Bevis stepped off the boat onto a long wooden jetty, or did they call it a pier? She didn't know and, right now, didn't care. This day was turning out to be very different than envisioned. Slowly moving toward dry land, she took in the beauty of the land around her.

"What do you think?" Jason asked.

"Lots of open space," Bevis said, turning to look across the river, "did you grow up here?"

"Yeah, my whole family did," Jason said, sighing with contentment, "we had a fortunate childhood. Everything we did was out here," he smiled, "everything except school ... we had to travel for school when we were young and then live in the dorms when we studied afterwards. But this will always be home."

"You don't live here now?" Bevis asked.

"No, I have an apartment closer to my business," Jason said, looking diagonally to the right from where they stood facing the land, "looks like a welcome party is on the way."

Bevis looked in the direction he pointed but saw nothing but green grass and trees. Shaking her head, she looked up at him questioningly.

"See that stream of dust in the air?" he asked.

She narrowed her eyes, focussing on the horizon, then nodded.

"That is a vehicle heading in this direction," he said, grinning at her expression.

"How did they know we were here?" she asked, looking around, "we just got here."

"That is our secret," Jason said, "let's go meet them."

Bevis followed him to the end of the long jetty. She didn't like the sound of there being secrets. It reminded her too much of Brad and what he was putting her through. It scared her, inhaling. Bevis decided to take each moment as it came and see where it took her. Besides, Jason had gotten her through the most harrowing week of her life; he deserved the benefit of the doubt ... and perhaps a little faith. The vehicle was pulling up as they got to the end of the jetty; Bevis stepped onto the grass as a beige SUV stopped a short way from them on a dirt road. A woman and man stepped out, chatting away and seemingly oblivious to the pair of them watching their progress.

Bevis immediately knew Jason's father. He was an older version of Jason himself, and she could see Jake's close resemblance to the woman, but something else struck her.

"Candy," she whispered.

"What about Candy?" Jason asked, looking down at her.

"She's not your assistant; she's your sister," Bevis said, looking at his mother.

He chuckled, "Yes, she is my sister," he looked at his mother, "... it's a dead giveaway as she looks exactly like my mom as I look like my Dad, Jake ... I'm not sure who he looks like ... but he is my brother."

"You keeping your business a family affair then," Bevis said, watching the older couple move toward them, linking hands, "a family that clearly loves each other."

"I'm sure your family is the same," Jason said, glancing at her, but she refused to meet his gaze, "come on, let me introduce you."

Following Jason toward the advancing smiling couple, Bevis felt like the French of old who were sent to the guillotine. There was a reason why she stayed away from other people, why she only interacted a little with couples or older people if they were clients. Breathing deeply, Bevis tried to quieten her pounding heart; her palms began to itch, and she needed to close her eyes, calming her racing mind. So much for not being out of her depth. Another section of uncharted waters in her life.

"Bevis, I'd like to introduce you to my parents," she heard Jason say as she opened her eyes and looked into the deep green of his mother, "Mom... dad, this is Bevis. She is interested in buying my cabin."

The woman stepped forward, "Hello," she smiled, extending her hand, "my name is Caroline."

Bevis stared at the hand extended to her; swallowing hard, she inhaled, stepped forward, raised her hand and shook with a good grip.

"You can breathe," Caroline said, "I'm not going to eat you alive," the smile that spread her lips extended to her eyes, "... meet my husband, Josiah."

Bevis smiled, released the hand and looked to the man beside Caroline, "Hello."

"Hi, nice to meet you," his sky-blue eyes never left her face as he slowly extended his hand in greeting, waiting for her to grasp it. Bevis refused to think; instead, she raised her hand and shook his hand.

"I find it interesting you kept to only two letters of the alphabet for family names," she said, glancing between the two older people, who looked from her to each other and back, "you know ... J and C ..." she said, swallowing and shifting uncomfortably, very aware of the awkward silence among all three of the people around her.

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Caroline frowned, "You are the first person who has pointed that out to us," she said, smiling, "it takes courage to say what is on your mind. Good for you."

Bevis looked at her, unsure if the woman was serious or mocking her, "You mean that?"

"Absolutely," Caroline smiled, "I've never met someone who isn't very careful around us. Let's get the best seats to chat on the way back."

She gently placed her arm around Bevis' shoulder, leading her toward the SUV and chatted away, leaving the two men watching them. Jason shook his head.

What was it about that interaction?

He didn't know what to make of it; there was more to Bevis than she had told anyone in the past week.

"First, I thought it was a guy," Josiah said, watching the two women get into the back of the SUV, "but I see that it's a gorgeous woman who was clearly out of her depth in meeting us."

