Page 48 of Taken Away

Bennett snorted and headed for the kitchen.

He came back a minute later with two mugs of coffee.

He handed her one. It was fixed exactly the way she'd taken it the day before.

“Drink that,” he said. “Then stay inside a little longer.”

Aubrey frowned. “You’re going back out there?”

“Checking the perimeter again.”

He shoved his feet into his boots and headed out the back door.

Aubrey drifted to the kitchen window and watched him cross the damp grass toward the hydrangeas. He crouched there, studying the ground.

Outside, Bennett pulled out his phone. A weather alert sat at the top of the screen, along with a sheriff’s bulletin—Blackwater Resort, trespass reports. The print in the mud felt less like an isolated scare and more like part of a pattern he wasn’t ready to hand her yet. He wasn't ready to decide whether it made her safer—or put her in even more danger.

When he came back inside, his expression was unreadable again.

“Well?” Aubrey asked.

“I’m sending one of the guys over to replace the back porch lock and check the windows.” Bennett set his phone on the counter. “Apparently we’re not the only place that’s had prowler problems lately.”

Aubrey straightened.

“What does that mean?”

“Blackwater Resort’s had a couple incidents. Some of the luxury cabins too. People creeping around after dark.” He shrugged once. “Could be nothing.”

“And could be something.”

“Yeah.”

Silence stretched.

Then Bennett nodded toward her laptop on the island.

“You’ve got about seven hours before the allocation dinner tonight.”

Aubrey blinked.

“The what?”

“The Mercer people are coming in from Asheville. Restaurant buyers too.”

“Bennett, someone tried to get into this house last night.”

“And tonight six distributors are still expecting a tasting.”

She stared at him. “That’s insane.”

He took a sip of coffee.

“Welcome to the wine business, Princess.”

Lulu’s Boutique

Sylva