we could do something else. There are plenty of river rafting tours we could join or there's a rock-climbing wall beside the community center that's challenging."

"I've never been rock climbing."

"We could do that."

"No. I mean I don't want to go rock climbing." Natalie's brain had gone to mush and nothing was making sense. "I thought you didn't want to date anyone?"

Gabe's smile disappeared. "So did I. But sometimes life has a funny way of showing you what's important. And you are important."

For someone who was falling in love with him, Natalie was suddenly very nervous. "What if it doesn't work out? What if how you're feeling is a reaction to being under a lot of stress? What if—"

"I'm not asking you to marry me, Natalie." Gabe's soft voice calmed her in a way that nothing else could have. "If we don't enjoy spending time together after this has finished, we don't need to see each other again."

"Do you know how depressing that sounds?"

Gabe smiled. "Is that a yes to a date?"

Natalie kissed his cheek. "It's a yes to a date that doesn't involve a gun or a climbing wall."

"I'll have to be creative."

She shook her head. "Just be yourself. That's all I'll ever need."

Gabe picked up the stick Sherlock dropped at his feet. "Do you want me to throw this?"

Sherlock froze, his excited eyes never leaving Gabe's face.

Fetch had always been one of their favorite games. Sherlock was quick, too. As soon as the stick left Gabe's hand, the German Shepherd sprinted across the yard, snatched the piece of wood off the ground and sped back to Gabe.

"Good boy."

Sherlock's tail swished backward and forward, waiting for the next round of play time.

Gabe brought back his arm and flung the stick into the trees. If the stalker was stupid enough to stand on the edge of the clearing with an ex-police dog tearing toward him he wasn't as intelligent as anyone thought.

Sherlock disappeared into the trees and Gabe sighed. The last two days had been hard on all of them. The long walks Sherlock loved were a thing of the past. They couldn't afford to be caught too far from the house. So, regardless of his dog's sad brown eyes, they hadn't ventured beyond the trees on the far side of the yard.

But there was good news. Despite what was happening, Natalie was making good progress on the canvas she'd brought with her. His manuscript was rolling along nicely and Caleb was pleased with the work he'd finished. Even though they were making good use of the time away from Sapphire Bay, Gabe knew it couldn't go on forever.

He looked at his watch, then back at the forest. Even with Sherlock's curious streak, he should have returned by now.

The front door of the house banged opened and Caleb rushed outside. "They've found him!"

He stared at his friend. "Chapman?"

Caleb nodded. "Detective Jameson called. Chapman was pulled over in Polson for not stopping at a red light. As well as the driving infringement, they've charged him with two counts of breaking and entering."

Gabe couldn't believe the police had found him. "When did they take him into custody?"

"About an hour ago. There's more news. You were right about the phone records. Leith and his stepbrother have been calling each other. The police are searching both of their apartments."

Gabe's initial spark of relief was replaced with caution.

"I thought you'd be happy the police have found him."

"It's too early to get excited. The breaking and entering will be classified as a misdemeanor. He could be out of prison in less than a year. The police will need more evidence if they're going to charge him with stalking." Gabe studied the trees around them, whistling for Sherlock when he still couldn't see him.

"They'll find the evidence they need."

Gabe wasn't so sure. Chapman had set up an elaborate hoax in the warehouse and stalked him for more than six months. Anyone who had invested that much time and energy into another person's life wouldn't leave anything to chance.

"What does Jameson want us to do?" Gabe asked.

"Nothing for now." Caleb looked across the front yard as Sherlock came bounding toward them.

"Where's Natalie?" Gabe patted Sherlock's head.

"In the backyard. I haven't told her about Chapman."

"Do you mind if I tell her?"

"Go ahead. I'll keep Sherlock amused."

Gabe handed Caleb the stick and walked around the side of the house. Whatever happened with Chapman was out of their control. The only thing they could do was wait.

Natalie pulled another handful of weeds out of the garden. The last layer of paint on her canvas needed time to dry and she needed something to do. Keeping busy was the best way of stopping her imagination from working overtime—especially where Gabe's stalker was concerned. Thinking about Leith Chapman would only give her ulcers.

Caleb had offered to drive to Sapphire Bay and collect another canvas, but she was reluctant to say yes. There was only one other painting she wanted to finish, but she didn't want anyone to see it.

She stretched her back and studied the patch of dirt she'd cleared. At some point, the garden had been well looked after. The shrubs dotted along the strip of garden weren't too overgrown. A good prune would make all the difference. Three pale pink daisy bushes gave the yard a little color, and some pansies peeked through the weeds. She wasn't much of a gardener, but anything had to be better than letting the dandelions and grass take over completely.

"Natalie?"

"Over here." She smiled as Gabe came around the corner of the house. After nearly giving her a heart attack the other night, he'd switched tactics, making lots of noise whenever he came near her. "I heard Sherlock barking. He sounds happy."

The early morning sunlight gleamed off Gabe's wet hair. He wasn't awake when she'd come outside, so she guessed he must have had a shower before letting Sherlock out for the day.

Gabe studied the garden. "You've done a lot of weeding."

She threw another clump of weeds onto the pile beside her. "I thought I'd get an early start. In another couple of hours it will be too hot to be out here. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"About average."

Gabe didn't have to tell her 'about average' wasn't enough. The black rings under his eyes were getting darker. They were both worried about Chapman and, right now, there wasn't a lot they could do about it.

Natalie wiped a dribble of sweat off her face. "I haven't seen Caleb since breakfast. Has he heard anything from the police or Fletcher Security?"

"The police have found Chapman."

It took a few seconds for Gabe's words to sink in. "They have? When?"

"Earlier this morning. Detective Jameson called Caleb a few minutes ago."

"Has he been charged with anything?"

Gabe sighed. "As far as I'm aware he's only been charged with running a red light and breaking and entering. The police are searching his apartment and his stepbrother's. Hopefully, they'll find enough evidence to charge him with stalking and whatever else they can throw at him."

"So, Leith won't be coming back to Sapphire Bay?"

"Not if the police can help it. It all depends on what they find in the Chapman brothers' apartments."

The bubble of excitement that had been growing inside of Natalie, popped. "I was hoping it was over."

"So was I," Gabe said quietly. "I'm tired of looking over my shoulder every time I go somewhere."

Natalie touched his arm. She could only imagine what the last six months had been like. "Would you like a hug?"

The frown on Gabe's face turned into a slow smile. "I won't say no. But don't tell Sherlock you offered to hug me. He likes his hugs, too. It would be just like him to abandon me and live with you."

Natalie wrapped her arms around Gabe's waist. "You won't have to worry about that. He loves you too much to stay with someone else. Besides, I've run out of doggie treats."

Laughter rumbled through Gabe's chest. "I'll have to visit the general store. They sell the peanut butter cookies Sherlock loves."

Natalie relaxed against Gabe. It felt so right to be close to him, to know they were there for each other. Over the last few weeks, they'd learned a lot about each other. At each step of the way, her admiration for who he was and what he had achieved grew stronger.

"Everything will get better," she said as she stepped away.

"That's what my agent said five months ago."

"His timing was off, that's all." She wiped her hands on her jeans and looked around the yard. "I'll miss Caleb's home when we leave."

Gabe seemed surprised. "I thought you'd be looking forward to seeing your cottage again."

"It's so peaceful here."

"And safe."

Natalie nodded. She wondered if he knew how close he'd come to understanding the real reason she liked being here. After two of her homes had been broken into, she'd given up thinking anywhere was safe. "When did you want to return to Sapphire Bay?"

"Whenever you're ready is fine by me. Caleb will probably appreciate having his house to himself again."

"He's a good person. There aren't many people who would share their home with us."

Gabe nodded. "I don't know what we would have done without him."

The back door opened and Caleb stepped onto the deck. "We were just talking about you," she yelled.

"I hope you were saying nice things."

"Of course." She smiled as Sherlock ran toward Gabe.

She'd miss Sherlock when he returned to Brooklyn. The big dog had watched over her as she'd painted, walked with her in the forest, and used his big brown eyes to plead for food as she'd cooked dinner.

"Has Gabe told you about Chapman?" Caleb asked.

Natalie pulled her gaze away from Sherlock. "He did. It's good news."

Caleb sighed. "You sound as excited as Gabe. Does this mean you aren't ready to celebrate his arrest?"

She forced a smile. "I'll make you a promise. When Leith Chapman is found guilty of breaking and entering _and_ stalking, I'll buy you and Gabe dinner. Until then, I think we should wait and see what happens."

Caleb's cell phone beeped. He read the message and frowned. "Detective Jameson wants to meet with Gabe and me in Polson. They've found some photos of us in Chapman's motel room. He wants us to look at them and give him an idea of when and where they were taken."

Gabe looked at Natalie. "You should come, too."

Caleb shook his head. "Jameson said she'll be safer here. A couple of reporters have been asking questions about Natalie."

"It's okay," she said. "Sherlock and I can look after each other."

Gabe still looked worried. He turned to Caleb and asked, "Are you sure Leith Chapman is at the police station?"

"They've already charged him with breaking and entering. I guess that's why they want us to look at the photos. If there's enough evidence to charge him with stalking, they'll do that, too."

"I don't like leaving Natalie here, even with Sherlock."

Natalie knelt in front of Sherlock. "We'll be fine, won't we, boy?" She had a strong suspicion that Sherlock's goofy grin had more to do with having his ears rubbed than looking after each other. "See...he agrees with me."

Gabe scowled. "If anything happens, we're at least forty-five minutes away."

She scrambled to her feet. "I won't leave the house. I'll keep the satellite phone with me at all times and I'll bake Caleb a chocolate cake as a thank you for looking after us."

"Sounds good to me," Caleb said. When Gabe remained silent, he pointed to his house. "I agree with Detective Jameson. Natalie's safer here than in town. Look at my home. It looks as though Ma and Pa Kettle live here and not an international bestselling author and a world-renowned artist. Chapman is at the police station and Natalie's mom and your agent are the only people who know you're here. Nothing will happen."

"I want your security system activated. If anyone arrives or leaves, we need to know about it."

Natalie looked at Caleb.

"The security system hasn't been off since you arrived. My phone will send me an alert if anyone breaks the infrared beams."

She swung her gaze to Gabe. "Does that make you feel better?"

"Not much."

"Well, it will have to do. Russell Jameson is waiting for you."

After more grumbles, Gabe finally left with Caleb.

Natalie kept her gaze on the plume of dust long after the truck was out of sight. Apart from Sherlock, she was on her own. And despite what she'd said to Gabe, she was just as worried as he was.

Natalie took the flour and baking powder out of the pantry. Caleb didn't have a lot of cocoa, but there was enough for what she'd need. When she got back to Sapphire Bay, she'd buy a shopping cart full of groceries and give them to him.

He had been so generous with his time and home that she didn't know how she could ever repay him.

The satellite phone beeped. With the mixing bowl in her arms, she walked across to the dining table and smiled. Just as he'd promised, Gabe had texted her to let her know they'd arrived in Polson.

She checked the time. Depending on how many photos the police wanted them to go through, she might have another ninety minutes to finish the cake and make lunch for everyone. As long as the cake went into the oven in the next half hour, she'd be fine.

Sherlock padded across to the back door and scratched on the frame.

"Do you want to go outside?"

Sherlock's brown eyes stared up at her.

"Okay, but only a quick trip." She left the bowl on the dining table and unlocked the door. "I told your dad we wouldn't leave the house."

Sherlock ran outside. As soon as he stepped off the veranda, he turned and whined.

"You'll be okay." Her encouraging words didn't seem to make any difference. Sherlock's head swung from her to the trees. She couldn't blame him for going stir crazy. Staying inside wasn't her idea of fun either.

She tried again. "It's okay, boy. Do your business then come inside." She forced a smile, hoping Sherlock made the most of his moment of freedom.

He didn't move.

She looked at the mixing bowl, then back at Sherlock. With Chapman at the police station, the chance of anything happening was about as high as being attacked by a bear.

A couple of minutes outside wouldn't hurt.

The infrared beam across the front door twinkled like a Christmas light. Gabe would already know she'd opened the door. What he wouldn't realize was why she'd gone outside. Before he panicked, she sent him a quick text. She looked around the kitchen, turned off the oven, and peeked inside Caleb's office.

Four monitors displayed what the external security cameras were seeing. There were no vehicles or people in the driveway, the barn was clear, and the only activity along the side of the house was two geese waddling across the grass.

Caleb's home had every high-tech gadget known to mankind and, just for once, she wished she didn't feel like a goldfish in a plastic bowl.

Sherlock barked. She ran out of the office, grabbed her backpack and closed the door. As soon as he saw her, Sherlock ran toward the trees, his black coat gleaming in the sun.

Taking a deep breath, Natalie followed him. It was another hot, airless day—the kind where your lungs burned as if you were living inside a furnace. By the time she was halfway across the yard, sweat was trickling down her spine.

She gave Sherlock a few minutes before calling him back. When he didn't appear, she kept walking. He was probably chasing a rabbit or chewing on a stick. In all the time she'd known him, he never went too far from where either her or Gabe were standing.

After the unbearable heat in the open pasture, it was a relief to step under the shade of the trees. In a lot of ways, Caleb's property was similar to the land around her cottage. It had the same sense of timeless energy, the same peaceful, pine-scented landscape that she'd longed for when she lived in Europe. But unlike her property, the closest lake to Caleb's home was a two-hour hike away.

She stood still, listening to the sounds around her. "Sherlock! Come!" She waited a heartbeat before repeating her command. Somewhere ahead of her a branch snapped.

"Sherlock! Come!" Still no answer. Glancing over her shoulder, she peered through the forest. Caleb's home was hidden behind the trees. If Gabe knew she was here, he wouldn't be impressed. And he'd be even less impressed with Sherlock. The big German Shepherd enjoyed exploring, but he knew better than to stay away when he was called.

Walking farther into the trees wasn't what she'd had in mind when she left the house, but leaving Sherlock out here wasn't going to happen, either. "Sherlock!"

Another rustle of leaves had her heading slightly to the left. Sherlock ran toward her. When he skidded to a stop, his tail was wagging so hard that it was a wonder his bottom didn't fly off his body.

"Where have you been?"

He tilted his head toward the sky and barked.

"Well, wherever you've been, we need to go home."

Instead of following her, Sherlock's ears pricked up.

"Come, boy." Natalie patted the side of her leg. It was so unlike Sherlock not to move that she searched the area around them. Something must be worrying him.

She knelt on the ground and looked into Sherlock's eyes. "Show me." Gabe used that command when he wanted to know what Sherlock had buried or seen. She didn't know if it would work, but anything was worth a try.

Sherlock turned around and moved slowly through the trees.

Keeping two steps behind him, Natalie followed, making as little noise as possible. Sherlock stopped when he saw the shelter they'd found the other day.

With her heart racing, Natalie crept closer. No one was inside, but a small circle of blackened stones and charred wood was about five feet from the entrance. It wasn't there the other day. Reaching out, she touched the wood. It was stone cold. Whoever had lit the fire hadn't been here last night.

Gabe and Caleb would want to know if someone had been close to the house.

Slipping her backpack from her shoulders, she opened a pocket before realizing she'd left the satellite phone on the dining table. She shook her head, annoyed that she hadn't remembered it.

After studying the trees, Natalie took out her cell phone and snapped a picture of the campfire. At least she'd have something to show Gabe when he returned.

"We'd better go home," she said quietly to Sherlock. "I don't want to be here if whoever built this comes back."

Natalie kept close to the trees, taking whatever protection the forest could give them. If Chapman had lit the fire, his arrest this morning meant he wouldn't be back. At least that was one thing she didn't have to worry about.

But what if Chapman hadn't been here? What if everyone had ruled out another person who was the stalker?

Before they'd moved to Caleb's home, only three people knew they were in Sapphire Bay—her mom, a detective in the NYPD, and Gabe's literary agent. Since then, that number had grown. All it took was one person to say something they shouldn't and the whole world would know where they were.

Sherlock froze.

Natalie studied his raised tail and alert ears. "What is it boy?" Crouching low, she peered through the last few feet of forest. From this angle, the only view she had of the house was half-hidden behind the trees.

With Sherlock beside her, she crept forward, carefully making her way toward the edge of the forest.

Her hand tightened on Sherlock's back. A white SUV had parked in front of the house. A whole lot of possibilities rushed through her mind—and not one of them was good.

She bit her bottom lip and gave Sherlock a quick hug. "It's time for plan B," she whispered. "Let's go."

# Chapter 12

Gabe studied the photo Russell Jameson handed him. He glanced at Caleb before giving him the image. "This was taken three days ago."

Caleb's jaw clenched. "He must have been standing in the trees beside the house."

The photo had been taken on the day they'd hiked to the cave. They were walking across the pasture, each wearing a backpack of supplies.

Russell handed Gabe another photo. "The latest telephoto lens can take images from a quarter mile away. The chance of you seeing Chapman was slim at best." He looked at Caleb. "Has your security system picked up anything over the last few days?"

Caleb shook his head. "Nothing that concerned me. I've got motion detection cameras on the driveway and around the buildings. The property is too big to secure the entire perimeter."

The alarm on Caleb's cell phone beeped. He looked at the screen, then at Gabe. "The front door alarm has been activated."

Gabe's stomach tightened. "Natalie told us she wouldn't go outside."

"It's probably nothing, but I'll check the security cameras, anyway." Caleb opened his laptop.

The first images of the barn and house were clear. "There." Gabe pointed to Sherlock. He was standing in front of the veranda.

Russell walked around the table and studied the live feed. "He's waiting for something."

Gabe's cell phone beeped. He read the message, then quickly typed a reply. "Natalie's going outside. She thinks Sherlock wants to go to the bathroom, but he won't leave without her. I've told her to stay inside."

His heart leaped as he watched what was happening.

Caleb leaned forward. "What's she doing?"

Gabe grabbed his hat. "She's going with Sherlock. We have to get back to the house."

"Wait," Caleb said. "There's no point rushing home. Natalie could be back before we start the truck."

Gabe took a deep breath. Everything inside him was screaming to leave, but Caleb was right. "Okay. She gets five minutes. If she's not back by then, we leave."

