Murder at Sunrise Lake

“In the military, sometimes men like him are necessary, and they’re called in when everything else fails. We sometimes would see them, like shadows, hunting like wolves, but alone, always silent. Most of the time you didn’t see them, but you felt them. They cleared the way for you when you were pinned down. Or they got you out of a bad situation.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

He hesitated. “In the right circumstances, yes. But ghosts are used for other tasks as well, Stella, outside the military. They usually don’t last long. They die young. They aren’t supposed to last long because they’re trained for one thing. They’re given psychological tests, and when they’re proven to be a fit for what the government is looking for, they’re trained for specific tasks.”

“What you’re saying is they’re used up as fast as the government can use them.”

Denver nodded. “Often, if they do break free, they’re hunted down and killed because they’re considered too big of a risk to be running around loose.”

“You really think Sam is one of these ‘ghosts’?”

She was careful not to look at Sam. He had asked to be paid under the table. What would happen if she told him she wanted him to go legit? Would he walk away? She could ask Raine to investigate him, but then Raine would know she was suspicious of him and would demand a reason, and she didn’t want that. What could she tell her?

Denver sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I think he might be. He’s too good at everything. Too quiet. Too watchful. I don’t even know how to explain it.”

“What about his paperwork, Denver?”

“These guys have a million IDs. They have them stashed everywhere and money to go with them. They can be gone in minutes. If he is a ghost, he would have contacts to get him anywhere he wants to go.”

“Maybe he just wants to be left alone like the rest of us. We moved here because this place represents peace to us, Denver. You said so yourself. All of us deserve a chance to live our lives the way we want to live them. You have a family here. You belong with us. Sam does as well.”

She gestured around the bar to her friends. They were laughing loudly, clinging to one another, happy in their circle on the dance floor. “That’s us. We’ll figure it out together, right? We always have. I’m so sorry your family past has caught up with you and it turned ugly. I swear to you, I know what that’s like. I don’t wish that for you, but it happened. Lean on us. You’ve always been there for us. Let us take care of you. Did you even talk to Bruce about this?”

He put his arm around her. “Babe. Guys don’t do that kind of shit. We don’t need to get all emotional with one another. It’s bad form.”

Stella laughed. “Men are so silly. You can’t even share with Bruce that you’re the last of your family? Did you have cousins? Siblings? Even half siblings? I always wished I had them.”

“Not that I know of.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Anything is possible, but according to the lawyers, no one has suddenly come forward to say they’re related and should get a piece of the pie. It’s a big pie. Millions. Hundreds of millions.”

Stella pulled back, startled, looking into his eyes. “Hundreds of millions?” Suddenly the casual conversation was not so casual. When had the dreams started exactly? The date? Denver fished in that spot. He hunted. He climbed. He was on the Search and Rescue team. What if he was the actual target because he had money? She hated that the thoughts were instantly pushing into her head, but money was a huge motivator. Huge. And hundreds of millions?

“Denver, you have to be careful with that kind of money. Make a will and get it wrapped up in a trust or something. You could be very vulnerable.” She took another drink of her Moscow Mule, this time nearly gulping it. It made sense. An outsider might even pay someone to give them information in order to target Denver. A cousin? Even a distant cousin. The lawyer that read him the will? He knew where Denver was. Her head was swimming. She couldn’t think straight.

“Babe, don’t sound so anxious. No one knows about the money. No one knows where I am, Stella. I swear to you, I’m safe.” Denver caught her chin and turned her face to his. He brushed a kiss to the corner of her mouth and then another to her chin.

Stella wished she felt something. Anything. There was no fire. Denver pulled back and smiled at her, his thumb brushing down her face as if he could erase her expression.