The Enigma Series Boxed Set

by Tierney James

  They continued another quarter mile when the road forked to the right then angled up a slope. She wasn’t sure how he knew where the road was except the trees appeared to be lining a path. When he clicked on the high beams, she spotted a cabin in a clearing on the side of the road. The opposite side appeared to be free of everything, leading Tessa to imagine it might drop off to Lake Tahoe or some other open space spelling disaster in this weather.

  The snow fell wet and heavy at this altitude. The evergreen branches, heavy with snow, reminded her of angels who could no longer extend their wings. Wading through it would be work. Handsome parked the Scout in front of the cabin that more resembled a hunting shack than a vacation or safe house.

  He shut off the engine and rested his eyes on her. “Tessa. Please believe me when I say the most important thing to me is getting the diamond. I need you to help me.” He opened the door. “There is a snow blower inside.”

  “How do you know?” Tessa’s teeth began to chatter, more from fear than the cold.

  “Because I put it there two weeks ago when I bought this place. Stay put until I clear a path for you.” He pulled out the keys and smiled over at her. “Wouldn’t want you leaving me up here all by my lonesome.” The door slammed shut as he lumbered off toward the cabin.

  With a release of the seat belt, she bent down and grabbed the phone. She pulled one glove off with her teeth and fumbled with trying to call Chase. All she got was an annoying voice saying, “If you’d like to make a call…” What about Robert and the kids? If he’d tried to check on her, which he normally did when she had to stay over in Sacramento, he would be wondering why she didn’t pick up. It was 2:00 am. He’d probably already gone to bed. Then her little ones sprang to mind. Would this hulk of a man continue to show her the same protection and kindness he had them?

  The sound of the snow blower exploded through the silence. Tessa flinched before trying to call Chase again with no success. She took a deep breath and held it inside long enough air spluttered across her lips when released. Was plowing a path through the snow really for her comfort or a ploy to put her at ease? Maybe he planned to—

  Handsome tapped on her window with his knuckles. “Come or stay in the car. I am going to build a fire and go to bed.” When she could only manage to glare at him, he jerked the car door open. “Why did you come with me? You had to know your captain doesn’t trust me, yet you came. Tell me.”

  The cold air smacked her in the face as snow fell into her lap from the roof. “I…I.” Tessa stopped herself from stuttering. She had a habit of doing it when frightened. “You helped my children. Protected them. I felt like I could trust you.”

  “And you can. Get out of the car. You will freeze if you think you can tough it out until morning. Are you worried about me or your reputation?”

  “I’m calling Chase. He’ll be worried.”

  Handsome nodded and mumbled, “And he should be. You’re not acting like a reasonable person. I’m not going to rape, beat, or murder you. I want you to take the Kifaru to a safe place. That is the only thing I care about. I have to take it home before it is too late. Time is running out for me.”

  She dusted the snow out of her lap in exaggerated motions. “I don’t know about— “

  Before she could object or continue the conversation, Handsome reached in and grabbed her by the front of her padded coat. She felt like a rag doll as her boots hit the snow and her knees buckled. With his sudden jerk, Tessa found herself in a standing position. Reaching for his large bear-like paw on her chest, she shoved at him as he pulled her toward the cabin. Several times, her feet tangled, causing her to wobble with the grace of a dancing hippopotamus.

  Her flailing fist jabs were a waste of time as he pushed the door open with his foot then shoved her inside. The overstuffed chair stopped her from sprawling onto the floor. He moved past her and pointed to the chair.

  “Sit. Be quiet.”

  Handsome adjusted some logs and crumpled paper in the firebox that appeared to have been prepared ahead of time. He patted himself down then searched the mantel until he snatched something up. Tessa watched him kneel next to the logs and strike a match before holding it next to some scrunched wads of paper. The paper must have been damp, or maybe his breath snuffed it out, but either way, Tessa knew they were in trouble. She was close enough to see only one match remained. No way did she want to snuggle with him to keep warm.

