Anonymous Page 5

  “Owen,” I say, sounding like I ran ten miles.

  “Hey, Ells. Got a minute?”

  “I have tons. What’s going on?” I pace the room.

  “I spent all day yesterday and all morning searching for clues. I really need to see you. Are you at your parents’ house?”

  “Yes.”

  He breathes a sigh of relief. “Can I come over?”

  “Definitely. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  “On my way.” He hangs up and I hurry downstairs. From the sound of his voice, I don’t know if it’s good news or bad. Either way, I feel like I’m about to find out something I really don’t want to know.

  By the time Owen arrives at my parents’ house, I’ve bitten down pretty much all my fingernails. Rushing out to meet him on the front porch, I hold my breath. There’s a folder in his hand and I can only imagine what’s inside. He’s dressed in jeans, boots, and a blue and white plaid shirt, covered by his favorite brown jacket. He always reminded me of what a cowboy out west might look like. Shivering, I zip up my jacket, but it does nothing to warm me up.

  I nod toward the back yard. “I know it’s chilly, but we’ll have more privacy if we talk out here.”

  Owen nods and follows me to the gazebo in my parents’ garden. It’s winter, so nothing is in bloom, making it look homely and sad. Although, in the spring, it’s magnificent. I sit down on the bench and Owen does the same, only opposite me. I’m anxious to see what’s in the folder, but it scares me more than anything.

  “What do you have there?” I ask him.

  Owen looks into my eyes and sighs before focusing on the folder. “Something you’re not going to like. But I can honestly say it’s a start.”

  He opens the folder and the first thing I see is a picture of Travis Parker, my stalker boyfriend who had to be with me every minute of every day. Clearing his throat, Owen hands me the picture. “That is a current picture of him.”

  My eyes widen at the sight before me. His hair is still bright blonde and he’s standing next to a cherry red Chevy Corvette . . . but he’s gained about a hundred pounds. “Wow, he’s changed. He obviously still likes his sports cars though.”

  Owen nods. “He’s married and has two small children. On Halloween, he was trick-or-treating in New Bern with his family. That’s where he’s lived for the past five years. It’s five and a half hours away from here. Besides, I’m sure you can tell from the photo that he’s not the same guy from the party.”

  “Clearly.” I look down at the next photo and it’s of Tripp Arnold, my ex who’d threatened to commit suicide if I didn’t stay with him. But with some forceful persuasion from Owen, it hadn’t taken long for Tripp to leave me alone. I look down at his picture, and deep in my gut, I don’t feel like it’s him stalking me. He looks basically the same, except now he has a beard. The picture was taken at a fire station and he’s dressed in a fireman’s uniform.

  “I guess he’s a fireman?” I inquire.

  Owen sighs. “Yep. Full time for the city of Hendersonville. He’s getting married in February. On Halloween, he was at the station working.”

  Nodding, I set Tripp’s picture aside and twiddle my fingers. From the look on Owen’s face, I know who’s coming up next. My chest tightens.

  Owen hands me a picture of Bryan Snyder, a guy I’d dated just briefly, but had stayed friends with for years. Was there ever a time I was in love with him? Yes, but timing was never on our side. I think I fell in love with how great we meshed together. His friends had called us mac and cheese. It was silly, but that’s how it’d been. I’d met him at the community college when I was eighteen years old. We had English class together. It hadn’t taken long to realize there was a connection between us. Soon, we started dating, but then I transferred out to culinary school while he moved on to pursue a degree to be a park ranger.

  It hits me that I have no clue if he ever achieved his dream or not.

  In the picture, Bryan is standing in line at a coffee shop, looking down at his phone while he waits. His hair is a little longer on top, and still the same dark blond as before. The jeans he has on aren’t cheap and neither is the gray sweater. He’s obviously taken care of himself over the years. It’s not until I recognize the layout of the shop that my heart stops.

  “Please tell me that’s not Tea Time Café,” I say, meeting Owen’s gaze.

