by Rimmy London
A deep hole formed in Abby’s stomach, and her excitement was sinking into it. She began to feel like a fool, the way he stated it. Two million dollars. Was she crazy? In an instant, she turned back into a little girl with stained clothes and a bruise on her cheek from an intoxicated mother who had lost her temper. But Abby’s memories were crystal clear, and she hated how quickly she felt pushed back into the box she grew up in.
She thought, for one glorious moment, that she could be seen as something else—renovate an inn like none other and share it with the world. But she was back to being the little girl with hardly a penny… and a two-million-dollar loan was suddenly a complete joke.
She sank back into the couch, staring at the coffee table and cursing her eyes until they stopped stinging. “Maybe I should wait,” she said, trying her best to sound unaffected. But she was crushed.
“Bee, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. It’s just a bit of a shock, that’s all. I’m not saying you shouldn’t—”
“It’s late.” Abby stood. “I should head home.” She walked to the door, and Chase followed right beside her, dodging a chair and accent table along the way.
“I’m just saying, that’s a big decision,” he persisted. “That’s all. I’m not saying you can’t do it. I’m sorry if I pushed you into it at first. The whole prospect was just so exciting, I guess I got carried away.”
She stopped at the door, holding her hand up. “I know, I know. It’s a big decision, and really, I did rush into it. I’ll give you a call tomorrow, and we can talk about it, okay? I’m just tired, and my house is a disaster.”
He shifted on his feet, and Abby could see he knew she was just escaping. With a sigh, he relented. “Okay… let me walk you to your car? It’s dark out.”
The night stretched on with Abby grumbling to herself in her empty apartment. It wasn’t a mess. In fact, it was sparkling clean, not even a dish in the sink. But she hadn’t wanted to fall apart in front of Chase. He already knew enough about her childhood, and his therapist's mind could always perfectly match the reason behind her every feeling. It irritated her. Like she was standing naked in front of the mirror. She didn’t want him to know so much about her insecurities.
She just wanted him to trust her, for once. Not see her as the dependent one. Although, she did depend on him… a lot. Their relationship had brought her out of a depression she never thought she’d be free of. Mostly because he was so eager to talk to her—about everything. He excelled at talking. At soothing every aching corner of her soul.
Suddenly, Abby’s lip shook. She loved him. So much. And here she was, driving him away because he wanted her to tread carefully. It was a very reasonable request, and she’d refused to even talk to him about it.
She dropped her head into her hand with a smack.
Stupid.
In the morning, she’d call him. She just needed to get some sleep, straighten her mind out and relax. The constant excitement had probably wearied her more than she’d realized. Maybe that was why she’d been so edgy.
She vowed to thank Chase and have a pleasant, open-minded conversation in the morning.
She owed him that.
Her cell phone buzzed at 8:30 am, and her head popped up from the couch, a tangled mass of dark curls obscuring her view. She snatched her phone up.
“Lo?” she croaked, reaching for a water bottle.
“Ms. Tanner?”
She recognized Mr. Craig’s voice and sat up, blinking. “Yes, hello.”
“You won’t believe this, but they accepted your contingent offer after hardly six hours. I couldn’t wait any longer to tell you. Congratulations!”
His excitement had her dream rushing back like an ocean tide, swallowing up her despair from the night before and drowning her in the salty fragrance of possibilities.
It was hers.
“Did you want to see the property again? I could drive out with you today if you have time. I spoke with the manager, and the property’s been cleaned up.”
“Yes!” she answered, rushing to her dresser. “When can we leave?”
“I can pick you up in an hour if that works with you?”
“Okay, I’ll be ready. Thanks so much, Mr. Craig.”
“It’s my pleasure, and you can call me Vance,” he corrected.
She stopped, midway through her sweater with the phone at her ear. “Oh… okay. Thanks, Vance, I’ll see you soon.”
“Goodbye.” He hung up the phone.
His goodbye had sounded professional, right?
Yes.
It had.
Perfectly professional. She was just feeling guilty about snapping at Chase the night before. And the way she’d dumped everything on him without any warning, who could blame him? Maybe he needed a little more time. If that had shocked him, what would he say to the offer already getting accepted and Abby rushing out there almost immediately?
Abby chewed her lip. She’d talk to Chase when she returned. Besides, maybe her second impression would change her mind, and then there’d be nothing to talk about, anyway. No harm in waiting until she was sure.
Chapter 8
Vance’s car was a new crossover, clean inside and capable on the roads. She’d never turned off the highway at the exit he took before. It was a small, one-lane road that took them through fields and hills. An occasional house could be seen nestled between trees here and there, and by the looks of them, they were mostly farmhouses… and a few mansions. The rich who only knew about this area by flying over it in their private jets. It seemed very private and perfectly nostalgic.
They turned uphill, onto a road lined with grown trees. Their slender trunks were uniform and tall, and the leaves had begun to change to a brilliant shade of red. An old fence trailed along one side, built long ago. Abby recognized it as matching the one she’d seen up at the house, and she wondered for the first time just how much the property might encompass.
“Is this part of it?” she asked, still gazing into what had become the edge of the redwood forest. The ocean was bound to show itself on the other side of the road, but so far it was still fields of crops and cattle.
