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“What’s going on?” Dale barged into her room, breathing heavily, as if he’d run to get there. “Bindi said she thought she heard a scream.”
“The stalker left her another message.” Aaron waved his hand toward the window. Julie watched her stepbrother twitch aside the curtain, but turned her head away at the last second, not able to bear looking at that terrible picture again.
Dale came over and sat on the bed next to Julie. “This guy is some sort of twisted sicko,” he said, resting a comforting arm around her shoulder.
As Dale sat, Aaron stood and went to prowl around the room, looking like a caged jaguar, ready to pounce. An angry caged jaguar. Anger seemed to radiate off him in waves. He was pissed off that this man had managed to get past him again.
“Don’t let this shithead get to you,” Dale continued gently. “We won’t let him hurt you.”
Julie should’ve been comforted by her stepbrother’s words. Why then did she feel so hollow and inadequate inside?
“We need to get her out of this room,” Aaron said. “And I don’t want anyone touching that…” He waved a hand in the direction of the window. “We need to preserve the scene until we can get the police to come out and take a look.”
“I’ll go and phone Nash,” Dale said helpfully, getting to his feet. “Then I’ll post a guard outside so no-one tampers with the evidence.”
“Great, thank you,” Aaron agreed. He walked over and offered Julie his hand, helping her to her feet, and she suddenly remembered she was still wearing her pajamas. A little set of purple cotton shorts and a tank top. Comfortable to sleep in, but she noticed Aaron’s gaze rest a tad too long on the skimpy outfit. She needed to get dressed. And get away from that horrible picture.
“Grab some clothes and bring them with you,” Aaron directed. “You can get dressed in the lounge.” She pulled her hand out of his and stared up at him. “I promise, I won’t look,” he added, seeing her glare.
Dale was already halfway out of the room. “Should I tell everyone about this?” he asked, poking his head back around the door. “I mean, should I let the staff know?”
Aaron deliberated for a second, then nodded. “Yes, everyone needs to be on high alert. This person is playing with us. Almost as if it’s a game for him. And this shows they definitely have access to the property.” Aaron’s face was grim, and Julie wondered what this meant for her. Would he try and get her to move to a more secure location this time? Perhaps she might even agree to leave the lodge now. If not to protect herself, then to protect her family.
Ten minutes later, she sat on the sofa, nursing a mug of coffee Skylar had brought to her. Breakfast was being served in the great room right now. They couldn’t very well keep the guests cooped up in their accommodation forever. Aaron had said that Julie shouldn’t attend breakfast this morning, and for once, she agreed with him.
Aaron had indeed done as he promised and kept his back turned while she got changed. It’d been an odd, awkward few moments, as she stood naked in the corner of the room, her back also to Aaron, but with a strange desire to walk over and plant herself in front of him, show him exactly what he’d been missing all this time. To see his eyes widen with…what? Panic? Lust? Regret? All of those emotions would make her feel vindicated.
Aaron also sipped on a coffee, but he stood over by his desk, one butt cheek perched on the edge as he considered her. He’d already been out to inspect the scene outside her window, but he was keeping tight-lipped about it.
“I’ve been thinking,” Aaron said, breaking the tense silence.
“Mmm,” she replied noncommittally, a little afraid of what he was going to say. She knew the picture on her window was bad. Knew it meant this crazy man was escalating, getting closer. And knew it might also force Aaron’s hand. It might oblige him to take this protection thing to the next level. She didn’t want to leave the station. But she was starting to think she might have to.
“I think we should go on the muster.”
“What?” She sat up straighter in her seat. “Really?”
“Yes,” he mused, rubbing his thumb over the stubble on his chin. “Dale and Wazza, and even your father, are going. And you’re right, I don’t think this stalker will be able to blend in as well with a bunch of rough and tough, cattle mustering, bronco riders. We might even be able to enlist some of them to help in your protection detail.”
“Woohoo!” Julie jumped out of her seat. Her day was suddenly looking much brighter. Without overthinking it, she ran over and put her arms around his neck, surprising him with a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”
He turned his enigmatic gaze on her, one blue eye and one brown, both regarding her with a veiled expression, and she suddenly wished she hadn’t followed her first impulse and kissed him. Because now she was standing way too close, arms still around his neck as he studied her with an air of predatory grace.
