Caught in the Frame (Ponderosa Pines Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) by ReGina Welling (novel24 .TXT) 📕

Rounding the staircase down to the castle entrance, they spotted Javier leaning casually against the front desk as he chatted with a couple of security staffers. He waved amicably, bid goodbye to the gentlemen behind the counter, and gestured for Nate and Dalton to follow him down a long corridor.

“Come, come. We have quite a walk ahead of us. They manage to put everything a woman would want within arm’s reach, while all the amenities designed for men are relegated to dark corners at the far ends of the castle.” Javier’s accent couldn’t be described as thick by any means, but the cadence of his speech combined with somewhat unusual word choices reminded Nate that English was his second language.

“So, your company installed the security system in this place, huh?” Nate asked Javier casually, while shooting a pointed look at Dalton to indicate that this pairing was to double as a reconnaissance mission. Dalton’s answering nod proved once again how lucky Nate had gotten when Dalton became a deputy; they required very little communication to be on the same page.

“My technicians handled the installation, yes. My job was to oversee the process, troubleshoot, and sign off on the work.”

“That must have been difficult; this place is huge. There must be hundreds of rooms to monitor, not to mention all the places guests aren’t allowed access. Are all the staff areas monitored as well? What kind of crew did it take to complete a job this big?” Dalton’s questions didn’t seem to phase Javier; the three had crossed the line into Man Territory, where it was perfectly acceptable to discuss the technical aspects of their work.

Javier grinned, and launched into detail without hesitation. “There are a few remote areas that aren’t monitored with video; those are secured with other methods. And of course, there are no cameras in the guest rooms, or in any of the restrooms or changing areas; that would be a breech of privacy. My crew includes five upper-level security experts, who report directly to me. Each of them supervised a team of six technicians along with the requisite craftsmen needed to maintain the ambiance. Even still, the job took nearly four months. I’ve seen every nook and cranny of this place. More than once.”

Both Nate and Dalton were intrigued at this point; they would have continued digging for information regardless of whether they had been asked to do so. Spurred on by their eager expressions of avid interest, Javier continued rambling on.

“The cameras are actually a small part of the system, though there are over two hundred positioned throughout the public areas of the castle, and thanks to some local artisans, they are virtually undetectable unless you know to look for them.” Javier stopped to point out what looked like a pinhole in the cornice above them.

“They’re the eyes, but without the mainframe—or brain, as I like to describe it—they’re useless. All of that information is recorded, backed up, and compiled in the event that it needs to be reviewed. The castle’s permanent security team monitors certain areas continuously—mostly high-traffic parts of the castle—but the rest is only accessed when the cameras detect movement. We also installed a new key card system, not only for guest rooms, but also for staff. Everyone is assigned a photo ID badge; they each hold a chip that grants access to certain areas, depending on that person’s clearance level.”

“Undetectable? Then I assume you must get some very interesting footage. People often do the strange when they think no one is looking,” Nate mused.

A quick grin flashed across Javier’s face. “On that, we are agreed. You must see plenty of that type of thing in your own line of work.”

“I did when I worked in Portland. Ponderosa Pines has its own brand of weird, but it’s very subdued.”

“Most of the time,” Dalton reminded him, “we had some outside strange come to town recently.” He and Nate between them went on to describe the invasion of the Sasquatch hunters, their inevitable rout, and Chloe’s part in driving them away.

“Now that would have been worth seeing,” Javier allowed amiably.

Feeling more comfortable now that they had shared some bonding experience, Nate asked, “How did you happen to get into the security business?”

Apparently, Javier’s candidness was exclusive to discussing only the technical side of things, he sidestepped the personal aspect of the conversation adeptly. “That’s a long story, for another time. We have arrived.” Whatever nefarious intent Chloe thought she sensed in the man, Nate wasn’t seeing anything other than a desire for personal privacy.

In contrast to Lila’s time-intensive focus on choosing the correct wedding finery, Nate and Dalton made their decisions rapidly with a minimum of fuss. An hour and a half saw all three men enjoying a Guinness in the pub. Nothing—but nothing—would induce any one of them to go looking for the women until absolutely certain the dress choosing was over.

Chapter 11

“Come with me, I know a private place where we won’t be found.” Chloe tugged at Nate’s hand, leading him around a corner and through a door marked for staff use only. She had an hour—two tops—away from Lila and wedding planning; she intended to make the most of that time.

“Lead the way!”

Several more twists and turns deposited the pair in a deserted hallway. Sconces adorned the rough stone walls every few feet, ancient dried wax dripping from the candle holders. Rejected portraits of past ruling family members quietly decomposed on the walls; these particular pieces had been commissioned by less talented artists. Something about them just seemed off—a too-long nose here, an unsightly mole overemphasized there—or perhaps the renderings had been too close to reality, and therefore relegated to dark corners out of self-consciousness.

“This is the section of the castle the staff uses for storage. There’s a balcony up ahead; should be deserted.”

Nate performed a quick search and officially cleared the area, then pulled Chloe behind a curtain and began nuzzling her neck. A low