by Amy McKinley
The trees parted ahead to reveal a splash of choppy blue-gray water against an angry sky. I was running out of time. Not only that, but I had no idea when Xander would start looking for me or if he would be in time—I only knew that he would.
I had to stall.
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this. You know I broke up with Charles. I wasn’t competition.”
“Oh, honey. As if.” Ava’s deranged laugh cut through the thunder’s low rumble. “None of Charles’s extracurricular girls were a threat or even difficult to handle.”
“Then why? What was he to you?”
Pain shot through my skull as she grabbed a chunk of my hair and yanked.
“Ow!” I clutched my head in agony. Spots swam in my vision. I gasped, trying to breathe through the misery.
“I’m his wife.”
“What?” Her words sliced though my pain. We were facing each other. Her fury dilated her pupils to pinpricks and leached all color from her lips. “That can’t be. I saw a picture of his wife, and you look nothing like her. And your name is different.” Is she delusional too? “His wife’s last name is Wright.”
“Yeah, Chava Wright. Ava is short for Chava, and I don’t use my married name for publishing under either genre. And appearances are easy to change. All it takes is a little contouring, colored contacts, and a wig.”
Holy shit. She wrote fiction as C. Marx, and for nonfiction, she was Ava Murphy. “Charles worked with you on some of the academic stuff.”
“He was such a baby about that. As if I could highlight his name anywhere in association to mine. I wasn’t stupid. What if one of you found out?” She shoved me forward so I would resume walking. “It was bad enough that I liked you.”
“Then why do this?”
“You knew too much, and then you started to read my book.”
“You didn’t want me to?”
We’d cleared the trees and were on the beach. There was a rowboat with a motor, docked in the sand with the engine pulled up so it wouldn’t get ruined.
“No, you ordering a copy wasn’t in the plan. It’d just been released, and I was looking forward to rereading it. You were so nosey that I had to go with being a fan, which is funny because I am.”
“Melanie read it too. If you didn’t want me to read it, why not say it sucked?”
“Eh, I sort of did want you to. It’s damn good. You even replayed a few of those scenes.”
“I didn’t fall down any stairs.”
“No. But I did hit you with a weighted purse when you rounded the corner.”
I sucked in air. Of course that had been her. It made sense. She had done all of it. “Where did you go? I never even saw you.”
“I ducked into the store next door and slipped out the back. I knew where the cameras were. I was careful. You weren’t paying attention. It was easy.”
“And the hospital visit? Did you want me to find out about Charles having a wife?”
Laughter rose over the roar of the frothing waves. “That was a kindness. I liked you, which was something I hadn’t expected. I wanted to forgive you.” Ava’s blue eyes were wild, and her mouth was pinched tight with barely restrained fury. “When you found out about his wife, you did the right thing. Turned him away. Felt remorse. It wasn’t quite enough for me, but I was willing to release you from the damage of dating a married man.”
“What about Mel? You had to know she was seeing Charles.”
Ava grimaced. “She was a plaything for him and not really worth my time. I knew he didn’t think much of her. Besides, she was the perfect scapegoat for anything I planned to do. It was well-known that she was obsessed with him. But in the end, I took care of her too.”
The pieces fell into place, and tremors wracked my body.
She motioned for me to help her shove the boat off the sand and into the water. When we were both knee-deep, she pointed the gun at me again, and I climbed in. Waves crashed against us, and we rocked back onto the bank. “Get out.” With one hand on the side of the boat, she pointed the weapon straight at me. “Push us out. And if you think to try to swim away, I can just as easily shoot you from here.” She shrugged. “Either way, here or out there, you’ll die.”
I got us out farther, and she flipped the engine into the water then started it. “Get in.”
It was a miracle that I didn’t capsize us. I thought about it, but she had a bead on me, and that wouldn’t have changed. There wouldn’t have been enough time to swim under before she shot me, most likely in the head.
