CHAPTER 1
As Kassandra started up the long, curving driveway, she fought all the second thoughts slithering into her mind.. All the plans they had made were gone. All she had left was Aunt Cordelia's cabin in the woods. Her final gift to a niece who needed her.
Kasi didn't know what to expect. From the remoteness of this place, she was worried she might find it a bit primitive, with no electricity or running water and a wood stove for heat. Since she saw no wires or poles leading up to the place, Kasi decided her stay would be quite short. As an author, her aunt fiercely protected her privacy. She even wrote under several pen names so no one could track her down. Her picture was never on any of her book covers, only pictures of a dog or cat.
When the building came into view, Kasi thought her worst nightmares had come true. Maybe she should turn around and head back. Back to where? She didn't have anywhere else now. She wouldn't stay long. Just go through the stuff inside and decide what to do with everything.
She reflected on the plans that were supposed to bring her here. She had poured out all her frustration and anger to Aunt C., and they had come up with the perfect solution. Once all the paperwork was finalized to end her 11-year marriage, she would join Aunt C at her remote hideaway, and they'd work together on Aunt C's latest project.
When Kasi was signing the final divorce papers, which gave her a healthy settlement, she received a call from a sheriff. She didn't remember his name, only his terrible words. Aunt C was dead. So suddenly, her bright future became a cloudy mess.
In the divorce, she received the huge house Paul had built to display his success in business. It never held much love, and she was more than happy to sell it for a very large amount. The closing of the sale came on the same day the letter from Aunt Cordelia's attorney arrived. Aunt Cordelia had left this place to Kasi but no directions on what she was to do with it. She thought she had nowhere to go, but now she was presented with what seemed like a dismal path directing her. So here she was, out of warm and crowded Southern California into the wooded wilds of Western Washington.
She turned off her car and sat for a few moments, staring at the wooden structure in front of her. It looked like a very primitive old cabin. There was a wide porch with a couple of chairs and a well-used, comfy swing. Maybe this was where Cordelia sat and wrote her stories. It was certainly quiet.
She gathered her courage to face this new future. Her life up until now had been directed by someone always telling her what to do, when, and how to do it. Maybe this was the same thing. Aunt Cordelia was now her puppet master, pulling the strings to make her dance. That thought brought a cynical sneer to her face. She wouldn't be doing any dancing for Aunt Cordelia or anyone else. She rubbed her left knee. It had never really healed properly after the accident. The extra weight she piled on as she became almost an invalid didn't help. Maybe this would make her do something about the pit of depression she had crawled into. When she thought about it, she should thank Paul for the divorce. That had been the beginning of a wake-up call for her�?�¢?"the first step in an awakening of energy and hope for a better life. A life she and Aunt C had planned together.
Well, sitting here wasn't getting anything done. Without much grace, Kasi managed to get herself out of the car and stood up straight. She could do this. She took a deep breath. Paul had made her feel helpless and useless. No more. She'd answer the challenge in front of her all by herself. Aunt C had believed she could. So, she would.
She had to use the railing to help get up the steps. Her knee let her know it was not happy about the long car ride.
"Too bad, Harry, it is what it is."
She had given her knee a name when it had become such a major player in her life. It helped to put a name to the thing that seemed to take over her existence. When she got to the door, she fumbled in her pocket for the key she had been given. Opening this door was going to open a new world for her. She swallowed the fear and, with a fierce determination, pushed open the door.
She almost gasped when she looked inside. Instead of the crude, primitive room she had expected, she saw a warm, inviting space. There was a large, colorful couch, tall backed, upholstered chairs, side tables, with lamps. Real electric lamps, not one kerosene lamp in the lot. She almost giggled with delight. She found a switch to the right of the door and flipped it up. The room lit up with a glow, showing off her aunt's good taste in both style and comfort.
She entered the room and almost felt like she should touch the lamps to be sure they were real. When she stepped into the kitchen, she clapped her hands at the sight of the relatively modern electric stove, microwave, and refrigerator. This was beyond anything she could have imagined from the outside of the building.
Further exploration showed her a bedroom with a large bed covered with a beautiful quilt. All the furniture here was well cared for and homey. There was a walk-in closet still holding clothing that spoke of Cordelia's choice of comfort over style. It brought a tear to her eye, remembering the woman who had always made her feel special. Maybe her stay wouldn't be so short after all.
The only door she found closed was locked. She jiggled the knob a few times, but nothing happened. She'd have to look around and see if she could find a key. But for now, she was content with what she found.
She returned to the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator. It seemed someone had cleaned it out. The only thing inside was a box of coffee down in a lower drawer. In the freezer, she found several frozen meals and desserts. Evidently, Cordelia was a woman after Kasi's heart�?�¢?"a quick meal out of the freezer and into the microwave.
She pulled out her cell phone. Crap! There was no signal, not even one bar. Oh well, she'd have to walk around outside and see if there was somewhere she could get a signal. She looked around the room to see if maybe there was a telephone with a landline, but she didn't see any, maybe in the locked room. First, though, she needed to use the bathroom after that long drive.
After taking care of the urging of her bladder, her curiosity got to her. She started going through the medicine cabinet and drawers in this room. Under the sink, she found cleaning supplies, but nothing exciting. In one of the drawers, she found an open package of sanitary pads. Then, looking closer, she realized they were bladder control pads. She chuckled; if she stayed here long enough, she might need them herself. She'd pulled them out of the drawer to read the description on the package. When she dropped it back in the drawer, she heard a clunk, like something was at the bottom of the package. She nearly laughed out loud.
Aunt Cordelia had written a whole series of what were called cozy mysteries. Kasi had read them all and loved them. She remembered in one, a woman had hidden something in a package of sanitary napkins, thinking a man would never dig through there in his search. What if Aunt C had hidden something in this package? You never knew, did you? Kasi dumped the contents onto the counter. She giggled when she saw the little plastic box that had been in the bottom.
