Enigma, Maine, Bundle 2

by Iris Abbott

  “It generally is,” he agreed. Adam picked up the mouthpiece on his radio and made contact with the Coast Guard to inform them of the boat theft and the attempt on her life. He also requested they contact the hospital and let them know that he and Amber would arrive in the emergency room within the hour.

  He glanced at her. “You don’t have to worry about them sending out the helicopter.”

  “It probably doesn’t matter,” Amber shrugged. “You gave the Coast Guard my name. Someone at the hospital probably told my sister already. I know she’s working tonight. She’s a life flight nurse, and my brother-in-law’s a pilot. They usually work together. As my rotten luck would have it, both of them work tonight.”

  “Why’s that a problem?”

  “My sister will try to smother me for at least the next month. She wasn’t thrilled about me taking the job. She thought it sounded too good to be true.” She frowned.

  “Guess she was right. It almost got me killed. If it weren’t for you, I’d be lying dead at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean right now, probably never to be seen again.” The turmoil finally caught up with her, and she let out a broken sob.

  Adam wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Try not to think about it. You’re safe now.”

  Amber went willingly into Adam’s embrace. His hand traced comforting circles on her back, and she relaxed into the welcoming heat of his caress. She buried her face against his neck. “Before I forget,” she mumbled, “thank you for everything you’ve done for me tonight.”

  Adam squeezed her tight. “The night’s not over yet. Let’s get you onto dry land. We’ll deal with everything else as it happens.”

  He led her to a chair. “Stay there. I’m going to open this baby up and get us back to the marina as quickly as possible. You’re still weak,” he explained. “I don’t want you to lose your balance or faint and hurt yourself even more. You don’t need a concussion on top of everything else.”

  Amber lightheaded and dizzy. She wasn’t going to argue with his advice. Her body endured enough for one day. She wasn’t taking any more chances. She closed her eyes and tried to relax as the boat motor hummed to life, and they began the short journey to Enigma’s marina and blessed land.

  TWO

  He neared the no wake zone. Adam slowed the boat and glanced over at Amber. Her eyes were closed. The contrast between her dark brown lashes and pale skin was startling. “Almost there,” he whispered in an encouraging voice that hid his inner turmoil.

  Amber’s eyes popped open, and she stretched. “My whole body feels battered and bruised. I struggled hard to get loose before I passed out.”

  Adam’s body tensed, and he ground his teeth. He wanted to rip apart the men who tried to kill her limb by limb while they screamed for mercy.

  “I don’t hear a siren or helicopter,” she stated in a hopeful voice. “No one has gotten around to telling my sister yet. That or she somehow managed to control her nurturing instincts enough not to rush out here and greet us.” She sat up straight and watched him maneuver his luxury motor boat into its slip.

  “Stay right there,” he ordered. “I’ll tie off the boat and come back for you.”

  Amber looked like she wanted to protest. However, when she stood to follow him, she quickly sank back down into the chair. “Ugg! I’m too weak to stand. I’m gonna have trouble getting to the dock,” she groaned.

  He shook his head. “Stubborn woman,” he muttered under his breath. “I’ll help, just give me a couple of minutes!”

  Adam secured the boat and quickly returned to Amber. Once again, he was struck by just how fragile she looked when he walked into the cabin and saw her dejected slump. He vowed right then and there to get to the bottom of the attempt on her life. “Ready?” he asked. Without waiting for a reply, he scooped her into his arms and stalked out of the cabin and toward the dock.

  Amber let out a little yelp and quickly wrapped both arms around his neck. “I know I need help getting off the boat, but you don’t have to carry me. I was thinking more like a hand at the elbow kind of assistance.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to drop you back into the ocean if that’s what you’re thinking. You’re not heavy, and I am very coordinated. I won’t have any problems getting both of us off the boat and back onto dry land.”

  A wistful sigh slipped past the luscious lips he really wanted to taste. Amber lowered her head onto his shoulder, but her body was stiff as a board.

