by Rimmy London
“Okay,” he said, glancing across the street at the few homes in view. “Maybe I’ll just talk to a few neighbors while you do that… see if they’ve heard anything.”
She nodded back at him while listening to a police officer’s greeting. “Yes, sorry to bother you,” she began, not wanting another lecture. “I’ve just purchased a home that’s been abandoned for years, and I came out to take a look at it. But dead animals keep showing up on the porch. One was just killed a few minutes ago—”
“Is this the Poppyridge place?” the officer asked.
“Uh—yes. Do you know what’s going on?”
“I’ll send a car out, ma’am. Please wait for them at the property.”
Abby cringed. “We’ll be down the street from the property if that’s okay.”
He agreed, although Abby was sure she could hear a smile in the officer’s voice as he said goodbye. It set her off a bit. Just what was so funny? What if a bear was prowling the woods? One that had developed a thirst for killing? Or a wolf? They could have been attacked.
She shivered, looking out the windows and into the woods. Dark and mysterious. Would she really be comfortable living here? Especially when there could be some wild creature at large? She bit her lip, trying to imagine herself walking off into the trees alone. It had never bothered her before, but now the thought had her chest tightening in fear.
The car door opened, and she turned quickly with an intake of breath, just managing to smooth out the surprise on her face before Vance leaned down to talk to her.
“What did they say?” he asked.
“They’re sending a car out.”
“Good.” He tilted his head across the street. “Gives us just enough time for lunch. Would you like to meet the Allens?”
Abby managed a smile, and as they walked across the road, her stomach finally settled just enough to feel an immense hunger.
The Allen’s home could easily be featured in a magazine. The moment she’d entered, Abby’s eyes had been drawn to the incredible view. From the inside, it was more of a cabin than a modern home, although still chic. Long, stacked rectangular windows gave a full view of the hillside of trees, their pine tops bunched together in a deep green huddle.
“Your home is beautiful,” she complimented, glancing at the strong-jawed general and Mrs. Allen with her delicate features and silky brown hair. They both smiled their thanks.
“Now, Mr. Craig here was telling me you’d had another animal left at your place?” The general asked.
Abby nodded. “Yes, just while we were down at the beach. It couldn’t have been more than thirty minutes that we were away from the house. Have you heard anything?”
They shook their heads together, looking very in sync. “No dear,” Mrs. Allen answered. “I’m afraid not. Although, about a week ago the smell had gotten so bad that I called the neighbors, and we each contacted the police department to complain. That seemed to fix the problem.”
She brushed her feathery hair back with a swish of one hand.
“But my goodness, if it’s just going to continue, something needs to be done. People will start moving out.”
“How long have you lived here?” Abby asked as plates were placed around the table. Deli-style sandwiches were atop each one, loaded with layers of meat, cheese, and lettuce.
The general held the last plate, settling it in front of Vance. “Five years now. We were the first ones to move in. It was so different when we were the only house. Felt like we owned the whole mountain.” He smiled at the memory, glancing at his wife. “’Course, no one ever lived in the Poppyridge place, although I admit we snuck through the grounds now and then to access the cove. It’s a beautiful piece of coastline.”
Abby swallowed her last bite of turkey and provolone. “It’s gorgeous,” she echoed.
A knock sounded at the door. Loud and official.
“They’re here,” Vance said, waiting for Abby.
She turned to the Allens. “Thank you so much for lunch. It was delicious.”
“You’re very welcome,” Mrs. Allen beamed. “I hope we become neighbors.”
The policeman at the door was hardly as neighborly. He didn’t crack a smile and rattled off something as he read from a paper on his clipboard. It sounded very much like Abby’s complaint had been scribbled down word for word.
“Okay ma’am, let’s take a look,” he grumbled as if he’d rather be doing anything else in the city.
“It’s at the end of the road here,” Abby pointed, heading to Vance’s car.
“Yes, I know where it is,” the officer answered. He started his car and made a wide U-turn, heading to the property.
Vance lifted his eyebrows at Abby, and they followed behind. The officer didn’t waste time circling the house. The moment he stepped from his squad car, he was off on a mission, taking notes and finally stopping at the back patio. He’d stopped writing.
“And this wasn’t here when you arrived the first time?” he asked, directing his question at Abby. She glanced around, looking into the woods briefly. “No.” She looked up at him. “We’d found the house open and went inside, and from there, we walked down to the beach. When we came back up, it was here. Just like this. We never saw another animal, although we did hear something in the bushes.”
The officer’s gaze shot back up to Abby, and he peered into her eyes for a moment. “Another animal?” he finally asked.
“Er, yes,” Abby flustered, “we don’t know what killed this raccoon.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you have the wrong idea. This animal was killed by a person. I’m positive about that.”
Abby’s heart sunk, and a cold breeze touched her neck. What did he mean a person did it? “So, you’re saying while we were at the beach, someone killed this raccoon and left it here? Why would they do that?”
He shook his head, still writing on his notepad.
“You’re sure?” Vance asked, taking a moment to study their surroundings again.
