Lani Dekker adjusted her backpack as she watched the bus she had just exited drive off into the distance. She inhaled deeply, overcome for a moment by the stunning scenery in front of her with the snow-capped mountains and the striking royal blue Lake Tekapo in the distance. Melbourne, Australia, her hometown was a far cry from the view in front of her. Not a house in sight, no cars, just nature and chirping of birds in the distance. She could’ve enjoyed the panorama for a lot longer, but a quick glance at her watch told her she didn’t have much time left until the sun set. Still, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and took a few photos. The colours of the mountains, the lake, and the landscape were unlike anything she had seen before. The scenery in front of her was bright, intense, and so vibrant. She had never seen mountains like these before, being more used to the Victorian coastline, which was beautiful in its own rugged and raw kind of way, albeit different.
Moving a strand of hair from her face, Lani pulled a piece of paper from her jacket pocket. She read the instructions from the bed and breakfast owner: Travel one and a half kilometres along the road before you come to a fork intersection. Follow the left for another kilometre. The property will be on your right.
She checked the road name once more although she knew it by heart, having checked it so many times during the bus ride, and stared at the gravel road in front of her. Apprehension trickled through her. She was alone, surrounded by nothing but the stunning scenery.
Two and a half kilometres. Lani did a quick calculation. It was going to take her another hour. Now she wished she had rented a car. She shook her head, because no matter how much she wished for a rental, she wouldn’t have been able to afford it. A wave of unease washed over her, and once again, she questioned her decision to come here.
She shoved the piece of paper back into her pocket, and her hand touched the photo which was inside. She retrieved the picture of her mother and a man, the very same man she hoped to meet over the next few days. Reminding herself she was running out of time, she returned the old photo as gently as possible and marched along the road again. It would’ve been so much better and less boring if she had charged her headphones.
So she kept walking, looking over her shoulder occasionally, hoping for a car to come along to give her a lift. But that was just wishful thinking. Not to mention, she’d promised her grandma she wouldn’t talk to strangers.
Why on earth was she here anyway?
To meet her father. That was all the incentive she needed to keep going.
After a little more than an hour, Lani saw a house in the distance and relief rushed through her. Despite the urge to get to the house, she stopped, grabbed her bag off her shoulders, and reached for her water bottle. Taking a few sips, she relished the cold liquid cooling her parched throat. Not wanting to waste any more time, she returned the empty bottle into the bag and glanced towards the house. Unable to hold back a big sigh, she flung her bag on her shoulders as she dragged her feet along the road. The sun was already setting over the mountains, and although tempted to take another couple of pictures, she kept going.
Fortunately, she made it to her destination quicker than expected and as she took the last few steps, her eyes wandered along the outside of the lodge. The stone clad wall and the big windows, as well as the low-level roof, gave it the perfect mountain cabin feeling. She liked the place, despite it being so far away from civilisation. When she had first searched for accommodations, it hadn’t appeared so isolated on the map, but it was ideal and near to where she needed to go. Or in this case, to find someone.
Lani stepped closer then up onto the front porch. Only the buzzing of a few insects disturbed the quiet. A shiver ran down her spine as she moved to the front door and knocked. There were no lights inside the lodge, and even though it wasn’t dark, she would’ve expected one or two lights on already.
She knocked again, worry creeping up within her. A thousand thoughts tumbled through her head. What if nobody was here? There was nowhere to go. A mix of frustration and anxiety caused a few tears to well up as she knocked once more. This time a bit harder. Still nothing. Not even a sound of creaking floorboards. Lani pulled the phone from her pocket, but she didn’t have any service whatsoever.
“Goddammit.”
In her anger, she grabbed the door handle with the intent of letting out her irritation only to find it unlocked. Surprised, she froze, hesitated, then shoved the door a little and entered.
“Hello?”
Had she fallen for a scam when she’d booked a room at this place? It had all looked so genuine.
“Hello?” She tried again, this time a bit louder, but still no reply.
Taking a couple of deep breaths to steady her heartbeat, she moved along the hall from door to door until she reached the kitchen.
“Hello?”
Still no reply. She found the light switch and turned it on. Looking around, the place had a lived-in feeling, tidy and well maintained, but nothing that would provide her with a clue as to where her host was.
Knowing she couldn’t leave again this late in the day, she placed her backpack on the floor and went in search of a glass. She was desperate for a drink of water. She liked the cabin style kitchen. Running her hand over the wooden bench, she peered out the window into the near darkness, still confused by it all.
Looking around, she found about half a dozen cups on hooks hanging from a shelf that held beautiful storage containers for sugar, coffee, and tea. Underneath another shelf was a vast selection of herbs and spices. Lani took a cup and a teabag as she imagined cleaning the dishes while enjoying the view across the mountains and the lake. The peace and comfort that spread through her made her yearn for a place like this. A smile formed on her lips, but it didn’t stop a trickle of envy spreading through her as she went in search of a kettle. An assortment of frying pans hung on hooks above the stove. Cooking pots rested next to it on shelves. It was such a contrast to her grandmother’s small kitchen. Plates of various sizes were stacked underneath, and right behind them was an old-fashioned red stove kettle. She reached for it to fill it with water, but instead the steps around the corner caught her attention. Curious, she went halfway up the stairs, which led to the upper level of the house.
A slight shiver ran down her spine, as she stepped on the creaking boards and called a hesitant, “Hello?”
“Welcome.”
Lani shot around and dropped the kettle which clattered down the stairs in a thunderous echo. “Mr Larson?”
