“Take care of my little girl.” Kathleen hugged Gabe, then turned to Natalie. “Don’t do anything foolish. The media can be pure misery. They’ll twist any piece of information they find to make a headline.”

Natalie wrapped her arms around her mom. “I know. I’ll be careful. Thank you for coming to see me.”

“If I didn’t have to go home, I’d stay for longer. If you need somewhere to stay, come to Indianapolis. It’s not Montana, but it has its own charm.” Kathleen linked her arm under her daughter’s. “Call me each day. I want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I will.”

Kathleen led her toward Caleb’s truck. They’d decided it would be safer if he took her mom to the airport. “Gabe is a nice man,” her mom whispered. “Don’t discount him just because he’s a writer.”

“What’s wrong with writers?” Natalie whispered back. She couldn’t wait to hear why her mom thought she should be wary of him.

“Your dad wrote articles for magazines and you know how that ended.”

Natalie bit her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling. “Dad had other issues. Gabe’s not like him.”

Kathleen glanced over her shoulder at the man in question. “No, he’s not. He likes you.”

“He thinks I’m stubborn.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a person who knows their own mind.”

“I hope you haven’t discussed any of this with Gabe?” Natalie opened the door of Caleb’s truck.

“Of course not. But let me know if I need to plan a wedding. I still know a few people in Polson and Sapphire Bay.”

Natalie sighed. Her mom never missed an opportunity to tell her how much she was looking forward to her wedding and holding her first grandbaby. “It’s not going to happen, mom.”

Kathleen hugged her. “We’ll see. I’ll call you when I arrive home.”

“That would be great.”

Kathleen sent Gabe another wave before sliding into the truck.

Caleb leaned forward. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“Drive safely.” As the truck disappeared down the gravel driveway, Natalie sighed.

“She’ll be okay.”

She turned to Gabe. “I hope so.” The warmth in his eyes made her breath catch. “Oh, no. You heard what mom said, didn’t you?”

Gabe’s smile widened. “Most of it. What happened to your dad?”

“He ran off with the editor of the magazine he was writing for. They’re happily married and living in Arizona.”

“How often do you see him?”

“Once or twice a year. Apart from that, we call each other at Christmas and for our birthdays, but that’s about it.” Natalie pushed away the sadness that settled in her heart. “Everything seemed normal until one day, dad told us he was leaving. Mom fell apart. That’s when we moved into the cottage.”

“It must have been a difficult time for everyone.”

Natalie nodded. “It was, but we’re okay now.” She looked away from Gabe’s steady gaze. Her father’s betrayal had hurt more than she’d told anyone. And after her first real relationship ended the same way as her parents’ marriage, she’d never dared to let someone close again.

Gabe stuck his hand in his pocket. “I know you said you don’t want this, but I’d like you to borrow it.” He placed his dad’s small wooden whistle in the palm of her hand. “Caleb’s nearest neighbor is five miles away and the cell phone coverage is hopeless. If anything happens, Sherlock might be able to find you.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be okay.” Gabe called Sherlock to him. “While Caleb’s taking your mom to the airport, I’ll show you where he keeps his satellite phone and how to use it. If you need to call anyone, that’s your safest bet.”

Natalie slipped the whistle into her pocket. “Thank you.”

“I hope you never have to use it, but if you do, we’ll do our best to find you.”

She followed Gabe inside. For all her adult life, she’d never relied on anyone. She was smart, independent, and able to look after herself. Accepting help was as foreign to her as eating fried grasshoppers. But relying on Gabe and Caleb was the only thing that would get her through the next few days. Or maybe weeks. And for some reason, instead of feeling trapped and powerless, it gave her more strength than she’d felt in a long time.

Three days later, Gabe saved the scene he was writing and rubbed his eyes. Caleb’s home was growing on him. With its sprawling downstairs living area, there was more than enough room for everyone to live together and not trip over each other’s feet.

