Chapter 22

twenty-two

ALEX

I stepped off my four-wheeler, a chill running along my spine as I studied the two-story cottage. It looked like something out of a horror movie. All we needed were a few bolts of lightning or a rumble of thunder to add more drama to the scene.

“It’s a little run down, that’s all,” Dylan said, looking at me.

I’d seen properties that needed remodeling. This one required major work. The front veranda dipped like a roller coaster, bowed under the weight of more than one storm and many years of neglect. Windows, covered in dirt and grime, stared blankly back at us. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see the door slowly open, creaking like old bones as it swung on its hinges.

If the interior of the house was as bad as this, it’d be a wreck. “Be careful,” I warned. “Wild animals might have taken over the house.”

“It’s not that bad.” Dylan pulled off his helmet and let his gaze wander across the property. “The forest is a good distance from the house. At least you don’t need to worry about a tree landing in the living room.”

“It’s the roof I’m more worried about,” I muttered. If the porch was ready to collapse, the rest of the house would fall down in the next storm.

“It was probably a great home when the rangers were here.”

I raised my eyebrows. “It wouldn’t make the pages of an architectural magazine now.”

“It doesn’t need to.” Dylan held onto the shoulder straps of his backpack. “I’m going inside.”

I trudged after him. “You do know that breaking and entering is a crime, don’t you?”

“When did you become a scaredy cat?” Dylan strode toward the veranda. If he heard the loud creak as his foot landed on the bottom stair, he didn’t say anything.

“I’m an IT specialist, not a burglar.” Was it only me, or had the wind suddenly stopped blowing? “Maybe we should look around first. You know, make sure there aren’t people with guns or bazookas waiting for us.”

“Once the front door’s open, we’ll have a quick look inside.”

I grabbed hold of his arm. “I mean it, Dylan. We should be careful.” I lowered my voice. “We don’t know who or what’s inside. There could be other people living here.”

“There weren’t any yesterday,” he whispered back.

“Yesterday? How did you?—”

“Ryan sent two of his team to the property. Connor and Jeremy had a look around and left some supplies in the living room.” He bent down and opened a small black box. “They even left us a present.” He waved a metal key under my nose. “Now you don’t need to worry about breaking the law. ”

“Why didn’t you tell me the house is safe?”

“It was safe yesterday. Who knows what could have happened overnight.” Dylan unlocked the door and turned the handle. Nothing happened. “Jeremy warned me about this.” Lifting his boot, he pushed the left-hand side of the door. It still wouldn’t budge.

“Would you like me to try?” I studied the door. “I think it’s sticking farther up.” Leaning back, I slammed my shoulder into the door. The wood groaned its disapproval but gave way all the same. “Who said an IT geek can’t be a bad boy every now and then?”

Dylan stopped me from going inside. “You’re a bad boy with nice manners.” He unzipped his jacket and pulled out his gun. “But even bad boys need to be protected. Stay behind me.”

I pulled out my Glock.

“You didn’t tell me you brought your gun,” Dylan whispered.

“I came prepared.”

Dylan didn’t say anything.

We moved around the house, quickly checking each room.

“It’s safe,” Dylan said when we finished. “What do you think?”

I put my gun away and tried to look at the positives. “It’s close to my house, sheltered, and off the beaten track.”

“Staying here would give the police a chance to get to you if something happened.”

The best thing I could say about the interior was that it was clean and tidy. And yes, I would be safer here than at my house. But for how long, I wasn’t sure.

Dylan walked toward the boxes stacked in the middle of the room. “Let’s see what’s in these. ”

Before I joined him, I tried one of the light switches. To my surprise, it worked.

“Bryant Security had the power reconnected,” Dylan said. “As far as the rest of the world’s concerned, there’s a new ranger in town.”

“I always thought a mid-life career change might be interesting.”

“At least you wouldn’t get death threats.” Dylan opened the flaps on another box. “So far, I’ve found towels, toiletries, and pots and pans.”

I moved two sleeping bags off the pile and opened another box. “There’s crockery in this one. I feel like I’m moving into my first apartment.”

Dylan looked at me but didn’t say anything.

I walked around the room, noticing other things that wouldn’t have been left behind by the last ranger. “Whose idea was the taser?”

“Mine. At least I’ll know I did everything I could to keep you safe, even if you didn’t want my help.”

“It’s not that I don’t want your help. I want to stay in my own house, that’s all.”

Dylan crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I don’t think you realize what a dangerous position you’re in. The last thing anyone wants is for you to be killed. But there’s something even more important than that. If the technology you’re developing gets into the wrong hands, everyone will be in trouble.”

“I know what could happen.”

Dylan’s eyes turned as dark as the stormy clouds outside. “If you did, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. When the threat to your life increases, you won’t have a choice about where you go. The FBI will take you to a safe house. They won’t care if you don’t want to leave.” He closed the flaps on the boxes and checked his watch. “We should take a look around the outside of the house. I don’t want to be driving home in the dark.” Zipping up his jacket, he turned toward the hallway.

“Dylan, wait.”

He kept walking.

I followed him outside. He probably thought I was ungrateful, that I didn’t realize how much work had gone into finding this house. But I did realize and I was grateful.

“I’m sorry,” I said when I caught up to him. “I know how hard you’ve been working. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

Dylan’s glance could cut diamonds. “It doesn’t seem like it. I’m not the only person who’s gone out of their way to make sure you’re okay. Ryan was right. You’re paying me to help you fix your program, not keep you safe.” He took a box off the back of his four-wheeler. “It won’t take long to unpack what we brought with us. If you want to do something, you could take the trauma kit into the living room.”

For the first time in a long while, I was ashamed of how I’d acted. I’d deliberately ignored Dylan’s advice when his only goal was to keep me safe. I’d not only disappointed him, but I’d let myself down. And I didn’t know how to fix it.