  He glances at the picture and then back to me. “I can’t . . . because it is. You wouldn’t believe what I found out about your friend here.”

  My stomach clenches even more. “Just tell me.” Reaching behind the small stack of papers, he pulls out another photo. This one is of Bryan in a police uniform. “Holy fucking shit. He’s a police officer now?”

  “Yep,” Owen replies, sliding the picture back into the pile. “For the city of Pinecrest.”

  The blood rushes from my face and I know I’m probably ghostly pale. “Every morning before the bakery opens, there’s a cop who always drives by,” I whisper. I close my eyes and I can see the cop car as it slowly moves down the street.

  Owen’s eyes widen. “Seriously?”

  I nod. “Every morning. I never thought anything of it. I guess it made me feel safe. Now I don’t know what to think.”

  “Let me help you with that.” Owen slides a paper from out of his stack and shows it to me. It’s a receipt from Walmart for an Arrow costume. Bryan’s name is on it as the purchaser.

  With a loud gasp, I slap a hand over my mouth. “Oh, my God. It’s him.”

  “I’m pretty sure it is,” Owen confirms. “All he had to do was look at your Facebook to see that you were going to be at my party. One of the problems I’m having is that I can’t trace the phone numbers to him. I need more time.”

  “And what are the other problems?” I ask nervously.

  His jaw clenches. “The main one would be that he’s gone.”

  “What? What do you mean he’s gone?”

  Owen closes the folder and sets it on the bench. “I went to the station to find him and found out from his supervisor that he’s working a case . . . an undercover one. They won’t tell me where he’s at or what case it is. He’s most likely using one of his alias names and that’s definitely not going to work in our favor.”

  Owen has numerous alias’ he’s gone by over the years. My favorite being Jaxon Harding. I’d always thought it sounded rough and intimidating, perfect for his line of work.

  My chest tightens to a level where it becomes uncomfortable, so I stand and walk around. “He could be anywhere, Owen. That doesn’t exactly make me feel warm and fuzzy.”

  Owen stands and squeezes my shoulder. “I know, but at least we have a good idea of who it is. Give me some time and I’ll find him.”

  “What if you get called on another case? I won’t have you here to help me.”

  He turns me around. “I’m not going anywhere. Whatever happens, I won’t take another case until this one gets solved. That way, you’ll feel protected. With me and Jake around, Bryan isn’t going to do anything stupid.”

  I would be lying if I didn’t say I was scared. Now that he’s a police officer, there’s no telling what he can do as far as tampering with evidence. What if he’s friends with some of the higher-ups and they cover for him? It’ll be Owen’s word against his.

  Releasing a heavy sigh, I pull out my phone. “We have to tell Jake.”

  Seven

  Ellie

  Monday is here, and Jake’s plane is about to land. He’s taken the news better than I thought, but I won’t know for sure until he gets home and I see him face to face. Telling him over the phone probably wasn’t the best, but he needed to know. I won’t be withholding any information from him from here on out.

  My phone beeps and my stomach clenches. I hate that every time I get a text, I’m afraid to look at it. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see it’s Jake.

  Jake: Just landed. Be home in 30.

  Me: Can’t wait! Just got back from the gym.


  What I’m most excited about is hearing his good news. Maybe that’s why he’s in better spirits. After taking a shower, I sit down in the living room and peer out the window at the mountains. Snow will soon be coming. It’s one of the things I love about winter time in the mountains.

  The floor vibrates as the garage opens and I hear Jake pull inside. Heart racing, I jump off the couch and open the door. He’s dressed in a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and his snug, dark-gray hooded sweatshirt. I hardly ever see him dressed casually, but he pulls it off just as well as the suits he wears.

  He walks in and kisses me. “Good morning. I was hoping to find you naked on the bed,” he teases.

  I roll my eyes. “I thought about it, but I can’t stop thinking about your surprise. What is it?”

  “Just a sec, cupcake. Let me get in and get settled.” He laughs, bypassing me to the kitchen. He sets his keys and carry on down and grabs a banana from the fruit basket. The smirk on his face is driving me insane.

