behind split rail fences and some very expensive homes. Slowing down, she turned right onto the driveway hidden in the overgrowth. It was barely visible from the road. If she hadn’t been looking for it, she would never have noticed it.
About twenty yards off the road was an ornate iron gate, woods and bushes on either side. Parked in front was a Black Lexus and a man leaning against it.
Skylar pulled her Miata up behind him and got out.
“You must be Eric’s friend,” the man asked, extending his hand.
“Yes, sir. I’m Skylar.”
“You must mean a lot to him, he really twisted my arm on this one.”
“He’s a good friend.”
The man reached inside his pocket and pulled out what looked like a garage door opener. “This is the remote for the gate.” He aimed it at the gate and pushed a button, and the gate began to slowly swing open. “I’d appreciate it if you kept it closed at all times.”
She accepted the remote from his outstretched hand. “Yes, sir. Of course.”
“Get in your car, and follow me up to the house.” He turned and headed back to his Lexus.
Skylar looked at the gate and the long tree lined drive that curved to the left, disappearing into the woods. What the hell kind of place had Eric made a deal for her to stay in? This seemed like a damned estate, not a house.
She followed him up to the house.
House? Right.
The drive had come up through the woods and approached the back of the residence, passing it on the left. The drive then looped around to the side and ended in a circle in front of the home, complete with a fountain in the center.
Skylar climbed out of her car and looked up at the place. The home was huge. It was built of dark wood and stone work in sort of a Craftsman style that blended in with the rustic wooded setting. Stone steps led up to a large front porch. Skylar followed the owner up and waited while he unlocked the door. Then he turned and handed her a set of keys.
“Here’s your set.”
They stepped inside. He immediately stepped over to a security alarm. “The four digit code is one-four-seven-eight. It forms the letter L when you look at the keypad. The only way you’ll remember it.” He smiled.
“Thanks. That’ll make it easy to remember.”
He showed her how to set it when she was going to bed and how to set it when she left the premises. Then he gave her a tour.
From the entry, there was a living area on the left, complete with a stone fireplace. On the right was a gourmet kitchen and dining room. Dividing the space was a large open staircase straight ahead that led to the second floor. She followed him up, and he showed her the master bedroom that faced the front of the property. It was huge, with a giant four-poster bed and a set of French doors that he showed her led out to a covered porch.
There was a beautiful master bath, and two more bedroom suites in the rear of the second floor.
After making sure she had his number for emergencies, he left, instructing her that she had the place until November 1 st . That gave her a little over six months to put her life back together. She’d need to find a job and another place to move to when she had to give this place up.
She stood on the porch after the owner drove off. The home was on high ground. From the porch, she could see several mountain ridges in varying shades of blue-gray fading into the distance. Birmingham sat on the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain range, and it was quite beautiful. Just beyond some poplar and pine trees she could see a green pasture with horses grazing in the distance.
The house was set so far back from the highway she could just barely make out the sound of a car driving by.
Would she be safe here?
She couldn’t be sure. And then her thoughts returned to Rusty. Although, she hadn’t been in love with him, she had cared about him a great deal. He’d always been good to her. God, she prayed, please forgive him his sins. She hoped he was at peace. She’d
About twenty yards off the road was an ornate iron gate, woods and bushes on either side. Parked in front was a Black Lexus and a man leaning against it.
Skylar pulled her Miata up behind him and got out.
“You must be Eric’s friend,” the man asked, extending his hand.
“Yes, sir. I’m Skylar.”
“You must mean a lot to him, he really twisted my arm on this one.”
“He’s a good friend.”
The man reached inside his pocket and pulled out what looked like a garage door opener. “This is the remote for the gate.” He aimed it at the gate and pushed a button, and the gate began to slowly swing open. “I’d appreciate it if you kept it closed at all times.”
She accepted the remote from his outstretched hand. “Yes, sir. Of course.”
“Get in your car, and follow me up to the house.” He turned and headed back to his Lexus.
Skylar looked at the gate and the long tree lined drive that curved to the left, disappearing into the woods. What the hell kind of place had Eric made a deal for her to stay in? This seemed like a damned estate, not a house.
She followed him up to the house.
House? Right.
The drive had come up through the woods and approached the back of the residence, passing it on the left. The drive then looped around to the side and ended in a circle in front of the home, complete with a fountain in the center.
Skylar climbed out of her car and looked up at the place. The home was huge. It was built of dark wood and stone work in sort of a Craftsman style that blended in with the rustic wooded setting. Stone steps led up to a large front porch. Skylar followed the owner up and waited while he unlocked the door. Then he turned and handed her a set of keys.
“Here’s your set.”
They stepped inside. He immediately stepped over to a security alarm. “The four digit code is one-four-seven-eight. It forms the letter L when you look at the keypad. The only way you’ll remember it.” He smiled.
“Thanks. That’ll make it easy to remember.”
He showed her how to set it when she was going to bed and how to set it when she left the premises. Then he gave her a tour.
From the entry, there was a living area on the left, complete with a stone fireplace. On the right was a gourmet kitchen and dining room. Dividing the space was a large open staircase straight ahead that led to the second floor. She followed him up, and he showed her the master bedroom that faced the front of the property. It was huge, with a giant four-poster bed and a set of French doors that he showed her led out to a covered porch.
There was a beautiful master bath, and two more bedroom suites in the rear of the second floor.
After making sure she had his number for emergencies, he left, instructing her that she had the place until November 1 st . That gave her a little over six months to put her life back together. She’d need to find a job and another place to move to when she had to give this place up.
She stood on the porch after the owner drove off. The home was on high ground. From the porch, she could see several mountain ridges in varying shades of blue-gray fading into the distance. Birmingham sat on the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain range, and it was quite beautiful. Just beyond some poplar and pine trees she could see a green pasture with horses grazing in the distance.
The house was set so far back from the highway she could just barely make out the sound of a car driving by.
Would she be safe here?
She couldn’t be sure. And then her thoughts returned to Rusty. Although, she hadn’t been in love with him, she had cared about him a great deal. He’d always been good to her. God, she prayed, please forgive him his sins. She hoped he was at peace. She’d
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