Page 74 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
So could I. It wasn’t just their size, although they were quite large. They were out of place, their classical Greek style an odd contrast to the rustic luxury of his mansion.
I passed the driveway entrance and pulled over a short distance up the road.
“I don’t plan to let you out of my sight, but just in case we get separated.” I gave her an earpiece and placed mine in my ear.
“Thanks. This actually makes me feel better. It’s like a tiny security blanket.”
“You need to tell me now if you’re not up for this. You were in an accident yesterday.”
“I feel surprisingly good. I’m sore, but I can move around just fine.”
I met her eyes. “Are you sure?”
Her lips twitched in a smile. “Jensen, after what you did to me this morning, you should know what I can handle.”
I groaned at the memory. “God, that was good. I can’t wait to ravage you again.”
She playfully smacked my arm. “Focus.”
“Fine. He has security cameras at the gate and more on the house. We’ll have to find a way to get close without being seen.”
“He doesn’t have armed guards too, does he?”
“Let’s hope not.”
“I was kidding. Do you think he might?”
“You never know. Nothing surprises me anymore.”
Except you, Natalie. You surprise me a great deal.
We got out and I glanced around, taking note of where I’d parked, the curve of the road, and the neighboring houses. They were spaced apart, on large pieces of property. Julian’s house wasn’t the only one with a gate, but I didn’t see any others with obvious cameras. Trees, hedges, and thick landscaping hid most of the other homes from the road, which also meant it was unlikely we’d be seen on any of the neighbors’ doorbell cameras.
“The gate is an obstacle I’d rather avoid,” I said, scanning the trees surrounding the house. “If the whole property is fenced in, we might be out of luck in terms of getting close. But the back side faces the river. He could be counting on that as a natural barrier, giving us a place to get in.”
“Lead the way.”
Natalie’s wardrobe selections came in handy once again. My blue flannel and jeans, with the coat and boots, were perfect for tromping through the slice of woods next to Julian’s property. She was similarly dressed, with a coat over her long-sleeve shirt and jeans, and her hair spilling out beneath her knit hat.
Still delicious, despite the layers.
We darted across the road and picked our way through the accumulated snow beneath the trees. Luckily, more was falling, so it wouldn’t take long to obscure our tracks. The biting cold flushed Natalie’s cheeks, and I looked forward to warming her up later.
The ground sloped downward toward the river, and rushing water filled the air as we got closer. We emerged onto a rocky bluff. Ice crusted the riverbanks, but the middle still flowed by.
Following the edge, we carefully made our way toward Julian’s property. As I’d hoped, it was open on the side of the river—no fence to be seen.
But that didn’t mean a lack of security. There would almost certainly be cameras.
We crept closer and crouched behind a pair of trees. I could see where the fence ended. With the way the ground sloped, it wouldn’t be easy to get into his yard. It was steep and rocky, and no doubt very slick.
“What do you think?” Natalie whispered. “Can we get closer?”
I glanced down at the glacial river, and my brow furrowed. Sliding down the slope and winding up in the water could be fatal. I would not take that chance with her.
“Not from here. Too steep.” I pulled a small pair of binoculars from an inside pocket and looked through them. They automatically adjusted focus, sharpening my view of the house. “He has cameras on the back side as well.”
“Can you tell if there are any blind spots?”
