Falling For You (Sapphire Bay Book 1) Read online

  Caleb handed Natalie a wine glass. “I hope you don’t mind the snooping we did to find out who you are.”

  “It happens all the time. That’s why I don’t have any personal social media accounts. Would you like a glass of wine?”

  She filled Caleb’s glass, then looked for Gabe’s.

  “Not for me.” Gabe cleared his throat. Now was as good a time as any to tell Caleb and Natalie the other reason they were here. “I need to tell you both something.”

  Caleb groaned. “You’re putting us in your book, aren’t you?”

  “I wish it were that simple. A few days ago, I told Natalie that someone has been stalking me. I moved to Sapphire Bay, hoping he would lose interest and go away. He hasn’t.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Caleb asked. “I might have been able to help.”

  “The police are doing all they can. What Natalie doesn’t know is that a couple of days ago the stalker recreated a murder scene from my first book. No one was hurt, but the police are worried the stalker will eventually kill someone.”

  Natalie sat on the edge of a chair. “Are the police any closer to knowing who he is?”

  “Not yet.”

  Caleb frowned. “Why would he recreate a murder scene from your book?”

  “I’ve got no idea. Maybe he’s living his life through my characters. If the police don’t find any new leads, I’m hiring a bodyguard.”

  “I know some people who might be able to help,” Caleb muttered.

  Gabe’s eyes widened. “You do?”

  “I work with people who use high-level personal protection services. If the police aren’t able to find the stalker, let me know. I’ll call a company I’ve worked with in the past.”

  Natalie sighed. “I thought my life was complicated. Can I do anything to help?”

  Gabe shook his head. “Just be careful. I don’t know what the stalker knows about my life but, if he finds me here, you may not be safe.”

  “I can’t believe anyone would get so involved in a story.”

  “It happens more than you think,” Gabe said. “I worked on a lot of cases that involved copycat murders while I was a detective.”

  Caleb studied the camera that was mounted under the veranda’s roof. “Is that why you installed a security system?”

  “Partly,” Natalie replied. “Sapphire Bay isn’t the sleepy little town I remembered. It’s changed. Without the extra security, the cottage was too vulnerable.”

  Gabe checked the meat. “The sausages and steaks are almost cooked. Is everyone ready for dinner?”

  Natalie searched Gabe’s face. “I don’t know how you stay so positive. If someone were looking for me, I’d be stressed beyond belief.”

  “It’s been going on for a while.” Gabe used a fork to move the meat onto a plate. “I thought the police would have found the stalker by now.”

  “Maybe that’s where we can help,” Natalie said.

  Gabe slid the plate of meat onto the table. “What do you mean?”

  “You told me that Caleb works with computers. The three of us have different careers, but we have two important things in common. We’re creative and we think logically.” Natalie looked at Caleb. “What do you do when you can’t find an answer to a problem?”

  “I make lists and brainstorm.” Caleb snapped his fingers. “We need a timeline. We can compare what he’s doing now with what happened during the first couple of months.”

  Gabe frowned. “The police have already done that. I’ll send you a copy.”

  Natalie took the plastic wrap off the salad. “Have they linked what’s happened in real life with your books?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “We could do that. If the stalker is following what happens in your stories, we might be able to anticipate his next move.”

  Gabe ran his hand around the back of his neck. “Are you sure you want to get involved? I told you about the stalker because I want you to be careful.”

  Caleb stuck his hands on his hips. “It doesn’t matter whether you want us to get involved or not. The reality is that we’re already involved. If the police haven’t found the stalker by now, something’s not right.”

  “It wouldn’t hurt to create a new timeline,” Natalie added. “If we find any similarities we could share the information with the police.”

  “Are you sure you’ve got the time? We’re all working with tight time frames.”

  Caleb looked at Natalie. “I can volunteer a few hours of coding time.”

  “I can’t code anything,” Natalie replied. “But I’m a quick reader. I could start listing all the things that happen in the books.”

  Gabe sighed. “I wish I’d brought some paperback copies with me.”

  “We could download the novels,” Caleb suggested. “Ebooks are just as good as paperbacks.”

  Natalie jumped to her feet. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Don’t eat all the sausages.”

  Chapter 6

  Natalie placed a brown cardboard box on the table. “You aren’t the only ones who did a little snooping. These arrived a few days ago.” She took four copies of each of Gabe’s books out of the box. “I bought one copy for me, one for mom, and the other two for friends.” She handed Caleb and Gabe a copy of each book. “I was hoping Gabe would sign them, but this is more important. We can use them to work out what your stalker might do next.”

  Caleb looked at the cover of Taken, then stared at Gabe. “You wrote this?”

  Gabe nodded. “My last name isn’t Langley. It’s Lanigan.”

  “This book has been on the New York Times bestseller list for weeks. I read it in one night and bought the second book the next day.”

  “Don’t give anything away,” Natalie said quickly. “I’m only up to chapter five.”

  “You’ll know a lot more about Zac Connelly in the next few days,” Caleb’s face was alive with excitement. “Wait until you get to the end. You won’t believe what happens.”

  She picked up her copy and held it close to her chest. “Don’t say another word. I’ll read it tonight.”

