"Just hold still, alright?" Alex was sitting next to Abby, trying to swab some alcohol on her scraped wrists. Alex had been the one to remove the dead birds outside the cabin. He was convinced it was Wally attempting to scare them once again. After he'd gotten Abby safely inside the cabin, he went back to the boulders to retrieve the knife.

"I'm just worried. Are you sure we shouldn't call the police? What if we end up going to jail for hiding evidence?" Abby asked.

"All we found was a knife. That doesn't mean it's evidence. Besides, what do you plan to tell the cops? I think I saw a ghost and she led me to her murder weapon from over twenty years ago? No, they'd lock us up in an insane asylum. Besides, I don't exactly trust Sheriff Don."

"Well, this has been an insane week," Abby murmured.

"I wouldn't say insane," Alex corrected as he placed a bandage over one of her cuts. "More like...surprising."

Abby looked up and stared directly into Alex's blue eyes. He was centimeters away from her. She gulped.

"What's the matter? Are you not feeling well?" Alex asked, his hand reaching forward to check her temperature.

Abby shook her head. "I don't know. Everything has been happening so fast. It's a lot to take in. This cabin is haunted. You agree with me on that, right?"

"To me haunted means there's uninvited strangers or unwanted spirits," Alex explained. "Crystal isn't a stranger. This is her home and she's my sister."

"So it doesn't bother you?"

"No. It's actually somewhat comforting to know that she's still around. Now, if you were to tell anyone this, I'd deny it."

"Can't have top businessman Alex Carter admitting he believes in ghosts, can we?" Abby said with a smile.

"No," Alex said softly. "I have thousands of employees who depend on me for their livelihoods. If everyone began to think I was some strange guy who went around following the ghost of his dead sister, they'd think I was crazy."

"But you are some strange guy who goes around following the ghost of your sister." Abby chuckled.

"Shh...let's keep that between us. Besides, I wasn't following her. I was following you."

Abby felt a warm flutter in her belly that she chose to ignore.

"We should probably shower and change," Alex said. "I have a guy who can help us with that knife."

Alex's phone rang and he smiled when he saw who was calling. He answered, "Yes, mother?"

Abby stood up and walked away to give him some privacy but she could still overhear his conversation.

"Who cares what they write? I'm a grown man. I'm not going to discuss my personal life with you. Fine. I told you I need to be here. Yes. I'll talk to you later."

"Is everything okay?" Abby asked once he disconnected the call.

"It's fine." He walked past her and stepped outside, scanning their surroundings. "We're being watched."

"Watched?"

"By those two reporters. Damn, I'm sorry Abby. This is all my fault."

"What is?"

He opened a text message that led to an online article identifying Abby as Alex's new girlfriend. The article went on to describe Abby's past and question Alex's judgment.

"I'll sue them," he hissed. "How dare they?"

"How dare they take your advice?" Abby tasted the bitterness of her statement. She lightly pushed his phone away. "All they did was listen to your tip and run with it."

"I'm sorry Abby. It never occurred to me that they would ever have a story to run. Your past must be something you don't want to be brought up again. Hell, I'll call Felicia. She'll get our lawyers on it."

"It won't change anything."

"I know but still--"

"Are you embarrassed?" Abby asked. She felt something tighten in her chest.

Alex stared at her for a moment. His look of concern mutated into anger.

"Yes, I'm embarrassed. I'm pretty damn ashamed actually. Ashamed of myself for thinking this would be a good idea and for not telling you about it beforehand. My plans normally work out without a hitch but for some reason when it comes to this cabin...to my biological mother and sister...I don't think clearly. I screwed up and I'm sorry."

Abby nodded, taking a deep breath. He wasn't embarrassed by her but by his actions. She reached for her bracelet before remembering she was no longer wearing it. It was still just a pile of beads on the coffee table.

A knock on the door startled them both. A few moments later, they were opening the door to Chuck and Maria.

"We came over as soon as the roads were open," Chuck told Alex.

"I told Chuck we'd be disturbing you two," Maria murmured to Abby before whispering a bit too loudly, "I read the article that you two were dating."

"Those reporters were wrong," Abby interrupted her.

"Of course they were." Maria smiled before giving her an exaggerated wink. "As if you could be a murderer. Look at you! You wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Actually, that's not--" Abby tried to correct her but Chuck interrupted her.

"We came by to make sure you two were okay. We tried calling but couldn't get through the landline or your cells."

Alex nodded. "Thank you for worrying about us. I was actually able to speak with Wally this morning. "

"Right," Abby said before catching Maria looking between her and Alex.

"You two are so cute together. I would never have guessed." Maria giggled. "I told Chuck we needed to come over right away to see you two. I wanted to congratulate you."

"Maria, people don't go around congratulating others for dating." Chuck's voice sounded as though he wanted her to be quiet.

"Well, they should. You know you're thinking it too." Maria elbowed him.

"I am not thinking that," Chuck whispered.

Another knock at the door caused all four of them to turn.

"Were you expecting company?" Chuck asked.