“There you are.” Natalie stood in the doorway, her gaze skimming across the changes he’d made to the formal dining room. “This looks good.”

“It’s only minor changes, but it makes a difference.” With Caleb’s help, he’d attached his storyboard to one wall and pushed the table underneath. A bookcase had been converted into temporary shelves. Multicolored folders held his research notes, photos, and other information that went into making his stories as authentic as possible.

The most important addition was an old blue blanket. Each day, Sherlock curled himself into a ball and happily snoozed while Gabe wrote.

“You were up late last night.”

Gabe shrugged. “The story was flowing, so I thought I might as well keep going. Are you happy with the progress you’re making on your painting?”

A slow smiled worked its way across Natalie’s face. “I don’t know whether it’s the fresh mountain air or having a bigger work area, but I’m farther along than I thought I’d be.”

“That’s good.” Gabe glanced at his work buddy. Sherlock was awake. His nose was still pressed to his paws, but his big brown eyes were looking at Natalie with the adoration of a dog who knew who gave him the most treats.

Natalie knelt on the floor. “Hi, boy. Do you want to go for a walk?”

Sherlock’s ears twitched and his jaw opened into a gigantic yawn. Within seconds he was on his feet, stretching his front paws in front of him like a yoga master.

“Is Caleb going with you?” Gabe asked. Natalie knew how isolated they were. There was no way he’d let her go anywhere on her own.

She nodded. “I’ve been painting for the last four hours and Caleb has been busy in his office. He thought a walk would clear our heads.”

Gabe looked at his storyboard. The next scene would take a long time to write. If he didn’t have a break now, he’d still be here at dinner time. “Do you want some more company?”

“Sure. I’ll pack another bottle of water and a muffin. We’ll meet you at the front door in a few minutes.”

While Sherlock happily trotted after Natalie, Gabe closed the folders on his desk. He absently rubbed his leg as he walked upstairs to find his hiking boots. He should set the alarm on his watch for when he needed to move. Sitting at his makeshift desk for so long was asking for trouble.

When he stepped onto the landing, Caleb was about to go downstairs. “I’m coming with you. I just need to change my shoes.”

“Something’s come up. You need to see the email Fletcher Security sent me.”

Gabe’s whole body tensed. “What does it say?”

“They know the stalker’s name.”

They quickly moved downstairs. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with relief, Gabe was stunned at how long it had taken to get this far.

“Fletcher Security have contacted the police. I wouldn’t be surprised if the detectives involved in your case contact us within the next few hours.”

“Does anyone know where the stalker lives?”

“Not yet, but Fletcher Security are working on it.” Caleb strode into the living room.

As Gabe passed the kitchen, Natalie walked into the entranceway. She looked at him and frowned. “What’s happened?”

“Fletcher Security has identified the stalker.”

She stopped pulling her backpack onto her shoulders.

“Caleb’s showing me their email. Do you want to see it?”

With a quick nod, she followed him into the living room.

Caleb’s laptop sat on the table. “I connected all my devices to the satellite phone. It makes it easier to download information.” He pulled out a chair and started typing on his keyboard. “The email was sent an hour ago.” He moved out of his seat.

Gabe held the chair out for Natalie, then read the email over her shoulder. “I’ve never heard of Leith Chapman.”

“Your friend in the NYPD would have.” Caleb pointed to the screen. “When you’ve finished the email, open the attachment.”

Natalie looked up at Gabe.

He nodded and she clicked on the file. The document listed Leith Chapman’s convictions from the last seven years. “He’s been busy.” Burglary and aggravated assault charges slotted between two prison sentences. “Are Fletcher Security sure he’s the stalker?”

“The fingerprints at the cottage match a set that was found at the warehouse.”

Natalie scrolled to the next page.

Chapman’s photo stared back at them. He had the sort of face you could easily forget. Blue eyes, dirty blond hair to his shoulders, and a mouth that didn’t look as though it smiled often. No standout features that stuck in your mind, nothing to make you think he was trouble.

