A blurry shot of Beatrice with a group of girls at what looked like a night club.
A small picture of her sitting on a horse in a damp meadow, the sun glinting off her dark brown hair as she smiled.
In a corner of the mirror, he saw a small phrase written on a worn index card.
The man touched the card tucked into the mirror, noting its worn edges and smudged letters. He traced the edges for a moment before he stepped away.
He took the picture of her on the horse and tucked it into his pocket before he walked to her bed and sat on the side where he knew she rested. Hesitating for only a moment, he reached into his coat and withdrew two items. The man looked at the small, leather-bound volume of sonnets in his hand, and gently traced the gold lettering on the front.
Tucking the plane ticket to Santiago under the small book, he placed both on her pillow where she would find them. He looked longingly around the room for a moment, before he stood and walked out the front door, carefully locking it behind him.
He tucked the brass key under Mrs. Hanson’s doormat and walked over to the fountain. Sitting on the bench, he looked around the old courtyard, trying to imagine her laughter echoing off the walls.
The man lingered for a few moments, letting her faint scent swirl around him along with his memories. Then he stood, walked back under the arch, and disappeared into the night.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Hunter is the author and independent publisher of the Elemental Mysteries series.
She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College in the Department of English (Linguistics) and a former English teacher.
A native of Central California, she now lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and an assortment of dogs. She enjoys reading, writing, travel, and bowling (despite the fact that she's not very good at it).
Learn more about her writing at her author website, elizabethhunterwrites.com or contact her by e-mail at [email protected]
A Hidden Fire is her second novel, and the Elemental Mysteries series is her first series of books.
