Chapter 19
After sex and a shower, Griz unpacked the security system and read over the instillation instructions. “This will be easy. I’ll make sure it’s connected to your Wi-Fi and the cellular. You’ll get notifications.”
“Thank you. I can help.”
“Good. We’ll get this and the deadbolt lock installed fast. Then I’ll feel better about leaving.”
She cupped his cheek. “I’m glad I have a plan to see you in the next month.”
“I am, too. I wish I could stay here, but I can’t.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
He hugged her, his hands running up and down her back. “I know. I just wish I would have kept up with you and then maybe we would have gotten together earlier.”
“Maybe, or we might have screwed everything up.”
He shrugged. “It’s a possibility. I’m glad I’m no longer such a big idiot. You’re the right woman for me.”
She laughed and lifted up to kiss his cheek. “And you’re the right man, my love.”
His eyes widened then he pulled her into a deep kiss that stole her air. When he pulled away, his eyes were glassy. “I love you.”
Her lips stretched wide. “I love you, too.”
“I swear I’m the luckiest man alive.”
She nodded. “Possibly.”
They both laughed then got to work installing the security equipment. They had most of the window sensors installed when Griz stepped into the laundry room.
“Hey, what’s this?” Griz asked.
She moved to the room and saw what Griz was pointing at. It was the small animal figurine that had shown up recently. “I don’t know. It showed up the other day and I meant to say something, but I got distracted.”
“It’s outside.”
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s outside.”
He shook his head. “That means someone was outside your house, looking in.”
She narrowed her gaze. “You don’t think that’s a camera, do you?”
His lips thinned. “Actually, looking at it now, I think that’s exactly what it is. I think someone put a small camera outside your house, and they just placed it badly. Maybe you came home or woke up and scared them. Maybe they were coming back to reposition it.”
A shiver raced down her spine. “Who is doing this?”
“No clue, but with the new alarm, that should scare them away.” He stepped out of the laundry room and turned to the door before hugging her then going outside.
Elowen followed him to the side of the house. There were so many places he could have placed the camera that would have been much worse, much more intrusive.
Griz grabbed the animal figurine and dropped it to the ground then smashed it with his foot. Shock coursed through her when he picked up the remains of a tiny camera, the lens so small she would never have seen that it was a camera.
“I can’t believe someone did that.”
He raised his eyebrows. “People have the propensity to be terrible. There are some great people out there, but there are also some very awful people. That’s why there are alarms and people buy stuff for self-defense.”
“Who could be watching me?”
Griz shook his head. “I don’t know. But maybe you could make a list of people who worked on the cabin with you. Anyone you have any interactions with.”
“I don’t think it could be anyone who stayed here. None of them were local, and I don’t see any of them driving back up here to stick a camera in the window.”
“If you get us the list, we can eliminate the people fairly quickly.”
“How?”
Griz shrugged. “I have a friend. He is really good at finding people. He’ll be able to go through the names fast and figure out if someone from the list could be the one who placed the trail camera and the smaller camera.”
“How much does he charge?”
“He doesn’t. It’s free. He charges if a corporation wants information, and he’s done some background checks for companies in the past, but for people in trouble, he does it for free.”
“That’s amazing.”
“He’s a good guy. Was nearly killed on a mission and retired. He had to do something to keep from going crazy, and he found some people on the internet who were looking for missing women. He found a few of the missing people and got addicted to saving them.”
“I’m impressed. Is he in San Diego?”
Griz nodded. “He is.”
“I’d like to meet him when I come to visit.”
“Sure. He’d like that. He has a great dog, too. Though the dog is getting older.”
“Oh, dogs die way too early. They should live as long as their human companion.”
“It would be nice.”
“I think that’s why I’ve resisted getting one.
My parents had an older dog when I was born.
He died when I was eight. Devastated me.
I didn’t understand how a loved member of the family could die and my parents just replaced him with another dog.
There was no mourning, no sadness. Just gone one day, and a new puppy in hand soon after. ”
“Oh, that would be bad.”
“The new dog was okay, but I never got over my first.”
He pulled her into a hug. “I understand.”
“I hope your friend can deal with the loss when it happens.”
“Yeah, Frog, that’s the dog’s name, is special. He helps Thario out with tasks and keeps his emotions even.”
“Maybe I should really look into getting a dog. But it would have to be older. I don’t think I have time to train a puppy.”
“I can ask around. Some retired military dogs are appropriate for families. Some need to be kept away from kids, but there are some good dogs who need homes.”
She nodded. “Maybe that’s something I can look into.
” She glanced back at her house. “Right now I’m a little freaked out someone was watching my laundry room.
I don’t remember if I ended up naked in there.
I don’t usually walk around in my underwear or naked because I do have the cabin, and guests could end up here. ”
“I’m sorry this jerk violated you. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling. The alarm should help by telling you if someone entered your house.”
“When I lived in the city, I had alarms. Honestly, I was na?ve and thought I wouldn’t need one here. You know, fewer people, safer area.”
“I get that. But all it takes is one really bad person and we don’t know where that one person is. They could be down the street or all of them could be in New York. It’s a crap shoot.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to live in fear my whole life.”
He nodded. “We’ll figure out who this is and stop them.”
She wrapped her arms around him and held on.
Someone might come back to her place, but they wouldn’t go unnoticed.
If she had to add cameras, she would. For now, the alarm would help.
The door would stay locked, and she would make sure all the other locks were set.
If someone came into her space, she would know.