Lasting Shadows: Shadows Landing #3

by Kathleen Brooks

  Savannah blinked. She’d expected a Bible study or something. “Weaponry?”

  “Every Saturday morning we have a women’s class at the church.”

  Savannah suddenly felt very stupid as she stared at the reverend. “You have a women’s Bible study or a weapons class?”

  Reverend Winston chuckled. “Both actually. Bible study at nine and weapons at ten.” Savannah just stared. Her brain was having trouble processing it. “See, you know the town was founded by pirates. Well, so was the church. And while their men were off raiding the oceans, the women were left alone. Before the pirates left, they taught their women how to defend themselves. It’s a tradition that continues to this day. The women of Shadows Landing are formidable.”

  “Oh, you have self-defense classes. I’d like that.” Savannah smiled then as the door opened and Miss Winnie stuck her head out.

  “Pie’s ready.”

  “Good, I’ll see you Saturday.”

  The inside of the house smelled like hot apple pie as she walked Reverend Winston to the front door.

  “This smells amazing,” Savannah told the two women after the reverend left.

  “Homemade apple pie can fix anything,” Miss Winnie told her.

  “Even killing someone,” Miss Ruby added.

  “Now, we have to get going,” Miss Winnie said, pulling out her phone. “Give us your number and I’ll text us so we all have it. That way if you need anything you can just call or text us.”

  Savannah gave Miss Winnie her phone number as Miss Ruby cut a piece of the pie and placed a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of it.

  “Here you go,” Miss Winnie said. Both Savannah’s and Miss Ruby’s phones beeped.

  “Thank you both so much. I am going to take a photo of this and tease Ridge. He’ll be jealous that I get hot apple pie,” Savannah told them before she hugged both women.

  “Men will do anything for some good apple pie,” Miss Ruby said with a sly smile and a wink to Miss Winnie.

  Um, okay. Savannah just shrugged off the strange comment as she showed them to the door. “Thank you again. I can’t wait to eat it.”

  “You’re welcome. Will we see you on Saturday?” Miss Winnie asked as they walked out the front door.

  “Saturday? Oh, do you go to the self-defense class?”

  They both gave each other that same sly smile again before Miss Ruby turned to her. “It’s as unforgettable as a good apple pie. Hope to see you there.”

  “I think I will. Bye!” Savannah called out as the old ladies began laughing as they walked to their car.

  Savannah closed the door and locked it. She headed to the kitchen and looked at the perfect apple pie and bit her bottom lip. Did she dare? Savannah looked out the window and saw the ladies driving away. She closed the blinds and took a deep breath before pulling her shirt off over her head.

  Ridge wanted her to text him. Well, text him she would. She pushed down her shorts and stood in the kitchen in nothing but her bra and panties before looking around one more time and then removing them. Savannah eyed the island where they’d had the best sex of her life and now sat an apple pie and smiled. She knew exactly what she was going to send.

  Savannah moved the pie and the plate with the slice on it to the edge of the island closest to the table where she set up her cell phone. She set the timer and then ran to the other side of the island and climbed up. She stretched out on her side with her head propped up in one of her hands. She tilted the pie up to cover her hoohah and used her arm and the plate with the slice of pie on it to cover her breasts. Savannah bit her lower lip right as the camera took the picture.

  Savannah clambered down and nervously pulled up the picture. “Oh!” she gasped as she realized she looked like a naughty cover of a cooking magazine. And it looked . . . hot.

  Okay, she could do this. Savannah didn’t breathe as she quickly pulled up her text, attached the picture and wrote, Just lying here waiting for you to eat me. Then she added the apple pie emoji, and before she could think twice, Savannah sent it.

  Letting out the breath she’d been holding, Savannah set down the phone and pulled on her clothes while she nervously waited to see Ridge’s reply.

  Her phone dinged and Savannah almost tripped over her own feet to see what Ridge typed.

  Oh sweetie, you don’t have to try that hard when you have good apple pie.

  What? Oh no, no, no, no!