Vance looked very relaxed, smiling out at their surroundings. “This used to be a private road to the residence, but since the small development was built at the end here, it's now an access for them as well. Your property begins just beyond those houses.” He smiled at her as he said that last part as if he knew how it would burn in her chest.
My property. Abby leaned closer to her window, catching sight of a new fence line and the top of a house.
“There’s a total of twenty acres at the Poppyridge house. Did you know that?” he turned to Abby with the question.
“Oh.” She shook her head. “I didn’t realize there was so much land attached to it. That’s incredible.”
“And there’s private access to Poppyridge Cove right off the back porch.” Vance slowed, coming up on a neighbor standing by his mailbox. An older man Abby guessed to be at least 80. He smiled and raised a hand as they passed.
“We could stop and say hello if you’d like,” Vance suggested. “Might be good to get a feel of the area, meeting a few neighbors.”
Abby was still craning to see farther down the road, but it curved out of sight. “Maybe on the way back?” she asked. The idea of waiting any longer was torture.
Vance chuckled, turning back to the road. “Okay, deal. Mr. Fillmore is the man we just passed. He’s lived out here for a long time. He and his wife, although she passed away some years ago.”
Abby glanced back, just catching sight of him again before he was out of view. He seemed so pleasant and kind, it was sad to think of him alone.
“And this second house is a vacation property. The family is very energetic and kind. They’ve had me out for a couple BBQs back when they were thinking of selling. But now they rotate the property between the ten siblings, splitting the cost and letting everyone enjoy it.”
“Ten siblings?” Abby gawked
, turning around to admire the tall, stately cabin. It fit well surrounded by pines.
“It’s a blended family,” Vance explained, “but they get along very well. Probably better than most, I’d say.”
“Hmm,” Abby commented, agreeing with him quietly.
“The next two I know are inhabited, but I’ve only seen the families here and there. I’ve never met them. Smaller families with just a few kids who are nearly grown. This next one is a rental, and the last house in the row is owned by a very wealthy colonel in the Army. Or, retired colonel I should say. His flag is always flying.” He gestured to the flagpole with the red, white, and blue colors waving at the top. It looked crisp and new.
“Sounds like a nice group.” Abby glanced behind them as they passed the colonel’s house. “I can’t wait to meet them all.” But her excitement to meet the neighbors was nothing compared to the awakening growing inside of her as they wound up the last hill. A wide space opened up in front of them.
The house came into view at the same time as the cliff’s edge did, and the ocean beyond that. It couldn’t have been better placed in any possible way. The grand front of the house had what looked to be an old fountain at one time, balancing out the face of the property. It was stained and cracked, but still beautiful.
Vance pulled up alongside the house on the ocean side. His car crept slowly forward until Abby could just begin to see around to the back porch. “Stop.” She grabbed Vance’s arm, and the car jerked to a stop. Her heart had begun to pound with the memories of what she’d seen before, and the horrid smell of it all. She glanced around them, back to the road where they’d come, and deep into the trees. Searching.
“Hey.” Vance placed his hand over hers, and she jumped.
“I’m sorry,” she said, releasing her grip. She hadn’t realized how tightly she’d grabbed him. There was nearly a handprint on the fabric of his suit shirt. “It was just…”
She looked back into his face, wondering if he’d seen the back deck before. And had it been littered with animals? “When I first came here, it was a mess in the back.” She glanced between his eyes, not wanting to say more.
But he seemed to understand. He nodded solemnly. “I’ve heard of the dead animals that keep showing up here, Abby. We don’t have to get out if you don’t want to. We can always wait until the property is ready for your final inspection.”
Abby let out a breath, working to steady her shaking hands. “No, that’s okay. I want to look around.”
“Okay.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Stay here and let me take a look first.”
She was embarrassed for making such a big deal over it but found herself nodding back at him and feeling a rush of gratitude that she wasn’t alone.
She watched Vance get out.
He smiled back at her and walked to the edge of the house, disappearing around the back. The two seconds that he was out of sight had her heart racing again, imagining the horrors he could be facing. She jumped when he appeared again.
He smiled widely and waved her forward. “It’s okay,” he called.
Her ridiculous fears had quickly managed to explode when left on their own; she stepped out of the car with a sigh.
The first breath of ocean and redwoods brought everything back that she’d fallen in love with. It was like a memory of her childhood. Like déjà vu, only she’d never experienced anything like it as a child. Maybe it had been in her dreams. Some magical land she knew never existed in real life. Except now, she was here.
She walked the length of the house, catching up to Vance and trying not to cringe as she turned the corner to the back of the property. The deck was completely clear of the wreckage that had covered it before, and she sighed another breath of relief.
“The door should’ve been left open,” Vance said. His eyes were sparkling with excitement, and he marched up the wooden stairs. His footsteps sounded solid and warm, like the house was glad to have company.
Abby lingered at the bottom, sure it was locked. Why would a mansion like this be left open?
He turned the handle and pushed the door open. “Looks like we’re in luck.” He grinned back at her.