“Yes, sir. I’m positive,” the officer repeated. “Knew as much when we had them clean up the last group of carcasses. But the property owner is very responsive, got right to it when the neighbors started complaining about the smell. I’ll let them know you’d like them to come out again.” He touched the brim of his hat like he was preparing to leave.
Abby held a hand up. “Wait, that’s it?” she asked, “You’re not going to… I don’t know, launch an investigation or something? Question people?”
He held his arms out, looking around. “And who do you propose I question?” he asked. “The neighbors? Because they’ve all been very bothered by this, I assure you. Each one has called in and complained profusely.”
“So, don’t you want to know what’s going on? Isn’t it your responsibility to figure this out? To keep us safe?” Abby knew she should’ve stopped, but the questions just kept coming. What was he thinking by just leaving them here without any answers? It was infuriating.
“Ma’am, let me assure you of your safety. Unless you happen to be a small forest creature, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Probably just someone’s idea of a joke. They’ll give it up when they realize someone’s movin’ in.” He touched his hat again, more decidedly this time, like he wasn’t happy that she kept him here longer than he’d planned.
“Okay,” she finally relented, wishing things had gone differently. She wanted a full investigation. Officers by the dozen sweeping the forest and searching out clues. But with a large city like San Francisco nearby, she figured they had a lot more pressing calls to follow up on.
She took a deep breath, leaning her back against a patio pillar, and watched as the squad car disappeared from view.
Chapter 9
When they got back to Vance’s car and began their drive home, they were both lost in thought. Abby felt something vibrate next to her ankle and reached into her purse to find she’d missed a call from Chase. And a text. And another call. She hesitated, sure it would be aw
kward talking to Chase about everything while Vance was listening in. She decided to call him as soon as she got home. His text was just a quick hello anyway, nothing urgent.
“Well, this didn’t turn out quite like we’d thought, did it?” Vance asked, glancing at her briefly before turning his gaze back to the road. They’d reached the highway again, and traffic was congested in the late afternoon.
“No, it didn’t.” Abby felt more discouraged than she wanted to admit. She continued studying passing cars, not feeling in the mood for a conversation.
“That was a pretty shocking sight,” Vance continued. “I keep imagining who might have done that while we were at the beach. And why? That’s the question I keep coming back to. Why?”
Abby sighed. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“It can’t be directed at you, because it’s been happening for six months at least. So, who would they be trying to scare off with those dead animals?”
Vance’s pondering was starting to grate on Abby. She didn’t want to hear it anymore. Her happily ever after was becoming tainted, and she wished it would fade from her memory. Analyzing it to pieces was hardly helpful. But Vance kept going on and on about the Allens, and the rental house next door to them, and the old man who’d looked so kind.
“Why don’t you just set up a camera?” he finally asked, turning to her.
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Abby blurted out. “Wait, what?” she asked, turning to face him. “A camera?”
Vance had one eyebrow raised and had taken his eyes off the road long enough for Abby to glance at it for him. “Was I bothering you?” he finally asked, returning his gaze to the street.
“Oh.” Abby twisted her hands together. Why would he care if he was bothering her anyway? “No, you weren’t. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just still such a shock. I wish I didn’t have to worry about it.”
He nodded, although he didn’t look at her again. “That’s understandable. But if you think about it, the only reason the house hasn’t sold in this market is because of those animals. It’s really what has given you this opportunity. So, a blessing in disguise maybe?”
“Yeah, you might be right about that,” she said, taking the time to glance over his face. His skin was a pleasant color, rich and warm. It went perfectly with his black hair. And as tall as he was, it gave him a very Clark Kent look.
He glanced over, catching her staring. Her cheeks immediately felt warm, and she dropped her gaze, wishing she had more control over her heart. It raced away, mistaking her surprise for something else.
“We’re here,” he said quietly, pulling up to the curb alongside her apartment.
Abby looked around, unaware that they’d already made it back. “Oh, thank you,” she said, snatching her bag from the floor and trying to avoid looking at Vance again. Her cheeks were bound to be red, and he would read all the wrong messages from that.
But he touched her arm, and she turned back to him. “Wait,” he said, more quietly than he needed to. “I’m sorry if I made light of what happened today. You’re perfectly justified in being shocked. Just remember you’re not in a contract yet. You have every right to step out of this until the final inspection date in ten days. Then you’ll have to decide.”
Abby let her breath out, realizing her fears had been misplaced. He was just being professional.
“Thank you,” she smiled, “that does help.”
He dropped his hand from her arm only to have his fingertips trace her hand and softly clasp it in his.
“I’m glad,” he said. “Goodbye, Abby.”
Her stomach coiled into knots and turned slowly to sickness. What did he mean by holding her hand? She stepped out of the car and looked up to see Chase standing at her door. He nodded back at Vance, and Abby turned back to him as well, giving herself time to relax as she watched him drive away.
She didn’t know if Chase had seen Vance take her hand. His expression didn’t look betrayed, but she felt like it had been an utter betrayal. She tried to wipe it from her features as she walked up the steps but could hardly manage a smile.
