Wilbur wagged his chubby little tail, and I took that as a sign that I could, in fact, handle this. An unmarked gravel driveway was where my GPS told me to turn. There was a mailbox, but it looked drunk and was tilting to the side. There was snow on the mountain peaks in the distance. My mind was spinning as I realized I had tons of things to deal with. For example, there was no way I could shovel a driveway this long. I’d have to find someone to plow, and I knew absolutely no one here.
“You can handle this,” I repeated to myself.
The driveway was roughly half a mile long. It ended in a circle, and there sat the house I recognized from the photos. It was a low-slung house, almost nestled into the trees surrounding it on a sloping hillside. The timber-frame structure had a bright green steel roof with an attached garage to the side.
I came to a stop and turned the engine off. I sat there as that soft ticking sound quieted while the engine cooled. Anxiety spun in my chest and stomach, and my heart was pounding out a rapid, staccato beat.
“Well, it’s now or never,” I said to Wilbur as I opened the glove compartment and fetched the key kept there in a small tin container.
Wilbur hopped out of the car after me and immediately began investigating the area. I was about to let him stay outside when I recalled our incident with the moose at that gas station. I could imagine Graham’s disapproving look when he first gave me his little lecture about safety.
“Come on, Wilbur,” I called.
He peed on a tree and immediately trotted up the stairs onto the wide porch that ran the length of the house. There were two rocking chairs on the porch. I turned to look behind me, and my breath caught in my throat. The house sat on a rise, offering a view of the mountains in the distance and a lake glittering under the sun.
It was easier to avoid getting caught up in the spinning wheels of worry, recrimination, and regret when the natural beauty knocked me off that track. Turning back to the door, I slid the key in the lock, letting out a breath I hadn’t even known I’d been holding when the bolt smoothly slid open.
We stepped inside, and Wilbur promptly set out to explore. The sound of his claws clicking on the hardwood floor echoed as I looked around. The home was furnished, but it had the feel of a space where no one had been in a long time. According to the attorney, my grandfather hadn’t been here since he got sick and went into long-term care two years ago.
The furniture was covered in cloth drapes. I took a quick walk around. The front door opened into a tiled entryway with closets on either side. A wide archway led into what appeared to be the main living space. Windows covered the wall on the opposite side, offering a view of a field and trees. The field was covered in those fallen flowers with smudges of faded fuchsia covering the ground amidst a cluster of birch and spruce trees.
A stone fireplace was on one side of the living room, and bookshelves lined the other. All the shelves were empty at the moment. Another archway to one side led to the kitchen, which had counters on three sides and a small round table by another window. The appliances appeared fairly new, which kind of surprised me.
On the other side of the living room, a hallway led to three bedrooms. The bathroom in the hallway contained the laundry. I was surprised to find a lovely master bathroom with a soaking tub, complete with a window offering another pretty view.
I clasped my hands together, smiling as I looked around. My life might feel uncertain with the ground shifting under my feet, but I had a comfortable home.
I hurried back outside, moved my car into the garage, and brought in what few belongings I had. All I’d brought were my clothes, my toiletries, and Wilbur’s things.
Wilbur happily curled up in his bed, and I decided I might as well venture into town to get some groceries. I wasn’t going to have tons of spending money until I found a new job, but I’d use my savings to stock up. Without needing to pay rent, my savings would stretch further and buy me some time.
The lawyer had already switched the utilities over to me. He’d also given me the name of the person who’d checked on the house periodically. By the time I returned from the grocery store, I was feeling accomplished.
I thought I could actually do this. I was pleasantly surprised to discover I had good cell reception here, so I could use my streaming subscription on my computer. Things were falling into place, at least for the night. All was well. Until someone started pounding on my front door that night.
Chapter Four
Graham
Six hours earlier
* * *
I walked down the hallway at Willow Brook Fire & Rescue. I passed an office, slowing when I heard someone call my name. Taking a few steps back, I peered through the doorway.
“Hey, man,” Cade Masters said from where he sat at a small round table with Beck Steele and Levi Phillips.
Cade was a superintendent for one of the hotshot crews here, and Beck and Levi were also hotshot firefighters. I’d known them all for years, seeing as I’d grown up in the area. I’d started here as a town firefighter and recently taken the position as superintendent on the new expansion hotshot crew.
“What’s up?” I asked, leaning my shoulder inside the doorframe.
“Just wondering how your trip went. Any trouble picking up that equipment?” Cade asked.
“Nope. No problem. Some of the guys just helped me carry it into the storage area. I thought I’d pop over to let your dad know his stuff is in there.”
Cade flashed a grin. “He’ll appreciate it.”
Rex Masters was the town’s police chief and Cade’s father. We shared this building with the town’s police force.
Beck asked, “Did you get my special vest?”
Levi chuckled. “Special vest?”
Beck nodded. “We’re all getting new vests.”
Cade simply rolled his eyes while I shrugged. “I’m the delivery guy. That’s it. Feel free to go paw through the boxes,” I added, thumbing over my shoulder in the direction down the hall where the storage area was.
Beck stood from the table. “I’m going now. I love new stuff.”
I pushed away from the doorframe and stepped back into the hallway, making room for Beck to pass by. “I’ll catch you guys tomorrow. I gotta hit the store and make sure I’ve got some food at home after I check in with your dad.”
With a wave, I headed toward the front of the station. A moment later, I pushed through the doorway into the reception and dispatch area which was situated between the fire station and the police station. Maisie Steele, Beck’s wife, stood from the desk. She was the main dispatcher for the town. Her brown curls bounced when she smiled over at me as she finished a call. “All right, we’ll have one of the officers head out there and check for you.”
She hung up as I paused at the round counter encircling her desk. “Sounds like a call for the police?” At her nod, I added, “I hate when I’m not on duty, and there’s a call for the crew.”
Her big brown eyes crinkled at the corners with her smile. “I think you’re all like that. It’s that rescue complex.”
“Rescue complex?”
She shrugged lightly. “Yeah. Beck has the same issue.”
I’d been surprised when Beck got married. He’d gone from being a total flirt to a completely committed family man with two kids.