When she was young, her time with Aunt C had always been full of fun adventures and treasure hunts like this. She opened the box and found a flash drive. She almost expected a note from her aunt. That's how the game had been played so long ago. She slipped the flash drive into her pocket and put the other items away. She hadn't seen a computer anywhere yet, but she had her own laptop out in the car. She'd bring that in along with her bags. She found she was getting excited.
As she walked out through the bedroom, she saw one of her aunt's brightly colored scarves hanging on the doorknob. With a smile, she picked it up and held it to her nose. She could smell the vanilla scent her aunt used to wear all the time. Kasi slipped it around her neck, and it felt like a hug from Aunt C. She kept it on as she headed out to get her bags.
She had just opened the trunk of her car when a truck pulled up behind her. The woman driving stepped out and walked over with a smile, holding out her hand.
"Hi! You must be Kasi, right?".
Uncertain, Kasi took her hand and nodded.
"I'm Alice. Alice Engels. Roger, down at the store, said he saw you drive by. I've brought Teddy."
Kasi's mouth dropped open.
"Uh...Teddy?"
The woman's face turned red.
"You didn't know about... I'm sorry this is awkward. C left instructions for me to take care of Teddy until you arrived. Then I was to bring him to you."
Kasi just stood there shaking her head. She had no idea what this woman was talking about. Without another word, the woman turned around and started back towards her truck.
"I'll just get him out, and you can meet him."
She reached into the back seat of her truck and brought out a little black and tan fuzz ball. She cuddled him and whispered in his ear, then looked at Kasi.
"He's still a little traumatized. Evidently, C's fall happened a day or so before Roger found her. Teddy was curled up with her and, at first, didn't want anyone to get near her."
"You said she left instructions...?"
"Y-yes. She...um...ahh...had left a note...she said you'd come...and I was to bring you, Teddy, when you got here."
She held the little dog out to Kasi.
"Careful, he's not always the friendliest little guy with people he doesn't know. "
Teddy growled a bit when he got close to Kasi, then his little nose went up in the air, and he began sniffing. His tail wagged, and he squirmed to get closer. When Kasi took him in her arms, he buried his nose in the scarf around her neck. He whined for a moment, then looked up into her eyes. They stared at one another. He reached out and gave her cheek a soft lick, snuggling into her arms.
"Wow!" Alice stared at her. "I've never seen him do that! Take to someone so quick." She stared at Kasi, then reached out and touched the scarf.
"That's C's, isn't it? She wore it a lot. He recognized the scent. You'll find out he's one smart little dog." Her eyes were glistening with tears.
"C really loved Teddy. He returned it." She turned away. "I'll get his things."
Kasi was still standing there in shock. She'd never had a dog. Her mother hadn't approved, and Paul said he was allergic. But when she had stayed with Aunt C, there were dogs, three of them, and two cats. It had been heaven! She smiled down at the little fuzzy treasure in her arms. She had a dog! And no one to tell her No!
Alice was headed back towards her with a good-sized box. Kasi finally snapped out of her trance. Clutching the dog, she headed back for the house. When she got to the stairs, she tried to balance the dog in one arm while using the other to grab the railing to help pull herself up the steps.
"Oh, you can let him down. Teddy won't run off. He knows he's home and will expect to be treated like the big dog he thinks he is. Like most Pomeranians, he's 30 pounds of attitude trapped in a four-pound body." Alice chuckled.
Carefully, Kasi set the little dog down on the bottom step. He immediately ran up the steps and sat in front of the door, giving a sharp little bark. Kasi looked back at Alice and smiled.
"I-I've never had a dog before."
"Don't worry; Teddy will get you trained in no time. You just be careful that he remembers you are the boss, not him."
Once they were inside, Alice showed Kasi where all of Teddy's food, toys, and bedding went. She gave a few instructions on care and feeding while Kasi collapsed on a kitchen stool.
"Are you okay? Your aunt said you'd been in an accident. I noticed you favoring your leg. I'm a vet, and I notice animals' gaits. I do it with people, too."
Kasi smiled and patted her knee, "Oh, Harry and I manage pretty well."
"Harry?"
"Yeah, I gave my knee a name, so it's just that one spot that's a problem, not all of me. I don't know if it really helps, but the therapist I went to seemed to think it was a good idea. The doctor wants to cut Harry out and put in a new knee, but I'm not ready for that yet."
"Wow! You going to be all right here on your own?"
"Yeah, I think so. It's not as primitive as I was worried it might be."
Alice chuckled, "Oh, C liked her comforts. She just didn't want everyone to know she had them. When she was working, she hid away and shut out the rest of the world. She was a really good writer, you know."
"Oh, I know. I read all her books."
"But you were never here?"
"No...long story...for another time."
"Look, I'm sure you're tired. I'll take off now unless there is something I can do for you while I'm here."
"Thanks. I'm good. I'll bring in the rest of my stuff, and then Teddy and I will get better acquainted."
"Let me help with that. I'm sure going up and down those stairs is not helping right now."
"Really. I can do it...I just need to ..."
"Hey, I want to help. Besides, you can make me a cup of C's special coffee in return."
Kasi looked around. "Sure...I have to...
Alice grinned. "Let me show you the secret stash." She went over to a door at the end of the kitchen and opened it to display a huge pantry. On a shelf, she pointed to a single-serve coffee machine. She got it down and set it on the counter. Then she got a couple of tall coffee cups out of the cupboard next to the window, and finally, she reached into the fridge and opened the little drawer at the bottom. From that, she pulled out two of the K-cup coffees. She frowned when she checked the empty shelves in the rest of the refrigerator.
"I'll let Roger know he needs to bring up some creamer. C and I always took creamer in our coffee. You?"
Kasi had been sitting there gaping at the woman who was so comfortable in this kitchen. She just nodded.
"Well, in a pinch..."
Alice returned to the pantry and rummaged around until she found a container of powdered creamer.
"It's not as good, but it will do, okay?" She turned around. "Now, while that is brewing, I'll bring in your stuff. You get the first cup; I'll take the second one if you'll start mine when yours is done."
Without another word, she walked out the front door. Kasi sat there in stunned silence. Well, maybe Aunt C wasn't the only puppeteer around here. It seemed Alice had no problem taking charge. As usual, Kasi just went along with the orders she had been given.