“He’s from Staten Island,” Natalie said. “Isn’t that where Zac Connelly was born?”

Gabe nodded.

Caleb pulled their spreadsheet off a shelf. “That’s not the only similarity between the hero of your books and Chapman. They both served in the military. But unlike Zac, Chapman was dishonorably discharged.”

Natalie moved to the next page and read Chapman’s family history. “How did Fletcher Security find all this information?”

“It’s better not to ask,” Caleb muttered. He pointed to the spreadsheet. “I’ve added more information to what we’ve already collected. Chapman spent fifteen years in the foster care system. When he was eighteen, he enlisted with the Army. Five years later he was discharged and not long after that was arrested for burglary. Not much was stolen, but it was enough to send him to prison for a year. His life went downhill after that.”

Gabe frowned. “He was released from his second prison sentence two years ago.”

“Fletcher Security don’t know what he did after that. They couldn’t find his current address, but they did track down his stepbrother. I’m assuming the NYPD will try and find him. Open the second email.”

Natalie closed the attachment and frowned at the screen. “Which one?”

Caleb pointed to an email below the one they’d seen. “It was just as well Gabe told his agent to send any messages to me.”

Gabe moved closer. He’d spent enough time with Caleb to know when life was about to go from bad to worse.

As soon as Natalie opened the email, a picture of her appeared on the screen.

She looked at Gabe. “Why did you send your literary agent a photo of me?”

“I didn’t.” He glanced at Caleb.

“Chapman sent it yesterday.”

Gabe barely managed to hold back a curse. Chapman was getting closer. If they didn’t find him, what he did next would only lead to disaster.

He leaned over Natalie’s shoulder and took a closer look at the photo. “That’s at the Cherry Festival.”

Natalie’s face was white. “The photo was taken when we first arrived. I’m not wearing the earrings mom bought me.”

“He must have followed us to the festival, then driven back to Sapphire Bay.” Gabe looked at their spreadsheet. “It was a good opportunity to break into the cottage. With both of us at the festival, he must have thought he’d have more time to cause havoc.”

“He forgot about the security system,” Natalie said. “If he was watching the cottage, he would have known I had one installed.”

Caleb shook his head. “Not necessarily. Sapphire Bay is a small town. He would have to keep a reasonable distance away in case some of the locals saw him.”

“He made a mistake.” Natalie’s softly spoken words made Gabe frown.

She moved away from the table and looked through the living room window. “What if he finds us?”

Gabe took a deep breath and tried to think logically. But logic had nothing to do with his pounding heart or wanting to wrap Natalie in his arms and tell her everything would be all right.

Instead of doing any of that, he stood beside her, trying to at least offer her the reassurance of who he was. “I wish I could tell you everything will be okay, but I can’t. The only thing I can promise is that I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe.”

Caleb closed his laptop. “If it’s any consolation, I’ve got my trusty Glock.”

Natalie’s eyes widened. “You own a gun?”

“I live in a house in the middle of the forest. If someone broke in, a bow and arrow wouldn’t have the same effect.”

She lifted the edge of Gabe’s jacket.

He knew what she was looking for, and he knew how she felt about guns.

“You brought it with you.” It was said as a statement of fact, devoid of the emotion he could see in her eyes.

“I was a detective. I’ll only use it in extreme circumstances.”

Natalie sighed.

“It’s not too late to stay with your mom.” Gabe waited while she thought about what he’d said.

“It wouldn’t do any good. He knows who I am.” Her mouth dropped open. “I need to call mom. If he saw us at the festival, he might have seen her leave. He could easily find her.”

Caleb turned away from the window. “I’ll get the satellite phone.”

Natalie rushed after him.

Gabe didn’t know when this would end, but he hoped it was soon. One way or another, Leith Chapman needed to be found.

Natalie sat on the top stair of the veranda, staring into the sky. It was the kind of night that made her homesick for her family and everything that had gone before.