  “Stop,” she yelled. He jerked his head around. “I can light the fire. You can’t take a chance with one match.” Her teeth chattered, making her words a little slurred. Rising to his feet, he frowned down at her.

  “How? How can you light the fire?”

  “With our snacks. I mean your snacks. I would never have bought such unhealthy—”

  “How?” he repeated a little more forcefully this time.

  “Ahh”—she spotted the sack of fatty treats Handsome brought in when they first arrived—“the bags of corn chips, cheese puffy things—”

  “Are you having a brain freeze?” He spoke with such impatience, Tessa thought it best to get them herself.

  “They are full of fat. They’ll burn like a torch.” She ripped open the orange-cheese-laden goodies then the corn chips. “Look in the trash for a paper plate or something else to burn.”

  “I already did. It’s in the fireplace.”

  “Oh. Right.” She moved up alongside him and kneeled. Handsome’s legs reminded her of tree trunks. “Come on,” she coaxed, stealing a shy glance up at him. “What have we got to lose?”

  He bent down on one knee and watched her pile several pinky-size cheese puff snacks on top of the paper under the logs. She then held two together as if they were kissing.

  “Okay. Strike the match under the center here where they touch. They’ll both become a torch. We’ll both take one and light the others in the fireplace. Okay?”

  He nodded and struck the match. The fire flash flared up on the end of the orange puff as expected. It took only a few seconds to light the others, which caught the paper and kindling on fire. Handsome carefully placed the remaining contents of the bag throughout the stacked wood, and soon the fire blazed warmth into the small cabin.

  “How did you know to use this stuff?”

  Tessa rested back on her heels and stared at the flames, letting the hypnotic dance relax her. “I used to teach a health unit to my students. When I showed them how much fat they were putting in their bodies, usually lunches switched from chips to carrot sticks.”

  A chuckle escaped his mouth. “You’re good to have around. Maybe I’ll take you to Botswana with me.”

  Tessa jumped to her feet and would have fallen in the fire if he hadn’t reached out and blocked her momentum. “What?”

  He rose to his feet so slowly his knees popped. A grin pulled at one corner of his mouth. “I’m only kidding. Do you think I want Enigma messing up my plans because I took their girl next door? The way they came storming up here last weekend showed me you have something they need.”

  “Oh.” Tessa backed toward the upholstered wingback chair with a seat cushion resembling a faded pancake. “You best remember that,” she warned pointing a finger at him like it might be a loaded gun.

  “Did you make your calls?”

  “Yes. Chase is on his way.”

  A smile spread across his mouth. “Really? I’ve never been able to get reception up here.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he interrupted her. “Or maybe you are a terrible liar.”

  Tessa realized then the only reason he’d given her the phone was because she wouldn’t be able to call out. She watched him remove his coat and toss it onto a cluttered kitchen table. A child’s doll fell to the floor. He picked it up and tossed it to her, initiating the doll to mew a soft cry. Then he flopped down on the bed. It squeaked with his bulk as he pulled off his boots then lay back across the covers.

  “I am going to sleep. The keys to the truck are in my pants pocket, so unless you want to try and get th
em, you better get some sleep, too.” He yawned. In five minutes, he snored like a hibernating bear.

  Chapter 20

  C hase swerved to dodge a tree falling across the road, propelling him into a snowbank. For once, he appreciated having a winch on the front of his friend’s truck. Even so, his door was blocked by a wall of snow, preventing him from escape. The winch wouldn’t do him much good unless he could free himself. He realized the passenger side angled up enough to keep it from being encased in snow. After managing to move his muscular frame to the other side of the vehicle, he powered the window down. Once again, he realized he wasn’t as nimble and young as he once was when he squeezed through the window to fall back into the snow.

  He hooked the winch around another tree and, although it took another half hour, he freed the truck from the snowbank. Moving the tree from across the road proved to be a little more time-consuming, and he had to start over several times to get the right grip. The slippery snow created a whole new set of problems he hadn’t anticipated. The cold settled in his fingers and toes, making work clumsy. He climbed back into the truck to warm up.

