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corner side table topped with a gold and brown lamp. A coffee table, also wood, held several magazines and a remote control caddy. An entertainment center rested against the wall adjacent to an open door in which Rachel could make out a bed. To her right was a round table with four chairs directly in front of a counter containing a coffee machine, another caddy filled with coffee packets, sugars and creamers, mugs, and a sink. A mini-fridge rested under the counter next to a set of cabinets.
    Her luggage was, indeed, already in the room, just outside the bedroom door. Her car keys and purse were on the table.
    Rachel looked up at Melinda with wide eyes. “I haven’t paid for anything yet.”
    Melinda waved that away. “We’ll settle things up later. I’m not worried.” She grinned. “I know where you’re sleeping.”
    She handed Rachel the key card. “These are kept locked in my office. No one will enter this room without your permission. We don’t change the bedding or clean until our guests depart or there’s a specific need such as spills or whatnot. Towels are in the bath. If or when you require replacements, just dial zero on the phone.” Melinda nodded to a box set in the wall by the front door. “It’s a relatively new addition to the rooms and only works internally. A cross between a phone and intercom system. If you need to make a call and don’t have a cell phone, or need anything, just let Annie, Katie, or myself know.”
    Melinda stepped close and touched gentle fingers to Rachel’s cheek. “We don’t scare easily. You’re safe here. Try to get some sleep.”
    The back of Rachel’s eyes burned, and she wasn’t one to cry at the drop of a hat. The easy acceptance and reassurance combined with days of worry and fear mixed and tumbled together until she was a moody mess. She blinked several times in rapid succession. “Thank you, Melinda.”
    With a final nod, Melinda slipped out the door and left Rachel alone.
    Setting the basket and key card on the table next to her purse, Rachel unwrapped the sandwich and ate it as she scoped out the rest of her temporary digs. A quilt in soft shades of blue, green, and white graced the queen-sized bed. A light-colored wood dresser, nightstand, and padded bench at the foot of the bed were the only other furnishings. She opened the long closet on the wall between the bath and bedroom and found several hangers along with a folded blanket.
    She peeked in the bathroom. Shower, sink, toilet. Simple, nice, and clean.
    A sliding glass door on the wall across from the bed led her out onto a balcony that ran the whole length of the suite. Weather-resistant chairs and a small table looked out over the backyard.
    And what a yard it was. An intricate and vibrant garden took up a huge chunk, full of hedges, roses, and other plants that bloomed healthy and whole in the afternoon sun. Walkways throughout the garden invited one out for a stroll, while the covered swing and benches dotting those pathways gave the perfect opportunity to rest and simply breathe deep of the delightful scents wafting on the gentle breeze. Two separate lattice gazebos, on either side of the garden, spanned the walkway and were overrun with blooming wisteria that rose high in the air and swayed in the breeze. It was so magical, Rachel could almost see little sprites dancing merrily on the delicate purple flowers, releasing its sweet fragrance for all to enjoy.
    To the right of the garden was a deep, lush lawn of grass that curved the exterior section of the indoor-outdoor pool and continued around the right side of the house.
    A tired sigh of longing escaped her. She’d love to run out over that grass barefoot, letting the tiny blades massage and tickle her toes. Maybe she would sneak out one night and do so.
    Then she remembered the cameras.
    Maybe not.
    Past the gardens she could see the rows and rows of trees that were the namesake of the estate. The orchards seemed to go on forever, brimming