“She’s tried to get Landry to tell her how y’all met several times,but Landry always deflects. So if that isn’t a conversation you want to have, maybe don’t go there. I’m sorry I brought it up.”
Bronwyn had never talked to her grandmother or her parents about the rehab facility where she’d met Landry. They knew she’d been in rehab, but they’d assumed it was for alcohol or drug dependence.
They had no idea of the battle she’d almost lost. Landry and Meredith knew, so she had to assume that Cal, Gray, and Mo did as well. But no one in her family had a clue that when control had been stripped away, she’d sought to control the one thing she could, and in the process had nearly starved herself to death.
Cal’s tone was so contrite that Bronwyn wished they were talking in person so she could hug him. “Thanks for the heads-up, Cal. Maybe it’s time to have that conversation. I’ll play it by ear.”
“I’m sorry, Beep.”
“Don’t be. It all worked for the good. Remember that. I got what I needed, and I met Landry and then I was able to help her when she needed it. And now we’re both safe and whole.” Well, Landry was. Bronwyn wasn’t sure if she’d ever been safe or ever would be.
“Alrighty,” Cal said. “Stay sharp. Keep your eyes and ears open. Pay attention to weirdness. Don’t let pride keep you from reacting. We’d rather you cry wolf a hundred times than stay quiet and be eaten.”
Mo grunted and shook his head at Cal’s words.
“Thank you for that vivid imagery.”
“You’re welcome.” Either Cal didn’t pick up on her sarcasm or he didn’t care. Probably the latter. “Later.”
“Later.” She disconnected the call and tried to put Cal’s dire warnings out of her mind as she changed.
Ten minutes later, she walked out of her house. She had herphone in the pocket of her hiking leggings, and that was it. The door to her home had a keypad, so she didn’t need anything else.
She’d nodded at Mo as she walked out. He’d acknowledged her but hadn’t moved to get up. Maybe he assumed she was safe on the property? No. That didn’t match his current level of paranoia. Butshewas pretty sure she was safe in broad daylight. So she headed out and focused on breathing and being where she was.
It took her five minutes to reach the private walking trail that was her favorite place to walk when she didn’t have time to hike to Catherine’s Falls. The trail followed a small stream and wound through mountain laurel and pine trees that hid the rest of the resort from view. It was open to all the guests, but only a few ever used it.
Bronwyn set a brisk but maintainable pace. She wasn’t big into cardio. Or sweating. And she didn’t have Meredith’s sense of direction. She’d never go wandering around in the forest. She needed a trail, and the flatter, the better.
Even though she wasn’t a speedy hiker, she loved to be in nature. Despite the hours she put in at the office, she made time for a walk almost every day. The trail wasn’t long. The loop from her house to the path and back was about a mile. But that mile was a lifesaver.
She was crossing the bridge that marked the halfway point when she heard ... something.
Then she heard it again. A rustle that didn’t sound natural. Was someone on the trail with her? Her heart rate increased and her breathing quickened. Was she being ridiculous? She was. Wasn’t she?
A moment later, what had been a faint noise turned into heavy footfalls behind her. Should she run? No. This was her trail. She was on her property. The only people here were guests and ... staff.
A staff she no longer trusted.
But running ... well ... that wasn’t exactly her strong suit. She’d never outrun whoever was coming up behind her.
Instead, she got her phone out of her pocket and pulled up Landry’s contact info. She sent a text.
Please call me in 30 seconds. I’m walking the trail.
She maintained her pace and kept moving, even as the footsteps neared.
She stepped to the far side of the trail, came to a stop, and turned to face the newcomer.
The man behind her slowed, then smiled, then came to a complete stop when he reached her. “Good morning.”
“Morning.”
She recognized him. He’d come with a politician who was here for the week. He was probably in his early forties. Good looking. The little bit of hair he had was salt-and-pepper, leaning toward salt. His muscles had muscles. He hadn’t gotten that body by running a one-mile walking path in the forest.
“You didn’t have to stop.” His smile was blindingly white and a shade too far on the side of predatory to calm her skittering nerves.
“I didn’t want to mess up your time. It sounded like you were on a quick pace.”