Once everything was in the house and the two women were sitting sipping their coffee, Alice looked over at Kasi.
"I tend to be a bit pushy. C used to stop me when I got out of line. You can too, you know. She told me a bit about you and what you've been through. I think that's why she wanted you to come here. I don't think she meant for it to be like this, though. Everyone around here liked her. She was really good people."
Again, the tears were glistening in her eyes. Alice got up quickly and turned away. "I've gotta go. I'll check in with you later." She started for the door.
"Wait!" Kasi got up from her chair. "I-I...thank you. For my aunt... and me."
Alice didn't turn around; she just nodded. Kasi followed her to the door and watched her walk down the steps.
"Alice, come by again, will you?"
The woman nodded and waved over her shoulder. Kasi stood there on the porch until Alice's truck pulled away. Teddy sat beside her, looking out over his domain.

Chapter 2
Kasi turned back into the house. She needed to take one of her pain pills and lie down for a bit, but first, she'd put a few things away. As she rinsed out the two coffee cups, she mulled over what Alice had told her.
She hadn't been given much information on her aunt's death. Alice had said a fall. With everything else going on in her life, she hadn't really paid attention to any details. Well, it didn't matter now, did it?
She headed towards the bedroom, and Teddy stayed right with her. She grabbed her purse on the way and got out the little bottle of pills. She had been trying to cut back on these, but Harry was really giving her fits right now. Maybe she'd take half a pill and see how it went. She put the prescription bottle in the bathroom medicine cabinet. Now, she needed to get off her feet. When she got back to the bed, she saw Teddy tugging a little fabric-covered footstool over to the side of the bed. Once there, he jumped up on it, then up on the bed. He sat looking at her with what she could have sworn was a smug smile on his face. This obviously was a normal routine for him.
She sat on the side of the bed and pulled off her shoes. Then she stood, turned back the quilt, and slid off her jeans before lying down. The mattress was fantastic, and with Teddy curled up beside her, she soon dozed off.
A couple of hours later, she was jerked awake by Teddy's barking and someone knocking on the front door. She peeked out the window and saw a van in her driveway. Teddy was down off the bed and out at the front door, setting up a terrific noise. Kasi quickly slipped on her jeans and slid into her shoes. There was another knock, and before she could get to it, the door opened. Kasi was ready to scream, but then Teddy jumped happily into a man's arms.
"Hey, Teddy! Glad you're home!"
The man looked in at Kasi. "Hi! I'm Roger. Alice said you needed some things. I didn't know if you were like Miss C, a writer, and didn't answer the door. Thought I'd just put this stuff in and catch you later."
He indicated a box by his feet. His thinning hair was making a valiant effort to cover his age-spotted scalp. The wrinkles on his face seemed to be mostly smile folds, and his oversized ears stuck out boldly on either side of his head. He was dressed in a well-worn chambray shirt and baggy faded jeans, held up by a thick leather belt. He wore run-down, at-the-heel cowboy-style boots. Kasi was sure if he'd been wearing a hat, he would have doffed it at her. She couldn't help but smile.
"No...I'm not a writer. I'm just a reader."
"Oh, don't say Just a reader. Miss C said readers were very important. They made the writing happen. I'm a reader, too!" He smiled proudly. "Miss C let me read her stories before she sent them in!"
He set Teddy down, picked up the box, and headed for the kitchen. "I'll just put these away."
Kasi stood there in amazement. Her aunt C obviously had a collection of friends. Good friends, it seemed. She wasn't used to such cheery, good nature. None of either her mother's or Paul's friends fell into that category.
She followed Roger to the kitchen and watched him confidently put things in the fridge and the pantry. Then he reached into his pocket and turned to her with a slip of paper in his hand.
"I'll just leave the receipt on the counter like always."
"Oh, um... what do I owe you?"
"No, no. Miss C set it up with the bank. They pay. I like to let her know what it is so she makes sure they pay the right amount. Miss C was careful about that. She made them pay me for the trips out here, too!" He ducked his head for a moment.
"I miss her."
"Thank you, Roger."
He nodded, then reached into a shirt pocket and held out his hand.
"Just one treat, like Miss C said, okay?"
Kasi didn't know what he was talking about, but it seemed Teddy did. He stood on his hind legs and danced in a circle. They both looked over at her. So, she nodded.
Roger grinned and looked down at Teddy.
"You have to say grace first, you know."
Teddy dropped to all four feet, then lowered his front end and bowed his head.
"Okay, good boy!"
Teddy bounced up, and Roger handed him the treat.
"Miss C taught him that! He knows lots of tricks! Next time I'll show you some more, but now I have to get back to the store. My Mary is waiting on me."
With that, he quickly went out the door and closed it gently behind him.
"Well, Teddy, you seem to have a lot of friends and admirers."
She glanced at her watch and realized it was getting close to dinner time, but she'd like to go outside for a bit first. It had cooled off a bit, so she grabbed a light jacket that was hanging by the back door. Judging by the bright color, it must have been one of Aunt C's. When she opened the door, Teddy ran out and quickly lifted a hind leg and watered a small bush on the edge of the lawn. Kasi realized she'd have to be better at letting the little dog out. She went down the steps, hanging onto the railing. She should probably have brought her cane out with her but was trying to get away from using it. The therapist had told her to do more walking. But not to overdo it. Not if she wanted to keep putting off replacing Harry.
There were quite a few flowers around the yard, some just starting to bloom. She didn't know anything about gardening and had no idea what these were, but she went close to one and took a deep breath. In her accident, her nose also suffered some damage. Her sense of smell didn't always work. Sometimes, she'd get a whiff of something, but often, if she tried too hard, she got nothing. So, although this flower was a pretty yellow thing, she had no idea if it smelled good or not.
She heard Teddy barking and saw him running toward the edge of the woods behind the shed. She followed him and jerked to a stop when she saw him dancing in front of a man. She watched as the man smiled down at Teddy.
"Hi, Teddy. How are you doing, little guy?"
Then he looked up at her.
