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.”