She rushed up the steps, walking through and gazing up at the light streaming in through the windows, leaving perfectly crossed patterns on the wood floors and banisters. Dust was caked throughout, and their footsteps were the only ones. Like treading on newly fallen snow.
“Has no one come inside?” she asked, awed by the open spaces and beautifully elegant chandeliers. Through glass French doors, she could see a dazzling ballroom with a patterned floor and molded ceiling. It was incredible, beyond what she ever hoped.
“No, I don’t believe so,” Vance answered quietly, sliding his hand along the banister and glancing up the stairs. “I don’t think anyone’s gotten this far.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Abby breathed, walking the length of the house to the grand front doors. Tall and solid with a rustic white finish, all she’d have to do is hang wreaths, and they’d be a Christmas postcard. Through the long windows next to the doors, she could see the fountain. She imagined it restored and lit up, light sparkling through the cascading water.
“Do you want to see upstairs?” Vance asked.
She turned to see him standing aside the beautiful stairway.
“Yes,” she walked back slowly, admiring what she could see of the kitchen and a sitting room as she passed. The stairs seemed in decent shape, a squeak here and there, but not anything too horrendous. For the most part, she was amazed at the state the house was in. It seemed strong and beautiful. How had it been left unpurchased for so long?
There were seven bedrooms upstairs, with five smaller and two with a more generous, master-bedroom feel. The hallway was open on one side with a banister giving them a beautiful view into the kitchen and great room. Through high narrow windows, they could see the redwoods on one side and the coastline on the other.
“It’s incredible,” Abby said, hardly able to believe it.
“It’s absolutely incredible,” Vance repeated, as lost in the place as she was. He tapped one hand on the banister. “Do you want to see the cove?”
Abby’s gaze flickered back to him, and a smile stretched across her face. “I almost forgot about that.”
They followed their footprints back outside, with Abby holding her breath across the deck, afraid of smelling any reminders to what had been there before. But nothing was tainting the air aside from the sea, the pine, and the hundreds of brilliant orange poppies. They sprouted up about halfway down the small access path. It was bordered on one side by a rope, strung along between frequent posts.
Abby’s hand hovered over it, sliding across the weathered rope here and there, and resting atop the sun-warmed wood. The pathway was sandy, and while not exactly steep, it did require them to pay attention to their feet.
When they reached the bottom, Abby’s toes finally sunk into the deeper sand of the cove. She pulled her sandals off and stepped through the sand. A shallow warm layer sunk into cold, deeper layers. It was refreshing and wild. Untouched. The hill behind them protected them from the wind and captured the warmth of the sun. Beyond their access path, the cliffside became steep and rocky, littered with tide pools and archways. Even the deep hollow of a cave could be seen far beyond.
It was a coastline Abby could spend weeks exploring. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. Not even a little.
Vance glanced back at her and grinned, and she shook her head. “I still can’t believe it.” She laughed, gazing again at the ocean glittering through small patches of fog. “This is more than I ever imagined.”
She turned to Vance again, and her excitement settled into a sincere gratitude. “Thank you so much.”
He dipped his head. “My pleasure.”
Their walk back up the path was humbling, with both of them huffing by the time they reached the top. Vance held his hand out, guiding Abby up the last few steps. She smiled. “Thank—” Her
eyes caught something gray stretched out on the deck, and even from where they stood, she could see a dark liquid dripping off the wood.
“Vance!” She gasped, holding on to him and searching the forest for anyone. Anything.
His head whipped around, and he held his arm around her. “Oh my—” He looked into the woods, pulling Abby with him as he rushed toward his car. Abby could make out the animal on the porch. Long fur and ringed tail. A raccoon.
A crackling of twigs and brush had them both skirting to the side. Vance stepped in front of her and held one arm out as if warding off an attack. “Keep going,” he urged.
Abby held on to him, pulling him with her. “You too.”
They hurled themselves into his car, closing the doors and locking them. Vance twisted his keys and jerked the gear shift into reverse a little too quickly. The car lurched and died. He pushed it back into park and tried again. They were both breathing hard, still searching the trees as he backed out and sped down the street.
“Maybe you can meet the neighbors another time,” Vance said, finally stilling his breath.
Abby didn’t answer. She closed her eyes and concentrated on calm, steady breaths. It wasn’t until Vance placed his hand over hers that she finally managed to calm the shaking.
“I’m sorry, Abby,” he said. “But I think we should call the police.”
She looked into his eyes, shocked. Why did her dream have to come wrapped in a nightmare? But he was right, she knew it. She couldn’t just hope whatever was killing these animals would stop simply because she bought the place. It was so twisted, though. What was the point of it? What did it mean?
She pulled her phone from her bag and dialed 911, and Vance came to a stop at the side of the road. He listened with her as the line connected.
“Yes,” Abby said. “I believe it’s an emergency, but I’m not sure. I’ve just purchased this property, and dead animals keep showing up on the porch…” She stopped as the woman cut her off. “No, not animal control. They’re dead animals. Beheaded. It must have just happened—” She bit her lip and suddenly felt completely foolish as the woman lectured her on what was considered an emergency. “Okay, I will. Thank you.” She hung up and turned back to Vance. “I guess the local police department is my next call.”