  “Hold on tight, and I apologize in advance,” Adam warned. He tightened his hold on the woman in his arms and walked down the swaying gangway. He tried his best to jostle Amber as little as possible while moving as quickly as he could toward the parking lot and his car.

  Apparently, Mike Carter, the owner of the marina, was working late. He ran out of his office to greet them. “Dr. Landis,” the man nodded a greeting. “I thought you went out on your own this evening,” the man half questioned with a frown.

  “I did,” Adam responded. “This woman’s boat was stolen, and she was dumped into the ocean.”

  “What!” the man sputtered.

  “I wandered along in time to save her. The Enigma Police Department has been notified as well as the Coast Guard. You might want to send out some kind of warning to the other people using the marina. It won’t hurt for people to be extra vigilante until the police find out if this was an isolated incident or the start of a rash of boat thefts.”

  Carter fell in step beside them. “Is she going to be all right?”

  Amber lifted her head from Adam’s chest. “Considering what could have happened, I’m going to be just fine, Mr. Carter.”

  “Ms. Swanson, is that you?”

  “It’s me,” she confirmed. “I took out Mr. Smith’s boat for a quick run since I didn’t get a chance earlier today, and I ran into all kinds of trouble.”

  “I don’t understand what you were doing out so late at night by yourself anyway,” Adam grumbled.

  Amber arched a brow. “Probably the same thing as you.” She pushed a few stray locks of hair away from her eyes. “Anyway, I meant to do it earlier, but my car wouldn’t start.” She shrugged.

  “It was well after dark before the mechanic could get out to my apartment and fix it. The engine had a couple of loose wires, and the mechanic was able to fix it right away.” She frowned slightly. “I guess it was just one of those things. My car is only a couple of years old, and I take it in for regular oil changes and the like.”

  Adam tensed, and dread settled heavy in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t like the sound of that. It could have been a coincidence, but he wasn’t much for happenstances. “Amber, do you take the boat out every Tuesday?”

  “Yes, Tuesday and Thursday. The terms were specified in the contract I signed.”

  Alarm bells clanged loudly inside Adam’s head. He didn’t like the direction of his thoughts. Something told him the attack wasn’t random. That meant Amber could still be in danger.

  They stopped next to Adam’s car, and he fumbled with the key fob, trying to hit the unlock button. The marina owner stepped forward and reached for Amber. “Let me help.”

  Adam bristled when the other man tried to take Amber from his arms. He told himself it was because he didn’t want to risk the other man dropping her, whatever the reason he wasn’t letting go until the last possible second.

  “Back off,” he glared at Mike. He knew the man was concerned and trying to help, but Adam refused to relinquish his hold on Amber. “She’s fine where she is.” He finally managed to hit the right button on the remote, and the car unlocked.

  “I’m taking her to the hospital. Don’t forget to let the other boat owners know what happened. I don’t want anyone to panic, but they should be on alert.” He had no idea who tried to kill Amber, and he wasn’t letting her out of his sight until he did. Boat theft in the waters of Maine wasn’t unheard of, but it was a sporadic occurrence, especially near Enigma.

  He didn’t slow down
to wait for the marina owner’s response. He opened the passenger door and gently sat Amber inside. Once she was settled, he walked around to the driver’s side. Mike Carter was nowhere to be found. Adam figured the man rushed off to take care of marina business. Whatever he was doing didn’t concern Adam. Amber was his number one priority. Getting her checked out at the hospital was on top of his to-do list.

  Amber crossed her arms over her chest. This sucks! I’m gonna have to notify the owner of the boat that it was stolen.” A long, weary sigh filled his car. “I’ve gotta talk to the Enigma Police Department, and Coast Guard, probably while being smothered to death by my sister.”

  Adam barely resisted the urge to drag her into his lap and kiss her until she forgot about everything but him. Instead, he started the car and backed out of the parking spot.

  Amber cleared her throat. “Listen to me go on. I’m sure this isn’t how you planned to spend your night, sorry for all the trouble.”