  The clock on the dashboard said 3:30 am. Frustration at this current predicament gave him a moment to bang his fist on the steering wheel. Vernon came onto his Bluetooth.

  “Boss? You there? Boss?”

  “Yeah. I’m here.”

  “Lost you in the storm. Your GPS stopped working for a while.”

  Chase explained the problem with the tree across the road and the snowbank. “I can’t get the tree to budge. I’ve tried everything.”

  “Give me a minute. Maybe I can help.”

  “What about Tess?”

  Chase could hear his young agent clicking away on some computer toy. “Yeah. Appears they’ve stopped. I doubt she could call out if they are between mountains or off the beaten path. You are a little off track. I’ll get you back on as soon as the cavalry shows up.” Vernon let a quiet chuckle slip out. “I hacked into the orders of the road crew. If anyone asks you, you’re on your way to get your wife who is in labor.”

  At least Vernon hadn’t lost his sense of humor. “You are a dangerous man, Vernon Kemp. I’m having a little bro-love here.”

  “I’ll be expecting a generous bonus at Christmas. I’ve reprogrammed your phone GPS and Ken’s truck.”

  “He said you hadn’t been allowed near it,” Chase mused seeing a flashing red light in his rearview mirror.

  “Oops. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. You know what he’ll do to me if he finds out.”

  “Your secret is safe with me, but it comes off when I get back. Understood?”

  “Sure. Sure, Boss. Whatever you say.”

  “Gotta go. I’m being rescued. Thanks.” He glanced down at his map on the truck dashboard. Much to his dismay, he saw he was more than a little off track. A snowplow pulled in front of him and used his bumper blade to push the tree off the road like a matchstick.

  The driver stopped and swung out onto the ground. Chase powered his window down.

  “Where ya headed? It gets tricky up ahead. I’ve already plowed this stretch once. Wife having a baby?”

  “Hoping it’s another false alarm, but can’t be too careful.” Chase gave him some road directions.

  “That’s a little out of the way. Guess you couldn’t get through the usual route. I’m about to go off shift, so I’ll plow you a path as far as I can. Not sure I can get back there in this monster.”

  “Thanks, buddy. You guys are heroes in my book to be out on a night like this.”

  The driver nodded then frowned. “And if I can ask, why were you out?”

  “Coming off active duty in the Middle East. Was supposed to be home two days ago. Still be in Sacramento if my CO hadn’t pulled a few strings after he saw the weather forecast. Then the wife called to say she wasn’t feeling so good. Borrowed my friend’s truck.”

  “Better get started, then.” He winked. “Follow me. And thank you for your service.”