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I watch him peel the banana and take a few bites. I tap my foot impatiently, and loud enough so he can hear it. “You seem to be taking the news about everything pretty well.”

  His eyes flash with anger, but he closes them and takes a deep breath. “Trust me, Ellie, I’m not. However, I do think that what I’m about to tell you is going to help with that.”

  He finishes his banana and walks over to me, taking my hands in his. “When I was in Arizona, Gary offered me something. Apparently, him and Randy have been discussing some new building plans.” Gary is one of the project managers out there. I’ve heard Jake talk about him on numerous occasions.

  “What is it?” I ask. Jake’s smile widens, and I hold my breath.

  He squeezes my hand. “Gary wants me to be the lead project manager and architect for a new medical facility out in Phoenix. Randy doesn’t want me to take it, but I think it’s for the best. We need to get away.”

  Letting his hands go, I step back. “What does that mean exactly?” It must not be the reaction he’s looking for because his smile fades. My mind is a jumbled mess. If they want him to play such a huge role for a project, that will mean . . .

  Sighing, Jake closes the distance and cups my face. “It means that in two months, Gary wants us to move to Arizona.”

  “Two months? Have you lost your mind? What am I going to do about the bakery?” I flourish my hands about the room. “And our house?” I also don’t want to leave my family. Tears spring to my eyes and he wipes them away.

  “It’s only temporary,” he murmurs, his voice low. “The bakery can stay as it is and we can still keep the house. We’ll be coming back, Ellie.”

  “What am I supposed to do in Arizona while you’re doing your thing?”

  Eyes twinkling, he lets me go so he can reach into his back pocket. He pulls out a folded white envelope and hands it to me. “Open it.”

  It’s already been opened, so I lift the flap and slide the paper out from inside, only it’s not just paper. It’s a check. A mighty large one at that . . . $500,000.00 to be exact. Mouth gaping, I stare at it, completely dumbfounded.

  Jake slips it from my grasp and sets it on the table. “That’s my bonus if we accept, Ellie. We can find us a house in Arizona, and the rest we can use to open up another bakery. Think about the possibilities of making Sweet Sensations a chain.”

  That thought excites me more than anything. It’ll be a lot of work, but if the bakery does well, I could possibly open more places in the United States.

  Jake releases a heavy sigh, drawing me away from my thoughts. “Furthermore, it’ll get us away from here for a while. Hence, your psycho fucktard of an ex can’t stalk you. I know you’ll be happy about that.” That’s a huge relief. “And once Owen finds him, we’ll get a restraining order. If not, I’ll kill him, and we’ll be done with it.”

  I shake my head. “And then you’ll get arrested for murder. That doesn’t help me, especially if we start a family.”

  A sad expression crosses his face and he lowers his head. “You’re right. But with us being in Arizona, it gets us away from it all.”

  “You’re right, it does.”

  His head snaps up, blue eyes looking more hopeful. “Are you saying we can do this?”

  I kiss him hard and jump in his arms. “Yes,” I squeal. “You got me with the whole bakery part. I’m going to miss my family though. My mother’s going to be sad.” Our lips connect again, this time more gently.

  “I know,” he replies from around my lips. Pulling back, he smiles. “But your parents are more than welcome to visit us any time. Two years will fly by fast. And who knows, you might want to stay out there longer.”

  I doubt it, but I’m not about to tell him that. Pinecrest is my home. Arizona will be an adventure, but I want my children close to my roots. That is, if we ever get pregnant.

  “Call your parents and I’ll call Owen. Let’s invite them over for dinner. That way, we can tell them all together.”

  “I’ll make a chocolate cake. Maybe that’ll help smooth things over with my parents.” It’s wishful thinking. My parents aren’t going to like me leaving one bit.

  We get through our grilled chicken and roasted potatoes dinner, and then I bring out the chocolate cake. My parents have a nervous excitement about them, probably thinking I’m pregnant. Owen stares at us curiously because he knows something’s up.