  “It’s not your fault those thugs tried to kill you, Amber. You don’t have to apologize. None of this is your doing.” Somebody was responsible though, and Adam wasn’t going to stop until he knew who it was.

  If law enforcement couldn’t handle the problem, he’d speak to his good friend Phillip Saint John. The council would take care of it. He’d have to talk to Phillip anyway.

  Since Amber was human, the council wouldn’t usually be involved, unless she was attacked or targeted by a paranormal being. Adam didn’t think that was the case, but as of now, he was putting her firmly under his protection. He was a paranormal being, so he fell under the protection of the council. They needed to know what happened.

  The council was the governing body of the paranormal world. It was made up of the twenty oldest cat shifters in the world. The cat shifters, also known as guardians, protected paranormal beings. They helped keep the existence of paranormal creatures a secret from most people, who would only fear what they didn’t understand.

  The guardians also protected humans by hunting and taking out rogue paranormal beings who might harm or kill humans oblivious to their presence. Several council members lived in or around Enigma, including Phillip. Adam knew he could count on Saint John if he needed help solving Amber’s attempted murder.

  Adam glanced over at his passenger. Her eyes were closed, and she slumped over slightly in the seat. Her body probably crashed, and she was in a deep sleep. He refused to wake her. He would let her get rest now while she could.

  In a short amount of time, she was going to be poked and prodded by medical doctors. Plus the Enigma Police Department and the Coast Guard were likely to ask her a thousand questions before they were done. He’d be with her every step of the way, stepping in if they got too aggressive.

  Amber was very wrong to think he didn’t remember her. He loved her smile, and he was intrigued by the shy student who spent the whole semester trying to hide in the back of the classroom. Fate allowed their paths to cross once again. This time, Adam would act on the attraction that sizzled between them.

  Three

  Amber tried not to let out a grumpy groan of frustration while her sister fluffed her pillow for the third time in as many minutes. “Hannah, really I’m fine,” Amber reassured her older sister.

  “I want to make sure you’re comfortable,” Hannah insisted.

  “Well, I’m sorry, but it’s not working. As soon as I start to get comfortable, you move my support, and my body has to adjust to a new position all over again. I know you mean well, but please leave my pillow alone.”

  The two sisters looked at each other and burst into laughter. Hannah was the first to speak. “I’m overdoing the protective, older sister role huh? It’s just that I’m so grateful you’re still alive. You are so lucky that man happened along when he did. Even luckier that he was able to rescue you.”

  Amber groaned and turned bright red. “That man is Dr. Adam Landis. He was my chemistry professor, and I had a slight crush on him back in the day.” She frantically twisted her hands together. “I’m glad I was rescued, but why oh why did it have to be him?” She looked at her sister with sad eyes. “Actually he asked me out once,” she admitted in almost a whisper.

  Hannah raised a brow. “Oh, I certainly see why you had a crush. Was the date that bad? Obviously, things didn’t work out, because I’ve never heard you mention him before.”

  Amber dropped her gaze away from her sister. She didn’t want to talk about this with her. “The date didn’t happen, that’s all I’m willing to say about it.”

  Hannah frowned. “I obviously hit a nerve. He’s still in the hospital by the way. He refused to leave even though the nurse told him he wouldn’t be able to see you tonight because it’s too late for visitors.”

  Amber gave her sister a frustrated laugh and pointed look. “And yet you’re still here.”

  Hannah gave her sister a wicked smile. “Totally different. I work here, and I’m family.”

  “Well, Adam saved my life. That should count for something,” Amber insisted. “And speaking of family, you have a husband and son waiting for you. Go home, Hannah. I’ll be fine, and I am so tired. I just want to close my eyes and sleep for a week.”

  Hannah bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Okay, enough said. You’re right. You do need to rest. I’m sure you’ll be bombarded by all types of visitors tomorrow, trying to get to the bottom of what happened to you.”

  Hannah gave her sister a fierce look. “And they better be able to find the monsters that did this or else!”

