“Oh, I know how to get there.” His gaze swept over her, slow and assessing. “Question is . . . what’s someone like you doing out here in the middle of nowhere all alone?”
Most people in the mountains were good people. Welcoming and downhome. But some were backward. Some wanted isolation and privacy for nefarious reasons.
She should know. She’d grown up only an hour from here, and she’d loved her small, mountain community. But there had always been troublemakers.
Blue Ridge Hollow was no different.
She took another step back. “I’m just visiting family.”
“Family.” He nodded as if filing that information away. “Right.”
“Listen, I didn’t mean to bother you. I’ll just?—”
“You’re Rowan King.” His eyes didn’t leave her face. “The Rowan King. I can’t believe you’re here.”
Rowan forced a polite smile. “I’ve been in a few things.”
“A few.” He chuckled under his breath. “Yeah, I’ve seen you. You really light up the screen. You know that? If I was back in high school, I would have put up a poster of you in my room.”
“Is that right?” His words didn’t make her feel flattered.
They frightened her.
He stepped closer. Too close.
He was now between her and her Tesla.
Rowan shifted, knowing if she made any sudden moves that this man might also. “If you could just point me in the right direction?—”
“What’s the rush?” He lifted a shoulder. “I thought our conversation was just getting started. You ever think that maybe we were supposed to cross paths? I, for one, believe in fate. Maybe I even believe that fate brought you to my doorstep right now.”
No, a mistake had brought her to his doorstep.
All her danger signals fired.
He didn’t touch her. But he blocked her path just enough to make it hard for her to leave.
“We don’t get a lot of excitement out here,” he continued. “Be a shame to let it pass by.”
Excitement? What did he mean by that?
Her pulse pounded as she took another step toward her car. “I really do need to go.”
“Sure. Of course, you do.” His tone sounded easy and agreeable, but he didn’t move.
Rowan skirted around him and slid into the driver’s seat.
Before she could pull the door shut, the man’s hand landed on the edge of her window.
Her breath hitched.
What was she going to do? There was no one out here to hear her scream. She had no means of protection.
Images of Vince killing Thayer filled her mind again, and she began to tremble.
“I just want a minute of your time.” He leaned in. “That’s all I’m asking. Is that too much?”
Rowan’s chest tightened.
