Chapter 19

Michael

I was glad Sandra had the forethought to rent an SUV upon our arrival. There was a threat of snow for Saturday and I knew how rough it could get there. In my mind, it was late when the plane landed, even though the time difference gave us an added two hours of daylight. We ate fast food for dinner—something I rarely did—and it was delicious. We were both exhausted by the time we made it to Natalia’s lodge and barely had time to unpack our meager belongings before we went off to our separate rooms to sleep.

I stayed awake for a little while, my mind buzzing with what was about to happen. Natalia’s liquor cabinet was stocked and I sat down in the dark living room, staring at the unlit fireplace while sipping on a twenty-one-year-old scotch. Everything was going to work out perfectly. Demetri had given me enough time to get out before I had the chance at having someone point the finger at me for being involved with Sal Rossi before he died.

I drank two more scotches before my mind went numb and I was able to finally relax and fall into a dreamless sleep.

Overnight, the snow had fallen several inches, coating the trees and land with a thick layer of white. I hoped we wouldn’t have any trouble getting to town in that weather. I needed to secure our alibi and get necessities for Rainey. I always had a bag packed and ready for these particular situations.

I passed her room on the way to the stairs to the first floor. The door was open and her bed was made.

The first and second floors melded into one, separated only by a flight of stairs. The open floor plan with giant windows making up the wall facing the back of the property made the house appear larger than its three-thousand square footage. The living room was the biggest room in the house. The fireplace was almost as wide as the leather couch in front of it. Natalia still had her commissioned life-size portrait hanging over the mantel.

I had to remember to tease her about that. Though she wouldn’t be bothered. She had a healthy appreciation for her body since she worked hard to stay in shape. The portrait of her sprawled over an antique sofa half-naked watched me as I descended the stairs. She’d changed the decoration of the lodge since I stayed last, assuming a more modern twist with contrasting colors instead of the wood panels and darker feel when she first bought the home.

In the kitchen, Rainey was trying to work the coffee machine. I watched her for a second, amused at her frustration. Her hair was pulled back and she wore the same clothes she came into work with the day before.

“Do you need some help?” I asked, not wanting to seem like a creep if she caught me.

She jumped and looked over her shoulder at me. “Mine is the pot kind. I’m not sure how to use this fancy one-cup one.”

I went to her side and pulled a small drawer out from beneath the coffee maker. Several different types of coffee pods looked up at us.

“Wow, I feel like an idiot.”

I turned, our bodies were nearly touching. “Sometimes fancy equals simple.”

“Speaking of fancy,” she said. “This house is really nice. Whose is it again?”

“Just an old friend that I grew up with.”

She finished brewing her coffee and moved aside.

I made myself a cup and noticed her looking at me from the side. I didn’t want to get into the specifics of Natalia’s and my relationship with Rainey. This was our time together and I wasn’t going to let another woman into it.

“We need to head to town this morning,” I said. “We can pick up some essentials for you and I’m going to meet with the client.”

“The client is here?” she asked.

“Yes, he flew in this morning. He heard of a competing offer. Which is why we came in a hurry.”

Her eyebrows furrowed and I hoped she wouldn’t continue asking questions. “Shouldn’t I come with you?”

Damn it! I walked right into that one. “I don’t think that is necessary.” I needed to provide an alibi for us, not show Rainey that I completely lied to her about the reason for coming here.

“Isn’t that the whole idea of me coming?”

I cleared my throat. “Not the whole idea. I did want to continue working on the charity project with you.”

She licked her lips and shut down for a minute.

I had to say something to ease her mind. “Listen, this client is a bit of a sexist. He only likes working with men.”

“What?”

“I know, it’s a bit archaic, but he’s an older businessman. If I take you, I’m afraid he’ll say something to offend you. Then I will probably have to defend your honor and lose a client for my business.”

She smiled and I knew I had her.

“We wouldn’t want that.”

“No, we wouldn’t. Thanks for understanding.”

Getting down the driveway was almost like driving a sled with terrible steering. The main road was plowed but still slippery. It was a good thing I’d honed my driving skills up in Bar Harbor or we might have been in trouble.

“This place is really beautiful,” Rainey said, looking out the window.

A forest of trees filled either side of the road for miles. I remembered when I found this place for Natalia, she wanted seclusion yet a quick ride into town for supplies or to interact with the locals. The town was a central location off the main stretch of highway, so it found much more traffic than most small towns. The area had been built up over the years, making the value of Natalia’s lodge skyrocket. That’s what she got for having me finding her prime real estate.