Abby's brows knitted together. The day was becoming stranger by the minute. She still wasn't sure why Chuck and Maria were there. She opened the door to see Felicia, Alex's secretary, push past her.

"Mr. Carter," Felicia said, her dark hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she was carrying a leather folder. She was in a designer suit that looked out of place in the cabin.

"Felicia, what are you doing here?" Alex asked.

"Oooh...it's a love triangle!" Maria squealed.

Felicia looked aghast at the very idea of being involved in a love triangle and clucked her tongue in disapproval at the woman with the overactive imagination.

"Felicia, did my mother send you here?"

"No, sir. I've been trying to reach you since yesterday about some contracts that need to be signed. Since I couldn't get in touch with you by phone, I made the decision to come here in person. Your mother did notify me of the issue that is going on at the moment. I called our lawyers to handle it. The story should be taken down within the hour."

"She's very efficient," Chuck murmured.

"I like Abby better," Maria said loudly. "This one's like a robot."

"Maria!" Chuck mouthed for her to be quiet causing her to roll her eyes.

"Thank you, Felicia," Alex said. He turned to Maria and Chuck. "Thank you for stopping by to check on us but we really have some business to discuss."

Before exiting, Chuck turned to Abby. "If they're going to discuss business, perhaps you'd want to come with Maria and me. We're going to the next town over."

"No," Alex answered for her. "She's here as my assistant. She needs to be present as well."

"I hope they're not going to have an orgy," Maria muttered.

Alex bit his bottom lip to keep himself from responding while Felecia didn't bat an eye and Abby gasped.

"Trust me, if we were, you wouldn't be invited," Alex retorted before slamming the door on both Chuck and Maria's faces.

"Wow," Abby whispered. "I can't believe she thought that."

"Mr. Carter? The contracts?" Felicia was removing the documents as she spoke.

"Right. Excuse my absentmindedness. You should know that the residents in Bayless are nothing short of strange, Felicia," Alex explained as he picked up one of the contracts to look through.

"Yes, sir. After reading the article regarding you and Ms. Redding, I can only imagine how stressful it is for you here," Felicia answered.

"Coffee! I'll get some coffee," Abby said awkwardly. She stayed in the kitchen longer than she needed to before coming out with a tray of hot coffee. She overheard Felicia and Alex talking.

"The article has been removed. The rumors regarding Ms. Redding should stop after this. It's amazing how one picture can lead to such a ridiculous story."

Abby felt the tray of hot coffee slipping from her hands.

"Abby! Dammit, didn't I tell you to be careful?" Alex rushed towards her and pulled at her arms to step away from the fallen tray and spilled beverages.

"I'm fine," Abby whispered.

"Are you sure you didn't burn yourself?" Alex was inspecting her figure, still holding her hands together. "You're okay?"

"I'm fine," Abby repeated, her eyes catching a glance at Felicia whose mouth was open in shock.

Alex turned to his secretary. "Close your mouth or flies will get in. I signed the documents so you may leave now."

Felicia took a few moments to gain her cool composure before nodding. "Yes, sir. Of course. I'll see myself out."

"No, wait. I have something I need you to deliver," Alex held up a hand. He left both women to head to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry," Abby said to Felicia. "About the story and you having to do extra work to get it taken down."

"Nonsense, it's my job. I will admit that I find it surprising that he's showing you some concern."

"What do you mean?" Abby asked.

"You've only been working for Mr. Carter for a few days but he's earned himself quite a reputation over the years," Felicia explained. "They call him heartless. Even the women he chooses to go to functions with are for business connections. If his mother saw him just now, she'd probably faint. Regardless, it seems as though that online story may not be entirely fiction."

"This is what I need you to deliver," Alex was holding up the knife that was now neatly packaged for one of his people to inspect. "It needs to be done today."

"Yes, sir."

Felicia took the package and swiftly exited the cabin, leaving Alex and Abby alone.

"Sorry about that," Alex said as he watched her clean up the spilled coffee. "I'll help you."

"No, it's okay. I got it."

Abby headed into the kitchen while thinking over Felicia's words.

He never really dated women or showed affection so why is he being nice to me? What's so special about me?

The only difference that Abby could think of was that she was a murderer. She had murdered Bryce. That wasn't a trait that would attract most men. Then again, he was also obsessed with the murder of his sister.

She leaned against the kitchen sink to mull it over when she heard a loud crash. She looked up to see the dishes from the cabinet she had left open come flying down one by one as though some imaginary being were pulling them out and throwing them onto the ground.

Abby screamed and Alex came running in to see the last dish hit the ground. He pulled a shaking Abby out of the room.

"Are you okay?"

"What...what the hell happened?" Abby didn't understand. Crystal wouldn't do that.

"Shhh...calm down Abby."

"We both know I can't just calm down! Those dishes flew on their own."

"Maybe it was Crystal wanting attention," Alex suggested.

Abby knew better. Crystal hadn't once done something like that. She shook her head. "No, it couldn't have been her."

"Of course it was."

"No. There's something evil in this cabin Alex. There's something very evil here."

"What are you trying to say?" Alex asked.

"I'm saying that maybe Crystal isn't the only spirit here with us."