Chase stood tall and confident with a gentle grin on his face. It was what she’d first noticed about him. His smile belonged on a cover model, and she’d seen the way people stopped when they noticed it too. Especially women. He’d laughed when she suggested he not smile at his patients, but for their sake and his, she knew she was right. It was disarming on so many levels.
She felt her throat tighten, and tears threatened to sting her eyes. But Chase didn’t notice. He seemed lost in his thoughts. “Was that the realtor?” He waited after she’d nodded like he wanted her to say more.
But Abby wasn’t sure quite where to start. It had been such a rollercoaster, from the house to Vance… She reached for the door. “Are you hungry?” She felt immediately guilty since she’d only asked to ward off any remarks about her day.
And food was something Chase was passionate about. He chatted about sandwiches, pasta, and soups until they made it to the second floor and into her apartment.
“I’ll make it,” Chase said cheerfully, taking her bag from her shoulder and setting it on the counter. “You really look tired.”
Abby felt sick again. But she knew what would make her feel better. “Thanks.” She reached for his hand, stopping him in mid-dinner prep. “Can we talk for just a minute before you get started?”
“Oh.” Chase stood with a bowl he’d taken from the cupboard. He set it on the counter over a burn mark. “Sure, no problem.”
They settled on the couch, and Abby told him about going to Poppyridge. His expression at first didn’t look very happy, but soon he was smiling with her as she described the interior of the house and the cove. She hesitated to tell the rest, but her stomach was still twisting. “But when we walked back up from the beach, there was a dead raccoon on the porch.”
“What?” Chase had nearly jumped from his seat, and his grip had tightened on her hand. “Did you see what killed it?”
“No, we didn’t see anything. We called the police, and he said it…” She paused, wishing she didn’t have to finish. The look in Chase’s eyes was panicked enough. “He said it was a person who’d been doing this. Not an animal.” She nodded before he could ask. “He was positive.”
That seemed to stop him completely, and his gaze wandered over her apartment. “A person…” he mumbled, finally turning back to her. “So, what now? What are they going to do?”
“They’ll have the company clean it up.” She shrugged, wishing there was more.
“That’s it?” Chase threw his hands in the air. “What if this person’s insane? I mean, obviously, they are, but what if they’re dangerous?”
Abby sighed. “Well, the officer seemed to think only small forest creatures were at risk. I guess they don’t put much stock in those.” The more she thought over his response, the angrier she became. “Maybe I’ll call the police station again.”
Chase shook his head, and one hand settled on her shoulder. “Let me.” He waited until Abby agreed, and then with a breath, it seemed all over.
He stood and pulled her up into his arms. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he whispered, kissing her quickly. “I wish I could have been there with you.” His eyes asked the question he hadn’t, and he paused, looking back at her as if the answer might be written on her face.
And Abby worried that it was. Her heart had begun beating again like it meant to blackmail her completely. “I just wanted to be sure about the house first,” she explained, “before I talked to you about it. I know you don’t like the idea.”
He nodded. “You’re right, I don’t. And now I especially don’t. At first it seemed so easy, and then we learned about Aunt Sharalyn’s deal, and it quickly became more complicated than I’m comfortable with. But I’m not the one buying it, you are. So was your trip worth it?”
She looked up into his hazel eyes, a bit stunned. “What?”
“You said you weren’t sure. So… are you?” He walked to the kitchen while he waited for her answer, and she mulled it over as deeply as she could in the few seconds that passed.
Anyone else would run. She knew that. It was a terrifying thought, that someone was killing animals and leaving them at the house she wanted to buy. What did that even mean? But there was no mistaking the way she felt the moment she’d entered the beautiful building. It invited her in, warmly wrapped her in its arms with visions of Christmas parties and joyous vacations. Garland and lights. A crackling fire. Old and new friends. Things she should have experienced as a child, but all they’d ever been were dreams. Dreams that she wanted to make come true.
“I’m buying it.”
Chase fumbled with the knife he held, and it clattered to the counter. “Abby,” he said sternly, waiting for her to continue and perhaps hoping she would take it back.
But she wasn’t going to. She gazed at him, settled in her decision, and wished he’d be the one to surrender.
“Okay,” he said stiffly, continuing to slice vegetables and sprinkle them over a leafy green salad.
They didn’t speak much the rest of the night, except to comment on the food. It pricked at Abby’s heart to know he was so set against this decision. To her, it was the first miracle she’d ever experienced. Something she’d stumbled upon in the woods—or been led to. She’d begun to think the latter was more accurate.
What else would explain it? To find the house and then suddenly be granted a way to purchase it. It was incredible, beyond anything she could have imagined. Why couldn’t he see that?
When their dinner was finished and the polite conversation had faded, he stood at her doorway, waiting through a heavy silence.
Just as he turned to go, he stopped and faced her again, sighing deeply. “I don’t want you to do this. And if you want me to speak honestly, I’d have to say I’m shocked that you’re still considering it. That’s a lot of money, Bee.”