Page 2 of The Fence Between Us

Rabble did the math in his head. When they’d finished their last military assignments about two years ago, they had wandered some, floating from town to city and back again. The three of them sought similar things, something light, something hopeful to combat the darkness that had become their world.

About eighteen months? Elyza had been settled in Shiloh Hills for eighteen months, and this was the first he’d heard of it. For as long as Rabble had known the twins, Elyza dreamed of opening a bridal boutique, frequently sending them long letters while they were away with her budding plans for a shop. Covered in mud and sweat from head to toe, they’d open the mail to find some soft scrap of lace or satin that all three scowling men would analyze closely. They knew, if they failed to give Elyza their honest opinion, she’d make them pay like all hell. She also expected them to ask the other members of their unit for opinions as well, something the other men never failed to hold over their heads. It was enough to give any man a complex.

Rabble didn’t have that problem though. Any prospect of marriage had flown out the door when he was eighteen. He wasn’t celibate by any means, finding momentary pleasure with women when he felt like it. But the thought of spending his entire life with one person? Yeah, not anymore. At one time, he’d seen a path for himself that looked more like that white picket fence lifestyle, but Rabble left those dreams, the potential for that life in the dust of a Greyhound bus. He'd boarded that bus with a hollowed-out heart and empty pockets. He left the finaltether, along with those wishes and plans behind with a friend he trusted to dispose of the small felt covered box he’d saved so diligently to buy.

Without thought, Rabble took a long drag from his coffee, the hot liquid barely registering on his already burned tongue.

He savored the scorch as he worked to clear his head. What had he been thinking about? Oh, right. Elyza and her bridal boutique.

Rabble counted himself fortunate that Elyza had yet to turn her matchmaking interests to him as she had with her brothers. The number of blind dates Declan and Dash had gone to at the behest of their sister neared the double digits. Each.

“Rab, what’s the deal with this case?” Dash asked, accepting the file his brother passed him and began skimming the details. “Do we need to wrap it up before we leave Grand Rock?”

Rabble gave himself a mental shake and finally felt his bones thaw enough so he could move.Get your head back in the game!

For the next half hour, Declan, Dash, and Rabble demonstrated exactly why they were good at what they did. The security company they’d built together specialized in providing safety solutions for women and children in shitty situations. They secured some government contracts and worked as freelancers at other times. None of them were interested in protecting pop stars from crazed fans or paparazzi, and they didn’t guard the guilty. They prioritized women, children, and innocents who had been dealt a rough hand in life.

They worked together seamlessly. While they each knew all aspects of the company inside and out, the three of them had decided early on to lean on their individual strengths. Declan enjoyed handling the surveillance and protection details, while Dash had a way with technology that baffled Rabble. For his part, Rabble excelled in organization and deployment. He handled the majority of the government contracts and lined upresources for those who needed a fresh start. Alone, they were each skilled. Together, their team was formidable.

The file before them detailed a request for relocation from a young woman in southern California. According to the file, she had married a man straight out of high school, and he was not only abusive, but law enforcement also suspected him to have strong connections to dangerous people. The kind of people who shot first and didn’t bother asking questions.

Declan read the file aloud. “Catherine Elnor, twenty-five, married to Edward Elnor, accountant. Requesting a new identity and relocation. Doesn’t look like she’s looking for an extensive protection detail.”

Dash wearily rubbed his hand down his face. They’d seen this same act play out time and time again, and it usually ended with someone innocent going six feet under.

Rabble frowned. “I’ll see if I can convince her to have at least a limited protection detail. She’s probably going to need it before this is all said and done. I’m working with a lawyer in the area to get her divorce taken care of.” In truth, he was hoping to get that finalized sooner rather than later.

Declan asked the question they all hated, his hazel-green eyes darkening. “So what threat level are we thinking here?”

None of them liked to speculate what type of danger may arise in individual situations. It wouldn’t be the first time a low-threat level had surprised them. Those unique instances never ended well.

“Let’s just err on the side of caution.” Rabble slid them each another folder, this one containing the same information as the original but with additional documentation on the soon-to-be ex-husband and his associates. He waited and said nothing while they reviewed the forms he’d provided, Dash absently tugging on his long hair at the nape of his neck.

“Dec, if you could pick her up from the airport and bring her up to speed on the new identity? Dash, can you get accommodations set up for her and prep for the works on security? We haven’t spoken specifically what kind of security she’d like at her new place, so we need to nail that down. Thanks, guys. I pretty much bet she’ll turn down full-time protection, so let’s just make sure we cover all the corners.”

Rabble had a feeling Catherine Elnor just wanted to get away from the life she’d found herself trapped in. She wanted a fresh start, and he understood that, but the past had a way of sneaking back in when you least wanted it to. Refusing to fail her, Rabble would do his best to make sure she was prepared when that time came.

“I’ve got an idea, Rab, but you may not like it.” Declan tapped his pen against the table, finalizing the plan in his head before speaking again. “What about Shiloh Hills?”

Dash looked curiously at his brother, not noticing Rabble choking on his fourth cup of coffee.

“Think about it.” Declan held up his hand and ticked points off his fingers as he counted. “One, we’re leaving for Shiloh Hills sooner rather than later. We’ll be there during the first week or so, and it wouldn’t hurt for us to stay a little longer. Two, Elyza could use the help at her shop, and, three, Dash can check with Elyza about a rental in her neighborhood.”

Declan was right. Rabble didn’t like the idea, but he couldn’t see a fault in his friend’s logic. Knowing the twins, they must have researched the neighborhood where their sister planned to buy a house, ensuring its safety. Hell, they probably knew more about Shiloh Hills now than Rabble did. That Shiloh Hills was barely a blip on the map also helped their case. The town was hardly a well-known destination. Damn. He searched for a bright side, and found the only one he could think of. Even if he returned to Shiloh Hills, for the brief duration of theIndependence Day holiday, Skye was long gone, having left for bigger and better things long ago.

Rabble sighed and ran a hand through his dark, tousled hair, an errant curl scratching his ear. “Let’s do it. We’ll move her out in the next few days and connect in Shiloh Hills.”

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Chapter 2

Skye

Skye and her fellow teachers stood in front of the school building on sweltering asphalt and waved as the final long yellow bus pulled out of the parking lot, taking with it the last of the summer students. She never minded working a few extra weeks after the official school year ended, enjoying the chance to explore fun activities that doubled as learning opportunities.

Though she loved her job and the kids, Skye couldn’t deny that she looked forward to spending long hours lounging in the striped canvas hammock in her small backyard. She had spent several months creating a mini oasis behind the tall wooden fence that enclosed the space, placing sparkling pavers and short solar lights along the path from her back door to the two shady trees where she hung her hammock, and the tiki torches and potted citronella plants helped ward off blood-sucking mosquitos. The yard exuded relaxation, and she couldn’t wait to spend more than a few minutes wrapped in the cocoon of the hammock, swaying in the gentle breeze.

Along with a slew of other instructors, Skye watched until the final bus disappeared over the hill, then retreated into the sweet relief of the air-conditioned building. She headed toward her assigned classroom, needing to grab the impressive collection of canvas bags and fancy stainless-steel thermoses she’d amassed during the month-long summer program. Now, she regretted waiting until the last minute to pack them all back home. As more teachers dispersed to their classrooms or left the building altogether, the lack of busy noise made her melancholy.

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