That jerk who conned her had tested her confidence. A little alone time would probably do her good, but a hunting cabin just seemed like a weird route to get there. He wanted to talk her out of going, but that was self-serving. “The mountains. That’s a big change from Richmond.” And a huge difference from the neighborhood she was living in when she got robbed.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been up there. It’s rustic, but the mountains were peaceful. Caught my first fish right there at that cabin. I’m excited about it.”
“At the risk of crossing a line, I have to say I’m going to miss you dropping in. Can I call?”
“Yeah. That would be nice.”
She hadn’t even hesitated. He liked the sound of that. He wouldn’t be the first detective to fall for a damsel in distress—was that what this was? She’d gotten past the worst of it now, but she’d be hard-pressed to trust anyone again.
Until these last few months when he’d taken on her case, he’d been perfectly content being married to his job. Only Natalie’s impromptu visits to check on her case had started an onslaught of daydreams of what-might-have-beens with someone in his life. Someone like her.
Randy grabbed a pen and pulled his notebook in front of him. “What’s the new address?”
Natalie rattled it off for him.
“How far away is it?” He was already googling it, though.
“Only a couple of hours away if you go the speed limit.”
“Which you will, right?”
“Always do,” she said. “Although I’m going to admit I feel fast in this Mustang.”
“I saw you leaving in a sixty-six Fastback. Nice ride. Yours?” She could’ve borrowed it. He hadn’t been able to track down the ones Marc had stolen along with everything else.
“It was Jeremy’s. It’s been in storage.”
Made sense. “You’ll stay in touch?”
“Count on it,” she said. “Although I’m really going to try to put this behind me, so you’re not going to hear from me nearly as often. I’m sorry I’ve been so insistent. Probably a royal pain in your you-know-what.”
“You weren’t a bother at all.” He missed her visits already. “It just takes one person to get people talking. When you’re ready—”
“I know.”
He could hear her shifting the phone, rustling.
“And Randy. Thank you for being so kind. If my judgment means anything anymore, I believe you’re one of the good ones.”
“I’ll take that.” He liked the way she said his name. “Wait. You said you were calling for a favor. What’s the favor?”
“To still keep me in the loop. Maybe wish me luck?”
“I will, and I do, but I don’t want this to be goodbye.”
“Me either.”
Her words had him nodding. “Then it won’t be. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Definitely.”
He hung up and stared at the address on the pad in front of him, then checked the area for crime and sex offenders. Nothing much of anything. She’d be safe.
A few more key clicks, and he had the plat pulled up. Eighty acres up a pretty steep incline on a mountain called No Business that was pretty much otherwise owned by an LLC.
There were a couple of homes at the mountain base, although they were spread out.Should have asked Natalie if she knows how to shoot a gun. Isolated like that, she needs protection from bears, if not from people.He was tempted to call her back but held off.
He’d give it a week. Maybe she’d go up and realize that wasn’t the best place to start over. What strength she’d suddenly mustered didn’t need to be rattled.
