Goosebumps spread across Abby's arms as she followed the young girl beyond the grove of trees. Her footsteps became heavy causing her sneakers to sink into the soggy ground as if the earth itself were warning her not to go forward.

"Abby?"

She stopped after hearing her name, slightly turned her head back and forth. The young girl was gone. Abby looked ahead but didn't see her. Where could she have gone?

"Abby! What the hell are you doing? It's dangerous out here."

Abby turned to see her boss Alex Carter staring at her incredulously. He was wearing designer jeans and a white turtleneck that was probably more expensive than Abby's entire wardrobe. Sh

"Now isn't the time to be exploring. We need to get into town, remember?" Alex reminded her while lifting his wrist to look at his expensive watch.

Abby looked back at where the young girl had been and shook the image from her mind before turning back to Alex. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I'm on my way."

"Your shoes are all muddy now. You should go back to the cabin to change them so we don't get the rental dirty."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry." Abby nodded before passing him to walk back inside and change her shoes. She couldn't help but notice that Alex was still staring past the trees to where she had been heading.

Had he seen the young girl too?

After they drove into town, Alex warned her, "If you see those two reporters...just ignore them. They may try and pester you for answers but don't say a word. Understand? Wally said they thought we were dating. You can't tell them anything."

"Yes, sir."

He was staring at her as if waiting for her to say something. She glanced back at him with lifted brows. He rolled his eyes and faced forward.

"As if I'd date you," he muttered under his breath.

Abby tightened her hands around the steering wheel. He was so rude. Did money really give him the right to say such hateful things? "I wouldn't date you either!"

"What was that?" Alex asked, surprised. Clearly, he had heard what she said since she practically shouted it. She could've sworn she saw him smile for a second but he was looking at her with a stony expression.

"I mean...well...I wouldn't date anyone after what I've been through. I'm sorry."

Alex sighed. "There she goes again. Ms. Apologies. Do you think I'd fire you if you insulted me?"

"Yes."

Alex laughed at the quickness of her reply. "I suppose you're right to think that. I'm not exactly a lenient boss. Still, you have a 'get out of jail free card' so to speak."

"I do?"

"My mother? Remember? She'd never let me hear the end of it if I fired one of her causes. It wouldn't hurt if you showed a little more backbone. It comes out every once in a while but it needs to come out more if you're going to last with me as your boss."

Causes? The description stung a bit but Abby quieted the bit of pride that was screaming its indignation. A few moments of driving in silence had Alex tapping his chin in thought as he glanced at Abby.

"So... why wouldn't you date me?"

"Excuse me?" Abby wondered if she was having audible hallucinations now as well.

"You said you wouldn't date me either. Why not? I'm handsome, rich, and successful. I'm what most women would call a catch."

"Luckily for us both, I'm not fishing," Abby retorted then quickly slapped one hand over her mouth.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Well, we both know what you're capable of once you've caught your man."

It was a low blow considering he knew what happened between her and Bryce. Abby stepped on the breaks, causing them both to jerk forward.

"What the hell?" Alex growled at her.

Abby lifted her hand as if to silence him before he could continue. "Listen, I know you're my boss and I know I have a past. It's not one that I'm proud of but I'm pretty sure you constantly bringing up what happened between me and my ex-boyfriend is unprofessional. If you want to fire me, I can't stop you but stop digging where there isn't any dirt. Bryce was abusive. I did something I can never take back no matter how much I want to but what I did had to be done. It was him or me and excuse me if for once in my life I was selfish enough to pick me."

She was breathing heavily and her heart felt like it was beating a million miles an hour.

A corner of Alex's lips curled up. "Well...she really does exist."

"What?" Abby was confused.

"I was beginning to think the feisty woman I interviewed...the one who had the gall to inform me two plus two was four...that she was a fluke. All I've seen since, was a quivering apologetic excuse for a human being. A shell. I wanted the woman from the interview back. It's no fun when you're always apologizing."

"Wh-what? Are you purposely goading me?" Abby's hands fell to her lap.

Alex chuckled. "Is that what you think? No, I'm not goading you. I'm just trying to figure you out."

"Why?"

"You work for me. How can I gauge what you're capable of if you're not showing me the real you."

"The real me?"

"Yes, the real you. So far, I've mostly seen a woman who's afraid of her own shadow. If you were to show more backbone, perhaps you'd get a real job in business one day."

"A real job? Is this a fake job then?"

"Don't tell me you wanted to be a personal assistant all your life. I know you're broke. You had to take this job no matter what it entailed, didn't you?"

It was the truth. They both knew it so Abby didn't respond.

"This may not be ideal for you but having CallaTech industries on your resume can only open doors for you. Having a positive reference from me will really get you where you want to be."

"Where do you think I want to be?" Abby asked.

Alex leaned back, his blue eyes still on her. "I don't know. Maybe where you were before you met Bryce? You seem like the type of woman who had big dreams, Abby Redding."

She shrugged. "Maybe. Right now, I just want to do my job as best as I can and maybe help you figure out what happened at that cabin."

"There's something going on in there, don't you agree?" Alex asked quietly as though testing the waters before continuing.

Abby's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Do you believe in ghosts, Abby?"

Her eyes flickered away from him. "Do you?"

Alex looked forward again. "I'm not sure of anything but even if ghosts did exist, what good would it do me? It's not as if I can talk to them and I still need to know the truth."

"I'll try my best to help you," Abby said.

"Good. We have an understanding. From now on I expect to see the you with a backbone instead of your apologizing personality. Is that understood?"

"I'll try to be less apologetic. More confident. That's what you mean, right?"

Alex nodded. "Remember, you're here to help me figure out what happened twenty-five years ago. Someone in this town is hiding the truth about what happened in that cabin."

"I'm still not sure what happened," Abby admitted. "All I know is that Crystal was murdered."

"For now, that's enough. Today, we're going to try and get as much information as we can from the locals. Just remember to be on your guard."

"Be on my guard?" Abby put the car back into drive and began making her way into town.

"Trust no one," Alex explained.

"No one?"

"Are you turning into a parrot today? No one," Alex repeated.

"Mr. Carter, whatever it is that we're doing at the cabin. You don't think it's dangerous, do you?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"I've watched a lot of television over the years and people who get involved in old murders typically end up dead."

Alex rolled his eyes. "I doubt it's that dangerous. Just remember what I said. Trust no one."

"Not even you?" Abby asked.

A few beats of silence passed before Alex answered. He was still staring straight ahead.

"No. Not even me."