Russell picked up the phone on his desk. "While we're waiting, I'll see if we have any highway patrol units out that way."

While Russell was on the phone, Gabe silently watched the monitors. After what seemed like an eternity, he picked up his phone. "This is crazy. I'm calling her."

Caleb looked up from his computer. "Call the satellite phone. She'll have limited cell phone coverage."

Gabe paced backward and forward as he listened to the ring tone. "Come on, Natalie," he muttered. "Answer the phone."

A cell phone beeped.

Gabe's gaze shot to Caleb.

"It's not Natalie." Caleb rapidly typed something onto his keyboard. "A white SUV has driven through the main gates." He turned the computer toward Russell. "Here's the license plate. I don't recognize the vehicle."

"Give the troopers my cell phone number," Gabe said as he opened the office door. "Tell them to call me when they're close to Caleb's property."

Russell was already dialing a number on his phone. "Shall do. Be careful."

As they tore down the corridor, Gabe tried to think rationally. But a nagging fear deep in his gut made him break into a cold sweat.

He hadn't listened to that feeling once before, and it had cost Michelle her life.

Gabe ended the call from Russell. "The closest highway patrol vehicle is still ten minutes away from Natalie."

Caleb glanced across the cab of his truck. "It's closer than we are."

All Gabe could do was nod. A lot could go wrong in ten minutes. "The SUV is a rental. A woman from New York City booked it last week."

"Have they had any luck contacting her?"

"No."

"Try calling Natalie again," Caleb urged.

Gabe had already left two messages on the satellite phone. He called the number again, not surprised when it went to voice mail. "She's still not answering. I'll try her cell phone." The chance of the call going through was low but, at this stage, Gabe would try anything. Still no answer.

"She'll be okay," Caleb assured him. "Natalie might look like she wouldn't hurt a fly, but I've seen the way she moves during your self-defense classes. She's fierce."

Tears stung Gabe's eyes. She was more than fierce. Natalie was strong, courageous, and one of the best people he'd ever met. She also had a cunning mind and tried to outsmart him whenever they were training. If anything happened to her, he didn't know what he would do.

He wiped his face and took a deep breath. "I should never have left her alone."

"She wanted to stay. Besides, the police have arrested Chapman. She's probably playing with Sherlock. It's only been..." Caleb glanced at the clock on the dashboard, "...sixteen minutes since she left the house."

Gabe focused on the towering mountain range in front of them. Natalie wouldn't do anything stupid. Even with Chapman in police custody, she knew to be careful. But with no neighbors and no gun, she was an easy target for anyone looking for trouble.

The flat pasture on either side of the road blurred as they drove quickly toward Caleb's home.

Gabe rechecked his watch. "The troopers haven't called."

"They might not be there yet."

So much of what was happening reminded Gabe of the night Michelle was killed. He'd had a feeling something wasn't right on that day, too. After calling her phone so many times, he'd given up and called the station. Then his world had fallen apart, and nothing had been the same again.

A beeping noise filled the heavy silence inside the cab.

Gabe's heart pounded. "Is it Natalie?"

"It's the house alarm." Caleb handed him his phone. "Open the icon with the picture of the siren. What do you see?"

"A red flashing dot beside alarm three."

"It's the front door sensor. Tap the red dot. If the cell phone coverage is strong, we should be able to see what's going on."

The only thing Gabe saw was a black screen. "It's not working. I'll call Russell and tell him the sensor was activated."

After he'd spoken to Russell, Gabe wanted to be sick. "The troopers set off the alarm. No one's inside the house."

Caleb's worried gaze connected with Gabe's. "That doesn't sound good."

Gabe swallowed the bile in his throat. The police were sending more vehicles to Caleb's house. If Chapman wanted to recreate the worst time in Gabe's life, he was doing a good job. Four years ago, he was too late to save Michelle's life. He didn't want the same thing happening again.

Natalie moved quickly through the forest. Sherlock stayed close, his nose to the ground, sniffing his way toward the cave.

She had no idea who was driving the SUV and wasn't planning to find out. Gabe had told her the best way to get out of trouble was to leave, so that's what she was doing. Fast.

Stopping, she glanced at her watch. She'd left the shelter ten minutes ago, but she still hadn't found the path Caleb had shown them. Taking a deep breath, Natalie searched the rocky bank above her. The cave wasn't far away, but she needed to start climbing.

Sherlock sat beside her, patiently waiting for what she would do next.

"We're going up," she whispered. "Help me find the cave."

Sherlock's ears twitched. As soon as she moved, he scrambled to his feet and stuck like glue to her legs.

Natalie peered over her shoulder, hoping the person in the SUV hadn't come into the forest. The trees surrounding Caleb's home were thick enough to camouflage most things, but her bright red T-shirt would have stuck out like a bullseye. There wasn't a lot she could do about it. She didn't have another shirt and the foil survival blanket in her backpack would be just as easy to see.

As she pushed through the undergrowth, she found a path that might get them higher. It wasn't as broad or as flat as the one Caleb had discovered, but it would have to do.

The farther they went, the narrower the track became. In places it fell away, leaving a three-inch ledge of rock for them to scramble across. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and kept moving, kept rising through the canopy of trees.

The higher they climbed, the more worried she was about being seen. She looked at her T-shirt and sighed. Walking around like a moving target wouldn't keep them safe.

Sliding her backpack off her shoulders, she knelt beside Sherlock. "It's just as well I'm wearing my sports bra."

Sherlock didn't seem the least bit fazed. He sat quietly, watching what she was doing.

Within seconds, she'd stuffed her T-shirt into her backpack and was once again moving along the ledge.

Sherlock followed her, picking his way across the rock like a mountain goat. If he weren't with her, Natalie doubted she'd be as calm or as hopeful.

Fifteen minutes later she stopped and looked across the valley. The view was just as spectacular as it was the other day. But unlike last time, the heat of the midday sun burned into her bare skin. Sherlock's tongue hung out of his mouth and his breathing was labored. With his thick black coat, he must be feeling the heat.

She moved along the ledge until they were under as much shade as she could find. The spindly tree took the sting out of the sun but didn't lessen the brutal heat. She opened her backpack and pulled out the water bottle. Sherlock needed a drink.

She emptied a container of snacks into a bag and used the bowl for Sherlock's water.

He lapped up the warm liquid as fast as it came out of the bottle.

Natalie patted his back. "We should be at the cave soon." Just saying the words made her feel better because, in all honesty, she had no idea where they were. The scenery looked familiar, but the path was all wrong. She'd watched enough survival programs on TV to know they could easily be lost.

When the water was gone, she returned the bowl to her backpack. "Come on, boy. Let's get out of this heat."

This time, Sherlock took the lead. His paws padded across the uneven ground and moved along the narrow path.

Natalie glanced at her watch. Caleb's security system should have warned him that a vehicle had driven through the main gates. If he'd left Polson right away, he should be getting close to the property.

If she'd brought the satellite phone with her, she could have called him and told him where they were and warned him about the SUV. Who was she kidding? If she'd brought the phone with her, she wouldn't be in this mess. The phone's GPS would have taken her straight to the cave. She wouldn't be walking on a ledge, trying to find a hole in the wall of rock.

Sherlock stopped and looked at her.

"What is it, boy?" She studied the path in front of him, then looked up. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. They'd found the cave.

Gabe held onto the edge of his seat as Caleb's truck flew along the dirt driveway. He'd talked to the troopers a few minutes ago. No one was in the house or the SUV. They were about to search the barn. If Natalie and the driver weren't there, they'd wait for more people to arrive before searching the forest.

Gabe checked his watch. It had been forty minutes since the security system's alarm was triggered. Even if Natalie and Sherlock had gone into the forest, it didn't make sense that they hadn't returned. Unless they'd seen the SUV.

When Caleb stopped the truck, the two troopers were waiting for them.

The first held out her hand. "I'm Trooper Winchell, and this is Trooper Sanderson."

Gabe shook their hands. "Have you found them?"

"Not yet. The barn is clear. The NYPD has spoken to the woman who rented the SUV. Gloria Torrington works for Eric Sturgess. Mr. Sturgess flew into Polson Airport this morning."

Gabe ran his hand through his hair. "I can't believe it."

"You know him?" Caleb asked.

"He's my literary agent." He turned to Trooper Winchell. "Did Gloria say why he's here?"

Her gaze never left his. "He wanted to make sure you're all right."

Gabe's jaw clenched. He appreciated Eric's concern, but he should have called. "Natalie must have seen Eric and decided to stay away."

Caleb's eyes narrowed. "Or she could have hurt herself while she was with Sherlock."

Gabe looked around the property. "It's possible but unlikely. Natalie isn't reckless. She wouldn't do anything that could harm her or Sherlock unless it was a life and death situation." The dry grass surrounding the house shimmered in the hot afternoon sun. "She left the house to take Sherlock outside. It's hot. Unless Sherlock was on his lead, he would have raced toward the trees."

He strode toward the house.

Trooper Sanderson followed him. "Be careful what you touch. We don't know what's going on yet."

"I know Eric. He wouldn't hurt Natalie." Gabe opened the door. The first thing he saw was the mixing bowl. He walked across to the table and touched the rim. "Natalie was baking before she left."

"The oven is still warm, but she had enough time to turn it off." Sanderson pointed to the satellite phone. "She didn't read the message you sent."

Gabe slowly turned around. Sherlock's leash was still draped over the coat stand. He frowned at the assortment of jackets, boots, and bags beside the front door. Something wasn't right.

He hunted through the bags. "One of the packs is missing." Hope flared inside him. He ran outside to Caleb. "Did you move one of the backpacks?"

"No. We left them by the front door in case we needed to make a quick. Do you think Natalie took one of them?"

"She must have." He looked over his shoulder at Sanderson. "I know where she's gone."

Trooper Winchell pointed toward the trees. "Is that Eric Sturgess?"

Gabe held his hand above his eyes, then started running. "It is," he yelled over his shoulder. "Get the first aid kit. He's hurt."

# Chapter 13

They didn't stay in Caleb's house for long. As one of the troopers wrapped Eric's ankle in ice, he told them about seeing Natalie.

When he'd arrived, no one was in the house. He'd wandered around the property, looking for them. When he saw a woman standing on the edge of the forest, he'd decided to say hello. Unfortunately, Natalie had disappeared faster than Eric could walk to her.

He'd followed her into the forest, but turned back, worried he'd get lost. On the way out, he'd twisted his ankle. Using an old branch, he'd hobbled from the trees and was happy to see their vehicles.

With Eric being looked after, Caleb drove Gabe and Trooper Sanderson to the edge of the forest.

As Caleb stepped out of the truck, Gabe grabbed two packs off the back seat and handed one to his friend.

"Here. Take this."

Caleb hauled his backpack over his shoulder. "Natalie should be at the cave by now."

"If we're lucky," Gabe muttered. They still had another forty minutes of hiking ahead of them. Natalie had only been to the cave once. If she'd missed the path that took her straight there, she could be anywhere.

"Is she used to hiking?" Sanderson matched their steps stride for stride.

Gabe slowed as they reached the shelter they'd seen on their last hike. "She enjoys it but sticks to designated trails." He looked at Caleb. "Someone's been here in the last few days."

Caleb studied the campfire. "Do you think it was Chapman?"

"Possibly. If he can recreate an elaborate hoax in a warehouse, he can build a simple fire."

Gabe touched the charred wood. It was stone cold—too cold to have been used in the last twelve hours. "If it was him, he was closer than we thought. Let's keep moving."

They traveled in silence. The slap of the branches and the snapping of twigs was the only sound in the forest.

Gabe peered through the trees. "Is it me or is it unusually quiet?"

Sanderson frowned. "It gets like this before a thunderstorm."

"In the middle of summer?"

"They're dry thunderstorms. They produce huge amounts of lightning and are the main cause of wildfires."

"That's the last thing we need." Caleb veered right and they began their climb up the side of the mountain. By the time they stood above the tree line, each of them was out of breath.

"It's not far to the cave," Caleb said to Sanderson. "Do you want to stop for a few minutes?"

She shook her head. "No. Keep going. The sooner we find your friend, the sooner we can get off the mountain."

Gabe stared at the brooding mass of black clouds on the horizon. Sherlock was terrified of storms. Since Michelle had died, he'd hidden under Gabe's bed whenever he heard thunder. If the storm arrived and Sherlock panicked, he could hurt Natalie and himself.

The next few minutes passed quickly. They moved on autopilot, one foot in front of the other, steadily climbing higher.

Gabe paused when he saw the ledge where Natalie had touched his face. He'd wanted to tell her he cared about her, that she was the most important person in his life. But he hadn't, and his silence weighed heavily on his heart.

Caleb scrambled over the last ledge. "Natalie? Are you in there?"

Sherlock's excited bark echoed against the walls of the cave. The big German Shepherd rushed outside, almost knocking Caleb over in his rush to get to Gabe.

"Hi, boy." Gabe wrapped his arms around his dog, hugging him close. "It's good to see you." His heart raced when Natalie appeared at the cave entrance.

Her relieved smile turned to confusion. "You brought someone from the highway patrol?"

Sanderson held out her hand. "I'm Moira. We're glad you're okay."

"Did you arrest the person at the house?"

"The person you saw was Gabe's literary agent," Caleb explained. "He came to see if Gabe was all right. You gave us a fright."

"I didn't mean to," Natalie said. "Sherlock wanted to go outside, and I didn't think we'd be gone that long. When I saw the SUV, I thought Chapman had been released. I came here instead of going back to the house."

"Are you okay?" Gabe asked. All he wanted was to wrap her in his arms, but Sherlock, Trooper Sanderson, and Caleb were standing in front of him.

Natalie's worried blue eyes connected with his. "I'm fine, but Sherlock has been pacing backward and forward."

"He doesn't like storms." Gabe was so focused on Natalie that he barely heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. But Sherlock did. His whole body tensed and a low whimper tore through his throat.

Gabe patted his dog's back. "We should leave."

Natalie spun around. "I'll get my backpack."

While she was in the cave, Caleb spoke to Moira. "Do you want to take the lead?"

She nodded and stepped around Gabe. "I'm guessing you'd like to walk beside Natalie?"

He didn't know when his feelings had become so obvious, but he wasn't arguing.

Caleb followed Moira. "We'll start walking. Do you want me to take Sherlock?"

Gabe shook his head. "He's better with me."

"Don't be too long."

As soon as Natalie returned, she frowned. "Where did everyone go?"

"They just left." Gabe held out his hand. "I'll take your bag."

"But you've already got yours."

"I can wear yours as a front pack." He held onto the straps, but she didn't let go.

"I'm sorry I left the house."

His heart beat out of control. He closed his eyes, trying to block the images flooding his mind. Coming to terms with Michelle's death had nearly destroyed him. As difficult as it was, he couldn't let the past overshadow what had happened today. Natalie and Sherlock weren't injured, and no one would be going home in a body bag.

"Gabe? Are you all right?"

He cleared his throat and forced himself to speak. "Sherlock must have sensed the thunderstorm. That's probably why he didn't want to go outside on his own."

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I'm glad you're okay."

A soft blush filled her cheeks. "Thank you for finding me. I wasn't looking forward to—"

Gabe stepped forward and kissed her. Except it wasn't the gentle kiss he'd planned. As soon as their lips touched, heat exploded all around him. With Natalie's arms wrapped around his shoulders and her mouth opening under his, any thought of leaving the mountain disappeared.

He hauled her against his chest, ignoring the thump of her backpack as it hit the ground. He savored the taste and feel of her in his arms, the way Natalie's body molded to his.

Her soft moan tore at the last of Gabe's defenses. She was alive and unharmed. He loved this woman like no other. Regardless of what happened over the next few weeks, he wanted her in his life, to be part of something neither of them had expected.

Sherlock barked and they both froze.

"What just happened?" she whispered against his lips.

Gabe leaned his forehead on hers. "I think it's called a kiss, but my brain isn't working too well."

Sherlock whined as thunder rumbled in the distance.

Natalie sighed and stepped away. "We need to get Sherlock off the mountain."

"And then?"

Her blush gave him the answer he needed.

He kissed her and smiled. "Let's go."

Sherlock didn't need to be told twice. As they scrambled off the rocky ledge, he barked, urging them to move faster.

With his hand wrapped around Natalie's, Gabe made his way down the mountain. When he'd driven into Sapphire Bay all those months ago, he never thought he'd find the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But it had happened, and he knew exactly what he would do about it.

Later that night, Natalie and Gabe waved goodbye to Eric at Polson Airport. The thunderstorm that everyone was expecting had never arrived—which was fortunate for Gabe's agent. The visit to Caleb's home had been a stopover on his way to Calgary for a conference. If the storm had touched down in Polson, there was a high chance his flight would have been canceled.

On their way to the airport, Eric talked about Gabe's publishing schedule. After the conference, he was returning to Manhattan and he wanted Gabe with him.

While Natalie listened to what they were planning, she became more and more worried. She wasn't sure how she felt about long-distance relationships, or even what kind of a relationship she had with Gabe.

"What are you thinking about?" Gabe asked.

She watched the lights from another plane taxi down the runway. "I was thinking about us."

When he didn't say anything, she turned and looked at him. His gaze was steady and sure, something she was far from feeling.

He looked around the departure area. "Why don't we get a coffee? We can find somewhere quiet to talk before we go back to Caleb's house."

Natalie nodded and walked beside him to the nearest café.

"What would you like?"

"I can get our drinks."

His eyebrows rose. "What would you like?"

Natalie sighed. "Fine. A cappuccino would be great."

Gabe returned with their drinks and two chocolate-covered pastries. "Where would you like to sit?"

She headed toward a table on the far side of the dining area. Apart from a few people grabbing a late dinner, the tables were empty. Natalie wasn't sure how their discussion would end, so it was just as well there weren't many people around them.

Gabe placed their tray on the table and sat beside her. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Sipping her drink wouldn't start the conversation, but she didn't know where to begin. "Are you looking forward to going home?"

"I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal life." Gabe's gray eyes never left her face. "I need to tell you something."

Natalie had never seen Gabe look so serious or uncomfortable. Her heart sank. "What is it?"