  Gabe looked at Natalie, then Caleb. “You know this isn’t a game, don’t you? The stalker isn’t a fictional character I created to make my life interesting. He’s a real, live, human with serious mental health issues.”

  The excitement on Caleb’s face disappeared. “We know. That’s why we want to help.” He pulled a notebook out of his jacket pocket. “And to start the ball rolling, I’ll design a template we can use for our timeline. I should be able to come up with a simple algorithm that compares your stories with what’s happened in real life.”

  Natalie watched Caleb write something in the notebook. “Do you always carry a pen and paper with you?”

  “I never know when inspiration will hit. Computer code waits for no man.”

  Natalie didn’t know if that was a techie joke or if he were being serious. When he didn’t smile, she assumed he was serious.

  Caleb clicked the button on the top of his pen. “We’ll need columns for what happened, where it happened, when it took place, and who was involved. Do you want to document the character’s motivation?”

  Gabe wiped his fingers on a paper napkin. “I’ve got a lot of that information already. I’ll email you my plot outline and print two copies of the police report. We’ll need to include some of the columns the police used. I’ll be back soon.”

  While Gabe was gone, Natalie scratched Sherlock’s head. It amazed her how quickly they’d moved from talking about their dinner to designing a template that could predict the stalker’s next move.

  Caleb watched her. “Are you worried about what could happen if the stalker comes here?”

  “I’m hoping the police will catch him before that happens. It’s just as well Gabe has Sherlock. This big guy isn’t going to let anything happen to him.”

  Sherlock licked her hand.

  “Are you enjoying living here?” Caleb asked.

  “It’s
different than what I thought it would be like. Nine years ago, there were a lot fewer tourists visiting Sapphire Bay. I could walk to town and only see a few vehicles on the road. I went into town yesterday and there was a traffic jam on Main Street.”

  “It doesn’t take long for people to discover how special a place is.”

  “How did you hear about Sapphire Bay?”

  “A friend used to come here to fish. After hearing about how great Flathead Lake was, I decided to see it for myself. I ended up living here for a year before I started a new job in Washington D.C. When my contract ended, I came back and opened my own consultancy company.”

  “You’re not being stalked as well, are you?”

  Caleb shook his head. “Not at the moment.”

  Sherlock’s head swiveled toward the front door.

  Gabe held a folder in his hand. “I didn’t photocopy the entire file, but if there’s anything else you want, let me know.” He handed Natalie and Caleb a copy of the paperwork. “This is what the police came up with.”

  Natalie let her gaze slide down the first sheet of paper. “You weren’t kidding when you said the stalker has been harassing you. This is crazy.” Line after line detailed each incident. It was a wonder Gabe hadn’t left Brooklyn a lot sooner than he had.

  Caleb folded his copy of the report in half and placed it under his notebook. “I’ll work on this tonight. But for now, we’ve got a barbecue to enjoy and a story to dissect.”

  Natalie opened her copy of Taken. She had a feeling it would be a long night.

  “Arms up!”

  Natalie groaned but lifted her arms in front of her.

  Gabe moved fast, stepping into her body like a force four hurricane.

  She deflected his punch, twisted to the right and kicked her foot toward his kneecap.

  He spun away and finally stood still. “You’re learning.”

  Natalie dropped to the ground. Sweat dripped down her face and splattered against her arm. “This isn’t what I imagined when you offered to show me how to defend myself.”

  “You’re on a fast-track program.” Gabe grinned.

  “My mother always said I was an overachiever.” Natalie rolled over and groaned. She’d landed butt first on the ground so many times that she was sure she’d have a permanently bruised bottom. “I thought you might have been a little rusty after leaving the police force.”

  Gabe held out his hand. “It’s like riding a bike. Once you’ve learned how you never forget.”

  She wrapped her hand around his wrist. He pulled her upright, setting her on her feet as if she were as light as a feather.

  For the third day in a row she’d learned two things. One, she was unfit. Two, Gabe’s smile was every bit as lethal as his self-defense moves.

  “When you punch with your right arm, throw your whole shoulder into it. You’ve got more strength in the left-hand side of your body and it leaves you vulnerable.”

  “Yes, sir.” If she could have lifted her incredibly strong left arm, she would have saluted him.

  Gabe stuck his hands on his hips. “Caleb thinks these classes might be too much.”

  “What gave him that idea?” Natalie stretched her arms in front of her. She bit her lip, determined not to groan twice in as many minutes.

  “He saw the way you were hobbling around the dinner table last night.”

  “I’m using muscles I didn’t know I had, that’s all. After I have a hot shower, I’ll feel much better.”

  Gabe didn’t look as though he believed her. “If I’m going too fast, I can slow down.”

  Natalie knelt on the ground and stretched her hamstrings. “You don’t need to do that,” she wheezed. “I’ll be okay.”

  Sherlock ambled across the back yard, sitting beside her as she slowly stretched the other leg.

  “You should keep this.” Gabe shoved his hand under her nose.

  She stared at the small, wooden whistle. “I can’t do that. Your dad made it for you.”

  “If something happens and you need help, Sherlock will find you.”