"So I see. It seems to be a trend with Bevis," Jason said, "I wonder if Jake has found out anything in her background check?"

"I saw an email from him before we left to collect you two," Josiah said, surprising an expression on Jason's face he had never seen when it came to a woman outside of the family, "you like her."

"I suppose I do," Jason said, "I can't make it out; there is something about her. I'll give you an example, she knew nothing about river rafting. Yet, she tried this past week, got lost in the surrounding woods while trying to get away from her ex-boyfriend, nearly drowned saving someone else stupid enough to fall into the river and learnt how to make a campfire from an online tutorial."

"You're telling me she ... in a few days? Wow, a campfire tutorial ..." Josiah said, frowning as his word trailed off, "and then she comes out here to buy your place, comes here, meets your parents, which nearly gave her a panic attack and ..." he stopped turning to his son, "... why are you selling this place to her?"

"Her ex-boyfriend is Brad," Jason said, "Jake works with Bevis' best friend, and they have uncovered some alarming things about this guy that a restraining order is not putting an end to."

Josiah stared at Jason before smiling and nodding, "Your mother and I understand more than you know," he said, "come on, let's get her to the house and have something to eat. Where is her car?"

"In a parking lot in town somewhere," Jason said, "she took a taxi here."

"Why?" Josiah asked.

"Brad was following her," Jason said, "she had to get the help of a woman's clothing store employee to get away from him," sighing Jason shook his head, "she kicked him in the groin on the trip ... nearly crippled him ... and I don't blame her. I knew he was an ass but ..." he paused coming to a halt, "Dad, his behaviour toward her is controlling, demeaning and ...." he frowned looking for the right word.

"Narcissistic?" Josiah supplied, "Psychopathic? Sociopathic?"

"All of them, and he's stalking not only her but others as well," Jason said, "and he is not taking no for an answer," he looked at Bevis chatting with his mom, "I'm worried if someone doesn't help her ... protect her and look out for her," he shook his head, "Brad may get angry enough to kill her."

"You think it's that bad?" Josiah asked, frowning.

"I know it's that bad," Jason said, sighing, "Jake has hours and hours of security coverage of what Brad has been up to in the buildings and apartments he is renting out."

"Damn, so he has a legal right to enter them but not to do whatever he does in those places," Josiah said, nodding in understanding, "I take it the apartment Bevis is in is owned by this ..." he paused, "specimen of a monster."

Jason nodded, "It is. Mom is calling," he grinned, "I think she wants something to eat and is ready for us to join them."

"If anyone understands what Bevis is going through, it's your mother," Josiah said, moving around the SUV toward the driver's side, "get in. Let's go."

Jason stared at his father as he climbed into the car. What did he mean by those words? What had happened to his mother that would make her understand? Sliding into the passenger seat, he closed the door gripping the handhold as his father took off quickly. He chuckled; his father only knew one way to drive. Fast. It would be fun to get home soon, and his father's driving would make him concentrate on the present instead of obsessing over Bevis' situation.

"Hold on," his father called as he accelerated, catapulting them down the dirt path, "we'll be home soon."

"That would be wonderful," Caroline said, grinning from the back seat, "but make sure we're all in one piece when you do."

Josiah laughed, nodding and winking at Bevis in the back seat, "Bevis, we have handholds and seatbelts; you're free to use one of either or both."

Nodding, Bevis stuttered a smile as she gripped the handhold while glancing at Caroline.

"You're enjoying this," she said, smiling at the other woman.

"Oh, now I love it," Caroline said, "when I first met him, it scared me so much I nearly had a panic attack or two."

"You? No, I cannot see that happening," Bevis said, shaking her head, "you're so confident."

"I'm glad I come across that way," Caroline said, glancing at the road ahead, "I'm not really, but I learnt to be. It doesn't come easily and is something to work on continuously. However, having my children made me more assertive, which helps."

Bevis looked at her for a long time before nodding; it felt good to know she could be emotionally secure ... better, more ... assertive and together.

"We're here," Caroline said, grinning at Bevis' surprise, "with Josiah driving, it doesn't take long."

Bevis watched as they drove toward a stone wall; Caroline pulled a remote from her pocket, pushing a button, activating the stone door, which lifted horizontally, allowing them to drive into something like a tunnel.

"Yeah," Caroline said, "when I first saw this, I thought cloak and dagger as well, but it isn't," she smiled, "... it's either the tunnel or a boat, and the tunnel is the quicker. Relax, you're safe with us."

Bevis frowned, "Why would you say that?"

"You're terrified," Caroline said, "I know the look ..." she sighed, "... it used to be on my face as well."