Chapter 2
Caleb Brennen
“What do you mean, you’re not sure?” I straightened up, wincing as pain shot through my leg. Something in Lana’s expression sent my instincts into high alert. “What happened out there?”
Lana unzipped her coat and hung it by the door, her movements precise and controlled, but I could see the tension in her shoulders. Scout trotted over to his water bowl, seemingly unconcerned now that they were back inside.
“I met someone in the barn,” she said, moving toward me. “A woman named Margret Holloway. She claims she lives in the blue farmhouse with the red barn just over the ridge.”
“And that bothers you because...?” I prompted, watching her closely.
Lana perched on the armchair across from me. “She knew about your leg, Caleb. Called it a ‘hunting accident.’ She said she was going to take care of Jake’s animals, in case no one was.” Her fingers twisted together in her lap. “It just felt... off. Like she was fishing for information.”
I absorbed this, my mind immediately mapping potential threats. “Did she say anything else?”
“That she’s known Jake forever. That word gets around when strangers show up.” Lana’s eyes met mine. “She specifically mentioned you as ‘that handsome fellow with the bum leg’ and said to tell you hello, though apparently you two haven’t formally met.”
“That’s... concerning, considering Jake and I are from Manitoba and he only bought the ranch four years or so ago,” I muttered, reaching for my crutches. The movement sent another jolt of pain through my thigh, but I ignored it.
“What are you doing?” Lana asked, half-rising from her chair.
“Getting a look at our surroundings.” I levered myself upright, balancing carefully. “If this Margret person is watching us, I want to know how and from where.”
Lana hovered nearby as I made my way to the window overlooking the backyard. Nothing seemed out of place—just the pristine blanket of snow, disturbed only by Lana and Scout’s footprints when she let him out this morning.
I hobbled to Nora’s bedroom window and scanned the tree line, the driveway, and the distant ridge where the blue farmhouse supposedly stood. Everything looked peaceful. Too peaceful.
I turned to her as I headed to the kitchen. “What did she look like?”
“I… I don’t know. Older, maybe in her late sixties or late fifties. Her hair was silver and hung in a braid over her shoulder. She was dressed like a rancher. Maybe I’m being paranoid,” Lana said, following me. “Small towns talk. She could have heard about us legitimately.”
“Most people’s instincts are good; they just don’t usually listen to them,” I countered, making my way toward the back of the house. “If something felt off to you, there’s probably a reason.”
I reached the kitchen and peered out the window above the sink. The back porch was empty except for—
“What’s that?” I squinted at a small white rectangle sitting on the porch railing.
Lana moved beside me to look. “I don’t know. That wasn’t there when I left.”
“Stay here,” I said, already moving toward the back door.
“Like hell,” she replied, right on my heels.
I didn’t have the energy to argue. Balancing on my good leg, I unlocked the door and pushed it open. The cold air rushed in as I leaned against the doorframe, eyes fixed on the white envelope.
“My name is on it,” I said, spotting the neat block letters: CALEB.
Lana darted past me onto the porch, snatching the envelope before I could protest. She glanced around the yard, then hurried back inside.
“No one’s out there,” she said, closing and locking the door behind her. “At least, no one I could see.”
I lowered myself into a kitchen chair, extending my injured leg with a grimace. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”
She handed me the envelope. It was plain white, unsealed. I slid out a single sheet of paper, unfolded it, and began to read aloud:
“Caleb, I know you don’t know me, but I know about you.
There’s something hidden on Jake’s property that certain people want very badly.
If they find it before we do, Jake will lose everything.
Meet me at the old mill ruins tomorrow at noon.
Come alone. Tell no one else what you’ve found—not even your pretty friend. The walls have ears. —A Friend”
Lana had moved behind me to read over my shoulder. “What the hell does that mean? What’s hidden on Jake’s property?”
“I have no idea,” I said, reading the note again. “But whoever wrote this thinks I’m involved in something I’m not.”
“Or they’re trying to lure you into a trap,” Lana countered, taking the note from my hands to examine it more closely. “This is ridiculous. We should call Ella.”
I shook my head. “And tell her what? That someone’s threatening Jake’s ranch over something we know nothing about? She’s already risking everything to save Nora. We can’t distract her with this.”
“So what do you suggest? Meeting this mysterious ‘friend’ at the mill ruins? You can barely walk!”
I rubbed my jaw, considering our options. “We need more information. Where are these mill ruins? How far from here?”
Lana paced the kitchen, the note still clutched in her hand. “I don’t know. I’ve never been there. Maybe there is a map somewhere in this house.”
“Good thinking.” I gestured toward the living room. “Help me back to the couch first?”
As she slipped under my arm to support my weight, I couldn’t help noticing how naturally we moved together, how easily she adjusted to my awkward gait. “Are you a nurse?’
She laughed. “No, I was an event coordinator for a large company in Toronto.”
“Huh. Could have fooled me,” I said as I plopped down on the couch. I watched as she rummaged through a drawer in a desk that was sitting in the entry hall.
“Found one,” she announced, unfolding a local tourist map. She brought it over and spread it across the coffee table.
We leaned in together, our shoulders touching as we searched for the mill ruins. The contact was distracting, but I forced myself to focus on the task at hand.
“There,” Lana pointed to a small icon about three miles from our location. “Old Wolf Mill Historic Site.”
I studied the surrounding area on the map. The mill sat near the creek that ran through Jake’s property, accessible by a hiking trail that wound through the woods.
“It’s isolated,” I said. “Good place for a private meeting—or an ambush.”
Lana straightened up, crossing her arms. “You’re not seriously considering going.”
“I’m not ruling it out,” I admitted. “If Jake’s ranch is really at risk—”
“From what? Some vague threat in an anonymous note?” She shook her head. “This could be Margret trying to get you alone.”
“Or it could be someone warning us about Margret,” I countered. “Look, I’m not rushing into anything. We have until tomorrow to figure this out.”
Lana’s expression softened slightly. “We?”
“Of course, we.” I met her gaze steadily. “You didn’t think I was going to leave you out of this, did you?”
A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. “The note did say to come alone.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve never been great at following instructions.” I tapped the map thoughtfully. “Besides, with this leg, I might need backup.”
Lana sat beside me on the couch, both of us staring at the map and the cryptic note. Outside, the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows across the snow. Somewhere in the distance, a car engine rumbled to life.
“Someone’s watching us,” Lana said quietly. “I can feel it.”
I nodded, the familiar weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders. “Then we’d better figure out who—and what they want—before noon tomorrow.”
Scout padded over and rested his head on Lana’s knee, as if sensing our unease. She scratched behind his ears absently, her eyes never leaving the note.
“What could possibly be hidden on Jake’s property that would make someone threaten his ranch?” she wondered.
I folded the note carefully and slipped it back into the envelope. “I don’t know. But I think you need to take a walk to that barn—and this time, I’m coming with you.”