  I cut everyone a piece of cake and sit back down. My mother is too giddy to eat it. “So . . . what’s going on?” she asks, bouncing in her seat.

  Jake and I look at each other and he gets up to stand behind my chair, hands resting on my shoulders. He squeezes them reassuringly. “Ellie and I have decided we’re moving to Arizona . . . temporarily.”

  My father’s fork stops at his mouth and the cake falls onto his plate. My mother gapes at us and then bursts out laughing. “Seriously, what’s going on? Are you pregnant?”

  Eyes burning, I shake my head. “We’re moving, Mom. Jake’s been offered an amazing opportunity, and I’m going to open another bakery. It’ll be good for us to get away.”

  “What about starting a family? I won’t be there with you.”

  This is what I knew would break her heart, and mine. Tears fall down my face. “I’ll find a house with lots of space. You and dad can stay with us whenever you want.”

  Owen isn’t even looking at us when I peer over at him. He fiddles with his cake and pushes it out of the way. I knew telling them was going to be hard, but I didn’t expect it to rip my heart wide open.

  My parents look at each other and my father places a hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be fine. We can visit them as much as you want. I have a ton of vacation time with work.” This seems to appease my mom.

  She turns her stare to me. “You’re going to be sick of me when you have a baby. I’m not letting my grandchild go months without seeing me.”

  I slide out from my chair and hug her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. The two years will go by fast. Besides, it’s a new adventure for me and my bakery.”

  Her arms wrap tightly around me. “I know, sweetheart. And I can help you in any way I can.”

  I laugh through my tears. “I’m starting to think I’ll see you more when I move.”

  Owen still hasn’t said anything, but I have a feeling he’s going to save it until my parents leave. And I was right. The second they walk out the door, he shakes his head. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glares at Jake. He used to not look so intimidating in college. It wasn’t until he started police training that he bulked up. Jake’s right there with him though. Sometimes I think they try to outdo the other. But I guess that’s a guy thing.

  “Say it,” Jake commands. “I know there’s something you want to say.”

  Owen huffs. “You know if you move, I won’t be there to help you if you need me.”

  Jake sighs. “That’s why I’m hoping you’ll find Snyder and nail his ass. We can get a restraining order agai
nst him. If he tries to contact Ellie, or if he shows up in Arizona, I’ll take care of it. I can protect her.”

  Owen shakes his head. “This is the worst timing ever. I don’t even know where Snyder is, and I won’t know until a formal complaint is filed. We have nothing to go on, other than texts, and that he might have been at my party.” Blowing out a heavy sigh, he looks at us and runs a hand through his hair. “His supervisor isn’t going to give up his whereabouts unless we get a warrant out on him.” He pins his lethal gaze on mine. “You are vulnerable right now. He could be anywhere.”

  “But that doesn’t mean he’s going to kidnap or try to kill me. This is Bryan we’re talking about. He would never hurt me.”

  “We don’t know that,” Owen states. “It’s been years since I’ve been around the guy. And you,” he looks at me, “don’t know him that well either. It’s been years since you last spoke to him. Anything could’ve changed during that time.”

  Jake places a hand on his shoulder. “Whatever happens, we’re still moving to Arizona. Ellie and I need to get away. This will be good for us.”

  The muscles in Owen’s jaw clench, but he nods in understanding. He doesn’t agree with it one bit, and I can see his point of view. “Do what you need to do. I’ll support you no matter what.”

  I hug him and his arms tighten around me. “You know we love you and appreciate everything you do for us. I’ll be okay, I promise.”

  “You better be.” He lets me go and points at Jake. “Or I’m kicking your husband’s ass.”

  They both chuckle and hug. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Jake lets out a big sigh as he comes in from walking Owen out. “It didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, but I think it wasn’t so bad.”

  I cover the chocolate cake and set it in the refrigerator. “Seeing my mother cry was the worst for me. I can’t imagine being a mother and having one of my kids move across the country, no matter how old they are.”