"It's about today. Finding you in the cave brought back a lot of memories—things I thought I'd come to terms with." He took a deep breath. "I want to tell you this so that you understand me a little better. The reason I was upset was because Michelle died in Central Park at a place called The Ravine. It's supposed to be a sanctuary away from the noise of the city, but her killer turned it into a trap."

"Oh, Gabe. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

He shook his head. "I'm okay now. I just need you to know that sometimes the memories of that night hit me hard."

"Is Michelle's death the reason Sherlock doesn't like thunder?"

His slow nod tore at her heart. "There was a storm the night Michelle died. Before she was killed, she radioed in to say Sherlock had been shot. When the responding units arrived, he was lying across Michelle's chest, trying to protect her."

Hot tears filled Natalie's eyes. "Did he ever go back to the K-9 unit?"

"No. He was too traumatized by what happened."

Natalie held onto Gabe's hand. "I don't know what to say, except thank you. It must have been hard being on the mountain."

"It would have been worse if we'd lost you. Which is why I'm not going back to Brooklyn. Not yet, anyway."

"But your agent—"

"Eric will have to make do with the phone and the Internet. I still have to write the last chapter of my book, anyway."

"And after that?"

"It will take a couple of weeks to do the edits before Eric sees the manuscript. Once he's read it, I'll change anything he finds before it's sent to the publishing house. They'll suggest more edits before it's ready for the next stage."

"It's a long process."

Gabe nodded. "Mistakes can slip through, but we try to minimize them. Are you okay with me staying at the cottage for a few more weeks?"

"You can stay for as long as you like." She took a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you about the cottage. I'm thinking about making Sapphire Bay my permanent home."

Gabe seemed surprised. "I thought you'd go back to Italy."

"I'm tired of living so far away from Mom and my friends." She wanted to add, 'and you' but she wasn't sure how he would react.

"Brooklyn is a long way from Sapphire Bay." Gabe didn't seem happy with the thought of a long-distance relationship, either.

Natalie knew they could make their friendship work—it just depended on how much they were willing to compromise. "We both have jobs that can be based anywhere in the world. If you'd like to spend more time with me, I could live in New York City for a few months of the year. But I don't want to live there all the time."

"You don't like big cities?"

"I never have. They're too noisy and polluted."

"What if I said I could live in Sapphire Bay? Not in the cottage, but in a place of my own. I'd have to fly back to New York City once or twice a month, but most of the time I'd be in Montana."

Natalie's heart pounded. "You'd do that?"

Gabe held her hand tighter. "I want to spend more time with you. I can't do that from two thousand miles away."

More tears stung her eyes. "I want to get to know you, too."

"That's good because I think I'm falling in love with you."

All of Natalie's doubts and worries melted away. She leaned forward and kissed Gabe gently on the lips. "You aren't the only one who's falling in love. Do you think Sherlock will be happy in Sapphire Bay?"

"He'd be happy wherever we lived, but Sapphire Bay is special. He's found his home, and so have I."

Natalie's heart was bursting with joy. From desperately wanting to leave Sapphire Bay as a teenager, her life had come full circle—and she couldn't have been happier.

Two days later, Brooke stood in the doorway of Natalie's cottage with a bunch of flowers in her hand. "Welcome home!"

Natalie smiled. "Come in. How did you know we were back?"

"Mabel. She said you were in the general store yesterday buying groceries. How was your sightseeing trip?"

Before they'd left, she'd told Brooke she was going on a road trip with Gabe and Caleb. If she stretched the facts, it could almost be called the truth. Except for a stalker, a literary agent who'd scared the living daylights out of her and falling in love with her neighbor.

Natalie filled a vase with water. "We had a great time driving around the lake. The flowers are lovely. Are they from your garden?"

"They are. I might be terrible at housework, but I love pottering in the garden. If you need any cuttings, let me know." Brooke sat on one of Natalie's kitchen stools. "Don't keep me in suspense. How did it feel to spend lots of time with a New York Times bestselling author?"

"It was no different than spending time with Caleb. They're both nice people."

"Nice?" Brooke's eyebrows rose. "Caleb might be nice, but Gabe is super sexy. Have you read his books?"

Natalie had practically lived and breathed his books for the last few weeks. She'd read them so often, that if Brooke asked her what was on page 109 of his first novel, she could have repeated it word for word.

"I've read them. They're great."

"Hmm. Anyone who's sat beside Gabe Lanigan for seven days _and_ read his books wouldn't say he was nice. What are you hiding?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Natalie couldn't hold back a smile.

"I knew it. You like him, don't you?"

"Yes, I like him. Gabe's different from anyone else I've met."

Brooke smiled. "That's because he's swoon-a-licious."

Natalie laughed. "He'd go beet red if he heard you say that."

"He's a writer. He'd appreciate the effort it took to come up with such an amazing word."

"While we're talking about amazing words, I'll make us a drink. Would you like a cup of coffee or peppermint tea?"

"Tea, please." Brooke opened the bag she'd slung over her shoulder. "And because I'm such a good friend, I also brought shortbread cream cookies for us."

Natalie had tasted Brooke's cookies before and they were yummy. "What have I done to deserve a friend like you?"

"We were both lucky we met each other. So, tell me what you were really doing with Caleb."

Natalie cleared her throat. She hated lying to anyone, let alone her friends. "We were sightseeing."

"I don't believe you. Mabel said a man has been asking questions about you and Gabe. You don't think it's the same person who broke into the cottage, do you?"

"I wouldn't think so. Did Mabel say what he looked like?"

"No, but it seems like too big a coincidence."

Natalie wasn't sure what to say to Brooke. With Leith safely locked away, there wasn't much that could go wrong. No judge or jury would release him. Not after everything he'd done.

"Maybe it was a detective or it could have been Gabe's literary agent. He visited Gabe while we were at Caleb's house."

Brooke frowned. "They would have told Mabel who they were. Did anyone follow you around Flathead Lake?"

Natalie sighed. It was time to tell her everything. If anyone could understand why she'd been so secretive, it would be Brooke. "I have a confession to make. We didn't go on a road trip. We've been staying at Caleb's house."

Brooke took the mug of tea that Natalie gave her. "But he lives in the middle of a forest. You wouldn't see much of Flathead Lake from there."

"We weren't there to see the lake. Someone has been stalking Gabe. When my cottage was broken into, Gabe and Caleb thought Mom and I would be safer somewhere else."

"That makes sense, but it's terrible that someone's stalking Gabe. Is everyone okay?"

"We're fine. Mom made it back to Indianapolis, Caleb is busy catching up on the work he didn't get done, and Gabe's life is almost back to normal."

"What about the stalker?"

"He's been arrested."

"Thank goodness for that." Brooke frowned. "Was the stalker the reason Gabe moved to Sapphire Bay?"

Natalie nodded. "He needed to go somewhere he couldn't be found. Except it didn't work out that way."

"With the stalker locked away, will Gabe go back to Brooklyn?"

Natalie grinned. "He's staying in Sapphire Bay. Once everything has settled down, he'll buy his own home."

"Wow. That's quite a change for someone who's lived his entire life in a big city."

A sliver of unease crept under Natalie's skin. "I know. I hope he's happy here."

"I'm sure he will be. Look at Caleb and me. Neither of us would go back to our old lives."

Natalie hoped with all her heart that Brooke was right. "Tell me what happened with the bakery. Have you bought it, yet?"

Brooke grinned. "After the bank approved my loan, I made the owners a cash offer. It took a few days of negotiation, but we got there in the end. You're now looking at the proud owner of the only confectionery store in Sapphire Bay."

"That's wonderful!" Natalie jumped out of her chair and gave her friend a hug. "I knew it would work out for you. When do you take over the building?"

"Next Friday. The owners have agreed to leave all the furniture and appliances in the store."

"Will that make it easier for you?"

Brooke opened the container of cookies. "It will make a huge difference. I should be able to make my candy from the store's kitchen in a couple of weeks."

Natalie sighed. "I'm so happy for you."

"So am I. Who would have thought we'd both find what we were looking for in Sapphire Bay?"

Natalie bit into one of Brooke's cookies. Falling in love had been the last thing on her mind. She just hoped Gabe loved Sapphire Bay enough to stay.

Gabe held Natalie's hand as they walked along the rocky shore of the lake. He took a deep breath and wondered what Sapphire Bay would look like as summer turned to fall, and then winter and spring.

"It's so peaceful." Natalie bent down and picked up a pale blue stone.

"Is that another one for your collection?"

Natalie smiled. "The jar of stones is half full now. Mom will love them. They'll remind her of the lake."

"Do you think she'll move back here?"

"Maybe. She has a lot of friends in this area of Montana."

Sherlock ran ahead of them, zigzagging through the water like a mini torpedo.

Gabe was glad to be here, to try to put the past behind him. But even though Chapman was behind bars, he couldn't shake the feeling they'd missed something. Finding his stalker after a traffic violation seemed too easy. Chapman had been careful about not leaving any evidence of his identity. It was almost an anticlimax to know he wouldn't be harassing Gabe again.

He looked at Natalie and sighed. With her dark hair falling around her shoulders and a pale green dress flowing down to her ankles, she could have been a mermaid washed onto the shore.

"Have you looked at the spreadsheet we made about Chapman?"

Natalie shook her head. "Not recently. Why?"

"I'm worried we've overlooked something."

"Chapman confessed to stalking you."

"But he said he knew nothing about the warehouse. Whoever recreated the scene in my book took a long time to set everything in place. If Chapman didn't do it, then who did?"

"His fingerprints were there."

"So were a lot of others." Gabe stepped over a fallen branch. "Maybe I'm overthinking everything."

Natalie stopped walking. "We could study the timeline again. And if you're still worried about Chapman, you call your friend in the NYPD. He might have uncovered more information about Chapman or the warehouse."

"You don't think I'm wasting everyone's time?"

"You were a detective in the NYPD. Trusting your instincts is as important to you as breathing. After being stalked for more than six months, no one will worry about reviewing the evidence."

Gabe swallowed the knot of emotion in his throat. Natalie would always have his back, always have his best interests at heart. Renting her grandparents' cottage was the best thing he'd ever done.

His cell phone rang. It was Detective Jameson from the Polson Police Department. "Hi, Russell. I was just talking about Chapman."

"So was I. It seems Leith Chapman isn't the only person of interest in your case. The NYPD traced the IP address of the emails that were sent to your agent. They didn't come from Chapman's computer."

"Where did they come from?"

"An Internet café in Queens."

Gabe frowned. "As in New York City?"

"That's right. The store's surveillance camera doesn't show him there at the time they were sent. Can you come to the police station this afternoon? If you can identify any of the people in the video, it will make our jobs a lot easier."

Gabe checked the time. "I can be there in about forty minutes."

"Great. I'll see you when you arrive."

He ended the call and turned to Natalie. "Russell wants me to drive to Polson. He has some video from a security camera he wants me to look at. Do you want to come?"

Natalie shook her head. "I've got to work on my second painting."

"Are you sure? I could be gone for a couple of hours."

"I can get a lot of painting done in that time." Natalie leaned forward and kissed him. "You'll be okay."

Gabe wrapped his arms around her waist. "It's not me I'm worried about."

"You'll have to get used to leaving me on my own sooner or later."

"I'm voting for the latter option."

Natalie smiled. "What if I make a cheesecake for dessert? Would that make you feel happier about leaving me at the cottage?"

He looked into her eyes. "Do you promise not to go anywhere without calling me first?"

"I promise."

"If I'm going to be longer than two hours, I'll call you."

"Okay." Natalie ran her hands down the front of his shirt.

"I'm serious," he growled.

"I know you are. That's why I love you. Go to your meeting with Detective Jameson. I'll be here when you get back." Natalie held onto his hand and pulled him toward the cottage. "Come on. I'll wave goodbye to you."

Gabe whistled to Sherlock.

The big German Shepherd sprinted toward him.

"Stay with Natalie."

Sherlock's head tilted sideways. His front paw patted the ground and he gave an excited bark.

"It's all right," Natalie said with a smile. "Let him go with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. He'll enjoy the ride in your truck."

Gabe looked down at his dog. "It's your lucky day. You're coming with me."

Sherlock barked, then grinned as if he'd just been given a big, juicy bone.

Gabe wished he could get as excited about the trip to Polson. Whoever had sent the emails must be working with Chapman. And as long as they were still in New York City, everyone would sleep easy tonight.

# Chapter 14

Natalie added a touch of yellow paint to her canvas. She'd painted other portraits, but this one was by far her best. She smiled as she stood back and admired the scene.

A few days after she'd arrived, she'd taken a photo of Gabe and Sherlock by the lake. That photo had become the basis for the painting.

Over the last few weeks, she'd learned more about Gabe than he probably realized. Those impressions allowed her to add layers of emotion to the canvas, to celebrate the man and dog who'd spent most of their lives protecting people. She hoped she'd captured Gabe's creativity, his grief at losing the woman he loved and the joy that Sherlock brought to his life. His family, his friends, and his work as a writer all added another dimension to the man she loved.

Her painting wasn't as technically complicated as the landscape she'd finished, but it was still difficult. Painting a portrait was like looking into someone's soul. As an artist, you balanced what you saw with what you found. Sometimes what you were looking for was hidden beneath a lifetime of experiences that needed to be unraveled. And sometimes, it was there, right in front of you, waiting to be discovered.

She picked up an old rag and wiped her brush. It was time for a break. She needed to stretch, grab a drink, and see if she had any of Brooke's cookies left.

As she walked into the living room, Natalie glanced at the clock. If the meeting with Detective Jameson had lasted as long as Gabe intended, he should be getting ready to leave Polson.

She checked her cell phone, then headed toward the kitchen. After their walk, Gabe still wasn't happy about leaving her alone. She understood why he felt that way, but he needed to realize she could look after herself. Reluctantly, he'd driven to Polson, calling her as soon as he arrived at the police station.

A knock on her back door made her jump. Her gaze shot to the deadbolt. No one would be able to get inside unless she opened the door.

"Ms. Armstrong? It's Special Agent Gareth McDonald from the FBI. I have a few questions I'd like to ask you about Leith Chapman."

Natalie frowned. "No one told me the FBI was involved in the case."

"Until two days ago, we had a minor role to play. But there has been a significant development in the case."

She raced to the living room and grabbed her cell phone. On the way back to the kitchen, she tapped out a message to Gabe.

"Ms. Armstrong? Are you still there?"

She bit her bottom lip, hoping Gabe saw the message and replied. "You need to show me some identification."

"I'll hold my badge against the window."

Natalie looked at her cell phone again. Still no reply. She sent a quick message to Caleb, then peered at the badge pressed against the glass. It seemed real but, for all she knew, it could be a fake.

"I understand your reluctance to unlock the door. Would it help if I gave you the phone number of the special agent in charge of our field office? He could verify my identity."

"That would be great, thank you."

Special Agent McDonald rattled off a number. The man she spoke to confirmed that the special agent at her door worked for the FBI. After she ended the call, she checked her messages. Still nothing from Gabe or Caleb.

"Are you able to come back later when Gabe Lanigan is here?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't. If you're worried about Mr. Lanigan not knowing what's happening, Detective Jameson is showing him the new evidence."

That made sense. Gabe wouldn't deliberately leave her text unanswered, especially when she was on her own. "Just a minute."

Natalie made sure the special agent had moved away from the window before slipping a small knife into her pocket. She didn't care if he was with the FBI or the King of Siam. She needed to protect herself and, without a gun, a knife was the next best thing.

She opened the door and held out her hand. "I'm Natalie Armstrong."

The FBI agent's eyebrows drew together. "You're younger than I thought you'd be."

She had no idea what difference that made. "What do you mean?"

"When I read you were a world-renowned artist, I thought you'd be older."

"I had some lucky breaks." Natalie moved toward the kitchen counter, keeping as much distance between the two of them as she could. Special Agent McDonald was about ten years older than her. Time hadn't been kind to his five-foot-eight, overweight body.

She pointed to one of the chairs pushed against the kitchen table. "Have a seat. I don't have a lot of time, so if you could ask your questions, that would be great."

"I appreciate you talking to me." Special Agent McDonald opened a notebook. "Mr. Lanigan told us you arrived in Sapphire Bay on July 20th. Is that correct?"

Natalie nodded.

"And did you know Mr. Lanigan before you arrived?"

"No. I'd never seen him or read any of his books. What has that got to do with Leith Chapman?"

"Mr. Chapman has been implicated in the deaths of two people. The bodies were found in New Haven and Stamford."

Natalie gripped the edge of the kitchen counter. "He killed two people?"

"We're currently investigating their deaths and speaking to the victims' next of kin."

"How do you know it was Chapman who killed them?"

Special Agent McDonald's mouth tilted into a smile.

Natalie's heart pounded. She hadn't said anything even remotely funny.

A buzzing noise came from her phone. She looked at the kitchen table. Her phone was on the opposite end to where the FBI agent was sitting.

"That will be Gabe. I'll ask him how long he'll be."

"That won't be necessary."

The sinister tone of the special agent's voice sent goose bumps along her skin. She had to leave the cottage. "Gabe might have some questions for you." She edged closer to the back door.

"I'm sure he will when he realizes you're missing."

Natalie lunged for the door.

The man threw back his chair and slammed her against the wooden door.

Pain exploded in her head and shoulders.

"You thought you'd get away that easily?" he ground out between his teeth. "Think again, sweetheart."

Natalie tried to twist out of his hold, but he shoved his body against hers, pinning her to the door. "You won't get away with this."

He laughed against the side of her face. "Is that so? My stepbrother didn't have the guts to follow through on the plans we made. I don't have the same problem."

Tears fell down her face. She couldn't die—wouldn't die like this.

_Remember what Gabe taught you._

_Keep talking. Buy yourself some time. Think._

"Leith Chapman is your brother?"

With a grip that almost broke her wrists, he yanked her hands behind her back. "Stepbrother. At least my mother had the sense to leave his no-good father. Stop fighting. This will be a lot easier if you do what I say."

She took a deep breath, relaxed her shoulders. Readied herself for what would come next. "Just like the people you murdered?"

"They were cowards, trolls who should have known better. No one bad-mouths my family and gets away with it."