The storm’s howling wind and rain picked up. With the waves gaining in height and strength, she wouldn’t be able to stay out long. “Where are you taking us?”
“Not far.”
I gripped the side of the boat with both hands, hanging on for all I was worth as she hurtled us through the choppy water. The small vessel crashed with a thump into each wave. It took time. The current was strong, and I worried that if I dived in, I wouldn’t be able to swim back. But the waves were high enough that she couldn’t shoot with a steady aim.
I shifted closer to the edge, but she lifted the gun and pointed it directly at my chest. “Don’t do it. I’ll shoot you before you hit the water.”
Ava’s back was to the shoreline, and I faced her. She cut the engine and reached under one of the metal seats. A dark and stained duffel bag appeared in her hand. I didn’t want to think about what had caused the marks. Again, I glanced at the island, hoping to see Xander. I thought I saw a head appear between the waves, but after I stared at the general area for a while, I realized I was wrong.
Ava’s hand was on the zipper, and I freaked. I had an idea of what she had in there. The boat rocked, causing my stomach to roll even more.
“We’ll hang here for a little while,” Ava said with an eerie calmness. “I need time to cut your foot off.”
“Why would you do that?” Panic was ping-ponging to the point where my voice was high and shrill, and tremors shook my limbs.
She paused again. “It’s what I do. I gave you a hint when we first met.”
“Oh God, the other coffee house. The barista.” And Charles. Probably Mel too.
“Yep. Charles had a thing for waitresses of all sorts. Anyone who would serve him was a huge turn-on. Men.” She shook her head.
She must have thought I would commiserate, but all I could do was stare at her in horror while frantically wracking my brain for anything to keep her talking. “Why the foot?”
“I read about it happening somewhere else and thought that was a good way to muddy the waters. When the foot washed up, it would appear as if a shark ate the rest of the person.” She shrugged again. “I liked it. Whoever started it had a great idea. And whatever is left of the body will wash up.”
She was twisted. The wind picked up, and the boat rocked dangerously from side to side. “Why did you kill Charles?”
Her cold, dead eyes met mine. “He filed for divorce. It was unacceptable, unimaginable, and I couldn’t let you live. You ruined everything. Until you, we had an ironclad promise to each other, one that we would keep. He was mine until death.”
“You won’t get away with this. The police will figure it out and find you.”
She laughed, and the twisted sound mingled with the howling wind in an eerie symphony. “No one will find me. I have a contingency plan. Bank accounts and residency were established years ago. I’ll move away and become my fictional name.”
Xander
The sky darkened, and the wind flung bits of leaves and pelting sand around. With the repair completed, I was done for the day—and just in time, as rain peppered the metal roofing. I climbed down the ladder, picked up all my tools, then locked them in Tyler’s house for the next project.
After a quick scan of the beach and lanais with no sign of Riley, I headed for my house. She’d probably gone inside to escape the storm that was quickly arriving. The screen door slammed behind me, and with a shove, I opened the door between the porch and ho
use. “Riley?”
There was no answering reply. I did a walk-through then went back out to look in the house we’d slept in the first night, where I figured she was gathering all her stuff. Once inside, I found her bag but no Riley. My instincts spiked. Something had to have happened. That was when I saw a tiny speck of something on the wood floor. I dabbed at the still-wet spot then lifted my finger to get a better look. It was blood.
I whirled around and searched the house as I yanked my cell phone from my pocket, called Jaxon, and cursed until he picked up. “She’s gone.”
“Riley? Shit, I was about to call you. The author of that book was Charles’s wife.”
“I’m going after them. There’s a drop of blood on the floor. Get over here fast.” I thought of Charles’s body and how we’d found him. “Alert the Coast Guard.”
I didn’t hear what else he had to say. I’d already disconnected and shoved the phone back into my pocket. We kept guns in all the houses. I located one and secured it into the back of my jeans, palming a knife from the kitchen as I passed through.