When she was little, her granddad had told her stories of Greek kings and queens, dolphins, birds, and lightning bolts—myths about the constellations that seemed as real as the world she lived in. She’d always wondered if granddad’s stories had opened the door to her imagination. Instead of words to create magic, she’d used paint and crayons, anything to bring what was in her mind to life.

Five twinkling stars shaped like a big W shone above her. She tried to remember their name. Her granddad’s voice whispered through the trees, telling her about the queen who thought she was more beautiful than anyone else. It was Cassius…no…Cassiopeia. And there, behind the Greek queen, was the Milky Way.

“That’s a happy smile.”

Natalie’s hand flew to her chest. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw who was behind her. “Thank goodness it’s you.”

Gabe stepped onto the veranda with two mugs in his hands. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to give you a fright.”

“It’s okay. I was a million miles away.”

“Would a hot chocolate bring you back to earth?”

“That would be great.” She took one of the mugs and pulled her jacket closer. “Have you finished writing for the night?”

“I have. It’s nearly midnight.”

Natalie’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

“That’s what happens when you have a lot on your mind.”

“Not as much as you.” She cradled the hot mug in her hands. “How do you stay so positive?”

“You mean about Chapman?”

Natalie nodded. “You’ve turned your life upside down to get away from him, but you never seem angry or depressed.”

The stair creaked as Gabe sat beside her. “I’m just as worried as you are. The only difference between us is that I’ve learned how to hide what I’m feeling. And in case you’re wondering if that’s a good or bad thing—it’s definitely bad.”

“Does hiding your feelings help you focus on what you need to do?”

Gabe nodded.

“Does it make you think more clearly and react faster to a new situation?”

“Usually.”

“That has to be better than how I’m coping. My brain decided to go on strike this afternoon. It didn’t matter what I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Chapman was outside, waiting for us. After a couple of hours of staring at my canvas, I gave up and spent the next hour in Caleb’s gym.”

“Did it help?”

“You’ll find out tomorrow when we have our next self-defense class. I think I’m getting stronger.” She lifted her arm and flexed her biceps. “It’s hard to see under all these clothes, but my arms are pure muscle.”

Gabe smiled. “I’m impressed.”

“You should be. Each day I practice the moves you showed me. Maybe I could join the Polson PD.”

Gabe shook his head. “I wouldn’t recommend joining any police force. It’s too stressful.”

She sipped her drink. Being a detective must be one of the toughest jobs in the world. “Are you proud of what you did when you were a detective?”

“I arrested a lot of people, but it was like a leaky faucet. As soon as one person was off the streets, someone else took their place. There were days when I wondered if the stress and long hours were worth it.”

“Why didn’t you resign?”

“I wanted to make a difference. Walking away would have meant I was turning my back on the people who needed help.”

“Someone else would have been there for them.”

“Maybe.” Gabe stared into his mug. “When I was in high school, one of the boys in my class was always late. He’d fall asleep and pick fights with anyone who got too close. For some reason, we became friends. One day he never arrived at school. By the third day, I was worried about him. I found out where he lived and went around to make sure he was okay. He wasn’t.” Gabe’s hand trembled as he sipped his drink. “Tony didn’t want to see me, but I stayed there until he came out. His father had beaten him so badly that he could hardly walk.”

Tears welled in Natalie’s eyes. “What did you do?”

“I called dad. He picked us up and took Tony to the hospital. After they’d patched him up, he came home with us and never left.”

“Your mom and dad adopted him?”

“Fostered. Tony’s dad wouldn’t let us adopt him.”

“Where’s Tony now?”

The hint of a smile softened the hard planes of Gabe’s face. “Living in Brooklyn with his wife and son. He became a teacher.”

Fresh tears filled Natalie’s eyes. Tony’s life would have been completely different if Gabe and his parents hadn’t helped him.

She pulled out a tissue and blew her nose. “You made a big difference in his life.”

“He made a bigger difference in mine. I wanted to make sure other people didn’t have to live through what Tony did.”