  Savannah’s breathing stopped as she looked upward from the text to see it wasn’t Ridge she’d texted but Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby. She was going to die. Right here. This was going to kill her when the assassin couldn’t.

  With shaking fingers Savannah sent them a text apologizing for sending it to them. Miss Ruby replied with a laughing face emoji and Miss Winnie with an apple pie emoji followed by a heart eyes emoji followed by an engagement ring emoji. Yup, Savannah was ready to die right now, this second.

  Savannah groaned and buried her head in her hands right as her phone dinged again. Nope, no way was she going to look at it. She turned, found the open bottle of wine in the fridge, and was drinking straight from it when the garage door opened.

  Savannah gasped and spun toward Ridge. Her face was red, her eyes wide, and the look she had was the same as if a child had been caught sneaking a cookie from the cookie jar. Ridge glanced around the kitchen and relaxed when he saw nothing out of place. But he smelled it. It smelled so good.

  “Hmm, apple pie. I love apple pie.”

  Savannah groaned and tipped the wine bottle up to her lips and drank.

  “Am I missing something? Do you have a strong dislike for apple pie?”

  Savannah might have groaned again but he couldn’t tell between that and the chugging sound.

  “I take it Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby were here?” Ridge asked as he closed the door and set down his bag. “They know how much I love apple pie.”

  “They know way too much now,” Savannah said, slamming the bottle onto the counter and using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth.

  “Okay, I know I am missing something. What’s going on? Did you get in a fight with two old ladies over apple pie?” Ridge teased but the look of horror on Savannah’s face had his smile dropping instantly. “Oh my god, you didn’t beat up two old ladies, did you?”

  “No. It’s worse,” Savannah groaned as she picked up the wine bottle again.

  “I don’t understand. What could be worse than beating up two little old ladies?” Ridge asked slowly as she stepped to the other side of the island. It was hard not to reach for the slice of apple pie with melted ice cream on it.

  Savannah picked up her phone and turned it toward him. “This! This is worse.”

  Ridge looked down and instantly forgot about the pie. There was a picture of a naked Savannah stretched out on his counter and it was the hottest thing he’d seen, and that was saying something considering what they’d done on that island the night before.

  “Wow,” he said, taking a deep breath. The thought of shoving the apple pie from the island and feasting on Savannah definitely did more than cross his mind as he smiled at the picture. “This is so sexy.”

  Ridge finally looked up from the picture at Savannah’s freaked-out face. Did she not think he’d like it? He didn’t like it. He loved it! If he could, he’d print off a poster of it to hang in his office.

  One look at Savannah’s face made him realize she must be insecure about taking it. Maybe embarrassed. But she shouldn’t be. “Sweetheart, this is amazing. Thank you so much for taking this for me and don’t worry, no one else will ever see it. But if you want I can delete it.”

  “Too late now! You’re not the only one to see it.” Savannah took a gulp of wine and Ridge suddenly felt angry. He didn’t want anyone else to see this. This was his. She was his.

  “What do you mean I’m not the only one who’s seen this? If my cousin walked in—” Savannah shook her head and groaned again. “Granger? Kord?”

  “Worse,” she said, c
overing her face with her hands. “Exit out and you’ll see,” she mumbled through her fingers.

  Ridge clicked Done above the photo and suddenly he found himself in a group chat. Oh shit! He looked at the names and instead of being mad he burst out laughing. “You sexted Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby?”

  “Don’t laugh!” Savannah yelled through her fingers covering her face. “I’m mortified!”

  Ridge looked down at the text and read it. First, he went instantly hard at her text and then he had to bite his lip to stop from laughing. He felt horrible for Savannah, really, he did, but he’d been so worried she’d sent it to her ex or to any man for that matter, but finding out it went to the two old church ladies had him biting his lip harder to make sure he wasn’t laughing out loud.

  “Does this mean I don’t get to eat some apple pie?” Ridge finally asked as seriously as he could.

  Savannah gasped, threw the dishtowel at him, and then broke down in gut-wrenching peals of laughter. Tears seeped from her eyes as she shook her head. “I can’t believe I sent a nude picture to Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby!”