Natalie wasn't waiting to be his next victim. She twisted sideways, threw her heel backward, and connected with the side of the man's knee.

His howl of pain raged through the cottage.

The grip on her wrists loosened. She grabbed the knife, ramming it into his thigh. She ignored his scream, the feel of the blade plunging into his flesh.

_Run._

She flew out of the cottage, across the front yard, and straight into the trees.

Her neighbors wouldn't be home. Gabe wouldn't be here for at least fifteen minutes.

_Run._

Pine needles dug into her bare feet, leaves slapped against her face. She ran faster, dodging fallen trees and branches hanging in midair.

_Run._

There was nowhere to go, nothing to keep her safe. Gulping back air, she tried to think, tried to plan what to do next. But nothing made sense—until she saw a log of wood shaped like a bird.

Veering left, she followed the trees around the edge of the lake, found the trail she'd discovered a few weeks ago.

Lowering her head, she kept moving, kept plowing through the undergrowth. She knew where she was going.

Gabe looked up when the meeting room door opened.

"I've got bad news," Russell said as he spread the contents of a folder on the desk. "Two bodies have been found. It looks as though Chapman isn't working on his own."

The carnage in the photos made Gabe's stomach turn. Whoever had killed the two women had gone berserk, decapitating one of them and cutting the other's arms from her torso.

"Do you know who did this?"

Russell pulled two more photos from the pile. "Security cameras caught one of the women being kidnapped. It's the same guy who was in the Internet café. The FBI is involved. They're using facial recognition software to identify him, but it could take a few days to find a match."

"We might not have a few days if he kills again. When were these women murdered?"

"Between two and four days ago. Their bodies were found in New Haven and Stamford."

Gabe picked up the crime scene photos. "Why do you think Chapman was involved?"

"He told us where to find the bodies. Chapman can't be in two places at once, and we know for a fact that he was in Polson when at least one of the women was murdered. CSI is doing DNA and fingerprints analysis of each crime scene."

The meeting room door opened again.

A detective who Gabe had met on his way into the station stood in the doorway. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but you'll want to know this. The man in the security footage has been identified. It's Jaydon Chapman, Leith's stepbrother."

Gabe scowled. "The NYPD has already spoken to him. He wasn't a person of interest."

Russell opened the folder the detective handed him. "Why wasn't he identified sooner?"

"The detectives who spoke to him have been in training for the last week. As soon as they opened the file, they recognized him."

"Where is he now?"

"He flew into Polson yesterday."

Gabe's cell phone beeped. He checked the message, frowning when he saw who it was from. "Natalie has a visitor. Who is Special Agent Gareth McDonald?"

Russell and the detective looked at each other.

"I'm onto it," the detective said as he raced out of the room.

Gabe followed him into the open-plan office area.

The detective typed something on his keyboard and waited for a reply. "No one by that name works for the FBI."

"We need to get to the cottage," Russell said to the detective. "Send all available police and highway patrol units to Gabe's address in Sapphire Bay. Possible kidnapping and murder suspect on the loose."

Gabe's hand shook as he emailed Russell a picture. "I've sent you a recent photo of Natalie."

"Got it. Taylor, send this photo to all responding units along with a picture of Jaydon Chapman." Russell quickly tapped something into his phone, grabbed his jacket, and headed toward the door. "Let's go."

Gabe followed him outside. They were at least thirty minutes away from Sapphire Bay. He prayed to God that someone in their law enforcement team was closer.

Natalie bent over, gasping for breath. She listened for footsteps, anything that would tell her if Leith's stepbrother was behind her.

He must be hurt, must be moving slower than he usually would.

_Don't underestimate your attacker._ How many times had Gabe repeated those words? Just thinking about Gabe made tears fill her eyes. She wiped her face, shocked to see blood smeared across her hands.

_Keep moving._

_Don't stop._

She stumbled forward. Her granddad's hideout wasn't far away. Concealed in the trees, it would keep her safe until Gabe or Caleb arrived.

She prayed they'd read her texts. Leith's stepbrother had killed before. He would be angry, wanting revenge. If he found her, she'd die.

Her feet flew across the uneven forest floor. Soft, mossy ground gave way to dry leaves, decaying pine trees became spruce and oak. She needed to move closer to the lake, but not too close. If Leith's stepbrother was anywhere near the shore, he could—

"You're going to die!"

She tripped, falling to the ground with a sickening thud. Pain ripped through her leg.

_Oh, God._ He sounded close, but sound traveled differently over the water. Biting her lip, she sat upright, holding back the moan that tore through her throat.

Blood oozed down her leg. The branch of a tree had sliced her skin, left her shin raw and weeping. It was just a flesh wound. It would heal.

Yanking the hem of her dress higher, she used her teeth to tear the thin fabric. With shaking hands, she bandaged her leg, knotting it tightly across the wound.

_Keep moving._

_Don't stop._

"Did you hear me, Miss High and Mighty? I'll carve you into little pieces and feed you to the wild animals. No one will ever find your body."

Natalie gritted her teeth. She wouldn't listen to his cruel taunts. He was scaring her, hoping she'd give up and make his job easier. She rolled onto her feet.

_Ignore the pain._

Blinking back tears, she hobbled forward. Her heart pounded as she moved toward the hideout.

The trees were thinning, giving way to the undergrowth that grew against the stony shore of the lake. Crouching low, she crawled between the plants. Her body shook with fear as she peered around the lake, searching for any sign of Leith's stepbrother. His white T-shirt would stand out, make him as obvious as the water gently lapping to shore.

Nothing looked out of place. She focused on the edge of the forest, the undergrowth that could easily hide him. Still nothing.

Natalie crept back into the forest, making her way toward the hideout.

"I'm getting closer." His voice boomed across the lake. "It's the perfect place to die. And you will. Slowly and painfully."

_There._ Her granddad's treehouse was less than twenty feet away. Hidden between the trunks of four tall pine trees, it melded into the landscape. She had no idea if anyone else had found it but, for now, it was better than stumbling through the forest.

The old rope ladder was covered in moss and fallen branches. Carefully, she pulled on the rungs, hoping it wouldn't drop out of the trees. It stayed firm. She climbed about two feet into the air. So far, so good.

The rope swayed as she rose higher. For years, her grandfather had climbed the tree, squeezing between the knotted trunks that were older than all of their combined ages. She didn't know how he'd done it, but that was Granddad. He had the stamina and strength of a man half his age. It had taken a drunk driver to show her how fragile life could be.

Natalie looked at the ground and swallowed. If the rope gave way, she wouldn't need to worry about Leith's stepbrother. She'd be a splattered mess across the forest floor.

Taking a deep breath, she hauled herself onto the bough of the tree. At some point, the trunk of the four trees had become so intertwined that they formed a single tree. The melding of wood had created a tiny platform—her granddad's dream space.

Her hands trembled as she pulled the rope ladder toward her. When she was finished, she curled her legs into her chest and leaned backward. With her spine pressed against the trunk and the branches providing shelter, she was as small and unnoticeable as she could make herself.

All she needed was a miracle to keep her safe.

Gabe arrived at the cottage before Russell. Caleb's truck was parked in front of the crime scene tape stretching across the front yard. He looked for his friend, hoping he knew what was going on.

"Gabe!" Caleb ran toward him. "The police won't let me into the cottage or around the lake."

Beside Gabe, Sherlock tensed. He stroked his dog's head, trying to reassure both of them that everything would be all right. Caleb had called him on his way to the cottage, repeating the message that Natalie had sent him.

Gabe attached Sherlock's leash to his harness. The last thing any of them needed was an excited German Shepherd contaminating evidence.

He studied the grim expressions on the faces of the police. He'd seen the same look so often that it made his heart clench. Something had happened to Natalie.

"Russell will know what's going on." Gabe strode toward the black SUV that had stopped beside his truck. He met the detective halfway across the yard. "Where's Natalie?"

Russell nodded at Caleb. "Good to see you again. You both need to come with me. We've set up a command center in Gabe's side of the cottage."

Cold sweat broke out on Gabe's forehead. He breathed deeply as his blood pressure plummeted.

Caleb grabbed his arm. "You need to sit down."

"I'll be fine."

"I've heard that before," Caleb muttered. With Russell's help, he half-walked, half-dragged Gabe to the cottage.

"Sit here," Russell said as he pulled out a chair.

Caleb poured a glass of water and set it in front of Gabe. "Drink this."

He couldn't have drunk anything, even if he wanted to. "What's happened to Natalie?"

Russell sat in the chair beside him. "We don't know. The officers who were first on the scene have searched the house and the land immediately around the cottage. Natalie and Jaydon aren't here."

All Gabe could focus on was that Natalie wasn't dead. If they wanted to find her alive, they needed to act fast.

Russell placed his hand on Gabe's arm. "What we do know is that there was some kind of incident in her kitchen. There's blood on the back door and on the kitchen floor. It's not enough to have killed someone, but it is a significant amount. A team of officers is searching the area between the cottage and the lake."

"Why do you think she headed toward the water?" Caleb asked.

"An officer found fresh blood on the trail leading to the lake. If it isn't Natalie's, it will be Jaydon's." Russell focused on Gabe. "We're doing everything we can to find her."

Gabe looked down at Sherlock. "Can we try?"

The detective shook his head. "That wouldn't be a good idea. The K-9 unit is on its way. They'll do their best to find her."

"We're racing against the clock. We've got even less time if she's injured."

"That doesn't mean we cut corners."

"Sherlock spent five years in the K-9 unit. I worked with Michelle and the other handlers. I know enough about tracking to do a sweep of the area." When Russell still didn't look convinced, Gabe added, "I know this area. Let me help."

"You're too involved."

"Damn it, Russell. Let me help. Natalie could be bleeding to death and we're splitting hairs about who can search for her."

Russell pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. But as soon as the K-9 unit arrives, you and Sherlock leave the scene."

Gabe pushed back the chair. "I'll need access to Natalie's side of the cottage. We need a piece of clothing so Sherlock has her scent."

"Remember to take an earpiece," Russell warned. "I want to know where you are at all times."

Gabe didn't care what he had to do. There was no way he would leave Natalie on her own with a serial killer.

# Chapter 15

Natalie's heart pounded as she sat in the tree, praying someone would find her.

Leith's stepbrother was somewhere below her, prowling through the trees, tormenting her with a blow-by-blow description of how he'd killed two women.

She placed her hands over her ears, trying to keep her imagination from seeing the cruel and sadistic ritual he'd gone through. She didn't know what his life had been like to make him such a monster, but it must have been horrific.

She frowned as another sound drifted across the lake. _Sirens._

The police were here, and maybe Gabe and Caleb. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying out, yelling for them to help her. It would take a while for them to work out what had happened, to search the cottage, then head into the forest.

Closing her eyes, she thought about her granddad, about the hours he spent in the forest, exploring the shore of Flathead Lake. He called it his little slice of paradise. When he wasn't in the forest, he was in the garage, inventing gadgets that would change the world.

Grandma had smiled at her husband, patiently listening to him explain how his latest gadget would make her life easier. None of the designs had ever been produced commercially, but they'd both enjoyed the excitement of creating and using something that no one had ever seen.

A branch snapped.

Natalie's eyes flew open. He was close. She could almost smell his adrenaline, the excitement pounding through his veins.

"It won't be long now," his voice taunted. "You can't outrun a predator, Natalie. We have a sixth sense when it comes to our victims. You all make the same mistakes, the same..."

She didn't want to know what had made him stop talking, but whatever it was, wouldn't be good.

"What do we have here? Oh, dear. It looks as though someone hurt themselves."

Her leg throbbed. Blood oozed through the thin cotton bandage, scenting the forest as if it were feeding time at the zoo. He would find her, dissect her like the lab rats she'd studied in high school.

If Leith's stepbrother was standing where she'd fallen, he wasn't far away. She was too scared to breathe, too scared to move in case he saw her through the canopy of trees.

Where were the police? Gabe and Caleb must be here by now. And Sherlock, he would know what to do.

She had no idea how long she sat there, praying someone would find her before Leith's stepbrother did.

"Well, well. You really are imaginative, but not terribly clever."

Natalie's blood ran cold. He stood below the tree, staring at her through the canopy of branches. His dark eyes were piercing, slicing through her fear and leaving a toxic residue in her veins.

"I had such high hopes for you. Our little chase should have lasted much longer."

She slid sideways, trying to put as much space between them as she could. But it didn't help. The platform was too small, too—something brushed against her neck. Her hand flew to her throat. If it was a big, hairy spider, she swore she'd scream until there was no air left in her lungs. Her fingers swept across her skin. It wasn't a spider.

Her heart pounded. It was Gabe's whistle. She'd made a necklace, threading it through a piece of string so she wouldn't lose it.

"You know, I used to wonder what it felt like to be on the receiving end of my attention. But then I decided it didn't matter." Leith's stepbrother circled the tree. "Some things are better left to the imagination."

Natalie blew the whistle. Then she blew again, desperately hoping that Sherlock was close.

A series of short, sharp barks filled her with hope.

The manic laughter coming from below the tree turned that hope to dread. Leith's stepbrother should be running away. If Gabe and Sherlock were here, the police wouldn't be far behind. She kept the whistle against her lips, blowing it hard every few seconds.

"Do you really think I'm that naïve? My mother used to say there's more than one way to skin a cat. I like to apply the same principle to the human form, don't you?" He pulled out a gun, pointing it straight at Natalie. "It's time you and I had a different type of discussion."

Natalie stared at the determined sneer on his face. With a certainty that made her sick, she knew she wouldn't be leaving the forest alive. But by God, if she were about to die, she wasn't doing it silently.

The whistle dropped out of her mouth. She filled her lungs with air and screamed like it was her last breath on earth.

She screamed again, and again, letting go of every fear, every hurt, every pain she'd ever felt. She wanted to live, damn it. She wanted to love Gabe. She wanted children, a safe place to call home. She wanted—

A gun fired. The sting of something sharp hit her arm.

She looked down. Blood. Oh, God. So much blood.

"Drop the gun or you're dead!"

Gabe.

A click.

Silence.

"Drop the gun, Chapman."

"You think I scare that easy? I'm not afraid of dying. There are worse places to be and, believe me, I've been to all of them."

Natalie didn't care where he'd been or what he'd done. Her arm was on fire. She needed to stop the bleeding and get out of the tree. She tore at the hem of her dress, used her teeth to hold one end of the cotton while she wound the other around her arm. By the time this was over she'd look like G.I. Jane—bruised, bloody, and beaten.

The platform tilted sideways. Closing her eyes, she waited for the world to stop spinning.

"Your girlfriend is an easy target. I could shoot her in the head and you wouldn't be able to stop me."

_Didn't he ever give up?_ Throwing herself sideways, Natalie protected her head with her arms. Pain ripped through her body.

A single gunshot echoed across the forest.

She closed her eyes as darkness became her friend.

For a split second, Gabe stared in disbelief at the crumpled body of Jaydon Chapman. Blood pooled like a thick, red syrup beneath his back, slowly oozing across the forest floor. Using his foot, he swept Chapman's gun away and felt for a pulse. Nothing.

Russell Jameson stepped out of the trees, returning his gun to its holster. "Are you all right?"

Gabe didn't have time to think about what had happened. He ignored Russell's question. There would be plenty of time to go over everything.

"Natalie?" he yelled. "Are you okay?"

No answer.

He rushed toward the twisted treehouse. "Natalie?" Gabe's voice filled the forest with a desperation bordering on panic. In the background, he heard Russell call for the paramedics and a ladder. But she needed help now, not in ten or fifteen minutes.

More police arrived.

He circled the trees, looking for the best handholds he could find. None of them were perfect, but one of them would do.

Russell stood beside him. "I'll cup my hands and hoist you up. You should be able to reach the first branch."

He didn't hesitate. When Russell was ready, Gabe leaped into his linked hands and grabbed for the branch above his head. As soon as his hands connected with the rough wood, he pulled himself higher. Once he was over the third branch, the climbing became easier.

"Watch the next branch," Russell yelled from the ground. "It doesn't look as sturdy as the others."

Gabe pulled hard on the branch. It swayed under his weight.

He studied the tree. The point where all four trees converged was at least twelve feet away. He wouldn't get there using this side of the tree. Holding the trunk for support, he turned his back on the branch and lunged for another one. Time passed in a blur. He moved on autopilot, reaching the bough of the tree out of breath and worried about Natalie.

When he saw her, his legs gave way. Her face was a bruised and bloody mess, and the makeshift bandages on her arm and leg were soaked with blood. Her eyes were closed, and it didn't look as though she was breathing.

With tears in his eyes, he carefully rolled her onto her back and checked for a pulse. "She's unconscious but alive," he choked out.

"The fire department is nearly here," Russell yelled back. "Is there a ladder somewhere?"

Gabe wiped his face and searched the narrow platform. When he saw the rope ladder hidden in some branches, he caught his breath. They must be more than forty feet in the air. If one of the moss-covered rungs had broken, Natalie would have plunged to the ground.

"I'm throwing it down, but it doesn't look safe."

"You're not kidding," came Russell's dry reply. "We'll rig some ropes together and use a stretcher to get Natalie down. Hold tight. The fire crew has arrived."

Gabe turned to Natalie, cupping the side of her face with his hand. "You're safe now. We'll take you to the hospital and before you know it, you'll be walking Sherlock around the lake."

He wanted her eyes to open, to hear her voice tell him that everything would be okay. But her lids remained closed, and her breathing slow and shallow.

With trembling fingers, he pushed her hair away from face and rechecked her pulse.

Fear threatened to pull him under a heavy black cloud. After today, he didn't know if their lives would ever be the same again.

Natalie heard voices, smelled the sharp sting of antiseptic. This wasn't heaven. She wasn't dead. But if she was alive, why did she feel so drowsy?

Slowly, she opened her eyelids, then squinted against the glare of the overhead lights. She turned toward the voices, tried to focus on what they were saying.

"Natalie?" Gabe's face appeared above her.

She started to smile but ended up groaning.

"It's okay. Your face is bruised. The doctors said it could take a few days for the swelling to go down."

"I'm in the hospital?"

"We arrived three hours ago. You were unconscious when I found you."

She tried to remember what had happened. "Did you find Leith's stepbrother?"

