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I chose one that skirted around the edge of the falls, and I started walking. I took my time, pausing every few minutes to snap a picture of a bird or a particularly lush tree. It had been ages since I’d tried taking photos of anything other than my family, so my skills were a bit rusty, but the challenge of sharpening them again would be half the fun.
A fantail landed on a tree branch in front of me, bright plumage flickering in and out of view as it flitted along the branch. I held my breath, edging closer, and aimed the camera.
“Hi!”
“Eeek!” I spun around, clutching my chest. “Don’t scare me like that!”
It was Aiden. He cocked his head and grinned in a way I’m sure was supposed to be charming, but with my life still flashing before my eyes, I didn’t have it in me to be anything other than annoyed.
The smile faded. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to give you a fright.” He sounded genuinely contrite.
“Well, you did.” I drew in a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds even as my lungs ached to pull in more air. When I released it, I felt a little better. “Seriously, be careful when you sneak up on someone.”
His forehead scrunched. “I wasn’t sneaking. You were distracted by that bird and didn’t hear me.”
He might have a point. I had been caught up in the moment.
“Are you out here by yourself?” he asked.
A shiver slid down my spine. Seeing him here on the trail with me, with no one else around, reminded me of how vulnerable I was. He could try anything, and if I screamed for help, I couldn’t be certain anybody would hear.
“One of my friends is further ahead,” I said, not wanting to admit to being alone. “I’m taking my time so I can get some pictures, but we’ll be sharing lunch.”
There. That made it sound as though someone was expecting me in the near future.
Aiden nodded. “Why don’t we walk together for a while? I’ll keep you company. My friends are at the tarn, but I was delayed speaking to the farmer I’m hoping to purchase land from, so I need to catch up to them.”
“If you’re in a hurry, you should go on without me.” My smile was stiff. “I’d hate to slow you down.”
“It’s no problem.” He gave me a friendly grin and gestured toward the camera. “You like photography?”
“It’s a hobby I’m getting back into.” I started walking up the trail, hoping he’d leave me alone. No such luck.
“I guess that makes sense, since you’re in film.”
“Was,” I correct. “I’m not in film anymore.”
His face fell. “Oh, right.”
We walked in silence for a few moments, but it didn’t last long. “I heard you had some trouble over the weekend. Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine. Just a misunderstanding.” Like hell was I telling him anything. At this stage, he was the most likely candidate for stalker I had. The fact that Jeff had cleared him of having a criminal history and his having a legitimate reason for being here didn’t necessarily mean he was innocent. “What did you do for Christmas?”
He shrugged. “Stayed at the lodge. They put on a nice meal.”
So he would have been in the area to plant the gift at my cottage. I cast a sideways glance at him, wondering if I ought to turn and start walking the other way, back toward civilization. But then I heard a voice.
“Mary!” It was a man. Somewhere nearby. I looked around, catching a glimpse of a dark green uniform through the trees. “Mary!”
“Hello,” I called as the man came into view. Broad shoulders, dark hair. He turned, and I winced at the sight of his face. “Asher, hi.” I supposed it was better to run into him than be murdered by Aiden and have my body hidden in the woods. “Are you looking for someone?”
Asher scowled. “There’s a missing woman. Fifties. Gray hair. Petite. Have you seen her?”
“No, sorry—but I can help look.”
Asher’s gaze traveled from me to Aiden and narrowed, his expression distinctly unfriendly. “There’s no need for that. The search-and-rescue team is currently going over the area. I’m sure we’ll find her.”
Thank God. That meant there were more people out here. Even though Aiden hadn’t said anything to threaten me, knowing we weren’t alone in the wilderness made me feel a lot better.
