“And this Margret person—you think she’s after the gold too?”
I nod. “She’s definitely interested in something. The way she showed up at the barn, how she knew about Caleb’s leg...”
“And those cinnamon rolls,” Caleb adds darkly.
Julia’s brow furrows. “You think she poisoned baked goods? That’s hardcore.”
“We don’t know for sure,” I admit. “But Scout didn’t like her, and that’s enough for me.” I reach down to scratch behind the dog’s ears, and he leans into my touch, his eyes half-closing in contentment.
“Animals know,” Julia agrees, her expression serious. “At the clinic, we had this one cat who would hiss whenever this particular delivery guy came in. Turns out he was stealing prescription meds from the supply room.”
The clock on the mantel chimes at 10:00. We have two hours before the meeting at the mill.
“We should prepare,” Caleb says, pushing himself to his feet with a barely concealed grimace. “I want to be there early, get a feel for the place before whoever left that note shows up.”
“I’ll help,” Julia offers immediately. “What do we need?”
“Warm clothes, flashlights, the journal and map,” I list off, standing as well. “And Caleb’s going to bring his gun, whether I like it or not.”
Caleb gives me a look that’s half-apologetic, half-stubborn. “Better to have it and not need it.”
“I know,” I sigh. “Just... be careful with it.”
Julia glances between us, a small smile playing at her lips. “You two are cute together.”
Heat rises to my cheeks, and I busy myself with gathering supplies to avoid responding. Caleb clears his throat awkwardly and mumbles something about checking the UTV’s fuel level before disappearing outside.
Once he’s gone, Julia helps me pack a small backpack with essentials—water bottles, energy bars, and a first aid kit.
“So,” she says casually, “How’d you two meet?”
I hesitate, caught between maintaining our cover story and my growing sense that Julia isn’t a threat. “It’s... complicated,” I say finally.
She nods, not pushing further. “The best relationships usually are.”
We work in silence for a few minutes before she speaks again. “He really cares about you, you know. I can see it in the way he looks at you.”
The comment catches me off guard. “We haven’t known each other that long, actually,” I admit before I can stop myself.
Julia’s eyebrows rise, but she doesn’t seem surprised. “I figured. The chemistry between you two is too... fresh. Too electric.” She smiles knowingly. “Don’t worry, I won’t blow your cover. But whatever’s going on between you two... It’s special. Don’t waste it.”
I’m saved from responding by Caleb’s return, his cheeks flushed from the cold. “UTV’s ready,” he announces. “Snow’s starting to melt a bit with the sun out. Roads should be clearer than we thought.”
“Great,” I say, perhaps too enthusiastically. “Let’s get going.”
We gather our supplies and head out, locking the house behind us. Scout bounds ahead, clearly excited for another adventure. The sun glints off the snow, almost painfully bright, but the air is crisp and clean in that special way that only comes after a heavy snowfall.
The UTV handles the terrain well, with Caleb driving carefully to avoid jostling his leg. I sit beside him, with Julia behind us and Scout at my feet. As we follow the plowed main road toward the mill, I can’t help noticing how Caleb’s profile looks against the winter landscape—strong, determined, somehow both hard and gentle at once.
“There,” Julia points ahead as we round a bend. “That’s where my car went off the road.”
Sure enough, a small sedan lies half-buried in a snowbank, its front end crumpled against a tree. The sight of the damaged vehicle, suddenly and undeniably, makes her story real.
“Looks like you were lucky,” Caleb comments, slowing the UTV to get a better look.
Julia nods soberly. “If I hadn’t found your place...” She doesn’t finish the sentence. She doesn’t need to.
We continue past her car, and soon the mill comes into view—a hulking stone structure, partially collapsed but still impressive against the snow-covered landscape. Its water wheel is frozen in place, icicles hanging from the wooden slats like crystalline teeth.