"I'm Jared...Jared, son of Hazen, as C used to call me."
Kasi just stood there speechless.
"I...thought I'd come over and say Hello. I'm your neighbor. I live over that way." He waved a hand off to his right..." His voice trailed off. "You don't know anything about me, do you?"
Kasi shook her head.
"Sorry, I just assumed she might have written you or maybe left a note..."
He looked down at Teddy.
"We talked a lot. She was putting me in her next book. That's where the name came from...the son of Hazen thing." He shuffled his feet. "Look, I'm sorry. I'll go." He turned away.
Kasi felt like an ass.
"Wait! I'm sorry... it's just...thank you for stopping by...son of Hazen." Now, her cheeks were flaming.
He nodded and kept walking.
She turned back towards the house.
"Teddy, you seem to have a lot of friends, and I seem to be good at chasing them away. Sorry."
She felt silly talking to Teddy like he was a person, but then she talked to her knee, so what was the difference?
She'd only gone a few steps when she caught sight of something on the other side of the lawn. It was half-hidden down in some bushes at the edge of the woods on that side. Teddy seemed to see it, too, and went running over. She started to call him back but then saw his little tail wagging. She took one more step and saw the creature rise. It was a rather large cream-colored cat with black markings on its face. It had brilliant blue eyes, which seemed to be sizing Kasi up.
"Hi, there. Are you one of Teddy's friends?"
The cat just stared at her.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. Just ask Teddy. I don't know much about dogs, or cats for that matter, but I can be trained."
She knew she was jabbering but didn't know what to do. The cat rose to all four feet and turned away as if dismissing Kasi.
"Well, Teddy, I guess I've done it again. Chased off one of your friends. Sorry. Let's go in and find some dinner."
Teddy seemed reluctant to follow her up to the house, but when she got to the door and opened it, he shot through.
"Ready to eat? Alice told me how much you get, and she said not to let you convince me to give you more. She said you are quite the manipulator when it comes to food."
She shook her head. Was this what women who lived alone with a dog did? Talk to them like they were a person. She reached down and touched her knee.
"Well, Harry, I guess you have competition for my attention now."
She got out the dish Alice had said was for Teddy's food. and put some of the kibble in it. She looked at the little scoop that Alice had said was a serving for Teddy. It didn't seem like much, but then Teddy wasn't very big.
"What about your friend out there? Should I put something out for her or him? Alice didn't say anything about the cat. Should I call her?"
Kasi shook her head. Did she expect the dog to answer her? She went to the pantry and scanned the shelves. Down at the bottom, she saw a bag labeled cat food, and beside it, a couple of cans also designated for cats. She grinned back at Teddy.
"Ask, and ye shall receive."
She took a small bowl out of the cupboard and filled it with some of the cat food. She set it out on the patio and then looked around. She didn't see the cat but called out anyhow.
"Hey, cat, here's some food if you want it."
Teddy quickly slipped out the door and stuck his nose in the bowl. Kasi chuckled.
"Oh, no, you don't, little man. That's for your friend."
She scooped him up and brought him back inside. He whined, but she ignored him and set him down.
"Tough tookies. You had your dinner. The cat can have hers or his. Now I'll have mine."
Kasi found a delicious quick meal in the freezer. She popped it into the microwave. While it was cooking, she looked in the fridge and checked on what Roger had brought. It looked like he expected her to eat healthily at some point. There was stuff to make a salad and even some salad dressing. She guessed this was what Aunt C would have ordered. Well, it wouldn't hurt her to at least give it a try.
She had never been much of a cook. Paul had ensured they had hired help for all what he called mundane chores around the house. Her mother had not been much of a cook either, so it had seemed normal to her to eat what someone else made and put in front of her or to go out to eat somewhere. That was Paul's favorite thing to do, at least until her accident. Then, she wasn't as presentable in his eyes. He still went out, but he didn't bring her along. That was fine with her. She didn't like most of his friends or work associates. It was nicer to stay home, curl up on the couch, and eat things she wasn't supposed to while watching TV.
At first, he had complained about her eating habits, but later, he spent more time out and seemed to care less about her eating. He'd even quit complaining about her weight gain.
But now, this was a new life, a new beginning, so she fixed a salad and sat at the table while she ate. It felt strange for a bit, but not bad. After she cleaned things up and put everything away, she went in and turned on the TV. That's when she found out there was no satellite or cable service. Now she understood the huge selection of DVD movies on the shelves by the TV. Well, that's okay, she enjoyed movies.
Suddenly, she remembered the flash drive, so she set up her computer and inserted the drive. It held a document in a program she didn't recognize. Probably something her aunt used when writing her stories. Then she discovered she also did not have internet service. Wow! No cell phone service, no TV service, and no internet service. This was really going to be a new experience. What did her aunt do? Duh, she wrote. But Kasie wasn't a writer. She was, however, a reader, a voracious reader. This meant she could indulge herself for hours without feeling guilty.
She looked at the bookshelves in the living room and saw several of her aunt's books she had already read, but there were also some by other authors she had not read. She felt like she was in heaven. She could sit and read as much as she wanted.
There were some mysteries, some books on dogs, and some books on crime investigation and forensics. Even some books on history. The history of this area. As she slid one of those books out, something dropped to the floor. She bent down and found a key on the floor. Maybe the key to the locked door!
Excited, she rushed over to the door and tried the key. It seemed reluctant at first to do its job, but with a bit of jiggling, she got it to release the latch. She opened the door and reached around, flipping the light switch. She didn't know what she expected to see but was jolted by the obvious creative space in front of her. There was a large wooden desk with a laptop computer on it. A printer sat on a small wooden three-shelf bookcase next to the desk. A tall bookcase stood on one side of the room. The window over the desk looked out into the backyard. The other walls were covered with pictures and notes. There was even a long lateral file cabinet with a stereo sitting on top and several music CDs next to it.
Kasi stepped into the room, almost feeling like she was intruding. She touched the back of the big leather rolling chair in front of the desk. Her aunt had sat here and created entire worlds out of her head.