  “Appreciate it,” Chase called after him. He wondered how Tessa would react to this story.

  ~~~

  The smell of coffee filled the cabin that was smaller than her thousand-square-foot apartment in Sacramento. At least it had a laundry-bathroom combo, including a shower. She wasn’t sure how Handsome would ever manage to use it. The kitchen adjoining the living room had a hot plate and a microwave along with a dorm-room-style refrigerator. An old Hoosier cabinet with chipped red paint stood on one wall. Since there were only a few upper shelves on each side of the window to hold mismatched dishes, the cabinet provided storage for supplies. A chrome kitchen table right out of 1955 acted as a divider for the room and had three chairs with yellow seat cushions.

  Tessa worried about electricity being available. At least in the kitchen and bath, there were a couple of outlets, but no overhead lights. The full-size bed, positioned in the one big room, along with a metal patio table, was the extent of a bedroom. Handsome remained asleep and resembled a beached whale on top of the covers. It seemed he hadn’t changed his position since he fell across the bed. She hoped the smell of coffee would wake him.

  Fortunately, the living room had a faded chintz chaise lounge that had seen better days. After checking for bugs, Tessa decided to try and sleep. She had to admit Handsome could have done bodily harm to her on several occasions. His large, intimidating figure twisted the imagination where she became an episode of Dateline, the Friday night crime show she usually watched. Even though her gut told her he really wanted her help, and the Kifaru diamond was the key, she decided caution needed to be a part of the plan.

  Rather than wait for him to stir, Tessa poured herself the first cup of black coffee. Typically, she added a great deal of cream and sugar. Holding the cup with both hands, a warmth spread through her fingers as a curl of steam lifted to dampen lips chapped from the dry heat of the cabin. A log shifted in the fireplace, expelling a crackle of sparks to dance upward. She’d tried to keep the fire going with the logs stacked in a copper tub. The result meant she didn’t get much sleep.

  Staring out the window, she watched the morning light stretch across the blanket of snow, which reminded her of a fairy-like land from her daughter’s favorite Disney movie, Frozen. Only a few flakes floated in the morning air after such a stormy night. The snowdrift stacked up outside the kitchen window, but she’d already checked the front porch, and it remained clear even though the path Handsome had plowed was filled in and was void of tracks they’d made during the night. The car appeared as if it might be in the middle of the road, but considering this place was isolated with no neighbors in sight, she guessed it didn’t matter. Her concern remained whether or not they could dig out and return to Sacramento after they retrieved the Kifaru diamond.

  A grumble and smacking of lips drew Tessa’s attention. She watched Handsome push himself up then yawn as he stretched out his arms. After giving his face a hard rub, he focused sleepy eyes on her and stared for a full ten seconds without speaking.

  “Coffee?” she asked, moving away from his penetrating gaze. “Storm is over.” She poured another cup of coffee and set it on the table, not wanting to get too close. He stood and stretched again then headed for the bathroom. When she heard the bathroom door open, she moved back to lean against the sink.

  “What time is it?” His speech sounded like he had a mouth full of marbles. He stared at the clock over the window. It needed a new battery.

  “Seven.” She pointed to the coffee cup, which he grabbed. “Snow stopped. I’m ready to go.”

  Once again, Handsome reminded her of the Michelin Man when he walked so slowly. She stepped aside in a quick retreat when he came to peer out the window. He gulped the coffee then poured a second cup.

  “I’m hungry,” he announced. “Can you cook?”

  “I’ve got three kids. Of course, I can cook,” she snapped.

  Handsome twisted his thick lips into a half grin before lumbering away from her. “Does your husband
help you much?”

  “Let’s not talk about my husband. Let’s get the Kifaru and leave. My family needs me.”

  “This is true. The question arises, why you threw in with Enigma with so much at stake.”

  Tessa wondered the same thing every day, right up until the time her skills were needed as a geographer or the country faced a threat. She tried to convince herself patriotism ruled her heart, but, truthfully, the adrenalin rush had become her drug of choice. Working among dangerous people like Enigma who walked up to lines drawn in the sand then destroyed them, gave her an unnatural thrill she struggled with keeping under control. Then there was Captain Chase Hunter.

  “Nothing to say?” Handsome continued. “One of those women who like the bad boys?”

  “Again. My personal business is none of yours. Let’s do whatever you have planned for me then return me home. You do not want to be here when Chase finds us.” She let one hand unconsciously reach for her hair to make sure the fake piece was still in place, hoping a signal could still get out to alert her friends where she’d been taken.

  Handsome faced her and let his eyes slide up and down her body. She cringed then bolted past him to pull on her coat. A low chuckle escaped his throat as she zipped up her jacket.

  “I am not afraid of your boyfriend, Tessa.”

  She opened her mouth in protest of the relationship, but thought better of it.

  He set his cup down then joined her as he snatched up his coat and pulled it on. “First, we need to get some wood in and dig the car out or we won’t be going anywhere.”

  “Fine.” She swung the door open and rushed out, happy to be free of such confined quarters. A stack of wood covered in a blue tarp appeared to be dry when she pulled it back. Since the fire had died down, she gathered the smaller pieces first. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Handsome pulling on his gloves as he paused on each porch step to evaluate the surroundings. In seconds, the snow blower broke the tranquil silence.