Page 189 of Fallen Princess: Shadow Stalker

I make a mental note to reserve Eden for a special night with just her and me. Judging by the look on her face, she loves the idea of couple dates, and I’m pretty sure each of us would be happy to provide that for her.

Chapter 48

I catch sight ofher sitting in the booth by the window as soon as Asher brings us up to the diner’s entrance. Handing him my helmet, he watches me walk through the large glass doors before riding down the road to his appointment.

With a heavy sigh, I turn back to face the diner, knowing I have my own impending meeting to contend with—a prospect I dread.

The guys didn’t feel all that comfortable leaving me alone with her. But Catalina isn’t a threat. I spent eight months with the woman, backpacking through some wild places in Mexico, and spent a further nine years living a rather solitary life in the desert with her.

Other than her questionable tea, she isn’t a danger to me or anyone. She’s just a lonely older woman who might have mixed her job with her private life and combined them, creating a problematic situation and leading to various challenges and negative consequences. Maybe it’s partially my fault that I kept her employed when, technically, I no longer needed the service I originally hired her for.

As I enter the restaurant, my gaze swiftly sweeps across the entire room. I don’t think my paranoia thatheis still out there will ever fade. I have to keep reminding myself that Victor’s dead, and while we’ll never know his real motives for stalking and preying on me, the fact that he’s never going to be my shadow stalker again brings a little comfort.

I walk over to the table and slide straight into the booth opposite Catalina.

“How are you?” I keep my question simple, acknowledging silently that she looks worse for wear.

“Not good, Eden.”

I don’t want to ask, but I know my time is also limited, as Asher will probably be here in the next hour or less to pick me up.

As I’m about to ask Catalina another question, I’m interrupted by the waitress. I order a coffee and revert back to the woman opposite me.

“How’s the new house? Have you taken your sister to see it?” I ask, attempting to lighten the atmosphere between us.

“Eden, I’m in trouble,” Catalina's voice quivers with urgency, her eyes wide with worry.

I’m concerned but I also have too much drama of my own. I mentally struggle to take on someone else's problems.

“What kind of trouble?” I brace myself for more issues to take on even though I really do not need this right now.

“I owe the IRS money. A lot of money,” Catalina blurts out, her tone heavy with dread.

I nod slowly, considering my options. "How much is ‘a lot'?" I inquire, trying to maintain a semblance of calm.

She hesitates.

“I’m going to jail.”

“You’re not going to jail.”

She shakes her head; desperation is evident on her face. “You see, Eden, I always thought by remaining in employment, I’d get the opportunity to pay them slowly. But who is going to hire an old woman so close to retirement?”

“I don’t know, Catalina,” I admit, feeling a pang of exhaustion. “But I’m confused. Don’t you have a savings or retirement fund?”

She worked and lived with me for so long; I never paid attention to her spending, but she was never a heavy spender. What did she do with her paychecks every month?

“When Andy died, his way of handling money died with him. I was never good at it.”

“Why didn’t you ever ask me for help with running your money? I could have had my accountant handle it for you.”

“I never wanted to impose my private matters with you.”

Yet, she’s doing it now.

“How much do you owe?”

“Seventy-five thousand dollars.”

---