Teddy had followed her in and went at once to an old blanket on the floor next to the desk. This must have been his place to keep an eye on Aunt C. With just a touch of feeling like an intruder, she sat down in the chair and looked at the desk in front of her. She saw some sheets of paper on top of the printer and picked them up. She began reading. Envy washed through her as she read the perfect words used to paint vivid pictures of an imaginary world.
As she sat there, lost in thought, Teddy got her attention by going over to a spot down low on the wall. It seemed to have a little opening with a plastic flap over it. Teddy gave the flap a push with his paw and then slipped through. Kasi looked out the window and saw him out in the backyard, anointing a small bush with a fresh sprinkling of liquid. In a few moments, he popped back through and returned to his little rug.
"Well, that evidently was meant to take care of your needs while Aunt C sat here writing."
Guiltily, Kasi turned on the computer. When the home screen came up, it asked for a password. She had never used a password with her computer. There wasn't even a clue about how many letters the password contained. It was just a blank space. Kasi hadn't any idea how to even begin to guess something like that. She pulled open the top drawer of the desk, hoping to find a slip of paper with the secret code written down. Of course, if it were written down and left in such an obvious place, it wouldn't be very secret, would it?
She tried the other drawers, but they all held the usual pens, pencils, paper clips, and a few small tablets. One small drawer held a checkbook. She didn't see any check register. Was that information on the computer? She sighed and looked over at the little dog, who, by now, was staring up at her,
"Any suggestions? If you were wearing a collar, I'd think she had hidden the code in a secret pocket on it. No collar, no secret pocket. Could you at least give me a hint?"
Teddy got up and jumped up onto her lap. He turned and faced the computer and made a funny little whiney growl. Kasi laughed,
"I agree! Why did she have to make it so hard? She must have known I'm not that clever. Did she think someone was going to come in and steal her story? Certainly not me! I'm just a reader, not a writer. Oh yeah, readers are important too; well, I don't feel like that right now."
Kasi reached out and turned off the computer. She had the start of a headache and didn't feel she was up to figuring anything out tonight. She sighed. Probably not ever. Just ask Paul or her mother. Kasi had been just a pretty trinket. Now, the pretty trinket was broken and not needed or wanted anymore. She jerked up from the chair, unceremoniously dumping Teddy onto the floor.
"Sorry, guy, started to fall down the self-pity well. Got to get up and start moving around so I don't fall too far down."
Now, she was exhausted, and Harry told her enough had been done for today. She turned off the light in the computer room and closed the door.

CHAPTER 4
Alice said Aunt C had a phone. Did that mean there was a landline phone somewhere, and she just hadn't seen it? Was there a hidden niche somewhere she hadn't noticed? She walked slowly around the room. She didn't see anything. She looked down towards the floor and finally noticed a wall jack for a phone down next to Teddy's little doggie door.
Getting down on her hands and knees was not really an option. Harry was ugly about having her not only ask him to bend that much but to put a heavy weight on him while he was doing it. That was just out of the question. Well, she had learned a lot of ways to get around the limitations Harry demanded.
She went out the kitchen door and walked over to where she could see Teddy's little private entry and exit. Next to it was a small black wire coming out of the wall and going into the ground. She felt like yelling Eureka!
Okay, so there was a landline. Now she just had to find the phone to go with it. She had looked in the desk already. She hadn't looked in the file cabinet! Excitedly, she rushed back in and went to pull out a drawer. It was locked! Okay, the key to the door was not the right size. She went back and did a more thorough search of the desk drawers but didn't find any keys.
Sometimes, Kasi wished Aunt C hadn't been a mystery writer. Why couldn't she have written romances? Maybe there wouldn't be all these hidden surprises. Of course, when Kasi was young and visited Aunt C, the mystery and secrets were fun. But the fun had been out of her life for so long it was hard to find it now.
She looked down at Teddy.
"Any suggestions? Where did Aunt C hide the key?"
Teddy looked up at her and started wagging his tail, then went over to his blanket bed and began digging around in it. When Kasi heard a clink, she laughed out loud. Of course! Teddy had the key! It wasn't long before he picked up a small key and brought it over to her. She held out her hand, and he dropped it in. Then he sat and looked up at her. She knew he expected a treat. And she felt bad she didn't have any ready.
"Tell you what, little man. I'll go find something right now."
As much as she wanted to open the file cabinet, she would take care of her assistant detective first. She limped out to the pantry and found a jar labeled "for Teddy". She took off the lid and found some small, dark, soft, round things. Teddy seemed to think she had made a wonderful discovery. He was prancing and standing up on his hind legs, waving his front legs at her. She remembered Roger saying, "Just one," but after what Teddy had done, he deserved at least two or three, didn't he?
She pulled out a handful and gave Teddy three but put the rest in her pocket. After all, there might be more special actions that Teddy performed. She wanted to be ready.
Heading back to the writing room, Kasi's heart was pounding. She felt like a kid about to take a special ride at the fair. That's what staying with Aunt C had been like. Going to the fair and getting on ride after ride. She shouldn't have let her mother shut that all down.
She remembered that once, when she was 15, she decided to run away. Her father's death had left her sliding down into a dark and empty place. She thought she'd find her Aunt C and live with her. Unfortunately, her mother shut down any thought of escape and crushed all Kasi's meager attempts at rebellion.
Well, Mother was gone, and a new, brave Kasi was here. She swore the new Kasi was here to stay. She would not let anyone dim the new light shining for her. She was limping rather heavily toward the writing room when Harry gave her a reminder jab. She sighed. She could be a warrior, but she'd have to remember she was a wounded warrior.
When she got the top file drawer open, she was a little disappointed. It only held hanging file folders full of papers. No phone. She'd go through the files later. Right now, she wanted to find the phone.
She nearly slammed the top drawer closed and slid open the bottom drawer. There were several boxes, but she didn't see the phone. She pulled the chair over and sat down since Harry was not happy with the bending, she was demanding as she leaned over and investigated the boxes.