Natalie looked closely at Gabe. His smile had disappeared. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be all right. How’s your mom?”

“She’s staying with her sister. I told her everything.”

“Was she annoyed we didn’t tell her the full story?”

Natalie sighed. “She was more upset that I didn’t go home with her.”

“I don’t blame her, but now that Chapman knows about you, you’re safer with us.”

Natalie looked at the stars. She thought she’d be safe in Sapphire Bay, but that hadn’t happened. Some days she wondered if she’d ever be safe again. “Why would anyone send you anonymous letters, then recreate the scenes in your book? It doesn’t make sense.”

“I have no idea, but we’re going to find out.” Gabe wrapped his hand around hers.

His firm grip reassured her, anchored her to the here and now instead of what might happen. She took a deep breath and rested her head on his shoulder. “We can’t stay with Caleb forever.”

“We won’t need to. Between Fletcher Security and the two police departments, we should have some news about Chapman soon.”

“We keep telling ourselves that, but nothing is happening.”

“It’s going to be okay.”

The gentle kiss he placed on her forehead made Natalie sigh. After what had happened, she didn’t know if her life would ever be okay again.

Caleb opened a map and pointed to a ridge. “This is Lunar Peak. It’s the highest point on this side of the lake. The trail we’re on leads straight there.”

Natalie leaned across Gabe’s arm to get a better look. “How far away is it?”

“About an hour’s walk to the top, but we aren’t going that far. The cave we’re looking for is about forty minutes away.”

Gabe studied the map. They’d left Caleb’s home five minutes ago. Apart from the sounds of the wildlife and an occasional bark from Sherlock, the forest was deathly silent. He didn’t know how Caleb lived out here. Without the shopping trips into Sapphire Bay and his satellite phone, he was completely cut off from civilization.

Natalie frowned. “Why did you decide to buy a house in the middle of the forest?”

Gabe wondered if she’d added mind reader to her growing list of accomplishments.

Caleb folded the map in half. “I’ve been working on some big projects. My latest contract is more complex than the others I’ve done. I don’t have as many distractions out here.”

“Apart from us. I’m sorry we interrupted you.”

The smile on Caleb’s face was instant. “Don’t worry about it. I’m enjoying having you here. Even for me, my house can be too remote sometimes.” He checked his watch. “We’d better get a move on if we want to be back by lunchtime.”

Natalie slung her backpack over her shoulder. “I’m looking forward to seeing the cave.”

“As long as it’s empty, so am I.” Caleb looked over his shoulder at Gabe. “Do you still have the bear spray?”

Gabe patted his pocket. “In here.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

As they walked through the trees, Gabe kept a careful eye on Natalie. They hadn’t left Caleb’s house to go on a simple hike. It was important they knew what was around the property, where they could go if anything happened.

After studying the map, they’d decided the safest location was the cave Caleb had found four months ago. They’d leave basic supplies inside, hoping they never had to use them.

Natalie held a branch out of Gabe’s way.

“Thanks.”

A smile lit her eyes. “You’re welcome.”

He couldn’t imagine what she was thinking. For someone who’d spent a lot of time painting in Europe, this must seem crazy. She’d come to Montana to find a new kind of normal. Instead of a new life, she’d inherited his problems and a stalker who wouldn’t go away. But for some reason, she was just as determined as he was to find Leith Chapman.

Each day they spent together, the more he appreciated her sense of humor, the way she calmly handled stressful situations, even when he was worried about what was happening. It didn’t take much for him to realize he was falling in love but, right now, he was the last person she needed in her life.

Sherlock trotted ahead, happy to walk beside Natalie. Most mornings, Gabe had to coax him away from the studio Caleb had created. For the first time since Michelle’s death, Sherlock had attached himself to someone other than Gabe. Only time would tell if that was a good thing.

“What’s that?” Natalie stopped and pointed to a pile of branches under a pine tree.