Gabe nodded. "He's dead."

Natalie closed her eyes. She should feel some kind of sympathy for him or at least his family. But all she felt was relief that he wouldn't be back to finish what he'd started. Did that make her a bad person?

She looked at the pillows propping up her right arm. A large bandage covered most of her skin.

"You were shot, but the bullet didn't shatter any bones. The doctor said you should make a full recovery." Gabe swallowed. He looked exhausted. "The pillows are there to help reduce the swelling. Your leg has eleven stitches. Most of them are internal, so the scarring will be minimal."

"Why do I feel so drowsy?"

"The doctors gave you a general anesthetic while they were operating on your arm."

Natalie nodded. Even that made her head ache.

"Would you like a sip of water?"

"Yes, please."

Gabe's gentle smile made her sigh.

"I'll raise the top of the bed." He pushed a button, then held a straw to her mouth. "Don't drink too much. The nurse said a little at a time is all you need."

The cool water felt like nectar on her dry throat. She reluctantly let go of the straw and studied Gabe. "Thanks. How are you?"

"I'm better now that I know you're on the mend. I was worried about you."

"I was worried, too. Leith's stepbrother told me he was an FBI special agent. I called a number he gave me and they said he worked from their office." Tears filled her eyes. "I thought I was going to die."

Gabe squeezed her hand. "It's okay. You're safe and that's all that matters."

Natalie bit her bottom lip to stop her mouth from trembling. Gabe didn't need to see her fall apart, not when he looked as though he was about to collapse.

"I called your mom," he said softly. "Her flight arrives tomorrow morning. She'll be glad to know you've woken up."

Natalie yawned. "I'll call her soon." Her eyelids felt as though sacks of cement were lying on top of them.

"Have another sleep. I'll be here when you wake."

She closed her eyes and didn't hear another thing.

Gabe stared at the monitor beside Natalie's bed. Yesterday had been a long day and the night hadn't been much better. The nurses had come into Natalie's room every half hour. They adjusted her pain relief and checked the fluids that were being pumped into her body.

At one o'clock in the morning, her temperature had spiked. A doctor was called and she was given more antibiotics. She'd tossed and turned, groaning in her sleep.

Guilt tore Gabe's heart in two. If it weren't for him, Natalie wouldn't be here. Her arm and leg wouldn't be covered in stitches and she wouldn't be having nightmares. No one should have to go through the horror she'd experienced. Ever.

"Mr. Lanigan?"

He looked at the nurse who'd walked into the room.

"Caleb Andrews is waiting for you by the nurses' station."

Gabe looked at his watch and frowned. It was five-thirty in the morning. "Thanks." He pulled himself out of the chair and quickly made his way down the corridor. For Caleb to be in Polson at this time of the morning, something must have happened.

He rounded the corner and stopped. His friend stood beside the desk with a pink helium balloon in one hand, and two takeout bags in the other.

Gabe read the message on the balloon. _Welcome to the world._ "Natalie hasn't had a baby."

Caleb smiled. "It's the best the drug store could manage at this time of the morning. I thought she'd appreciate the sentiment better than, 'Get well soon'. The nurses will look after the balloon while we have breakfast."

"I'm staying with Natalie."

"We won't go far." He held the two bags in the air. "I've got pancakes, hash browns, breakfast muffins, and coffee."

Gabe swallowed the knot of emotion clogging his throat. He'd cried so much last night that he didn't think he had another tear left, but he was wrong.

Caleb handed the nurse the balloon and wrapped his arm around Gabe. "I know I'm a great guy, but I wouldn't get too excited about the quality of the food."

A watery smile pulled at Gabe's mouth. "It can't be that bad."

"We'll see. Let's go to the family room. The nurse said she'd call me if anything changes."

"Natalie had a rough night. I should be there when she—"

"She'll be okay. Come on," Caleb urged. "The eggs will turn to rubber if we don't eat them soon."

Gabe walked with Caleb along the corridor. Most of the rooms they were passing had their doors closed. He hoped those patients had slept better than Natalie.

"Brooke's bringing Natalie some clean clothes. She should be here by eight o'clock."

"Thanks. I didn't think about what Natalie would wear today."

"I've got a change of clothes in the truck for you, too. I can't guarantee they'll all fit, but you're welcome to try them. The kennel texted me last night. Sherlock is okay. He ate all his dinner."

More tears filled Gabe's eyes. "I don't know what to say."

Caleb held open the family room door. "You don't need to say anything. You'd do the same for me if the situation were reversed."

Thankfully, the large room was empty. Gabe's tired gaze traveled across the navy blue sofas and chairs. Last night, a handful of people had been here, waiting for news about their friends and family. Everyone's voices had been hushed, talking in whispers as they'd tried to console each other. In the end, when he needed to call Natalie's mom or reply to a message from the police, he'd taken refuge outside the ward. Sitting on the hard, plastic chairs in the corridor was better than adding another family's stress to what he already felt.

Caleb emptied the bags of food onto one of the tables. "You'd better sit down before you collapse. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"I don't think so. What about you?"

"I went home for a couple of hours, then came back. I booked into a hotel not far from here. Sit."

Gabe did as he was told—he was too exhausted to do anything else. The smell of bacon and eggs made his stomach rumble.

"Did you eat anything after I brought you dinner last night?"

He shook his head. "I wasn't hungry."

"It sounds like you are, now." Caleb bit into his muffin and sighed. "I'm happy to report that breakfast is delicious."

Gabe lifted the muffin to his mouth and took a bite. Caleb was right. "Thanks for being here." He wiped his face with the back of his hand as more tears fell. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"It's stress," Caleb said softly. "Can I ask you something?"

Gabe swallowed what he was eating and nodded.

"When Michelle died, did you go to any counseling?"

He knew where this conversation was going and it would be hard. "I saw a police psychiatrist for a while."

"And?"

Gabe placed his muffin in its box. "I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."

Caleb didn't seem surprised. "How are you feeling today?"

"Right at this minute?"

"If you like."

Gabe studied the expression on his friend's face. Unlike his psychiatrist, he wasn't asking out of professional curiosity. He was asking because he cared. "I feel like I'm drowning and I can't find anything to keep me afloat."

"What would keep you afloat?"

He rubbed his hands across his eyes. "Knowing that Natalie is all right. Going to sleep and waking up to find this was all a bad dream."

"We can get you help with some sleep, but nothing will change what happened."

Gabe looked down at his hands. "Two days after we found Natalie in the cave, I drove into Polson to look for an engagement ring. I love her." He searched Caleb's face, expecting him to be shocked. "Is there nothing that surprises you?"

"You'd have to be blind not to see how much you care about each other. Does what happened yesterday change anything?"

Gabe crossed his arms in front of his chest to stop them shaking. "I can't do it."

"What can't you do?"

"I can't marry her. I can't have a relationship with her. What if someone else makes my life a living hell? Natalie could have died."

Caleb leaned forward. "You're the reason she lived. You found Natalie and stopped Chapman from killing her. Then you climbed the tree to make sure she was okay. Without your help, she would have died before the police found her."

"She wouldn't have met Chapman if it weren't for me."

"Perhaps, but no one knows what the future holds. She could have been hurt when her apartment in Italy was broken into. She could have bought a ticket to Montana on a plane that crashed, or she could have choked on a piece of apple. Our lives aren't full of signposts telling us where to go. We make the best decisions we can, then move on from there." Caleb's eyes never left Gabe's face. "Promise me three things."

"I'll try."

"You'll come with me to see a doctor, then go back to my hotel to sleep for a few hours." He held up his hand when Gabe started to interrupt. "That's two things. You won't need to worry about Natalie. I'll stay with her while you sleep. The third promise is that you won't make any big decisions until you find what you need to keep afloat."

"That could take months."

"It doesn't matter. If you love Natalie, those feelings will still be there when you're ready to do something about them."

Gabe breathed deeply. "How did you get to be so wise?"

"I'll tell you about it another day." He held up his muffin and smiled. "Bon appétit."

# Chapter 16

"You don't have to babysit me," Natalie said to Caleb. "The nurses will help me with anything I need."

"I told Gabe I'd stay with you while he slept."

Natalie sighed. Apart from when the nurse had helped her shower and she'd gone to the bathroom, Caleb hadn't left her room. "Why are you and Gabe so stubborn?"

"Comes with being a male." He looked at the crossword puzzle in front of him. "What's a five-letter word that means dangerous?"

Brooke stood in the doorway. "Risky."

Caleb's eyebrows rose. "You're right. What about an eleven-letter word that means premeditated?"

Brooke frowned. "What does it start with?"

"I don't know. But the third letter is a 'T'."

"Intentional." She grinned at Caleb's disbelieving face. "You're looking at the winner of the Queen Bee Spelling Competition at Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School. Three years in a row."

Natalie started to smile, until the pain in her face brought tears to her eyes. "It's not fair," she moaned. "I didn't know until now that I smile too much. Why can't I be grumpy all the time?"

"If you were grumpy, I wouldn't have brought my super-delicious, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate fudge with me."

Caleb's eyes lit up. "That sounds like the perfect way to start the day."

Brooke handed Caleb a box, then rolled a suitcase into the room. "I heard about your bacon and egg muffins. It was nice of you to look after Gabe."

"How did you know I brought Gabe breakfast?"

"The walls have ears," Brooke whispered. "And a certain someone texted me this morning. I was going to bring everyone breakfast, but you beat me to it."

Caleb glanced at his watch. "It's nearly eight o'clock. We could still have a mid-morning snack."

"Are you sure we're not related?" Brooke asked. "Wait here." She walked outside the room, then reappeared a few minutes later with another box in her hands.

Caleb opened the flaps and sighed. "If you weren't my friend, I'd marry you tomorrow." Out of the box came the deepest pie Natalie had ever seen.

"It's my mom's favorite apple pie recipe. The apples make it a healthy hospital choice."

The grin on Brooke's face told Natalie there were a lot of not-so-healthy ingredients in the pie as well.

Caleb licked his lips. "Anything that looks this good has to be good for you. Would you like a slice now or later, Natalie?"

She looked at Caleb, then across at Brooke. "I've got an idea."

"Oh, no," Caleb moaned. "Just because Brooke's here, it doesn't mean you can gang up on me. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Your rough-and-tough image is safe with us," Natalie assured him. "This is more of a compromise. What if you eat a slice of pie, while Brooke helps me get changed? If I have to wear this green hospital gown for a moment longer, I'll have a tantrum."

Caleb tilted his head sideways. "It has a certain jail-bird quality that I find appealing."

"Until I stand to go to the bathroom. I can't wrap it around my waist far enough to close the gap at the back. It's practically indecent."

Brooke reached into the box and gave Caleb a plate, knife, and fork. "Happy eating."

Without uttering one single word, Caleb jumped from the chair and slid a slice of pie onto his plate. "I'll be in the family room if you need me."

"I don't believe it," Natalie said. "If I'd known all it took was food to move Caleb, I would have ordered takeout."

Brooke grinned and lifted the suitcase onto the end of the bed. "He's a man of simple tastes. What would you like to wear today?"

Natalie watched Brooke lift half a dozen T-shirts out of the case. "You don't know how much I appreciate this."

"I think I do. It's amazing how much your spirit can be lifted by a colorful shirt, a toothbrush, and a clean pair of panties."

Brooke handed her a pretty pink T-shirt. "What about this one? The color will look lovely on you."

It might have looked lovely two days ago, but smashing into a wooden door had left its mark. At the moment, her bruises were a mix of violent red, yellow, and black.

"The pink shirt will be great. Thank you."

"And here's four new pairs of panties. You can't go wrong with black cotton briefs. And to finish our hospital fashion extravaganza, I chose a couple of skirts that I think will work. They've got elastic sewn into the waists, so they're easy to pull on and off."

Tears filled Natalie's eyes. "I don't know what to say."

Brooke sighed and wrapped Natalie in a gentle hug. "You don't have to say anything. It's hard being in the hospital without having some nice clothes and toiletries with you. Would you like to get changed now or later?"

Natalie didn't hesitate. "Now. But I'll need to ask the nurse to unhook me from the monitor."

"I can do that. Don't move. I'll be back in a minute."

There wasn't much chance of Natalie going anywhere in a hurry. At least she wasn't hooked up to the IV drip anymore. Hopefully, by the time the doctors did their rounds, she would be able to leave the hospital and go home to her own bed.

"Is this G.I. Jane's room?"

Natalie dropped her magazine onto the bed. "Mom? I thought you weren't arriving for another half hour."

"We had a tail wind and the flight landed ahead of time." She walked across the room and gave Natalie a hug. "How are you feeling?"

Hot tears rolled down Natalie's cheeks. "Not too good at the moment."

Her mom kissed her gently on her unbruised cheek, then sat on the edge of the bed. "Gabe said you were very brave."

"If Granddad's hideout wasn't there, I don't know what would have happened."

Tears filled her mom's eyes. "He was keeping you safe. I've been so worried about you."

They sat in silence, holding each other's hands. All Natalie could think about was how lucky she'd been, how fortunate she was to have so many people who loved her.

"Have you talked to the police about what happened?"

"They left a little while ago."

Someone knocked on the door. "Is it all right if I come in?"

As soon as she saw Gabe, Natalie's heart squeezed tight. Each time she woke during the night, Gabe was beside her. He'd held her hand when she couldn't get Chapman's evil face out of her dreams. When her arm throbbed, he'd told her stories about his family and, when she was thirsty, he brought ice cubes for her to suck.

"Did you find a parking space?" Kathleen asked.

"I did. As it turned out, there was one fairly close to the hospital's entrance." He smiled at Natalie. "I like your T-shirt."

She tried to smile but gave up. "It's Brooke's. It feels wonderful to be in real clothes."

"Has the doctor said anything about discharging you?"

"Not yet," she sighed. "The nurses don't think he'll see me until after lunch."

Kathleen glanced at her watch. "That's not too far away. Are you tired?"

Natalie shook her head. "I had some sleep before the police came to see me." She studied Gabe's exhausted face. "Did you get some sleep this morning?"

"A couple of hours. I'll sleep better tonight knowing you're okay. Do you mind if I come back in an hour? I need to call my agent and then check that Sherlock is okay."

"Of course, I don't mind," Natalie said quickly. "You've been amazing. I don't know what I would have done without you."

A sad smile settled on Gabe's face. "We make a good team. I'll see you later."

Kathleen gave Gabe a hug.

After he'd left the room, Natalie's mom frowned. "Is he okay?" she asked.

"I don't know. I'm worried about him, too."

"Maybe he's still processing everything. It was bad enough when I heard what happened over the phone. But to be here,"—tears filled Kathleen's eyes—"I don't know how Gabe did it."

Neither did Natalie.

Kathleen smiled. "I brought you a gift." She opened her suitcase and pulled out a book bound in dark red leather. "I've been thinking about Sapphire Bay. Your granddad and grandma had so many wonderful photos and stories about what it used to be like. I wanted to keep those stories alive, so I made you a book." She handed Natalie the album. "What do you think?"

Natalie opened the album to the first page. "Oh, Mom." She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. Sitting in the middle of the page was a photo of Natalie with her mom, dad, and grandparents. The caption under the photograph read, 'Forever in our hearts. With love always to Natalie, our beautiful daughter and granddaughter.'

She turned to the next page. A picture of her granddad standing in front of a steamboat made her sigh. He would have been about twenty years old, single, and from what her grandma had said, the most handsome man in all of Montana.

"Thank you for making this for me."

Her mom kissed her cheek. "I thought you'd appreciate seeing it now. So many good things have happened in Sapphire Bay. You've had a horrible experience. This might help to put everything into perspective."

Natalie studied the photo of her grandfather. Even in his early twenties, he had the kind of smile that made you feel as if you were the most important person in the world. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the logo on the boat. "It's the Hummingbird."

Her mom nodded. "He used to help maintain the engine. When I was little, he told me it was his dream job."

"The branch in the forest, the one shaped like a bird. Did Granddad make that?"

Kathleen moved closer to the album. "He did. When the steamboat owner was searching for a picture to go on the logo, your granddad showed him a drawing of the sculpture. The owner liked it so much that he used it. Somewhere on the next few pages is a photo of your granddad carving the wood. I'm not sure why, but it was the only sculpture he ever made."

Natalie found the picture and fresh tears filled her eyes. "When I was running through the forest, I didn't know where to go. As soon as I saw Granddad's sculpture, I knew the safest place was his hideout."

Tears welled in her mom's eyes. "He really was keeping you safe."

Natalie touched the photo of her granddad. He proudly stood beside the half-finished sculpture, smiling into the camera as if he knew something no one else did.

And perhaps he had.

Four hours and thirty-nine minutes later, Natalie stepped out of Gabe's truck and sighed. She was finally home.

"Don't move," Gabe warned. "I'll help you into the cottage."

Natalie looked at the short journey from the truck to the back door. Gabe had almost parked on her verandah. "I'll be okay."

"No, you won't."

He wrapped his arm around her waist while her mom stood beside her, smiling.

"It's not funny," Natalie whispered.

"One day it will be."

Gabe looked from Natalie to her mom. "Are you ready?"

Kathleen pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and rushed ahead to unlock the door.

For some reason, Gabe had gone over their arrival like a general rallying his troops. As long as her mom didn't push the wrong code into the alarm pad, they'd be fine.

"All clear," Kathleen yelled from the doorway.

Natalie had taken only a few painful steps when Gabe swept her into his arms. "Hey. This wasn't part of the plan."

"It is now."

"You'll hurt your back."

The only reply she got was a grunt.

"I told you I'm heavy," she muttered. "If you slip a disc, you won't be able to sit at your desk and finish your book."

"You're not that heavy." Gabe climbed one stair at a time. "Are you okay? I'm not hurting you, am I?"

"The only thing you're hurting is my pride."

"Bring Natalie in here," her mom said as she disappeared inside. "The sofa will make a nice resting place while I tidy her room."

"My bedroom's fine, Mom."

"It won't take long. A tidy house is a tidy mind."

The rumble of laughter coming from Gabe's chest was good to hear.

"It's all right for you," she whispered. "You're living on the other side of the cottage."

Gabe gently placed her on the sofa. "Lucky me."