The first box she pulled out was the largest. She hoped that meant it held the treasure she was looking for. It did, and then some. She found a neatly coiled cord that plugged into the wall and then into the base for the phone. The phone base looked like it was a sophisticated setup. There were a lot of unlabeled buttons. The handset itself was cordless and rested neatly in the base. She plugged the cord into the wall outlet and then into the base. As soon as she put the handset in the cradle of the base, a light came on and began flashing.
She found a little booklet in the box and quickly thumbed through it. The flashing light meant there was a message waiting. She hesitated to press the button. The message was not for her. Should she even listen? But what if it was from someone who didn't know Aunt C was dead? Surely, she was obligated to call them back and let them know, wasn't she? Now, she'd appreciate someone telling her what to do. No. She was her own boss now.
She pressed the button. An artificial-sounding voice announced, " You have four new messages." Kasi checked in the booklet. It said to press one to hear the message. She pressed one on the handset. The voice said, "First message." Then she heard Alice sounding angry.
"C, I don't think you understand! I know you didn't mean what you said. We need to talk. I'll come by later today."
The voice told her to press 1 to hear the message again, press 5 to save the message and press 7 to delete the message. Kasi sat for a moment and stared at the handset. Her first reaction was to press 7, but then she thought she had better save it until she knew more.
The next message was from Roger. "C, I have a box here for you, but I can't bring it up today. I hope tomorrow is okay." Kasi deleted that one.
The next message chilled her. "Cordelia, I've got the reports. We need to talk. Please call me."
Reports? What did that mean? Who was reporting? On what? She saved that message. She wanted to call that number and get answers.
The last message nearly knocked her off the chair. It was her aunt's voice.
"Kasi, I should have called you sooner. I may have stumbled onto something that might put a bit of a hitch in our plans. I want you to be careful. Do not tell anyone about anything you find. Pretend to be the Kasi from before we talked. You know, the shutdown, silent shadow. I thought I'd have enough time for you to come to me when you were free. Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen. I should have called, but with what you were saying, this wouldn't have helped. When you get here, you will find things a bit...off. Alice will bring you, Teddy. He is an incredible dog, and he'll take care of you. I don't know what to tell you about Cleo. She is a puzzle I could never explain. She follows her own rules. All I can say is let these two help and guide you. You will have no better teachers, guides, or friends. I'm hoping that between the three of you answers will be found. It's a story I couldn't finish, and I'd like you to do that. I will tell you to remember what we did when you came to visit when you were young. This is different in many ways. It is a lot more serious. I will tell you one secret. Please don't share it with anyone else. This phone is connected to a satellite. When you connect the computer to the base, you can go online. I used it to do research. I think you will need to do that, Teddy, Cleo, and I will be watching over you always. I love you. Aunt C"
Tears were running down her face. Hearing her aunt's voice was magical. When Aunt C said she loved her, it hit Kasi. Her father used to say it a lot. She couldn't remember her mother ever saying it. Paul had said it initially, but it seemed to lose its meaning after a while. It felt more like he was saying, "Good girl. You did what you were told."
Even worse, she couldn't remember the last time she had said it to anyone. Not and meant it. Teddy jumped up in her lap and put his paws on her chest. He licked the tears on her cheeks. She smiled at him.
"Dogs are so much more honest. You are up here because you care, not asking for a treat. Maybe you can teach me to be just as honest. You think?"
She stroked Teddy for a few moments, then smiled down at him. "Who's Cleo? Is she another one of your friends? Will I meet her soon?
Kasi rolled back over to the file cabinet. She pulled out another smaller box. Inside it was a note and a velvet bag. She read the note first.
Kasi,
This belonged to my grandmother. She was an amazing woman. She had special gifts. I had hoped they would be passed on to me, but I guess I should be happy with the ones I got. Writing has provided me with hours of pleasure and a very comfortable life. I promised your father this would eventually go to you, but we both knew not while your mother had control over you. I struggled with how I would pass this on to you without her knowing. I guess the universe took care of that. I was even a little concerned about Paul, but again, the universe stepped in and cleared the way. I'm glad.
Put this on and wear it all the time. If any of grandmother's gifts are passed to you, do not be afraid. It may seem strange at first. I promise you it will all be good.
Love,
Aunt C

Kasi slowly opened the velvet bag and let a long silver chain slide out into her hand. A strange crystal seemed to pour some warmth into her palm. Teddy gave his little warbling noise and stared at the crystal. Then he did a strange thing. He gave the little bow as he had done after showing off his trick with Roger. Kasi slipped the chain over her head and let it hang down on her chest. She ran her hand over the crystal and felt that same warmth. It seemed to work its way into her. For just a moment, it frightened her, and she almost grabbed the chain to pull it off. But her hand wouldn't move.
She didn't know how long she sat there, seemingly floating off into a distant place she didn't recognize. She shuddered and decided to let the rest of the items in the file cabinet wait for another time. She needed to go outside and breathe some fresh air. Too much had poured into her mind, and she had to give it time to settle somehow.
Out on the patio, she sank into a chair and sighed, propping her cane against the chair. She closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulders. Somehow, she had to release the tension in her body and her mind. Her aunt had believed in her when no one else had. She needed to live up to that belief. She felt Teddy leap up onto her lap, then stand up and give her cheek a soft swipe with his tongue. He pushed his head under one of her hands and made one of his little warbling noises. She opened her eyes and smiled down at him.
"Thank you, Teddy. I needed that."
She stroked him softly a few times and looked at the beauty before her. The birds were in full concert, accompanied by the leaves dancing in the breeze. No wonder Aunt C had come here to write. When Kasi and her father visited, it had been in a fancy home in a rather upscale neighborhood. But it had never held the special aura of this place. Kasi wondered if Cordelia had written in that house at all. Had she always hidden away out here when she wanted to spin her tales? Kasi shook her head. It didn't matter. Not really. Why her aunt had made this refuge and why she had left it to Kasi was not something she would ever know. It was what it was, and she was fortunate that it was.
She stood up, reaching for her cane. As she did, she heard a noise off to one side. The oversized cat was there, giving her its blue-eyed stare.
"Hello. Nice of you to stop by. I imagine you'd like something to eat. I'll go get some more. Okay?"
