Damn! One person slipped around the side of the camper toward her Vespa while another person stood at the end of the gravel campsite leading to the main road circling the campground. Biting her lip, she sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, clearing her mind.
Watching the person in the back bend over her Vespa, she opened the specially oiled door without making a sound. Moving in the shadows, she slipped up behind the man, glad he was not overly large. With a quick karate move, she dropped him to the ground before he was aware of her presence. Slipping to the other side of the van, she waited until the lookout turned and approached her vehicle. Coming up behind him, she executed the same maneuver and dropped him as well. Staring down at the two men, she looked around in guilt. What now? What do I do with them now? Suddenly, she sprinted back inside her camper and rummaged through her toolbox. Grabbing the duct tape, she slipped back outside, holding her breath until she saw the two men still lying on the ground.
Bending down, she secured one man's hands behind his back with the tape and, with difficulty, dragged his body under a tree. Thank goodness a wind is blowing through the trees creating a noise camouflage. Within a couple of minutes, she had both unconscious men secured. Heart pounding, she stood for a moment, uncertain of what to do next. If they found me … others will come.
Checking her Vespa, she ascertained they had not placed a bug or monitoring device on it. Letting out her breath, she sighed audibly. Good, they were only snooping. She knew she should not have stayed in the campground for longer than a week or two at the most, but it had been so pleasant to not move, she allowed herself the luxury of staying in one place. How the hell did they find me? Maybe they're just random thieves and not from … Well, it doesn't matter.
Buckling into the driver's seat, she started the engine and pulled out of the campsite slowly, glancing into the side-view mirror, seeing the two slumbering intruders still reclined under the tree. With a grimace, she drove out of the campground, hesitating for a moment as to her next destination.
Time to do it, she vowed. Time to let someone else in!
*
Luke's eyes jerked open from a sound sleep, instantly on alert. None of his security alarms were signaling, but something woke him up. Tossing the covers back, he sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, ears alert, waiting to see if he could discern anything. Nothing.
With over ten thousand dollars worth of computer equipment and programs, he was not willing to go back to sleep without checking first. Slipping a pair of sweatpants over his long legs, he grabbed his gun from his nightstand and stepped into the hall. Hearing nothing, he walked stealthily toward the living room in the front of the house.
Rounding the corner at the end of the hall, he jerked in surprise. The moonlight streaming through the window illuminated the outline of a woman standing in his living room. He kept his gun pointed at the intruder as he flipped the wall switch that turned on the lamp by the sofa, bathing them both in a soft glow. Luke's gaze traveled from the top of her head to her shoes and back again, landing on her eyes.
Long, rich brunette hair, braided and falling across one shoulder. Light brown … no … hazel eyes met and held his stare. At about five feet seven inches, her slim body belied a muscular strength underneath the tight, black t-shirt. Black leggings hugged her athletic frame and tucked into black tennis shoes.
As his gaze lifted to her face once more, he was struck by her beauty. Simple. Unadorned. Beauty. Then his mind came unglued as realization slammed into him. Fuck me! Charlotte Trivett!
She remained statue still except for her gaze, which dropped to the gun in his hand. "I'd appreciate it if you would lower your weapon." Her smooth voice shook with a slight tremor as her chest heaved with each breath.
Keeping his weapon trained on her, he replied, "And I'd appreciate it if you would tell me how the hell you got through my security and into my house."
Her tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip, as she nodded slowly. "I notice you didn't ask who I was or what I was doing here."
"I've been staring at your picture for the past few days, from elementary school to your last driver's license. I must say the DMV photograph doesn't do you justice." He noticed the corners of her mouth lift ever so slightly.
Deciding to plunge in completely, she blurted, "I need help."
Watching the fear flash through her eyes, he lowered his weapon, but did not lay it down. Not yet. I want answers and I damn well better get them. "You're a hard person to find, Charlotte," he admitted.