My resolve hardened to get her back, and I scanned the waters, hunting for any sign of Riley. Then I circled the house, looking for prints. There was a smear of blood on the edge of the back door. Part of a fern lay twisted, as if someone had ground their foot on the leaves. Thank you, Riley. As quickly as I could, I sprinted through the woods, banking hard at the sight of a footprint just as the terrain sloped upward. She’d left clues along the way. One pair of prints was sloppy, digging into the earth, with what appeared to be a knee print. The other set went deeper in at those spots, too, but little was disturbed otherwise.
They were headed to the leeward side of the island. There would be a boat there, and given the storm, we wouldn’t have heard it approach. The wind sailed through the trees, and the forest came alive. Leaves danced and bobbed, and one place where the mud was heavily displaced revealed smears of blood on nearby leaves. Urgency nipped at my heels, and fear for Riley drove me to hurry.
From the edge of the trees, I skidded to a stop. A small boat listed precariously amidst the rolling waves. Triangular waves rocked the boat as they fed under and pushed it toward the shore. I squinted to bring them into focus while redialing Jaxon. There were two women in the vessel, Riley and some blonde. I’m not too late.
I told Jaxon where we were. Disconnecting, I dropped my phone then peeled off my jeans and shoes. The blonde’s back was to the shore. It took a second to judge the distance to know I couldn’t get a clean shot. With the gun in my hand and my knife clamped between my teeth, I sprinted to the water, diving under as soon as I was deep enough.
The Coast Guard wouldn’t get there in time. I had to. The undertow worked against me as I swam beneath the water, only coming up for air when necessary. Fear and guilt warred inside me, spurring me to swim faster. I’d brought her onto the island to keep her safe, and then this happened. Holding my breath and fighting against the ocean wasn’t the problem. It was the blind fear about what that woman was doing to Riley. Charles had been missing a foot. It was possible the other murders with bodies or only feet washing up could be pinned on the blonde.
I broke the surface. Not long and I would reach the boat. I ducked back under. If the blonde noticed and spotted me, I would lose the element of surprise.
The usually clear water was murky with disturbed sand and churning undertow. The bottom of the boat was in sight. I had one chance. Diving deeper, I positioned myself underneath it before angling toward the side to remain undetected. My hand lightly brushed the underside. I switched the knife from my mouth to my free hand. With powerful kicks, I launched upward to break the surface on the side where I estimated the blonde would be. My hand gripped the top of the boat, and I pulled myself up, bursting free and rising to the side.
The woman turned and saw me. An outraged shriek competed with the thunder, and the barrel of her gun swung toward me. I stabbed the knife into her arm. She screamed. Blood welled around the wound. Riley flung her hands at the blonde’s wrist, throwing the gun’s trajectory off course. I grabbed the woman and yanked her toward me. The expelled round missed both of us. Keeping a tight grip on her, I released the boat, sucked in air, and dragged her over and under. Beneath the water, I twisted her gun-wielding hand until she released it.
Light hair floated in a cloud around her head, obscuring her face. Didn’t matter. My elbow clipped her hard in the head. Her body went limp. I slipped my arm around her and held her against me then swam close to the boat.
We broke the surface. I had the blonde supported so that her head was above water as I shouted to Riley over the sound of the thunder and cresting waves, “Are you all right?”
“Yes!” Riley leaned over the edge, tears on her cheeks mingling with the rain. “How do I get you in here?”
“I got this, just hold on.” I tossed the unconscious woman into the boat. Riley held onto the side of the boat as it rocked in the choppy water. I needed to take her in my arms and feel for myself that she was truly alive.
A small duffel bag was opened at her feet, and I caught a glimpse of the shark-tooth machete. I hauled myself into the boat, thanking every power that be that I was able to get to her in time. Riley launched herself into my arms, and I squeezed her tightly.
Her heart pounded against my chest, and I breathed her in. She’s safe.