She picked up the bowl she had put the cat food in, limped into the house, and washed out the bowl before she refilled it. She brought it out and set it down, then collapsed into her chair at Harry's urging.
She sat there until Harry backed off, complaining a bit, and her mind stopped whirling. She closed her eyes and tried some simple breathing exercises her therapist had taught her. It was supposed to help her relax tight muscles. Right now, she needed it to relax her mind. It was whirling around, and Harry was being ugly about the morning's activities. Keeping her eyes closed, she reached down and rubbed Harry, trying to get the pain to back off a bit. She jerked when she felt a soft nose against her hand. She froze, then opened her eyes. The cat had leaped up and was rubbing its chin against her hand. She smiled down at it.
"Hi. Is that a thank you? Well, you're welcome."
The cat gave her that blue-eyed stare again, then reached out and stretched itself across her left leg just above her knee. She jerked in a breath, then sat motionless for a moment. The cat began purring a loud motor sound, and she could feel the vibrations in her leg and then realized the pain in her knee was fading. She looked down at the cat again and whispered.
"Are you Cleo?"
The cat looked up at her and blinked its blue eyes once, then rubbed its chin against Kasi's leg. It continued to purr a few more moments, then rose and looked at the cane resting against the chair. It reached out a paw and hit the cane, knocking it so it dropped to the floor. The cat looked back at Kasi and sneezed before jumping down and strutting away.
Kasi sat for a bit longer. It seems the cat had shut Harry up for now. She almost hated to get up to challenge the miracle. Teddy jumped onto her lap and curled up, resting his head on her left leg. Was this a little extra bit of pain relief? If so, she'd take it over those stupid pills any day. When she finally decided it was time to get up on her feet, she gave Teddy a soft stroke. He looked up at her, then bounced to his feet, wagging his tail, and jumped down.
Kasi used the arms of the chair and gently put her weight first on her right leg, then carefully over to her left one. Harry didn't even make a minor complaint. She was grinning as she took those first few steps. She almost felt like dancing but decided she'd not push her luck and walked slowly back into the house. She entered the kitchen and grabbed a tall glass of water to take into the writing room. She'd give anything for her favorite soda right now. She'd have to see if Roger would bring her some from his store. She took a seat and tried to decide. Should she look at the computer's folders or check the files in the cabinet?
Teddy jumped out of his bed and began barking and growling as he rushed for the front door. Kasi sat frozen for a moment, then sighed and followed her noisy little doorbell. She did close the door firmly to the writing room as she went out.

CHAPTER 5
When she opened the door, Kasi was startled for a moment by the man standing there. He was tall, very tall. Maybe almost seven feet tall. He was wearing a neatly pressed tan shirt, and there was a badge pinned to it. She glanced down at Teddy to judge his reaction to the man. Teddy was sitting calmly by her side. She guessed that was good.
His voice was deep but not threatening. "Miss. Young?"
It took Kasi a moment to realize he was talking to her. It had been so long since she had been Miss Kassandra Young that it almost sounded foreign. She had taken back her maiden name after the divorce, but she hadn't gotten used to it yet. She stared at him for a moment. Then, haltingly answered. "Yes. Can I help you?"
"I'm Sheriff Mark Williams. I talked to you about your aunt. I'm sorry for your loss."
Embarrassed, Kasi felt tears start to cloud her eyes.
"Thank you."
"Is this a bad time? I just have a few questions if that's alright."
"Questions?"
"About your aunt and her....death."
Kasi's mouth dropped open, and she stared at him. He had questions, and he was asking her? She actually took a step back before she managed to clear her throat and speak.
"You're asking about Aunt C?"
"Yes. May I come in?"
Kasi looked down at Teddy again. He had risen to his feet and glanced up at her, then gave a sneeze and turned, walking towards the couch. Evidently, he thought it was okay, so she nodded and turned and held out her hand to indicate the chairs in the living room.
The man took a moment to wipe his feet on the outside doormat, then stepped in and closed the door behind him.
Kasi's heart started pounding. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. Where was Aunt C's map? She managed to make it to the couch and dropped onto it. Teddy jumped up and sat in her lap, facing the man. There was no growling or even any tenseness in his little body. He just seemed interested. Okay, she'd try that. Interested.
The man had sat in one of the chairs, and although his posture looked relaxed, his attitude was intense, and his focus on her face made her uncomfortable. She swallowed and took a slow breath. What was she supposed to do? Wait! This was her house, her guest. She should play hostess.
"May I offer you some coffee or something?"
She hoped he'd say no because she didn't think she could manage to get the coffee out here without spilling it.
He smiled at her. "No. Thank you. I won't take up much of your time. I understand you were your aunt's only heir. Were you and your aunt close?"
Tears filled Kasi's eyes again. "We hadn't been for a long time, but this last year...we reconnected. She helped me through some hard times. She wanted me to come... she was supposed to be here...for me...to help. She had a project for us to..."
She grabbed a tissue and held it to her face. She would not break down. Aunt C expected her to be brave and tough, not a sniveling crybaby. She took a deep breath and then looked over at the man. He had half risen in his seat but then sank back down.
"Is there anyone I can call for you?"
Kasi shook her head and gave him a sad shrug. "No, not anymore." She looked down at the dog on her lap. "There's just Teddy." She put a hand on the dog's head and then looked back up at the man. "Oh, and Cleo, but I haven't met her yet. Aunt C said she'd be my friend and guide too, like Teddy."
The man looked away for a moment, then cleared his throat. "So, your aunt left you everything? Her house? Her pet? Her money?"
"I-I guess she did. I don't know why...except maybe there wasn't anyone else." She sighed. "I guess when I die, there won't be anyone for me to leave things to."
The man squirmed a little in his chair. "Well, that won't be for a long time, so things may change."
Kasi shook her head. "No, probably not. I don't seem to be very good at making friends. Teddy has a lot of friends, but I seem to chase them all away."
"Teddy has friends?"
