Pen Pal(28)

“How long has this been recording?” I ask, wondering if it caught the man by the tree on camera.

“About twenty minutes. It just went live. You’ve got enough memory in the system for a week’s worth of imaging, then it will record over itself and erase the old stuff so you’re not paying for extra data storage, which can get pricey.”

So there’s no recording of the yard at the time I saw the figure. I’m disappointed, but there’s nothing to do about it. At least from now on, I’ll be able to see if he pays me another visit, even when I’m not around.

Jake says, “I’ve mounted code entry boxes at the front and back doors, and inside the garage next to the laundry room door. If the system is accidentally tripped while the alarm is armed, you’ve got thirty seconds to disarm it with your code before it automatically notifies us. If you don’t make it in time, tell your password to the operator who calls, and they’ll cancel the alarm.”

His smile is rueful. “And try not to let that happen, because we charge a hundred bucks every time you accidentally set off the alarm.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah, we’re mercenaries.”

“I thought you owned the company?”

“I do.”

“So when you say ‘we,’ you actually mean you.”

He laughs. “You sound like my wife.”

“I bet she’s a highly intelligent woman.”

Grinning, he shakes his head. “Now you sound even more like her.”

“Great minds think alike. Out of curiosity, is there a way to get a notification on my phone if the cameras catch movement?”

“Sure, the app does that if you want me to set it up like that for you. Some folks don’t like it because you’ll get pinged every time a squirrel crosses the lawn or a car drives past the house. Can get annoying.”

“Is there a size setting? Like so maybe it will miss a squirrel but capture a person?”

“No, but I can reduce the field to where the camera will still record everything, but it will only produce an event notice and ping your phone if someone say, walks within five feet of the door.”

This is all sounding a little more complicated than I’d hoped. I picture myself scrambling in panic for my phone every time it buzzes only to find a rodent scampering across the front porch.

“Let’s skip the notifications for now. I can always turn them on later, right?”

“Sure can. All I need from you now is for you to program your passcode into the hub. Then I’ll show you how to use the code box. Then we’re all finished.”

He walks me through the process of inputting my code and demonstrates how the system works, which doesn’t take long. Then he’s packing up and shaking my hand.

Walking him to the front door, I say, “I know I’m not supposed to mention the M word, but you have to let me do something for you, Jake. This was really above and beyond.”

“Don’t worry about it. If you keep what I said about Aidan between us, I’ll consider us even.”

I open the door and stand back to let him by. “I will. And thank you. Really. This means so much to me.”

He pauses to smile down at me. “Hope I see you again, Kayla. It’d be real nice if Aidan had a girl me and the wife could double date with. I know he feels like a third wheel sometimes.”

Surprised to hear that, I say, “Has it been a while since he’s been serious with someone?”

He chuckles in a way that makes me think there’s a long and involved story behind it.

“You could say that. You take care now.”

He ambles down the path to the driveway and climbs into his truck, waving as he revs the engine.

I wave back, go inside, and lock the door, hoping my new alarm system is unnecessary but not entirely believing it.





By the time Aidan returns, it’s dark.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says when I open the door to his knock. “Meeting was a clusterfuck. Almost missed the last ferry.” He glances past me into the foyer. “Okay if I come in?”

“Of course.”

I swing the door wide and step back to let him through it. He walks into the foyer and inspects the security code box on the wall. “Jake do a good job for you?”

Smiling, I close the door. “Jake’s awesome.”

He cuts his gaze to me. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I like him.”

“You say that as if it’s a surprise.”

I shrug. “I’m not a fan of people in general. I take it on a case-by-case basis. But Jake’s a good egg.”

“He is,” he says softly, his eyes shining. “And same here about not being a fan of most people.”

“We should start a club. Introverts United, Seattle chapter. You can be the president.”

“We’re not introverts. We’re misanthropes. Big difference.”

“That reminds me. I’ve been meaning to tell you that I admire your vocabulary.”

Gazing down into my eyes and looking as if he’d like to grab me and gobble me up, he says gruffly, “Yeah? Anything else you admire, little rabbit?”

Hearing that nickname reminds me of our sexy chase around his kitchen table. My whole body turns warm. “I’ll make you a list.”