Holding her wasn’t enough. I’d almost lost her. I had to feel more of her, touch her. I buried my hands in her hair. She whimpered in anticipation as I tilted her head back, bent, and caressed her lips, savoring her softness and her quick intake of breath. What started slow and soft became demanding with every brush of our tongues. She pressed against me, her touch warm and welcoming, a promise of much more. I deepened our passionate kiss, moaning at how good she tasted, how right she felt in my arms.
When we broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers while our breaths mingled in labored puffs. I knew that I would never be able to let her go.
I cupped her face, holding her gently. Her hair danced on the wind, and I looped it around my hand. We were one with the sea, rocking with the swells. Help was on the way.
Her fingers curled against me, and I fought the urge to kiss her again, but there were things I had to say. “I never thought I would find you. When I heard your voice and saw you that day when you were working at the Coffee Hut, I knew you were the one. We began as friends, but I wanted you always. I love you, Riley.”
Lightning painted the sky, highlighting the emotion that blazed in her eyes. Her fingers traced the side of my face then slipped behind my neck.
I would follow her to hell and back to hold her in my arms—to have her be mine.
“Xander, you’ve changed my life and filled what was missing inside of me. I love you too.” Tears leaked from her joy-filled eyes.
Off in the distance, we heard the Coast Guard approach. Soon, they would take over with Riley’s attacker.
I sealed our promise to one another with a drugging kiss. She was my partner, my lover, my everything.
The Coast Guard lined up beside the boat we were in, and I pulled Riley against my side. Jaxon and one of the men boarded, and I met my brother’s concerned gaze.
We switched boats and were given blankets. While they secured Ava and brought her stash of weapons onboard, Jaxon met my gaze with a fierce frown. He squatted down to eye level with Riley and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “I can take a brief statement from you now, and we’ll drop you and Xander off before we book Chava.”
Riley and I summed up the events that lead to Chava, or Ava, being subdued, including the part where she’d confessed to Riley about killing Mel. It didn’t take long before we were dropped off at the shore by the cabins. Once we were inside, I would show her just how much I loved her.
28
Xander
Sun streamed through the windows with the promise of a beautiful day. Riley and I sat on the screened patio with coffee and bacon-and-cheese soufflés. I had to
attend a meeting at Pearl Harbor, and until I had to leave, I wanted to spend every moment I could with her. Waking that morning with Riley in my arms was an experience I would never tire of.
She had her legs tucked under her, and her gaze caught mine over the rim of her coffee. A deep sadness rimmed the softer emotions in her pretty eyes, and I wished I could have stopped Ava before she’d ever gotten to the island.
“How are you feeling?”
After setting her mug down, she lifted a shoulder then let it fall. “Conflicted.” Her lips curved in a crooked grin. “On one hand, I’m ecstatically happy. Then when I remember what my ‘friend’ did, the murder and betrayal, I can’t stop the sadness.”
“It’ll take time.” I grasped her hand and threaded our fingers together.
“I know. And I’m lucky to have you.”
I leaned over and tucked a piece of her dark hair behind her ear. “I’m the lucky one, Riley.”
The sound of a motorboat carried on the breeze. Jaxon was here, which meant that it was time for me to leave for the meeting. We both got to our feet, and she wrapped her arms around me. I hugged her, inhaling the smell of hibiscus that clung to her hair.
She rose onto her toes and whispered, “Hurry back.”
That went without saying. I would move mountains to be by her side.
Irritation buzzed through me like an influx of coffee first thing in the morning. I’d arrived on the Pearl Harbor base at 0900, as requested by Daryl. It was important, and I wanted to talk with Ty and Mark, but leaving Riley behind made my skin crawl. The thought of something happening, of not being able to get to her in time, was too much to bear. It didn’t matter that Ava was locked safely behind bars with no bail posted.
Everything was too fresh. The shark-tooth machete in Ava’s duffel bag matched the marks on Charles’s foot and would be compared to the injuries on the local barista and what was probably Mel’s foot. Chances were good that it would match.