"Yes, there's Alice. She took care of Teddy when Aunt C first...died. Then brought him to me. And then Roger at the store. He brings up things for Aunt C and gives Teddy treats for doing tricks. Oh, and there's Jared, son of Hazen. He was going to be in Aunt C's next book. Teddy likes him, too, but I don't seem to be good at being a friend. I don't know how. I don't think I ever did."
"You didn't have friends before you came here?"
Kasi half-laughed and shook her head. "I was just the set decoration...until I got broken."
"Broken?"
There was a car crash, my mother was killed, and I got...damaged." She touched her left knee. "Harry here didn't fare so well, and it changed things." She reached down and patted her stomach. "I doubled in size. Paul didn't like that. We divorced."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not. Paul was not a nice man. Aunt C helped me see that, so the divorce was good."
"And the inheritance from your Aunt came at a good time."
"What?"
"The money. From you, aunt."
Kasi chuckled. "No. No. I inherited enough from my mother to keep me comfortable for a long time. Plus, Paul was pretty generous in the divorce. I don't.... I didn't need any money from Aunt C. I just needed her."
"You needed her?"
"To learn to stand on my own. Almost all my life, I've been someone's puppet. I was told what to do, how, and when to do it. Now, all that is gone, and with all the puppet strings broken, I don't know what to do."
The man rose and crossed the room, placing his hand on her shoulder. "You'll figure it out. Give it time."
Kasi gave a soggy chuckle. "Now you sound like that son of Hazen guy. He talks like that."
"Maybe you should listen." He stepped back. "Look, I didn't mean to upset you. I'll leave now."
"No! Wait! I keep chasing people off. Please, stay and at least have a cup of coffee. I promise no more tears and soggy tissues."
"Maybe next time. I haven't been Sheriff long, and I'm still learning my way around this place. I'll come by again."
With that he was out the door and gone. Kasi had stood up but was frozen in place. She looked down at Teddy.
"Well, it looks like I did it again. Chased someone off. You'll have to teach me how to stop doing that."
Sighing, she headed back to the writing room and decided to focus her mind on the questions there. At least she wouldn't be chasing anyone off doing that. Once in the room,
she sat in the chair and looked at the file cabinet. She should start there. She figured what was already printed out might give her a few more answers, so she pulled that top drawer open again. At first, she was a little disappointed. It looked like it was just copies of household bills: electricity, phone, groceries.
A glance at each showed Aunt C had been a meticulous record keeper. That shouldn't surprise her. Look at the house. Everything was neat and tidy. Kasi thought back to when they visited her in a big fancy house. It hadn't been as warm and cozy as this place. As Kasi thought more about her aunt, she realized that as a writer of crime dramas, even if they were cozy mysteries, the woman had to be organized and pay attention to details to keep her stories straight and moving logically. Kasi smiled. She hoped she could keep up with the example her aunt had set for her. There was a folder labeled Bits and Pieces. That one held several groups of pages stapled together. They had a title of sorts scribbled on the top in red ink. She glanced through the first one; it seemed to be random thoughts about strange happenings. The red title was Grandma. There was one on Cats with the title Cleopatra. She pulled it out and started reading. It first had a description of Cleo's coloring and listed it as a Siamese breed. Then, there were many disjointed notes on that breed's characteristics, how they prefer drinking water rather than milk as other cats do, and other oddities about the breed. There were some scribbled notes, and items had been scratched out. Kasi jerked when she got to the last page of the group. It was addressed to her.
Kasi,
I don't know exactly how to tell you about Cleo. She just appeared here one day. At first, I thought she was a stray. I asked both Roger and Alice if they knew of anyone who was missing a Siamese cat. Neither did. I guess they thought I had gone a bit nuts since neither ever saw this cat.
Although I thought she was quite vocal, she never made a sound when either of them was around. At first, I just called her "cat," but one day, I was working on a new book and reached one of those "what next" points, and I was talking to Teddy when the cat appeared. I had been trying to develop a good name for my character and was drawing a blank. I asked the cat if she had any suggestions. She looked at me and made a funny growling meow. I laughed and said, "And how do you spell it?" She jumped up on my lap and looked at the computer, then at me, and it still gives me the creeps to say this, but she reached out and hit a B on the keyboard. I just knew then that my character was named Bella. It felt right. More to ease the shivers up my spine than anything, I looked at her and said, "OK, what's your name?"
Kasi, I swear to you, she gave a little sneezy snort and hit the C key. And just as if she had spelled it out, I knew her name was Cleo. I typed it out, and the cat rubbed against my wrist, purred for a moment, then jumped down and went through Teddy's doggie door to outside.
What's more thrilling or chilling was that it was my grandmother's name! Maybe I have gone around the bend. But as this new book began to take shape and the mystery hidden in this community started to open, perhaps Grandma's gift had fallen to me after all. If I don't finish this. I'm hoping you will. Be careful, though. Some people can be very protective of their private secrets. At least one of them would have no problem resorting to violence.
I wish I had told you all this sooner, but I didn't feel I could burden you with all you had on your plate. Fortunately, you were freed at the right time. I'll try to leave you as many hints as possible, but I must be careful not to let on what I have discovered. Do not let anyone know what I reveal to you. For now, be that sweet, reticent girl I remember and hide your snoopy curiosity side.
Kasi laughed out loud as she read this. Aunt C didn't know the sweet, reticent girl had curled up and disappeared years ago. She had become a spineless, obedient doll following orders without question or thought. The snoopy curiosity side may have dimmed slightly, but it was still there. So what part was she to play to the outside world now? Since they didn't know her, she could be anything, right? She could even pretend she was a writer. Maybe she was going to finish Aunt C's last book. She'd read the beginning and see if it was something she could work on. Kasi looked down at Teddy. "What do you think? Can I pretend to be a writer?" Teddy gave her his little garbling growl and grinned, wagging his tail. He must think she could pull it off, right?
She turned on the computer and pulled up the file labeled New Story. It had quite a bit already written. She printed out those pages and then shut down the computer. She closed the file cabinet and relocked it. She returned the key to Teddy's blanket bed and took the printed pages outside. "OK, Teddy, let's sit on the patio to get this game started."