  “Thank goodness you sent it to them and not me. I would have wrecked the car when I saw this.” Ridge licked his lips as Savannah straightened up and wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. “But now I find myself very hungry for some pie.”

  He reached out for her and she giggled. That giggling stopped when he reached past her and grabbed the slice of pie. Savannah gasped in indignation as he took a bite. “Mmm. But not as good as you.”

  “Oh!” Savannah threw another dishtowel at him and laughed.

  “Come on, I want what you texted me.”

  “Not after that.” Savannah giggled as she jumped out of his reach. Before long, he was chasing her around the house as they both laughed so hard they were out of breath.

  “You caught me,” she said when she could breathe again.

  “And in the bedroom. Imagine that,” Ridge said, leaning forward and brushing a trail of kisses up her neck. Savannah’s head tilted to the side, and he kissed his way up to her ear as his hands cupped her breasts while he ran his thumbs over her pebbled nipples. “I think I should get a reward for catching you.”

  “Oh yeah. What kind of reward?” Savannah said. Ridge loved the catch in her breath as he teased her nipples and gently nibbled on her earlobe.

  “Pie,” he whispered before lowering her to the bed and taking his fill.

  22

  Savannah’s home had been cleared, and Ridge had his crew back to work on her house after just two days off. Savannah was right next to him as she worked on her phone, preparing for her interview with Darcy the next week.

  The night before had been amazing and it seemed impossible that there was still a cloud hanging over them, especially when they were so happy. But there was a cloud. A deadly one.

  It had been quiet for two days. No attacks. No strange people snooping around. Nothing setting off the motion detectors except Bubba crawling through the yard that morning. And right about now, having Bubba as a patrol gator didn’t sound too bad to Ridge.

  The trouble was, as great as life had been those past two days, it wouldn’t be permanent until whoever hired the hitman was taken care of. At the sound of someone turning into the drive, both he and Savannah turned.

  “It’s Granger. I wonder if he has any news,” Savannah asked, echoing his thoughts.

  “We can only hope.” Ridge clasped his hand with hers and they greeted Granger as a united front. “Have you learned anything?”

  Granger’s tightly pressed lips told him the answer. “Nothing. Fingerprints were removed or so altered there was no way to run them. This guy was a pro. We got his phone, but haven’t been able to hack into it. I’ve called and begged the phone’s developer to give us information on this serial number.” Granger handed a sticky note with a long number on it to Ridge. “But they just laughed at me. I even got a court order from the judge, but it’s not looking promising.”

  Granger paused and took off his mirrored glasses. Hard lines were set on his face, and Ridge knew whatever he was thinking he wouldn’t like it. “Tibbie called. I found out Pepper has become persona non grata in both Atlanta and Charleston society after a sex tape was released. One she didn’t take. Neither did the man she was riding while wearing her pageant crown. It was shot through a window, but it was enough for society to turn their backs on her. Tibbie said she heard Pepper was always just a follower of Ginger’s. Now apparently she’s in New York, trying to pitch a reality show. No one has really seen Ginger in almost a year. They say she’s at some European spa getting plastic surgery.”

  “So, nothing to go on there,” Ridge said with a sigh.

  “Tibbie learned that everyone thinks Penn is a prick and they all love Savannah. Penn’s lost some accounts after his cheating got out. But they still put up with him because he’s making them money.” Granger took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “Right now all legal channels are failing.”

  “What does that mean?” Savannah asked as her grip tightened on Ridge’s hand.

  “It means my hands are tied. I can’t legally access the phone to attempt to find out who hired him. I am at an impasse on your case.”

  Ridge’s gaze locked on Granger’s. Granger didn’t waver as he kept looking right at Ridge. “Legally, nothing more can be done at this point.”

  But illegally? Yeah, something could be done and he knew just the person to call. “Thank you for all you could do, Granger. I’m sure something will turn up.”

  “Let me know if it does.” Granger slipped his sunglasses on, tipped his cowboy hat to Savannah, and left.