Gabe glanced at Caleb. Someone had made a crude shelter out of fallen branches. From the look on Caleb’s face, he was thinking the same thing as Gabe. Finding the shelter this close to his house was too much of a coincidence.

He held a finger to his lips and looked at Natalie. If someone was inside, he didn’t want them to know they’d seen their hideout.

Caleb kept talking, making a big deal out of retying his bootlaces.

As Gabe took his gun out of its holster, Natalie froze. Her eyes widened and she shook her head. She thought he was overreacting. He wished he was.

With one look, Sherlock changed from happy-go-lucky hiking buddy to police dog. With his ears pricked forward and his eyes firmly on Gabe, he was ready for anything.

Caleb pulled Natalie farther along the track, making more noise than a herd of elephants.

From where he stood, Gabe couldn’t see if anyone was in the shelter. Stepping sideways, he slowly moved forward.

Sherlock stuck like glue to his side.

Taking position behind the trunk of a tree, Gabe took a deep breath, raised his gun and pivoted toward the opening. “It’s empty,” he yelled.

Sherlock’s sharp bark echoed through the trees.

Gabe smiled at the goofy grin on his dog’s face. He knelt down and rubbed Sherlock’s back. “Good boy.” He didn’t know how much Sherlock remembered about his time in the K-9 unit, but something had triggered the joy on his face.

Unlike Sherlock, Natalie didn’t seem happy. She stomped toward him with a frown plastered across her face. “You didn’t need to take out your gun,” she growled. “Someone could have been hurt.”

“Only if they were doing something they shouldn’t.” Gabe used a stick to flick through the trash on the floor of the shelter. “They must have been here for at least a couple of days.”

Caleb’s gaze skimmed over the mess. “Junk food. Could be hunters, but they usually take their trash with them. It’s too far from the road for teenagers.”

“Do you get many people living rough out here?” Gabe asked.

“I’m sure there are, but I haven’t seen them.”

Natalie didn’t say anything. She studied the trees around them, scowling into the deep, dark shadows. “We should keep moving.”

Gabe backed out of the shelter. “You’re right. We’ll mark this on our map and find the cave.”

Sherlock stood patiently beside Natalie, watching what was happening with an intensity that Gabe hadn’t seen in a long time. As soon as they moved away from the shelter, Sherlock visibly relaxed.

Thirty minutes later, they were walking along a rocky ledge, searching for the cave.

Natalie rested against the cliff face. “The view from here is incredible.”

Gabe looked across the rugged landscape. Below them, pine, spruce, and oak trees formed a blanket of green for as far as he could see. A river wound its way through the forest, heading west to Flathead Lake.

Natalie pulled out her phone and started taking photos. She turned to Gabe and grinned. “Smile!”

As soon as she’d taken the photo, he replaced his smile with a frown. “Watch where you’re stepping. The ledge is narrow.”

She looked down at her feet and moved closer to Sherlock. “What would I do without you?”

Gabe’s frown deepened. “You’d be working in your cottage, not worried about a stalker.”

Natalie tilted her head to one side. She stepped toward him, raised her hand and gently cupped his jaw. “But then I wouldn’t have met you or Sherlock.”

Gabe’s heart pounded. There was so much he wanted to say, but he couldn’t find the words. Since Michelle had died, he’d locked his heart away, too scared to let anyone close. Natalie had changed him in ways that even he didn’t understand.

Her hand left his face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. We’d better see where Caleb has gone.”

Gabe reached for her hand. “It’s not what you think. I’m—”

“Found it!” Caleb’s voice cut through the emotion clogging Gabe’s throat.

Without waiting for him, Natalie rushed along the trail, her backpack bouncing against her jacket.

Gabe touched his jaw and tried to remember why a relationship between them wouldn’t work. But all he could think about was the softness of Natalie’s skin and the way his heart was pounding.

Sherlock appeared from farther up the trail.

Gabe adjusted his backpack and kept walking. Regardless of what Natalie thought about him, they were here for a reason. And for now, that reason had absolutely nothing to do with happily ever after.