Aria wrapped the camera cord around her wrist and strolled onto the Lakeview property, now owned by Lockwood Holdings Limited. It didn’t have a driveway yet, and, courtesy of a long, hot summer, the grass was more brown than green. Technically, she wasn’t allowed to be here, but, she’d reasoned, it couldn’t hurt to pop over for a few minutes to take some photos. Maybe she could superimpose the concept plan of the shopping complex over a photo of the empty lot. Great photography equaled more attention to her article and, hopefully, a promotion. The response to her first article had been crazy. Whether people agreed with it or not, everyone had an opinion.

Flipping her sunglasses over her eyes to shield them from the sun, Aria looked down on Itirangi. Sometimes she wondered if it wouldn’t benefit from an upgrade—a few more modern amenities. At the moment, the newer buildings stood out like scars on the landscape, while many of the older buildings were in need of painting, with tussocks in the gardens and scrub that grew unchecked. There was a certain wilderness about Itirangi. Aria thought it was beautiful. And, considering the booming tourist trade, she wasn’t alone in her view.

She pondered her next story. She needed to provide the public with more details about the development. She’d done her research and now she was here, searching for inspiration. Wandering around the edge of the property, she snapped photos of the yard, then walked to the highest point and stood on tiptoes. She gazed out toward the lake, over the cottages with overrun lawns and the boutique shops in hundred-year-old buildings. The shimmering lake lapped at the shore. Behind the mass of water, mountains towered brown and green, blending into the horizon. It dazzled her. No wonder someone wanted to build in this spot. They would make a killing.

A sparrow swooped into a tree, and she shot a picture of it mid-flight. Perfect. She was certain one of these photos would be exactly what she needed to liven up her article. While tucking the camera away, she heard a scuffle. Peering over her shoulder, she jumped when she saw a man standing a few yards away. She took a quick step backwards and trod on a stick which rolled under her foot. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she landed on her bottom. Dammit! She cursed her clumsiness, a trait it seemed she’d never grow out of. Her butt throbbed. She looked up to introduce herself. And up. And up.