101 Sunset, Silence, and Suspicion


    <b>101 </b>Sunset, Silence, and Suspicion


    ra made her way down the winding path that led to the apple orchard. The <bte </b>afternoon sun cast long shadows across the mountainndscape, painting everything in warm golden hues. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the crisp mountain


    air.


    “Daddy! I forgot to tell you about the frog we saw in the garden! It was THIS big!” The little girl’s hands spread wide on the screen.


    Vivienne Dubois stood before them, wrapped in an elegant cashmere shawl. Her gaze darted between ra and Beck, her perfectly sculpted eyebrows rising in obvious


    surprise.


    “Hello,” ra said, her voice automatically warming as it always did around children.


    raughed softly as Beck ended the call.


    Finally, a woman’s voice called from somewhere off–screen. “Shanice, time for bed!”


    “Don’t be. She’s delightful.”


    ra found a t boulder and sat down, letting the quiet seep into her bones. Noptops, no phones, no algorithm problems to solve. Just her and the mountains. Twenty minutester, she emerged onto a small teau. The view stole her breath away. The valley spread out below her like a painting, with the retreatplex looking like a miniature model amid the vast wilderness. Beyond, mountains stretched to the horizon, their peaks already catching the reddening light of the approaching sunset.


    Beck looked questioningly at ra, who nodded slightly. He turned the phone to show the panoramic view.


    “Well, well,” she said, her voice silky. “What an… unexpected pairing”


    Something in ra softened slightly at the mention of his daughter. She’d seen photos of the little girl around the office – a bright–eyed eight–year–old with her father’s


    smile.


    ra’s eyes snapped open, She turned to find Beck standing a few feet away, a phone in his hand. Her peaceful expression immediately shut down into neutral politeness.


    101 Sunset, Silence, and Suspicion


    “It was! And it was green and…” The child paused, peering at the screen. <b>“</b>Who’s <b>that </b>with you, Daddy?”


    By the time they reached the bottom of the trail, darkness had nearly fallen. The retreat’s lights glowed weingly in the twilight. They were approaching the main entrance when a figure stepped out onto the path.


    “I didn’t realize anyone else was up here,” she said, her voice cooling several degrees.


    ra’s posture remained rigid. “I should leave you to your call.”


    Beck seemed to sense her difort. “Sorry to intrude. Ie up here for the cell signal when I call my daughter. The reception down at the retreat is spotty.”


    “Hi, Ms. Vance!” Shanice waved enthusiastically. “Are you on a mountain? That’s so


    cool!”


    Sweet juice flooded her mouth. She couldn’t remember thest time she’d tasted something so simple yet delicious.


    “Aww, Mom!” The little girl pouted. “Bye, Daddy! Bye, Ms. Dragon Lady!”


    Behind her, she heard Beck exining, “We just happened to be at the viewpoint at the same time. Nothing more.”


    The temperature dropped as the sun disappeared behind the distant peaks. ra shivered slightly in her light sweater.


    For once, being alone felt like a choice rather than a punishment.


    Beck nced at ra apologetically before angling the phone slightly. “This is Ms. Vance. She works with me.”


    She closed her eyes, feeling the gentle breeze y with her hair. The silence was absolute, broken only by asional birdsong and the rustling of leaves.


    ra didn’t break stride. She walked past Vivienne without acknowledging her presence, heading straight for the lobby doors.


    “No need.” Beck gestured to the phone. “I was just wrapping up. Shanice wanted to show me her science project before bedtime.”


    “Beautiful view, isn’t it?”


    101 Sunset, Silence, and Suspicion


    Without overthinking it, she began climbing the trail. The path grew steeper, making her legs burn pleasantly with exertion. Work had consumed her mind for hours; this physical activity was exactly what she needed.


    After gathering a few more apples in the small bag provided by the retreat, ra noticed a narrow trail leading further up the mountain. A wooden sign indicated it led to a sunset viewpoint. She checked her watch – still plenty of time before dusk.


    ra nodded, gathering her bag of apples. They began descending the trail, with Beck leading the way. The path was steeper going down, and in ces, loose gravel made footing treacherous. When ra slipped slightly, Beck instinctively extended his hand, but she caught herself against a tree instead, pointedly ignoring his offered help.


    ra clutched her bag of apples tighter and headed for the elevators. Let Vivienne think what she wanted. Let her whisper her suspicions to Damien and the others.


    Beck shrugged, smiling. “She has a vivid imagination. Sorry about that.”


    The lobby doors swung shut behind ra, cutting off whatever usation Vivienne was about to make. Through the ss, she could see them standing together, Vivienne gesturing animatedly while Beck’s posture grew increasingly defensive.


    An awkward silence fell between them. The sun had begun its final descent, casting deep orange light across thendscape. ra turned her attention back to the view, hoping Beck would take the hint and leave.


    “We should head back,” Beck said, rising from his boulder. “It gets cold quickly once the


    sun’s gone.”


    “Can I see? Please, please, please?”


    For once, ra didn’t care what stories they told about her. She had algorithms to perfect and dragons to find.


    “Wooooow!” Shanice’s voice was full of wonder. “That’s like in my storybooks! Are there dragons there?”


    The orchard was more beautiful than she’d expected. Rows of apple trees stretched across the gentle slope, their branches heavy with ripe fruit. ra approached the nearest tree and reached up, plucking a perfect red apple. She polished it against her sweater and took a satisfying bite.


    <


    101 Sunset, Silence, and Suspicion


    Before she could respond, Beck’s phone chimed. “Actually, that’s her calling back. She forgot to tell me something.”


    Neither spoke. ra was grateful for that. Beck seemed to understand that she hadn’te seekingpany.


    Beyond them, further down the path, a group was gathering around a newly lit bonfire. ra could make out Damien’s tall form among them, with Cora close by his side.


    ra’s smile deepened. “I haven’t seen any yet, but I’ll keep looking.”


    “Is that so?” Vivienne’s voice dripped with suspicion. “Beck, you two…”


    The walk back was conducted inplete silence. The earlier moment of warmth during Shanice’s call had evaporated, reced by ra’s customary reserve. She kept several paces behind Beck, maintaining distance…


    They sat in silence as the sun sank lower, painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange, pink, and purple. The retreating daylight transformed the valley below into a tapestry of shadows and golden highlights.


    ra hesitated, then nodded curtly. “It’s a free mountain.”


    They chatted for a few more minutes, with Shanice asking increasingly imaginative questions about mountain wildlife. ra found herself responding with equal enthusiasm, momentarily forgetting her difort around Beck.


    He answered the video call, and immediately a child’s excited voice filled the mountain


    air.


    Despite herself, ra smiled. “I am. I’m watching the sunset.”


    “Dragon Lady?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.


    Instead, he sat down on another boulder, keeping a respectful distance. “Mind if I watch the sunset too? It’s why I came up here after


    <i>my </i>call<i>.</i><i>” </i>


    Beck chuckled. “That sounds like quite the frog, sweetheart.”