He didn’t just look at the land—he measured distance, cover, approach. He was good at what he did.
“You’ve got good natural screening here.” Wes nodded toward the trees. “Helps with privacy. But it also gives someone cover if they want to get close.”
Caleb followed his line of sight. “That’s been a concern.”
“It should be.” Wes crouched near a low stretch of fence and pressed at a section near the ground. It was solid. However . . . “This won’t stop anyone who’s motivated. From what you’ve told me, someone’s already testing the perimeter.”
Heavy paws thudded behind him. Remington.
Remington hadn’t started out as his. Wes had been a Marine working alongside a K9 unit overseas. Remington had belonged to a handler—a good one—and the dog had been trained to a level most people never saw.
Something went wrong on a mission. When it was over, the handler was gone, and the dog was set to be retired.Wes had stepped in without overthinking it. What started as responsibility turned into what some people might call a friendship. Yes, dogs were supposed to be man’s best friend. Remington had proven that to be true.
The dog didn’t just follow commands. He could read the room, the terrain, the tension in a way that settled Wes when nothing else quite did.
Wes never called him anything like an emotional support dog. He didn’t need a label. The truth was simpler than that. They’d both needed a place to land—and they’d found it in each other.
Wes rose and brushed dirt from his hands. “You’ve got open property, multiple buildings, and you’ll have construction workers moving in and out. To maintain your security here, you’ll need layers—controlled access, coverage, and a response plan everyone knows.”
Caleb nodded. “That’s why we called you. We’ve been praying about these cottages for a while, and we feel like now is the time. We think some of the women who come to stay with us would be more comfortable in their own space. Plus, we’re running into issues with all the dogs. And now Millie is living here?—”
“Millie Anderson?” Caleb and Millie had also been high school sweethearts, but he’d heard they’d broken up.
Caleb grinned. “We reconnected recently. But that’s a story for another time. We also have Baby Grace now—she’s another story for later. Anyway . . . it’s just been complicated as we’ve grown.”
“I understand. The cottages sound like a good idea.”
“We’ve already been approved by the county, and Luke will be helping us with the project. Our permit indicates we’re building these bungalows as part of our retreat center. That’s what we call it. We don’t want people knowing what we’re really doing here with our women’s shelter—not even people withthe county. We’ve found that the fewer people who know, the better.”
“That sounds wise given the circumstances most of your guests come here under.”
“Exactly. But I’m afraid they’ll be more exposed out here than in the main house. Their safety is our first priority.”
“It’s always better to design security from the start instead of patching holes later.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“My company can handle the full setup,” Wes said. “Cameras, access control, training. I’ll put together options so you can choose the level you want.”
“That sounds perfect.” Caleb paused and hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “Where are you staying while you’re here?”
“Hollow House.”
Wes had checked in before coming here. The place was interesting, to say the least. The bed and breakfast sat along Main Street in Blue Ridge Hollow, and he’d been given its full history when he checked in.
The building had been built in 1779. Maggie Goodley, the owner, had told him that George Washington had once spent a night beneath its roof, though no one could quite prove it.
The house had the presence that made people talk—some claimed it was haunted, while Maggie preferred to say the walls simply remembered things.
“Maggie is great,” Caleb said. “Check out The Grind House while you’re in town. They’ve got the best coffee.”
“I’ll have to do that,” Wes said. “I’ve got a couple other bids in the area. So I’ll be around for a couple of days.”
His business was based out of Baltimore, but he traveled up and down the East Coast for his work.
Caleb nodded. “When can you start here?”
“As early as next week. I just wrapped a job up near DC and blocked time for this.”
