The column wasn’t thick, but it was steady. It wasn’t a passing haze or dust kicked up from a road. It held its shape, rising in a narrow stream before spreading at the top.
Sheriff Sutherland stepped closer, his expression tightening as he tracked it. “I don’t like the look of that.”
“It looks close.” Naomi rubbed her arms as if the words chilled her.
Caleb took a few steps out, angling for a better view. “That’s too close for comfort.”
Wes mentally measured the distance in his head. The direction. The way the smoke drifted with the breeze.
The fire could be on Refuge Cove’s property, but it was hard to know for sure.
“It’s coming from the direction of the Hendersons’ place,” Naomi added, her voice quiet.
No one responded. They didn’t need to.
Sheriff Sutherland already had his phone out. He stepped a few paces away and spoke in a low, steady voice—location, direction, what he could see from where they stood.
As he did, Wes kept his eyes on the smoke. The fire seemed contained—right now—and it could be accidental. Someone burning brush in the wrong conditions, in the wrong spot, at the wrong time of night.
Sheriff Sutherland ended the call and walked back. “Fire crew’s on the way. We should get back inside. We can monitor things from there. If it starts to spread, we’ll move.”
One by one, they headed back inside. Wes followed last, pausing in the doorway long enough to take one more look across the property.
The column had spread wider now, less defined but still visible against the sky.
He didn’t like what he was seeing. Didn’t like what it all might mean.
All his senses told him that danger was hovering just out of sight—and that it was all around them, just waiting to pounce.
Did this have something to do with the property? Or did it link to Rowan in some way?
He’d watched Rowan’s face throughout everything. The helicopter had shaken her up. Maybe she’d wondered if it was paparazzi. But the fire . . . the fire seemed to truly perplex her.
And scare her.
She was definitely keeping secrets.
He only wished he knew what they were.
CHAPTER 6
The next morning,Rowan woke slowly.
For a moment, she didn’t move.
Then she remembered she wasn’t in Los Angeles anymore.
The memories came back all at once.
Thayer. Vince. Wes.
Her eyes closed again as the weight of everything pressed in. Her body still felt heavy from the long drive, but the rest of her didn’t have the luxury of staying still.
She turned toward the window.
Morning light stretched across the room, steady and calm.
Too calm after the night before.