♦ ♦ ♦
Dylan Harper’s mouth edged up into a smile as he sauntered to the centre of the kitchen. “May I assume you’re Ms Dekker?”
He took her in. She was dressed for the local environment with her cargo pants, hiking boots, and a warm puffy jacket. Her wild, curly hair was held back in a ponytail with a white scrunchie. Her hair was an intense dark shade he’d never seen before. Her beautiful emerald green eyes were equally intriguing. He couldn’t help but be drawn in by them, even more so via the small distance between him and her. It didn’t go past him, though, that the very same eyes reflected a mix of worry and hesitation with every step he moved closer to her.
He held out his hand. “I’m Dylan. Teddy Larson’s neighbour.”
Her eyes widened.
With a quick shrug of his shoulder, he explained. “Teddy had to go to Christchurch on short notice and asked me to look after you.”
She arched one of her brows, and damn if that reaction didn’t annoy him, despite the fact that she had a right to it. But it in all fairness, it wasn’t his fault. It’d been all a bit on short notice, and he’d been happy to help.
“Sorry for being late. Had a flat tyre out of all days.”
Hesitantly, she moved forward and took his hand. “I’m Lani Dekker.”
“Where’s your car?”
She stepped back, clearly still unsure of the situation. Who could blame her? She had booked a room in a bed and breakfast somewhere in the mountains of New Zealand, only to find a stranger instead of her host. Not that she would’ve known Teddy, but at least they would’ve communicated in some way or another.
“I came by bus.”
That he didn’t expect. “The bus stop is about five to six kilometres down the road.”
“The driver was kind enough to let me hop off at the intersection.”
Dylan chuckled. “That must’ve been Jack.”
She stared at him, evidently not following his thoughts.
He scratched the back of his head. “So, let me do the host thingy. Teddy said, you’ll be the only guest until Monday, so you’ll have the house to yourself until Sunday. I’ll fix you breakfast, and if you like I can offer dinner as well, but that’d be at my place, which is another kilometre down the road.”
She looked around the kitchen, probably not was she expected. Even though Teddy and Mae didn’t charge much for a night, Dylan assumed that a guest would at least expect someone to be around.
“Let me show you to your room.” He turned to walk down the hall and spotted a backpack. “Yours?”
She nodded, and he picked it up.
“What on earth are you doing in this part of the world without a car?” he asked, both out of curiosity and to keep the slow conversation going. She must’ve been exhausted after not only the bus ride, but also the hike to the house.
“I’m hoping to meet someone.”
“In Lake Tekapo?”
“Sort of.”
He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “Sort of?”
“He lives up here somewhere.”
“Who?”
“The person I’m hoping to meet.”
Swapping the bag over into his other hand, he kept walking until they reached her room. “May I ask who you’re hoping to meet around here?”
“I’d rather you wouldn’t.”
Dylan placed her bag on the bed and turned to meet her gaze. “I’m sorry this is awkward. I didn’t mean to be nosy but helpful. After all you’re going to be stuck without a vehicle.” He checked the room. “Anyway, your towels are on the bed. The bathroom is over there. Here are the keys. TV is in the main room at the front including a computer. I believe the password is stuck on the screen. My number is…” Dylan pulled out a card. “On here. Call me any time.”
She sucked in her lips as she reached for his card. “I’ll be fine, but thanks.”
Her voice was soft, but still held a lot of hesitation. She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. It must have been a long day for her.
“No offense, but I don’t believe you will be. I’m sure there’s some food around, but whoever you’re looking for, you will need some sort of vehicle.”
“He’s living around here. According to the map no further than a kilometre or two.”
Dylan rubbed his chin. “The only people living around here are me, about five hundred metres down the road, and Tobias Linaker.”
A hint of red crept into her cheeks, but she remained silent.
“You have to be kidding me. You’re here to see Toby?” He did his best to suppress his laughter but failed miserably.
“I can’t see anything funny in what I’ve said or in this case haven’t said.”
“May I ask the reason you want to see Toby?”
Lani stepped to the bed and reached for her bag. “I’d rather you don’t.”
He dragged a hand through his hair, curiosity growing as to why she would want to visit his neighbour. Putting his interest aside, he offered, “I have a spare ute you can use for the next few days, so you won’t be stuck up here. I’ll bring it by tomorrow.” He turned to leave but stopped. “And good luck with Toby, eh. You’ll need it.”
Eyes wide, she asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
How was he meant to answer? He didn’t know, so he left the room without replying.
“Wait!”
He blew out a breath and stopped at the touch of her hand on his arm.
“I was taught manners, but I’m dead on my feet. It’s been a long day and this…” She waved her hand a little. “…is not what I expected.” Removing her hand from him, she continued. “Will you stay for breakfast tomorrow morning?”
Slowly, he raised his left brow. “Wasn’t part of the deal, but my curiosity is piqued.”
Her soft laugh was nothing more than a faint sound, but pure. Not only had she roused his curiosity by wanting to see Toby, but she intrigued him as well. Something about her screamed determination and strength, because truth be told, she’d handled the situation well, considering she was going to stay on her own in a big house, in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country.
“I’ll be here at eight o’clock. Please lock the doors after me.”
Brows raised, she gaped after him. A snort escaped his lips. He shouldn’t tease her, and he wasn’t sure why he said it, most likely a childish payback for not telling him the reason for her visit.
And as he walked to his car, he shook his head, muttering, “I’m turning into a grumpy old man.” Because he knew, she’d had every right not to tell him.
Did you like the first chapter of IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE? Get your copy here ♥