She wasn't sure what he meant and, in all honesty, she was too exhausted to ask. The journey home had tired her more than she thought it would. Every bump in the road had jarred her arm and her leg had throbbed something fierce.

"Stay here. I'll get the table out of the truck."

Natalie leaned against the cushions her mom had rearranged. The doctor had discharged her from the hospital on one condition. When she wasn't moving she had to keep her right arm elevated.

On the way to the cottage, they'd stopped at the general store. Her mom had bought a small, high table that she could use to elevate her arm.

She looked around the living room. The tension in her shoulders unraveled, her mind relaxed, and she managed to smile without too much pain.

Her mom bustled out of Natalie's bedroom. "Your room is ready. Where's Gabe?"

"He's bringing the table inside."

"Can I get you a cup of tea or coffee?"

Natalie shook her head. "It's okay, Mom. Sit down and relax."

"I'll sit as soon as I've brought our bags inside." A smile lit her face. "It looks like we've got a visitor."

Sherlock padded into the living room, his brown eyes looking at Natalie and then her mom. From the moment he'd seen her sitting inside Gabe's truck, he'd been super quiet.

"It's okay, boy," Natalie said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

He stopped beside the sofa and sat on the floor, resting his head on Natalie's lap.

She rubbed between his ears, trying to soothe whatever memories were making him sad.

His big brown eyes stared up at her through his lashes and he let out a heartfelt sigh.

"Sherlock was worried about you," Kathleen said with more than a little awe in her voice. "The poor baby. He must have remembered what happened to Michelle."

Natalie's eyebrows rose. "You know about Michelle?"

"Gabe told me. It was such a terrible loss." She patted Sherlock before heading to the back door. "I'll be back in a minute."

Before her mom left, Gabe stumbled through the door. He had a table in one hand and a suitcase and carry-on in the other. "This is your luggage, Kathleen. Where would you like it?"

"Here will be fine. I'll get Brooke's suitcase."

While her mom was outside, Gabe frowned at Sherlock.

"I think he's worried about me," Natalie said. "I'm not sure how to reassure him that I'm not going anywhere."

Gabe knelt on the ground beside the big German Shepherd. He stroked his back, sighing when Sherlock stayed where he was. "Time is probably the only thing that will heal him. He wanted to go to the hospital with you."

"I didn't know."

"You were out cold. Sherlock didn't see you again until this afternoon."

Natalie bit her bottom lip. "Did he think I'd died?"

Gabe's slow nod tore at her heart. "I should have realized what was happening. He was quiet at the kennel, too."

Kathleen came inside with Brooke's suitcase. "That's everything out of the truck. Can I get you a hot drink, Gabe?"

He looked at Sherlock. "Thanks for the offer, but I need to get Sherlock home." He placed an orange polka dot cushion on top of the table. "Would you be able to move the table beside Natalie once we're gone?"

"Of course, I can," Kathleen said. "You know you can always spend time with us. It's been a traumatic time for everyone."

Natalie could have sworn she saw tears in Gabe's eyes. "Thank you. I've got some writing to do, but I'll stop by before I go to bed. If you need anything, let me know. Come on, boy."

Sherlock's head swiveled toward Gabe. For a moment, Natalie didn't think he was going to obey. But years of training overrode what he really wanted to do. For all his size and sharp teeth, Sherlock was the biggest softie Natalie had ever met.

"Bring Sherlock to see us tonight. It might make him feel better."

This time, she _knew_ she saw tears in Gabe's eyes. She didn't want to embarrass him by asking if he was okay in front of her mom. But she'd make sure she asked him tonight.

Two nights later, Natalie sat on the top stair of the veranda. It was her favorite time of the evening, the window between day and night, when nature showcased all its majesty in a tapestry of vibrant color.

She smiled as she remembered how long it had taken to find the right shade of pink for her last landscape. If it weren't for some creative mixing of colors, her painting would have been flat and lifeless, a mere shadow of what nature intended.

Carefully, she stretched her injured arm, repeating the exercises the hospital's physical therapist had shown her. It was going to take a long time for her injury to heal, but it would happen. At least Chapman's bullet had hit her right arm. If it had been her left, she wouldn't have been painting for weeks.

Since she'd been home, Gabe had kept mostly to himself. She'd wanted to talk to him, to see if he was okay. But each time he came over, he made sure her mom was in the room. To say she was worried about him was an understatement. She knew he was busy writing and editing but, even so, it was unusual for him not to join them for lunch or dinner, or at least spend more than five minutes in the cottage.

Sherlock, on the other hand, never left her side. Her mom had found an old blanket in the back of the linen closet. That was all the encouragement he needed to set up his daytime routine opposite Natalie.

While she rested, he kept a careful eye on her. He snoozed when she slept, then leaped to attention as soon as she went for a short walk. By the end of the second day, he was more relaxed, but he still had a long way to go.

"Would you like a cup of peppermint tea?" Kathleen asked from the doorway.

She turned to her mom and smiled. "That would be lovely."

Kathleen tilted her head to the side. "You know, you could go and speak to him."

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

"If he's okay, there's no point worrying about him."

Her mom had a point. Except Natalie knew he wasn't okay. But if she asked him what was wrong, she'd have to deal with what he said. And she wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

"I had a call from our lawyer today."

"What did she want?"

"Someone is interested in buying the cottage. They've approached our neighbors as well."

"Why would they want..." Natalie frowned. "Don't tell me they want to build a resort or an apartment complex?"

"Nearly. A retirement village. Our lawyer emailed me the plans. It would have croquet lawns, an indoor pool, restaurants, and an events center."

"You're not seriously considering it, are you?"

Kathleen sat beside Natalie. "It's not only my decision to make. Your grandma and granddad left the cottage to both of us." She stared across the backyard. "It would be a huge boost for the local economy."

"But what about all the things that have happened here? The cottage is more than a house, it's part of who we are."

"Those memories will still be with us, regardless of where we live. The money they're offering is four times what we would get on the open market."

"Money isn't everything."

Kathleen nodded. "You're right. But it does help. I'll forward the plans to you so that you can see what the developers want to do." She stood and smiled. "I'll be back soon with your tea."

"Mom?"

Kathleen looked over her shoulder.

"Do you want to sell the cottage?"

"I'll tell you after you're ready to share your final decision. The lawyer needs an answer by the end of next week."

Natalie leaned against the wooden post. Why did life have to be so complicated?

"That's a big sigh."

Gabe walked toward her. The rings under his eyes weren't quite so dark, but the frown lines around his mouth and forehead were still there.

"Mom just told me that someone wants to buy the cottage. They want to build a retirement village on our property and our neighbors'."

Gabe's eyebrows rose. "How do you feel about that?"

"If it were just me making the decision, I'd say no. But Mom and I are joint owners. If she wants to sell, I don't know what we'll do."

"Did you ask her?"

"She won't tell me until I've told her my decision."

"What would you do if you did sell?"

Natalie studied his face. Would Gabe be happy if she wanted to leave or would he be disappointed? "I'd buy another property in Sapphire Bay."

A flicker of relief appeared in his eyes.

She cleared her throat. Nerves fluttered in her stomach and made her wary of asking him what was really on his mind. "Have you finished the last chapter of your book?"

"Not quite, but I'm getting there. I should be editing by tomorrow afternoon."

"Congratulations."

Gabe looked at the stairs. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"I'd like that. We haven't seen very much of you." She bit her lip as Gabe sat beside her. Did that sound too desperate? Too clingy? She hoped not.

The back door opened and Natalie's mom appeared. "I thought I heard another voice." She handed Natalie a cup of tea and smiled at Gabe. "Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"No, thanks. I've had my caffeine quota for the day."

"I wish I was that strong. One whiff of a coffee bean and I'm dreaming of cappuccinos." Kathleen looked at Natalie. "I know it's early, but I'm heading to bed. Is there anything you need?"

"No, I'll be fine. Thanks for looking after me."

Kathleen kissed Natalie on the forehead. "You're welcome. Being able to spend so much time together is a blessing. Goodnight, Gabe."

"Goodnight."

After her mom left, Natalie sipped her drink and listened to the sound of the forest. "This is my favorite time of the day."

"I thought it might be. You spend most evenings out here or by the lake."

Natalie smiled. "You noticed?"

"It was hard not to. Sherlock has a sixth sense when it comes to where you are." Gabe searched her face. "Did I say something wrong?"

She pushed away the images that were crowding her mind. "Jaydon Chapman said he had a sixth sense when it came to his victims."

"It will get better."

"Will it?" She looked at Gabe, hoping he understood what she was going through. "I had another nightmare last night. I thought someone was chasing me through the forest. No matter what I did, I couldn't get away from them."

"Did the police offer you some counseling?"

Natalie nodded. "I'm not sure it will do much good."

"I used to think the same thing. I spent three months going to weekly meetings with a counselor after Michelle died. At the time, I thought it wasn't working. But looking back, I learned some coping skills that helped me. I'm not doing so well now."

"What do you mean?"

Gabe wiped his hands down the sides of his jeans. "It was my fault the Chapman brothers came here. If I hadn't rented the cottage, you would have been blissfully unaware of what was happening."

Natalie wanted to wrap her arm around Gabe and tell him everything would be all right. But she wasn't sure it would be. "Jaydon Chapman would have hurt you or anyone else who spent time with you. He was pure evil, Gabe. At least I could defend myself enough to get away from him. I couldn't have done that without the self-defense moves you showed me."

"You would have found a way," he muttered.

"Maybe. But I remembered what you said about running away and thinking through the panic. It helped."

Gabe dropped his head to his chest. "You nearly died."

"And I'm pleased to report that I didn't. How have you been? It couldn't have been easy standing close to Jaydon and not knowing what would happen."

"That's just it," Gabe said heavily. "I knew what he was going to do. He would have shot you dead without blinking an eye. I don't want you in the same situation ever again."

"That makes two of us." She looked up at the sky and sighed. "When I was younger, I used to worry about a giant asteroid hitting the earth and killing everyone. Granddad told me the chance of that happening was so low that it wasn't worth losing sleep over. I didn't believe him, so I went to the library and looked in a book. He was right. A large asteroid hits the earth about once in every 100 million years. So, then I thought, what if this is the year? What if we were the unlucky ones? Do you know what Granddad said?"

Gabe shook his head.

"He told me that sometimes you need a little faith. Life will work out how it's supposed to—with or without my doom and gloom predictions."

"My parents would have liked your granddad. They told me something similar after Michelle died."

"Did it help?"

Gabe took a deep breath. "Not straight away. I had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It took over my life for a while. After you were shot, it felt as though I were reliving what happened to Michelle. My PTSD is back."

Natalie wrapped her hand around his. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Be patient. Give me some time to work through what's happening."

She squeezed his fingers. "I can do that."

Gabe searched her face. "I can't promise you anything at the moment. But you need to know that I love you. I'd give my life to keep you safe and to never have anything like this happen again."

"I know you would. Just remember what Granddad said. Have a little faith. Our lives will take the path they're supposed to."

"What if that path doesn't lead to where we think it will?"

Sadness filled Natalie's heart. "Then we make the most of where we are and be the best people we can."

Gabe lifted her hand to his mouth. The gentle kiss he placed on her knuckles brought tears to her eyes.

"I'm glad I met you."

She held his hand tight. "I'm glad I met you, too."

As they watched the sun set together, Natalie realized how deeply she meant those words. No matter what happened, she would never regret falling in love with Gabe.

# Chapter 17

Natalie stood beside her mom as Gabe unlocked his truck. After two weeks of editing his manuscript, he was flying to New York City to speak to his agent and publishing house. For someone who had already published two books, Gabe seemed incredibly nervous.

He threw his duffel bag onto the back seat of his truck. "Remember to call me. For anything. I can't do much from Manhattan, but I know plenty of people who are closer."

"I've got your cell phone number on speed dial." Natalie was joking, but Gabe's relieved smile made her sigh.

"Caleb is twenty minutes away, so don't hesitate to contact him, either. There's another bag of Sherlock's kibble in my laundry and the vet's number is on the contact list I gave you."

The contact list he was talking about contained at least thirty numbers. Natalie had lived in Sapphire Bay for most of her life and even she didn't know that many people.

"We'll be okay," she assured him. "Have fun in New York City. We'll see you when you get back."

"Are you trying to get rid of me without giving me a hug?"

Natalie laughed at the forlorn expression on his face. "We wouldn't dream of sending you into the big old world without a hug."

"Good, because you're not getting a choice." Gabe gently wrapped his arms around her. "Be safe and don't eat too much candy at the opening of Brooke's store."

Natalie poked him in the ribs. "You're just jealous you won't be there."

"Maybe," he laughed.

It was good to hear him laugh—even if he was stressed. The last two weeks had been an emotional roller-coaster for both of them. Gabe's PTSD had added another layer of uncertainty to his life but, with a doctor who'd helped a lot of PTSD patients, he was in the best possible hands.

"Good luck in New York City, Gabe." Kathleen gave him a hug. "Tell your publisher they need to pay you more money. Your book will be another bestseller."

Natalie smiled at her mom. Gabe had sent them electronic copies of his manuscript and they'd devoured each page. Zac Connelly had fought for justice and won. Natalie's only disappointment was that Zac hadn't fallen in love with the gorgeous medical examiner.

Gabe knelt on the ground and hugged Sherlock. "Be a good boy for Natalie and her mom. I'll be home on Friday."

As Gabe climbed into his truck, Sherlock gave an excited woof before looking up at Natalie.

"Not today. You can go in the truck another time."

Sherlock gave a half-hearted whine before sitting quietly at her feet.

Gabe rolled down the passenger window. "I'll call you as soon as I land."

"Sounds good. Drive safely."

With a final wave, he drove away from the cottage.

Kathleen smiled. "I bet he calls before he leaves Polson Airport."

"It wouldn't surprise me, either." Natalie watched the truck until it disappeared from view. She knew it sounded silly, but she missed Gabe already.

"He'll be okay. His family will look after him."

"I know. It's just..." She tried to put into words how she felt. "Sometimes I wonder if this is all a dream. I never thought I'd love someone as much as I love Gabe."

Kathleen's eyes filled with tears. "Your daddy made me feel the same way. It was a shame it didn't last."

"Do you miss him?"

"Sometimes. We were happy for so long that it came as a shock when it was over. But we've both moved on and are happy."

Natalie patted Sherlock. "Do you ever think you'll remarry?"

"I don't know." A mischievous smile lit her mom's face. "You don't know any sixty-year-old millionaires who like spending money on their girlfriend, do you?"

"Not at the moment." Natalie laughed. "But if I meet anyone who looks promising, I'll let you know."

"You do that." Kathleen wrapped her hand around Natalie's elbow and helped her up the stairs. "Do you still want to visit the cemetery after lunch?"

Natalie sat on the sofa. "I'd like that. I wonder what Grandma and Granddad would think of everything that's happened."

Her mom handed Natalie a cup of wildberry tea. "They'd say it's all part of the history of the lake. Did Granddad ever tell you the story about Mad Mitch?"

She shook her head.

"Well, have I got a story for you." Kathleen sat on the sofa and sipped her tea. "It all started one dark and stormy night..."

Natalie smiled as her mom's voice rose and fell in a theatrical whisper. There was nothing like a good ghost story to banish the real demons. Especially when they kept reappearing in her dreams.

Natalie was glad she hadn't come to the cemetery on her own. Her mom had a way of making the impossible seem possible. And visiting her grandparents' grave for the first time was almost more than she could bear.

Their white granite headstone glistened in the afternoon sun. "The headstone is lovely. It looks better than in the photos."

Kathleen held Natalie's arm. "I thought so, too, but I couldn't get a better picture when I took it."

Tears filled Natalie's eyes as she read the inscription. _Forever in our hearts._ It only seemed like yesterday that they were sitting around her grandparents' dining table, talking about her first exhibition. Her grandma wanted to know who would be there. Her granddad wanted to know how she felt about showing her paintings to a crowd of strangers. They were the perfect couple—the practical, no-nonsense schoolteacher had married a man who dreamed about what could be instead of what was in front of him.

Natalie blew her nose. "They were wonderful grandparents."

"The best," her mom said softly. "They were so proud of you. Even when you were in your twenties, your granddad called you his little bundle of joy. They loved spending time with you."

Natalie smiled through her tears. "I have so many happy memories of living with them. After I moved to Europe, I wondered if I'd done the right thing. After a while, I became so caught up in the glamor of living in Italy, that I forgot what was important."

"How do you feel about it now?"

"For the first two or three years, it was the right decision. After that it became more of a habit than a choice. When Granddad and Grandma died, I felt so guilty for not coming home." Natalie wiped her eyes. She didn't know how her mom would feel about what she said next, but she needed to tell her. "I've made a decision about whether I want to sell the cottage."

Her mom frowned. "Are you sure you don't want to think about it for longer? There's a lot to consider."

Natalie took a deep breath. "I'm sorry if this isn't what you want, but I can't sell the cottage to the developers."

Her mom sighed and kissed her cheek. "I didn't think you'd want to sell."

"If you'd like me to buy your share of the cottage, I'm happy to do that."

"I don't want to sell, either. In fact, I've got other plans for the cottage. How would you feel if I moved back to Sapphire Bay?"

Natalie's mouth dropped open. "I thought you liked living in Indianapolis."

"I do. But I like living closer to you. It wouldn't be right away. I'd have to find another job and sell my house."

"I can't think of anything I'd like more. Once Gabe finds a place of his own, I could move into Granddad and Grandma's side of the cottage and you could have our side."

Kathleen sent her a confident smile. "I think Gabe might have something to say about that. It seems to me that he's more in love with you than he realizes."

"You've got your mother-of-the-bride blinkers on again. Gabe is still working out what's important in his life. And that might not be me."

Her mom sighed. "Take it from someone who knows a thing or two about love. That man is head over heels in love with you. He just needs a little time for his brain to catch up with his heart." Kathleen picked up the bucket they'd brought with them. "After I've filled this with water, we'll wash the headstone. And then you can tell me how your painting is coming along."