  “Nothing will happen to me. Between what we’re doing and the police investigation, the stalker doesn’t stand a chance.” She closed Gabe’s hand around the whistle. “Keep it somewhere safe.”

  As soon as their fingers touched, she knew she’d made a mistake. She was attracted to him and it would spoil their friendship.

  Falling for her neighbor was a definite no-no. Especially when that neighbor was hiding from someone with mental health issues.

  She picked up her towel and pulled herself to her feet. “Have you heard from the detective in New York City?”

  “They found some fingerprints on the furniture at the warehouse. The FBI is running them through their database.”

  “Do the police think they belong to the person who staged the murder scene?”

  “They’re keeping an open mind. The building was abandoned and squatters have been using most of the rooms. The police have to be careful not to arrest the wrong person.”

  Natalie wouldn’t have been so forgiving. “Someone has been harassing you for five months. There must be more evidence than a couple of fingerprints.”

  “If there is, no one has said anything to me. He could have done this before.”

  “Why do you keep saying ‘he’? Could the stalker be a woman?”

  Gabe sat on the veranda. “In theory, yes. But statistically, there’s more chance the stalker is a man.”

  Natalie wiped her face on the towel and carefully sat beside him. “We should add that to the spreadsheet,” she groaned.

  After a few changes, Caleb had created a document they could use to compare what had happened in Gabe’s book with the stalker’s activities. They’d just started adding data but, so far, they’d come up with some disturbing similarities.

  She wasn’t sure how Gabe was going to react to her next piece of news. “Mom’s coming to see me this weekend. I told her she can’t tell anyone about your real identity, but not why.”

  Gabe dropped his head to his chest.

  “I know it isn’t the best timing, but mom’s discreet.”

  “I’m more worried about her safety.”

  “I’ll be with her the whole time. Besides, I’m used to disappearing into crowds.”

  Gabe’s eyes narrowed. “There aren’t many crowds in Sapphire Bay.”

  “I’m meeting her in Polson. The Cherry Festival is a huge annual event. There’ll be so many people that no one will know who we are.”

  “I’ll ask Caleb for the name of the security company he told us about. You should have at least one bodyguard with you.”

  Natalie smiled. “Mom and I aren’t immune to the charms of big, muscly men, but we can manage on our own.”

  Gabe didn’t return her smile. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “If anything makes us feel uncomfortable, we’ll come home right away.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “Don’t get a bodyguard.”

  “I bought some chicken at the general store yesterday. Do you want to have lunch with me?”

  Natalie studied his face. “No bodyguard, Gabe.”

  His jaw clenched tight.

  “I mean it.”

  “So do I.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “If you won’t let me hire a bodyguard, you’ll have to take the next best thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Me.”

  “You?”

  “You’re not the only person who can disappear into a crowd. And most importantly, I’ve got a Concealed Weapons Permit.”

  “Carrying a gun doesn’t make anyone safer.”

  “From where I come from it does.” Gabe stood in front of her. “Lunch?”

  “You can’t come with us,” she growled. “If the stalker is in Polson, he’ll recognize you.”

  “The chance of that happening is about a million to one.”

  Natalie sighed. There was no point arguing with him. The stubbor
n tilt of his jaw told her he wouldn’t be changing his mind anytime soon. Her mom was looking forward to going to the festival and so was she.

  Perhaps he was right. There was a slim to zero chance of the stalker being anywhere near them. If he knew Gabe was living in Sapphire Bay, he would have contacted him here, wouldn’t he?

  “Okay. You can come with us.”

  Gabe’s grin didn’t make her feel more confident that they were doing the right thing.

  “Does this mean you’ll have lunch with me, too?”

  Natalie shook her head. “I can’t. I need to paint.”

  “Fair enough. But make sure you eat something.”

  This time Natalie did salute him. “Aye, aye, captain.” She jumped off the edge of the veranda and winced. She was really looking forward to a hot shower. “Mom’s flight arrives in Polson at nine o’clock tomorrow morning. We’re going straight to the festival from the airport.”

  “What time are you leaving the cottage?”

  “Eight o’clock.”

  Gabe nodded. “If I don’t see you tonight, I’ll be waiting beside your truck tomorrow morning.”

  Natalie patted Sherlock’s head. “Enjoy your lunch.” And without hobbling too much, she walked to her side of the cottage. Hopefully, after a good night’s sleep, Gabe would realize he was overreacting and stay in Sapphire Bay.

  Seeing him for a couple of hours each day was bad enough. Spending the whole day with him would be sheer torture.

  Natalie stepped away from the cottage and sighed. Gabe stood beside her truck, looking for all the world like he belonged there. “I thought you might have changed your mind.”

  Gabe grinned. “There was no chance of that. Are you ready to paint the town cherry red?”

  She smiled at his early morning joke. The Cherry Festival could have used his words in their advertising. “You’re in a good mood.”

  “I finished chapter eleven at three o’clock this morning.”

  “Congratulations.” She looked around the yard. “Where’s Sherlock?”

  “Caleb’s looking after him.”

  “For the whole day?”

  Gabe nodded. “Sherlock’s stayed with him before. Is there anything you need me to carry?”