  “What did all that mean?” Savannah asked as they watched Granger pull out of the driveway.

  “It means Granger’s hands are tied by the law so if we want info, we need to break the law. And he can’t be a part of it.”

  Ridge was already pulling out his phone.

  “How exactly are we going to break the law?” Savannah asked.

  “We’re going to have someone do it for us.”

  I need your help, Ridge typed and sent to Kale Mueez.

  I’m unavailable until tonight. Will call you then unless it’s an emergency.

  Damn. Ridge wanted this taken care of now, but it could wait until tonight. Talk to you tonight. Thank you.

  “Are you sure we should be doing this?” Savannah asked quietly.

  “I’ll do anything to keep you safe. Anything.” Ridge kissed her to try to reassure her. “Kale is a friend of my cousin who is in the FBI. He’s not dangerous.”

  Savannah nodded then and looked a little more relieved. “And you think he’s good enough to hack this guy’s phone?”

  Ridge looked down at the serial number in his hand. “Let’s hope so.”

  Ridge hadn’t wanted to go to Gavin’s that night, but there he was. He would have preferred to be at home with Savannah in his bed. But when Savannah had come into his room dressed in a cute pair of shorts and a top and all excited about the family BBQ, he couldn’t say no. It was time to let Savannah shine in her new home town. Her top was the color of sunshine and the setting sun made her hair glow. She looked like a goddess among the mortals.

  “How are you doing?” Gavin asked, bringing him a beer.

  Ridge took it and grunted. They were all standing out back at Gavin and Ellery’s house. The river ran down behind them and a nice breeze was rolling off it and sending the smoke from the BBQ toward them. It made Ridge’s mouth water as they waited for the BBQ to finish cooking.

  “That well, huh? Wanting to hole up at your house with Savannah?”

  “Exactly,” Ridge admitted to his cousin.

  “I know how you feel. It’s natural to want to protect her.”

  Ridge turned to Gavin. It was hard to remember that he’d gone through something similar. Now he and Ellery were the picture of marital bliss. “How did you do it? How did you ever let her leave the house again after what you went
through?”

  “I told myself she needed to fly to beat her fears. I handled it because I knew I would always catch her if she fell,” Gavin said softly as he stared at his wife, his face full of love.

  “Thanks,” Ridge told him as he looked back at where Savannah and Harper were laughing. He watched as Tinsley and Ellery joined them and relaxed. Savannah fit in with his family effortlessly and something about that made him fall for her a little more.

  “So, this man is like a hacker genius?” Harper asked Savannah.

  “That’s what I got from it. He operates outside the law,” Savannah told the Faulkner women around her.

  “That is hot. Like seriously hot,” Harper said, fanning herself as everyone laughed.

  “Please, that’s much more my speed. A dorky guy behind a computer,” Tinsley told them. “You’re a more muscled badass-on–a-motorcycle kind of woman.”

  Harper held up her hands. “You caught me. But come on, hacker boy sounds like a bad boy and that’s much more my speed than yours.”

  Tinsley shrugged as if saying I don’t know.

  “Does he have a cool name?” Ellery asked. “Like Night Hawk or something like that?”

  They all laughed again and Savannah shook her head. “Kale.”

  Tinsley and Harper instantly stopped laughing while Ellery cracked up even more. “Like a killer salad? Oh my gosh, I’m dying.” Then she paused and looked at Harper and Tinsley. “Why aren’t you laughing?”

  “It can’t be,” Tinsley said to Harper, ignoring Savannah and Ellery.

  “It has to be,” Harper replied.

  Tinsley turned to Savannah and asked, “Did he give you a last name?”

  “Yeah,” Savannah told them. “Easy, no Muse, no—”

  Harper gulped. “Mueez?”

  Savannah snapped her fingers. “Yes, that’s it.” She paused and then looked at them. “Do you know him or something?”

  “His sister, Abby, is married to our cousin, Dylan Davies. They’re both like Special Forces or something,” Tinsley said, looking curiously at Harper.