afternoon breeze kept some of the heat away. May through October were filled with hot days starting early in the morning. There were nights it didn’t get below a hundred and five, sometimes more. When this happened, Brittany hoped to spend the occasional weekend in the northern mountains, maybe even Liberty Lake, where she’d do all she could to avoid Scott.
The area cooled in the winter, drawing visitors from the northern states and Canada. It was the best time for locals to enjoy the cooler days without seeking shelter in air-conditioned buildings.
Crossing the street, she checked the center’s directory, a shiver running through her. Whirling around, she didn’t hide the way she searched the crowd. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as her gaze darted from one shop to another. No one appeared suspicious. And as at the airport, not one person seemed to hold any interest in her.
Frustrated, she tucked her purse against her side. Brittany focused on the bath and bedroom store less than fifty yards away. She mentally went through her list. Sheets, blankets, and spreads for each bedroom. Towels for the kitchen and baths. A mat for the front door. The rest she could leave for another time.
It took less than thirty minutes to select the items. All the while, she kept her gaze moving, scouring the people, watching for anyone who seemed out of place.
Lugging her purchases outside, she stopped at the curb, ordering a cab through her app. Waiting, her senses began to zing again. She wanted to scream, yell into the air to whoever followed her.
Nervously, Brittany glanced around. As always, no one paid the slightest attention to her. When the car arrived, the driver jumped out, helping her load the packages while she rushed inside.
“Try to follow me now,” she mumbled to herself. Then she remembered feeling the same sense of being watched at her new apartment.
Handing a tip to the driver, Brittany rushed inside her new place, dropping the packages. Peeking through the blinds, she sighed, then ran to her bedroom. These blinds were identical to those in the rest of the apartment. Adjusting them, she looked out. Nothing except the complex parking lot.
“I truly am losing my mind.” Needing a glass of wine, she opened the refrigerator and her shoulders slumped. The kitchen held nothing consumable.
“Aargh…” Brittany sat at the dining room table, resting her head in her hands. Another unanticipated trip. Unless…
Finding her phone, she placed a call and ordered before dropping onto the sofa. In twenty minutes, the nearby gourmet market would deliver not one, but two bottles of wine, plus a sandwich, chips, brownie, crackers, extra slices of cheese, and milk. She’d worry about breakfast tomorrow.
Chapter Four
“What do you mean he lost her?” Fuse gripped the phone tighter, checking the time on the wall clock. Ten at night. On the other end, he heard Kell mutter something to whoever else was in his office.
“Once their plane landed, Brittany took a cab. Mitch followed in another one. Unfortunately, his ride was T-boned. He’s got a concussion, cracked ribs, and some other minor injuries. They wanted him to stay overnight, but the stubborn S.O.B. refused. Mitch is on his way to her complex. We rented an apartment directly across from hers. He’ll get back with me as soon as he’s in place.”
Fuse’s anger began to subside, but not his fear for Brittany’s safety. “What can I do?”
“I’ll text you her address and Mitch’s number. Coordinate with him. We’ve already installed cameras inside her apartment, on the back porch, and front entry. There’s also one pointing directly at her unit from the one we rented.”
“Who’s monitoring them?” Fuse asked.
“Dani Robertson.” Kell mentioned Ghost’s wife, a senior executive at White Eagle Security and a lead instructor at White Eagle Training Center. “The cameras show she left for a while late this afternoon, returning with bags of towels and sheets. She ordered food from a local market.”
“Have the cameras shown any other activity?”
“Nothing we can identify.”
“Explain.”
“People who pass by the outside cameras. Specifically, the one located at the patio. We can’t get a good fix on faces, so we can’t determine if they’re a threat. Dani doesn’t believe so. Did you get my text?”
Fuse opened his messages, seeing Brittany’s address and Mitch’s contact information. “Got them. I’ll be on the road within thirty minutes.”
“Either me or Dani will be in touch if anything changes.”
“Thanks, Kell.” Slipping the phone into a pocket, he stuffed clothes, guns, ammunition, and other gear