  Amber silently agreed. She would not feel safe until the people who tried to kill her were locked up behind bars. She hoped it didn’t take too long to find them. Amber exchanged goodbyes with her sister one more time. Then she watched as Hannah quietly walked out the door, giving her a cheery wave as she went.

  Amber closed her eyes and tried to rest, but sleep proved elusive. Now that she was alone, whenever she closed her eyes in her mind, Amber could see pitch-black water closing in around her. She tossed and turned a few times and finally gave up. She found the button to raise the head of her bed and turned on the television. Maybe the sound of voices would keep her from feeling alone. It was going to be a long night.

  ****

  Adam paced in the waiting room. He was glad he gave up the classroom this summer to write a journal article on his latest research project. Adam could write any time of the day or night. Which was a good thing, because he wasn’t leaving the hospital until he knew for sure that whoever attempted to kill Amber wasn’t going to try to finish the job.

  Word of her rescue leaked out to the press already. If whoever threw her overboard was still in Enigma’s vicinity they would know she was still alive. Adam wasn’t leaving anything to chance, not when it came to Amber.

  He abruptly turned and found himself face to face with Phillip Saint John. Only a cat shifter was quiet enough to sneak up on Adam. “Thanks for coming, Phillip. I’ve got a real mess on my hands.”

  Phillip nodded his agreement. “I’m surprised you took such an interest in the matter.”

  Adam glared. “I know the victim.”

  “A former student, I believe you mentioned on the phone.”

  “It’s more than that. I was intrigued by her before. I even asked her out, and she accepted. For some reason she took off, disappearing from Enigma for the summer. Without a phone call or explanation,” he peevishly added. “Now that she’s reappeared in my life, I won't let her go so easily this time. At least not without an explanation.”

  “I’ve already spoken with Lucian Petrakos. The council will aid you in any way we can. Lucian, as you know, is on the hospital board, and he’s responsible for bringing Amber’s brother-in-law to Enigma. He’s a damn good pilot, and Hannah is a fantastic nurse. Lucian does not want them to leave Enigma, which they might do if they think it’s an unsafe place to live.”

  “Well, that makes two of us. I just found Amber again. I don’t want her and her family to leave Enigma before I
have a chance to take our relationship to the next level.”

  “Lucian’s furious about the attack on your friend. Lucky for you, he’s head of the council. You have our full cooperation.

  The council has contacts in both the Enigma Police Department and the Coast Guard. Two council members are already out looking for the boat. They’ll report back to me if they find anything.” Phillip clasped Adam’s shoulder in a show of support. “I know how upset I was when Selena and her friends were targeted by rogue wolf shifters from Gannon’s pack. Let me know if you need anything,” Phillip offered.”

  “There might be something,” Adam said. “Does Selena’s friend Brittany still teach self-defense classes for women? Amber said she was overpowered on the boat. I’d feel a lot better if she was physically able to protect herself from future attacks. Not that I plan to let anything happen to her, but I believe in being prepared.”

  “Yes, Brittany still has a studio downtown, and she offers lessons three times a week. Selena and Julie help her out sometimes with demonstrations and the like. I know there’s a new class starting next week. I’ll mention Amber to Selena when I get home. Even if the class is full, I’m sure Brittany would make room for Amber.”

  “Thanks, Phillip. I owe you.”

  The guardian shook his head. “We’re even. You helped me out with those rogue wolf shifters by analyzing the vial of mystery liquid.”

  Adam laughed. “It was only tap water.”

  “Yes, but we didn’t know that at the time. We were afraid there was some miracle tranquilizer that was going to bring down the entire paranormal world. Instead, we had a few crazy wolves and a wicked witch.”

  He raised a finger. “Oh, I almost forgot. You don’t have to wait out here. Lucian pulled a few strings with the hospital administrators. If you want to sit in Amber’s room to keep an eye on her, no one will stop you.”

  “Thanks, Phillip. I’m on my way there now. Give my best to Selena, and please convey my thanks to Lucian.” Adam didn’t wait for Phillip’s reply. He knew precisely where Amber’s room was, and he would feel a whole lot better once he had her in his sight.