While her mom walked across to the faucet, Natalie knelt beside her grandparents' grave. The white roses she'd brought were from grandma's garden. Lifting the blooms to her nose, she breathed in the sweet fragrance. It filled her with memories of being cuddled close in her grandma's arms, of working beside her in the garden, weeding and pruning the plants. It reminded her of the picnics they'd enjoyed in their backyard, the cookies her grandma loved to bake.

Closing her eyes, she wrapped those memories around her, filling all the sad spaces with her grandma and granddad's love. When she opened her eyes, a calmness she hadn't felt in a long time washed through her body. She knew, without knowing how, that her grandparents weren't upset that she wasn't at their funeral. One day didn't overshadow all the days they _had_ spent together. The days when they'd loved each other with a depth that would sustain them now and forever.

Four days later, Gabe parked his truck around the corner from the general store. For a few minutes he sat there, watching the people of Sapphire Bay go about their daily lives. For such a small town, it was always busy.

He checked his watch. The grand opening of Brooke's store had started half an hour ago. On the flight to New York City, he'd rearranged his week, pushing a few appointments into the evening so that he could be back home for Friday afternoon.

His agent hadn't been impressed, but after everything that had happened over the last few weeks, Eric was ready to cut him a break.

A knock on the driver's window scared the living daylights out of him.

Caleb's grinning face didn't make it any better.

He opened the door, scowling at his friend. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"It's called living dangerously. Welcome home."

Gabe had done his fair share of living dangerously and he wasn't going back there in a hurry.

"I thought your flight wasn't arriving until ten o'clock tonight."

"I moved my appointments around. I wanted to be here for the opening of Brooke's store."

"I'm heading there, too. Does Natalie know you're here?"

Gabe shook his head. "It's a surprise." So were the two bottles of champagne sitting on his back seat. He grabbed one of them before locking the truck. "Did you get your project finished?"

Caleb's smile disappeared. "Not yet. Something's not working and I can't figure out what's wrong. Instead of staring at a blank computer screen, I thought I'd get out of the house and support Brooke. How was the Big Apple?"

"Busy, noisy, and productive. My book's scheduled to be released in early December."

"You'll be hitting the Christmas market. Well done. Did they give you a pay raise?"

Gabe rubbed his leg. Caleb's grin took the sting out of the cramp making him limp. "You've been talking to Natalie's mom."

"I saw them on Wednesday. Kathleen couldn't stop raving about your book. But don't worry, she didn't give anything away."

"It doesn't matter. It will be in the stores soon enough."

They turned the corner. Gabe stared at the number of people standing on the street. "All these people can't be waiting to go into Brooke's store."

"You wanna bet? The local paper ran an article about the store on Monday. Since then, social media has been going crazy. Mabel has been adding Facebook updates all week. She even snapped a picture of Natalie and her mom helping to wrap candy. I'm telling you, Brooke's onto something."

Gabe wasn't surprised. Her candy already sold well. The store would make even more people lifelong lovers of her candy.

Considering the number of people in the line, he was surprised at how quickly they made it into the store. He looked over everyone's head, trying to find Natalie.

"She's beside the water cooler on the far side of the room. Kathleen is with Brooke, behind the counter."

Gabe's gaze zeroed in on the beautiful brunette standing beside Mabel. Natalie had pulled her hair into a fancy knot, leaving loose tendrils slipping over her shoulders.

She smiled at something Mabel said, and his heart squeezed tight.

He'd missed her more than he ever thought possible. The phone calls to Sapphire Bay hadn't helped ease the loneliness that settled in his stomach whenever he thought about her. Even his noisy, boisterous family hadn't filled the void in his life.

He'd never felt like this before. Never imagined he'd find a woman who filled his world with so much laughter and love. His brother had told him he was on the slippery slope to everlasting love. Gabe wasn't sure about the slippery slope. It felt more like free-falling over a two-hundred-foot cliff.

Caleb nudged his shoulder. "If you stare at her like that, you'll get arrested. Go and say hello before someone else does."

For the first time in a long while, the heat of a blush hit Gabe's face. He handed Caleb the bottle of champagne. "Hold this and come with me. You can distract Mabel while I find somewhere to talk to Natalie."

"I knew there was a reason I came here," Caleb said dryly. "But you owe me. Mabel wants me to coordinate a laser light show. I've been dodging her phone calls for the last two weeks."

"Just tell her you can't do it."

"Yeah, right," Caleb muttered as they maneuvered across the room. "Have you ever tried saying no to Mabel?"

Caleb had a point. "Tell her you'll think about it."

"That's really going to work."

Natalie looked across the store.

The air rushed out of Gabe's lungs. God, she was stunning. As she walked toward him, everything in the store became background noise and movement. The edge of the cliff was fast approaching and he was ready to jump.

He frowned when he saw the sling around her arm.

Caleb slapped him on the shoulder. "Looks like I won't need to run interference for you. Good luck."

Natalie said hello to Caleb before turning her sparkling blue eyes on him.

"Is your arm all right?" He could have kicked himself. Of all the things he might have said, that was the least romantic thing he could have come up with.

Natalie smiled. "My arm is fine. The sling helps to stop people from bumping into me. Why are you here?" Color stained her cheeks. "Not that it isn't great to see you, because it is. It's just that you weren't—"

Gabe leaned forward and kissed her. God, he'd missed having her close. Her arm wrapped around his shoulder, messing with his hair. He could have stood here for hours, kissing her senseless.

"Hey, Romeo," Caleb hissed. "You're creating a stir amongst the moms waiting to buy their candy."

Gabe's lips froze against Natalie's mouth. He felt the curve of her smile, the movement of air as she laughed against his lips. He sighed. "We've done it again, haven't we?"

She stepped away from him and grinned. "You could say that."

The opening of Brooke's candy store had been a huge success. By the time the doors closed at five o'clock, the shelves were empty and Brooke was stressing about making more candy for Monday.

Natalie couldn't stop smiling as she sat beside Gabe. They were driving back to the cottage, catching up on four days of not seeing each other. She turned sideways, soaking in everything that was special about him. "Did I tell you that Mom is moving back to Sapphire Bay?"

He nodded. "You did. Do you think she'll be able to find a job?"

"She already has. Brooke was so impressed with how quickly she learned to make fudge, that she's offered her a job in her kitchen. She starts in four weeks."

"Wow. That was fast."

"That's Mom for you. When she makes up her mind about something, nothing stops her."

Gabe laughed. "That sounds like someone else I know."

"I guess I'm definitely a chip off the old block." As they turned onto Bluewater Road, Natalie sighed. She loved the cottage, the sense of peace she felt when she arrived home.

"Are you getting more sleep?" Gabe asked.

She knew he was worried about her. It was bad enough trying to sleep with a sore arm. It was worse when the person who'd shot her kept haunting her dreams. "More than I was before you left. I don't know whether it's the lavender oil that Mom sprinkled in my room or the chamomile tea I've been drinking, but something's working. What about you?"

"I slept for five hours last night without sleeping tablets."

"That's fantastic." After she'd been shot, Gabe's doctor had prescribed sleeping tablets to help manage his PTSD. He hated taking them, but at least he was able to think clearly when he was awake.

She looked through the windshield and frowned. "Where are we going?" Gabe had driven past the cottage and was heading toward the trees at the back of the property.

"Have you been back to the hideout since you were shot?"

Natalie swallowed the knot of fear in her throat. "No."

"Do you want to go there now?"

Gabe stopped the truck and goose bumps crawled along her skin. She took a deep breath and thought about her granddad. About the sculpture that had saved her life more than fifty years after he'd made it.

She searched Gabe's face. He knew how difficult it was for her, how much she wanted to move on with her life. "Okay."

"Are you sure?"

She opened the door and stepped onto the dry grass. "No, I'm not sure, but I need to do this at some point. It might as well be today. How do you feel about going back?"

Gabe wrapped his hand around hers. "As uncertain as you are. We can do this together."

Stepping into the forest had never been more difficult. Natalie's feet moved in time with Gabe's. The scent of pine filled her lungs as they walked beyond the first few feet of trees. Drawing strength from his silence made the first part of the journey bearable. By the time they'd found the sculpture she was a nervous wreck.

"My granddad made this when he was about twenty-five years old."

Gabe touched the gnarled wood, the holes where the knots had crumbled over time. "Why did he place it here?"

"It used to be in grandma's garden, but they moved it when I was about six years old." She took a deep breath, allowing her memories to soothe the chaos. "Granddad would go to his hideout most afternoons. Sometimes he was late getting home for dinner, so grandma and I would go into the forest to find him." She ran her hand along the sculpture's long, skinny beak. "As long as we followed the direction of the hummingbird's beak, we wouldn't get lost."

"And that's what you did when Chapman was chasing you?"

She nodded, half-listening for the sound of footsteps behind her. "I didn't know where to go. When I saw the sculpture, I knew."

Gabe's hand tightened on hers. "What did you do next?"

"I ran. I ran so hard that I thought my lungs would explode." She pulled Gabe toward the overgrown trail that would take them to the hideout. "Chapman was yelling the whole time, telling me about the women he'd killed. I tried to block out his voice, but I couldn't."

"If it's any consolation, you left an easy trail for Sherlock to follow. As soon as he sniffed one of your T-shirts, he knew where you were."

"I prayed so hard that he'd find me. When I was in the treehouse and heard Sherlock bark, I thought Chapman would go away. But he didn't. He kept telling me how he was going to kill me, how good it would feel to hear me scream."

She took a deep breath, tried to control her pounding heart. When they arrived at a small clearing she studied the forest floor. Specks of yellow fluorescent paint were attached to some of the leaves. "This is where I hurt my leg."

"The paint will be from the crime scene investigation."

She nodded, then looked farther along the trail. "The hideout isn't far from here."

No matter how hard she tried, her legs wouldn't move.

"It's okay. There's no rush."

She studied Gabe's face, the beads of sweat covering his forehead. It was bad enough reliving the time she'd spent in the forest. For Gabe, it was worse. His memories of the day were connected with what had happened to Michelle. Except Michelle had died. She hadn't.

Her family had shown her what it meant to be courageous. It was time to pull herself together and help Gabe. Jaydon Chapman would never be coming back and, from today, she didn't want him in her dreams, either.

She squeezed Gabe's hand. "We can do this together."

He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

A few minutes later, they were standing below her granddad's great big tree, each lost in their own memories.

"The ladder is still caught in the canopy," she whispered.

"It wasn't safe to use. We strung some rope around the branches and lifted you off in a stretcher."

She frowned. "Detective Jameson said you climbed the tree to see if I was okay. I thought he meant you used the ladder." Her eyes widened. "He meant you _really_ climbed the tree."

Gabe looked into her stunned face. "I used to climb trees all the time when I was younger."

"You're nearly forty."

"That's not old," he grumbled. "I might have stretched one or two muscles, but I found you."

"That's why you had blisters on your hands." She studied the tree, then looked at Gabe. "It's an enormous tree to climb. Are you sure you're not related to Tarzan?"

The smile on Gabe's face was good to see. "Would that make you Jane?"

"It depends on whether you want to swing from the branches again."

Gabe looked up at the tree and shook his head. "Not today."

Natalie kissed his cheek. "That's good because I wasn't going to let you." She looked at the leaves and pine needles scattered across the ground. Apart from more fluorescent paint, there was no sign of what had happened. "I thought there would be blood everywhere."

"There was when Chapman was shot. Someone must have cleaned the site."

She looked at Gabe to see if he was joking. He wasn't.

They stood below the hideout for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

When the time felt right, Natalie closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the forest. Somewhere close by, a bird was singing. The trees rustled in the breeze and warm air moved across her damp skin.

"What are you doing?" Gabe whispered.

"Listening. Try it."

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Go on. I won't tell anyone."

He lifted one brow before closing his eyes.

"Take a deep breath," Natalie said softly. "In and out. What do you hear?"

"The forest." Gabe opened his eyes. "Was that a trick question?"

"No." She picked up a leaf and held it close to her chest. "The forest has healed itself. All the violence, the anger, and the fear have gone. The birds are singing and the air smells as pure and fresh as it always has. We need to heal, too."

Gabe looked above them, into the canopy of trees. When his gaze returned to Natalie, there were tears in his eyes. "When I saw you in the tree, I thought you were dead. My heart broke in two."

Natalie wrapped her arm around his waist and held on tight.

"But you weren't dead. You'd used everything inside of you to stay strong, to fight for your life. You were courageous, and brave, and I love you."

Tears stung Natalie's eyes. "I love you, too."

Gabe's hand brushed away her tears. "While I was in New York, I realized my life isn't the same without you. Would you like to go on that first date we talked about?"

"The one where we aren't going rock climbing?"

Gabe smiled. "You remembered."

"I also remember you saying our first date would be creative. How does visiting the latest exhibition at the Polson Art Gallery sound?"

"Would you be upset if I told you I'd sooner climb the tree again?"

Natalie laughed. "No. I'd say you were being honest." She touched the side of Gabe's face and sighed. "I'll always love you, no matter where we go or what we do."

He kissed her gently. "I've always wanted to fly to Paris."

She wrapped her arm around him and grinned. "Now _that's_ a first date I'd always remember."

* * *

**_THREE MONTHS LATER_**

* * *

Natalie smiled at a woman wearing a bright orange dress and the sparkliest pair of high heels she'd ever seen. It was the opening night of her exhibition in Venice and everyone was dressed in beautiful gowns and suits.

For most of the day she'd been at the gallery, talking to reporters, and meeting some of Lorenzo's high-profile clients. After a quick dinner and an even faster change of clothes, she'd raced back to the gallery for the official opening night celebrations.

Somewhere in the gallery, a champagne cork popped. A string quartet was playing in the atrium, and every now and then, she heard the voice of a gondolier singing to his passengers.

"There you are." Lorenzo smiled proudly at her. "It is a night to remember, is it not?"

Natalie nodded. "It's a wonderful night. Thank you for everything you've done."

Lorenzo lifted his broad shoulders in a very Italian shrug. "It is nothing. For you, I would give the world."

A waiter stopped beside them, holding a tray of Prosecco.

Lorenzo took two of the wine glasses and handed one to Natalie. "Signora Romano is very excited with your portrait. Are you sure you do not want to sell it?"

She'd met Sofia Romano earlier in the day. Her family was one of the wealthiest in Southern Italy. "I'm sure. I'm giving the painting to Gabe."

"I hope this Gabe knows how lucky he is."

"The value of the canvas won't impress him."

Lorenzo looked at her with solemn brown eyes. "That is not what I mean. My Natalie is in love. It shines through in your painting as bright as the sun. You bring him to me. I will make sure he is worthy of your love."

She smiled and kissed Lorenzo's cheek. "You're a good man, and so is Gabe. As soon as he arrives with Mom, I'll introduce you."

"I look forward to it." His gaze settled on a man wearing a black tuxedo. "Paolo looks a little lost. I will be back soon."

She watched Lorenzo move through the guests with the ease of someone born to entertain. Most of the people in the gallery wouldn't realize he came from humble beginnings. He'd built his business with a lot of hard work, determination, and an innate gift for spotting up-and-coming artists.

Leaving her glass on a table, she walked toward the huge wooden doors that opened onto the Canale delle Galeazze. Gabe and her mom would be arriving any minute. From what her mom had said, they'd spent most of the day hopping on and off gondolas, exploring the markets and churches, and eating gelato. It wouldn't surprise her if they took another gondola to the gallery.

Natalie looked over her shoulder, then quickly slipped off her shoes. She sighed as the cool tiles worked their magic on her sore feet.

"Are you practicing your Cinderella moves?" Gabe whispered from behind her.

Natalie jumped, then stared, open-mouthed, at him. His black dinner jacket clung to his shoulders and made him look even more handsome than usual. "Wow. You look amazing."

"Thank you, ma'am. I thought I'd better dress to impress. And talking about impressive, may I introduce the beautiful Kathleen Armstrong."

Her mom swatted Gabe's arm. "That's enough of that sweet talking. You've made me blush."

Natalie smiled at her mom. "You look amazing. Is that a new dress?"

Kathleen spun in a slow circle. "I bought it today."

"It's gorgeous." The pale rose fabric was perfect against her mom's complexion. With a pleated chiffon skirt and a sheer jacket over a satin bodice, it was stunning. "You should wear that color more often. It suits you."

"Gabe helped me find it. If he ever wants to change careers, he could be a fashion consultant."

Gabe shook his head. "I enjoyed shopping with you, but I'll stick to writing. There are only so many fashion boutiques I can visit before I hyperventilate."

"The trick is to pace yourself. A little shopping, a little coffee. We did well today." Kathleen smiled as Lorenzo joined them. "It's good to see you again, Lorenzo."

"The pleasure is all mine, Kathleen. You are as beautiful as ever." He turned to Gabe. "And this must be the man who has stolen my Natalie's heart. Welcome to the Ricci Gallery."

Natalie's face felt as though it was on fire. If a hole had opened up in the floor, she would have gladly jumped inside.

"It's good to be here." Gabe shook Lorenzo's hand. "I've heard a lot of good things about your gallery."

"We try to be the best we can be. Perhaps I could show you some of Natalie's paintings?"

Natalie glanced at her mom before holding onto Gabe's arm. "I can show Gabe around. He hasn't seen the second painting I finished in Sapphire Bay."

Lorenzo's eyebrows rose.

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

Kathleen smiled at Lorenzo. "Is Alina here tonight?"

Lorenzo studied Gabe for a moment longer, before smiling at Kathleen. "My wife is indeed here. Come. We will find her together. Then later, I will speak with Gabe."

Natalie breathed a sigh of relief. After her mom left with Lorenzo, she squeezed her feet into her high heels, feeling more nervous by the minute. "There's a reason I wear sneakers all the time."

"You could have worn them tonight. No one would have minded."

Natalie held the skirt of her blue satin gown away from her legs. "They wouldn't go with my dress." Gabe held her hand. The smile he sent her melted her heart.

"Everyone would think you're an eccentric artist."

"I might have to try it one day." She bit her bottom lip. "Are you ready to see my painting?"

He nodded and waited for her to lead the way. "A lot of people are admiring the landscape you painted of Sapphire Bay."

Natalie deliberately chose to walk around the edge of the room. "It was one of the first to sell." She'd given her mom strict instructions to keep Gabe away from the wall behind the fountain. If they'd gone anywhere near the portrait, her surprise would be ruined.

As they walked around the gallery, Natalie's heart pounded. The people who had already seen Gabe's portrait were openly staring at him. Everyone else simply smiled.

She stopped before Gabe caught a glimpse of the canvas. "I wanted to make something for you, to thank you for being such a special part of my life. The painting you're about to see is my gift to you and Sherlock."

Gabe's eyes widened. "I can't accept one of your paintings. They're too valuable."

"Nothing will ever be as precious as what you taught me. I realized I'm more than a decision I made, stronger and braver than I thought I could be, and I love you more than I ever thought was possible."

Gabe wrapped her in a hug. "I love you, too. But you don't need to give me a painting."

"Look at it first, then tell me what you think."

"It will be amazing, but okay. I would love to see it."

She took a deep breath and placed his arm under her elbow. "Close your eyes. We're going to take a few steps forward. Are you ready?"

Gabe nodded and stepped forward with her. "This reminds me of Pin the Tail on the Donkey."

Despite her nerves, Natalie smiled. "I wouldn't recommend using any pins around my paintings. Lorenzo would have you arrested." She stopped in front of the portrait and sighed. "Okay. You can open your eyes now."

She watched Gabe's reaction, trying to work out whether he liked the painting.

His eyes widened. His shocked gaze traveled the height and width of the canvas. It was big—one of the biggest portraits she would ever consider painting. But somehow, the size added to the essence of what she wanted to achieve.

"It's incredible." Gabe's softly spoken words made her blush. He moved closer, studying each intricate detail. "I can't believe you finished this so quickly."

"I started it a couple of days after I arrived in Sapphire Bay. When I saw you by the lake with Sherlock, I knew this was what I wanted to paint."

In the portrait, Gabe stood by the shore with his arm behind him, ready to skim a stone across the water. Sherlock was in front of him, his eyes locked on Gabe's, waiting for the moment the stone flew through the air.

"You included the whistle."

She nodded and looked at the painting. Around Gabe's neck was the small wooden whistle that had helped save her life. "I wanted you to remember that the smallest things can have a profound effect on someone's life."

When he looked at Natalie, there were tears in his eyes. "I love it."

"Enough to take it home with you?" Natalie held her breath, waiting for his reply.

"Enough to take it home with _us_." He wiped his eyes and smiled. "This isn't how I'd planned tonight, but it's the right time." With trembling hands, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a black velvet box.

Natalie's mouth dropped open. Then tears filled her eyes.

Gabe held her hand and knelt in front of her. "I love you, Natalie. I can't imagine my life without you. I want us to be a family, to have children and grow old together. I want to be beside you in good times and bad, and for you to know that you'll always be the most important person in my life. Will you marry me?"

He opened the box and Natalie started shaking. "It's grandma's engagement ring."

"When I asked your mom if I had her blessing, she offered me your grandma's ring. If you'd like a new one, we can—"

Natalie leaned forward and kissed Gabe. "No. It is perfect."

He stood and held her hands. "Does this mean you'll marry me?"

She looked into his eyes. This was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The man who would be her soft place to fall. "Yes, I will marry you."

A loud cheer filled the gallery.

Natalie looked over her shoulder and smiled at the people watching them. She grinned at her mom and Lorenzo, then hugged Gabe tight. "I love you."

He lifted her off her feet and swung her in a circle. "I love you, too."

* * *

**THE END**

# Thank you

Thank you for reading _Falling For You._ I hope you enjoyed it! If you did...

* * *

  1. Help other people find this book by **writing a review.**
  2. Sign up for my **new releases e-mail**, so you can find out about the next book as soon as it's available.
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  4. Visit my website: **leeannamorgan.com**

Keep reading for a sneak peek of _**Once In A Lifetime,** _Caleb and Samantha's story. Download your copy today!
[ ![Samantha Jones works at Fletcher Security, developing state-of-the-art surveillance drones, hacking computer networks, and making life difficult for anyone on the wrong side of the law. When she's asked to help Caleb Andrews complete a top-secret project, her IT skills aren't the only thing that will be tested to the limit. Someone wants Caleb dead and Sam is the only person who can protect him.
            Once In A Lifetime is the second book in the Sapphire Bay series and can easily be read as a standalone. Each of Leeanna's series are linked so you can find out what happens to your favorite characters in other books. Happy reading!](images/oncelifetime_cvr_xsml.jpg) ](https://www.leeannamorgan.com/once-in-a-lifetime.html)

**_Once In A Lifetime_**

**_Sapphire Bay, Book 2_**

Samantha Jones works at Fletcher Security. She develops state-of-the-art surveillance drones, hacks computer networks, and makes life difficult for anyone on the wrong side of the law.

* * *

When she's asked to help Caleb Andrews complete a top-secret project, her IT skills aren't the only thing that will be tested to the limit. Someone wants the program Caleb has created—and they'll stop at nothing to get it.

* * *

Turn the page to read the first three scenes of _**Once In A Lifetime,** _Caleb and Samantha's story.

# Chapter 1

"Samantha Jones?"

Sam looked up from her desk. "You can call me Sam."

The man standing in her doorway didn't seem impressed by her friendly smile. She'd met FBI Special Agent William Parker a couple of times, and at each meeting he was just as formal.

Stepping into her office, he handed her a brown folder. "I have the data you requested on Operation Zeus. The information is confidential and can't leave this office."

"I understand." Sometimes she felt like banging her head against a brick wall. As Technical Development Manager at Fletcher Security, she saw top-secret government reports and military schematics of state-of-the-art weapons all the time. A report describing the security system at a US embassy in Moscow wouldn't tempt her to defect to Russia.

"Did you enjoy the brownies I sent to your office?"

"Ma'am?"

_Maybe not._ "I sent a box of chocolate brownies to your field office on Monday. They were to thank your staff for their help with the Munroe case."

"That wasn't necessary, but I'm sure my agents appreciated the gesture. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No. I'm happy with the file. I'll call once I'm ready to share my recommendations."

Special Agent Parker nodded. "You know where to find me."

Sam sent him a warm smile. What she got in return was a suspicious stare.

Before she managed to open the folder, her cell phone rang. She half-expected to see her mom's number on the caller display. She'd already missed her dad's birthday because of a project she was working on. If Sam couldn't go to her sister's wedding, she'd be disowned.

Thankfully, the call was from her boss, John Fletcher.

"Can you come and see me?" he asked.

"Sure. I'm on my way." Sam was used to his off-the-cuff meetings. John managed one of the largest high-profile security companies in America. As well as personal protection, they developed and sold some of the most technologically advanced security options on the planet. And Sam was in charge of the team of technicians, physicists, mathematicians, and computer specialists who re-imagined the impossible-to-create products no one had seen before.

Before closing the door, she grabbed a couple of files she wanted to discuss with her boss.

Her personal assistant handed her a piece of paper. "Your mom called. I told her you were in a meeting."

Sam sighed. "Thanks. I owe you."

Hailey smiled. "My thoughtfulness can be repaid with a double-strength cappuccino."

"Done. If Mom calls again, tell her I'll see her tonight. I'm going to see John."

"Okay. Do you want me to reschedule your two o'clock appointment?"

Sam glanced at her watch. Living in Bozeman had definite advantages—especially when it came to the almost non-existent rush hour traffic. "I should be all right. I'll text you if it looks as though I'll be late."

"Sounds good."

After checking she had everything she needed, Sam headed toward the stairs. As long as John didn't have another project for her team, she would be happy.

Sam knocked on John's office door. "Is it okay if I come in?"

He looked up from behind his huge mahogany desk. "Of course, it is. Thanks for coming to see me on such short notice. Have a seat."

If Sam had to describe her boss in one word, it would be "kind". He genuinely cared about the people he employed and did his best to make sure everyone enjoyed their work.

She sat in one of the chairs opposite his desk. "How can I help you?"

"I've got a new project I think you might be interested in."

Sam's heart sank. Her team was already working at full capacity. If John wanted them to take on another project, something else would have to be put on hold.

"Have you heard of Caleb Andrews?"

She shook her head. "His name isn't familiar. What does he do?"

"He's an IT consultant. Until a year ago he was working in Washington, D.C. When his contract finished, he returned to Montana. He has an issue with a program he's developing."

"And you want my team to look at what he's done?"

"I want _you_ to look at what he's done. Do you have the time?"

The main project she was working on was at a critical stage. If she left it to help a new client, she wouldn't meet her tight time frame. "Could another person in my team help him?"

"Caleb is working on a project that involves electromagnetic disturbance. You've worked with the Department of Defense on the Alton satellite project."

This time, Sam's response was more cautious. No one except high-ranking military and government officials knew about her involvement. "That was before I started working here. The Alton project was classified."

"I don't know exactly what you were doing, but it sounds similar to Caleb's project. No one else in your team has the technical or practical experience to help him."

John didn't often ask her to drop everything to assist another client. And when he did, you could guarantee there was a good reason.

Even so, she was still concerned. "EMP is a highly specialized field. Most IT consultants are more focused on general network and program issues."

"Caleb isn't your run-of-the-mill IT consultant."

John's steady gaze told her more about his client than words could have.

Sam worked in an industry that was full of specialists who never talked about their work. Their area of expertise could be so focused that it was hard to find anyone who could help them.

"I could ask someone in my team to work on Operation Zeus. Will Mr. Andrews come here or will I meet him somewhere else?"

"At this stage, it's better if you go to him. He's living close to a town called Sapphire Bay. It's on the shore of Flathead Lake. I'll email you his contact information."

"When do you want me to start?"

"Monday morning."

That left two-and-a-half days to bring someone on her team up to speed with her other projects. It wasn't impossible, but both of them would be working through the weekend.

Sam looked at the folders. "I'm assuming Mr. Andrews' project takes precedence over the other work I'm involved with?"

John nodded. "If there's anything that can't wait a week or two, let me know."

"I should be able to reallocate most of my work."

"Thanks, Sam. I appreciate your help."

Sam stood and shook John's hand. "You wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important." As she left his office, she checked the time. She had fifteen minutes to drive across town and talk to a professor about cellular regeneration. If there was one thing she could say about her job—it was never boring.

Caleb wasn't sure when his life had become so complicated. He'd always been an over-achiever but, even for him, this was ridiculous.

He studied his friend's big, black German Shepherd. "What do you think, Sherlock?"

A deep-bellied sigh filled the office.

Sherlock was as impressed as he was with the progress of his latest project.

Scratch that, Caleb thought. _Lack_ of progress would be a better way of describing it. With his fingers tapping on the desk, he tried to figure out what was wrong with the computer program. He'd already gone through each line of code, triple checking the text for errors. Everything made perfect sense, but his program still wasn't working.

By six o'clock, he gave up. His friend, Gabe, should be arriving soon. He had driven to Polson to sample wedding cake flavors and look at menu options. It wasn't Caleb's idea of fun, but that's what happened when you were getting married.

A beam of light swung across his office walls.

Sherlock sat to attention.

"Your dad has arrived. Let's go see him." He smiled as Sherlock bolted out of the office. If he ever decided to get a dog, he'd find one like Sherlock. He was intelligent, happy, and loyal—everything Caleb needed when he lived alone in the middle of a forest.

Sherlock patted the front door with his paw.

After peering through the glass side-panel, Caleb flicked open the lock. Gabe was climbing up the veranda stairs. For a man who had been surrounded by wedding options all afternoon, he didn't look too stressed.

Gabe smiled when he saw Sherlock. "Hey, boy. Have you been good?"

Sherlock bounded across the veranda, his tail swishing backward and forward like an out-of-control rotor blade.

"I guess that means you missed me." Gabe gave his dog's back a brisk rub and looked at Caleb. "Was he okay?"

"Apart from chasing a squirrel, he was the perfect canine companion. Did you organize the cake and food?"

"We've narrowed our options down to either vanilla cream or chocolate fudge cake. Dinner is still a work in progress."

Caleb held open the door. "Do you have time for coffee?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Gabe walked through to the kitchen. "I thought deciding to get married was hard. Planning a wedding is worse."

It didn't seem that long ago that Gabe and his fiancée, Natalie, had stayed here. With a stalker on the loose and Natalie's cottage broken into, Caleb's home had been the perfect hideaway.

"You could always elope," Caleb suggested.

"Natalie's mom wouldn't speak to me if we did that." Gabe opened a cupboard and took out two cups. "It's not so bad. Once we've settled on a menu, we need to find a florist. After that, all we have to do is wait for the wedding. Did you fix the problem you're having?"

Caleb poured coffee into their cups. "Nope. But I took your advice and called Fletcher Security. The owner, John Fletcher, is sending someone from his technical team to help me."

"Can they be trusted?"

"The person he's sending has already worked on a lot of classified projects, so I'm not worried about him seeing what I've done."

"When does he arrive?"

"Monday."

Gabe sipped his coffee. "What's your time frame looking like?"

"The next phase of testing begins in eight weeks. Once I'm over this glitch, I'll have to work fast to get everything ready." Thinking about the million and one things that needed to happen was keeping him awake at night.

"What if you can't make the deadline?"

Caleb sighed. "Then the whole project is put on hold." He took a container of cookies out of his pantry. "If that happens, we'll miss our window in the testing facility. The next available slot is six months away."

"Whatever you're doing must be important."

"It is." Caleb couldn't tell Gabe specific details about the project, but that didn't mean his friend was oblivious to what was happening. He'd seen the long hours Caleb worked and knew how important it was to fix the program. What Gabe didn't know was that the project was part of a much larger Department of Defense program.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not unless you can change the weather. I'm hoping we don't get the storm that's supposed to hit. I need Sam's help. If the main road closes, he won't get through."

Gabe helped himself to a cookie. "Fall in Montana can be unpredictable. If it does snow, you might have to use your snowplow again."

Despite his stress levels, Caleb smiled. "Don't remind me. I must be the only person who's had their plow towed out of a ditch."

"You were lucky you didn't go over the bank."

Caleb picked up his coffee. The same thought plagued him each time he drove along the narrow, winding road. Being miles from the nearest town had its advantages, but it also meant you had to be more self-sufficient—and not do stupid things like drive off the edge of the road.

"I learned my lesson."

"I hope so. If it does snow, you'll be on your own for a few days."

"Not if I can help it." Caleb needed Sam to help find the bug in his program. If that meant hiring a helicopter and flying him here, then that's what he'd do.

The security of the country could depend on it.

**AVAILABLE NOW!**

# Enjoy Other Novels By Leeanna Morgan

**Montana Brides:**

Book 1: Forever Dreams (Gracie and Trent)

Book 2: Forever in Love (Amy and Nathan)

Book 3: Forever After (Nicky and Sam)

Book 4: Forever Wishes (Erin and Jake)

Book 5: Forever Santa (A Montana Brides Christmas Novella)

Book 6: Forever Cowboy (Emily and Alex)

Book 7: Forever Together (Kate and Dan)

Book 8: Forever and a Day (Sarah and Jordan)

Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books 1-3

Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books 4-6

* * *

**The Bridesmaids Club:**

Book 1: All of Me (Tess and Logan)

Book 2: Loving You (Annie and Dylan)

Book 3: Head Over Heels (Sally and Todd)

Book 4: Sweet on You (Molly and Jacob)

The Bridesmaids Club: Books 1-3

* * *

**Emerald Lake Billionaires:**

Book 1: Sealed with a Kiss (Rachel and John)

Book 2: Playing for Keeps (Sophie and Ryan)

Book 3: Crazy Love (Holly and Daniel)

Book 4: One And Only (Elizabeth and Blake)

Emerald Lake Billionaires: Books 1-3

* * *

**The Protectors:**

Book 1: Safe Haven (Hayley and Tank)

Book 2: Just Breathe (Kelly and Tanner)

Book 3: Always (Mallory and Grant)

Book 4: The Promise (Ashley and Matthew)

Book 5: Coming Home (Mia and Stan)

Book 6: The Gift (Hannah and Brett)

Book 7: The Wish (Claire and Jason)

The Protectors Boxed Set: Books 1-3

* * *

**Sapphire Bay:**

Book 1: Falling For You (Natalie and Gabe)

Book 2: Once In A Lifetime (Sam and Caleb)

Book 3: A Christmas Wish (Megan and William)

Book 4: Before Today (Brooke and Levi)

Book 5: The Sweetest Thing (Cassie and Noah)

Book 6: Sweet Surrender (Willow and Zac)

Sapphire Bay Boxed Set: Books 1-3

* * *

**Santa's Secret Helpers:**

Book 1: Christmas On Main Street (Emma and Jack)

Book 2: Mistletoe Madness (Kylie and Ben)

Book 3: Silver Bells (Bailey and Steven)

Book 4: The Santa Express (Shelley and John)

* * *

**Return To Sapphire Bay:**

The Lakeside Inn (Penny and Wyatt)

Summer At Lakeside (Diana and Ethan)

A Lakeside Thanksgiving (Barbara and Theo)

Christmas At Lakeside (Katie and Peter)

# Bonus Recipe - Chocolate-Glazed Cherry-Pecan Pie

_Enjoy a slice of the pie Gabe won at the Cherry Festival!_

_(From bettycrocker.com)_

* * *

**_Ingredients_**

2/3 cup dried cherries

3 tablespoons brandy

1 refrigerated pie crust

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups broken pecans

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

* * *

**_Instructions_**

In a small bowl, mix cherries and brandy. Let stand 15 minutes; do not drain.

* * *

Heat oven to 375°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on package for one-crust filled pie. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, corn syrup, almond extract and eggs with hand beater or wire whisk until well mixed. Stir in cherry mixture and pecans. Pour into crust-lined pie plate.

* * *

Bake 30 minutes, covering with foil after 15 minutes if pie is browning too quickly. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Bake 12 to 15 minutes longer or until center is set and surface is deep golden brown. Cool 30 minutes.

* * *

In microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and oil uncovered on High 1 minute; stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over pie. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

**_Quick Tips_**

* * *

If you don't have brandy, soak the cherries in a mixture of 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon brandy extract.

* * *

Store custard-type pies like this in the fridge. But if you want to serve it warm, place slices on individual microwavable plates and microwave on high for about 10 seconds. Enjoy!
