by Connie Mann
“Good to know, Chief. I mainly just wanted to make you aware. The hospital says Katie Habersham is fine.”
“I stopped by there on my way over. The little girl is being released. Doc says the culprit was most likely bad mayo.”
He pushed his Stetson lower on his head, signaling the meeting was over. “I’ll keep a closer eye than usual on all the comings and goings out here, and you all do the same. To my way of thinking, if you stop this search, Sasha, this will all blow over.”
Sasha almost said she had no intention of stopping the search, but some little voice inside stopped her just in time. They bid the chief good-bye, and she glanced at Jesse.
“Told you that’s what he’d say.”
Jess muttered a curse and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, you did. That is one arrogant son of a gun. If I remember right, he’s just like his daddy.”
“Do you think I should quit?” She searched his eyes, watched emotions chase each other. She’d always relied on her own instincts, but in this case, she didn’t want to miss something obvious.
He spun away from her to pace. “I want to send you to Tahiti, because I don’t want you—or your family—to get hurt by someone who’s lost a few screws along the way.”
She smiled. “Probably not a realistic option.”
He shot her a scowl. “You’re in tough spot. Mama Rosa wants answers. Sal wants peace. They’re mutually exclusive. And now we have a local who’s gotten really nervous.”
“That’s the part that tells me to keep looking. If there was nothing to find, someone wouldn’t be trying so hard to get me to quit. If I get to the bottom of this, if I find answers, then both Mama and Pop will get what they want. Eventually.”
He studied her face, then nodded. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
His casual acceptance of her ability to handle this situation bolstered her strength in ways she’d never experienced. She had no idea how to put that in words, so all she said was, “I will.”
Her fancy phone chirped, and she saw the email icon. Eve must have set that up, too. She opened it, read the message, and felt temptation whisper in her ear.
Dear Captain Petrov,
We’d like to have you join our racing team. We’re in need of a backup captain, and your experience and recommendations indicate you may be a good fit for our team. If you are interested, please call us at the above number so we can discuss this further. You would need to start work at our racing facility in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, within sixty days.
She read the info several times while she let the possibilities sift through her head. The job wouldn’t start for another couple of months. She could finish up here, get Mama the answers she needed, and then . . . go. New adventures. No responsibilities but the boat under her feet. No chance of disappointing her loved ones.
“Good news? You’re grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.”
Sasha looked up, and her smile faded. Jesse. Her other temptation. “Ah, possible job offer. Wouldn’t start for a while yet, though.”
“You’re planning to leave.” He tried to hide it, but she caught the flash of hurt.
She couldn’t stay, not even for him. “This was never supposed to be permanent. You know that.”
“I hoped . . . never mind.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I need to get busy on The Painted Lady. Taking her out later. You in?”
“Definitely,” she said. Nothing cleared her head like flying across the water. And maybe, she could find a way to explain.
As she greeted customers at the shop the rest of the morning, several questions played in her mind: What did someone know about Tony’s disappearance? How could she find them?
What had she seen last night? Was it possible it had anything to do with her search? The idea seemed ludicrous, but two days ago she would have said that about a possible poisoning, too.
None of it made sense. But someone in Safe Harbor had secrets they would go to great lengths to hide.
Her stomach churned. The bigger question was, how far would they go?
Chapter 12
Blaze stepped in front of Sasha as she went into the house. “I could do it without you, but it would be easier if you helped me with my psychology project.”
Sasha hid a smile. “OK, what is this project I could help make easier?”
“I have to watch this stupid television show and then ask someone to answer questions about it.”
“I think I could manage that. When is it?”
“Tonight at seven.”
Sasha saw how much asking for help grated on the teen, so she smiled and acted like it was no big deal.
“Sure thing, kiddo. I’ll be here. You’re not going to make me run on a hamster wheel and then watch me puke or anything, are you?”
This got an eye roll. “Just the stupid show.”
“Sounds fascinating. See you later.”
“Don’t forget.”
“I won’t forget. You taking care of Mama today?”
Blaze nodded. “Pop said he’d be back from the marina in a little while, but he hasn’t shown up yet. I have homework to do.”
“I’ll go down and see if I can relieve him and send him up here.”
“You haven’t found anything new about Tony, have you?”
Sasha sighed. “No, not really. I’ve told you everything I know about that.” She decided not to mention the threat. For now.
Blaze nodded and left the room. Sasha walked off the porch and down to the marina, Bella running off to sniff and pee before returning to her side. When she reached the marina store, she was surprised to find it empty.
“Pop? You in here?”
A trickle of unease skittered over her skin. It wasn’t unusual for him to leave the shop, but these weren’t regular days. Anything could happen.
“Pop?” She poked her head into his office, but he wasn’t there. A check of the storage room behind the office yielded the same. She scanned the floor, making sure he hadn’t collapsed again, but there was no sign of him.
She walked around the building and finally spotted him walking along the water’s edge, rubbing a hand over his heart. She automatically sped up, cataloging details as she got closer. His color didn’t look good and he seemed to be panting.
She took off running, Bella loping alongside, thinking this was a new game. She skidded to a stop, Bella prancing at her feet.
“Hey, Pop. How’s it going?” She kept the worry out of her voice.
Was that panic in his eyes? “Pop? How can I help? What’s wrong?” Sasha started a mental checklist of symptoms.
He waved her away. “I’m . . . fine.” But he didn’t sound remotely fine.
“Why don’t you come inside where it’s cooler?” She led him by the arm, easing him inside and into the chair at his desk. Bella sensed something because she started to whine and nudge him. “Bella doesn’t think you’re fine. Is your arm stiff?”
“Not . . . heart . . . attack,” he huffed. “Just need . . . a minute.”
Sasha brought him a glass of water and watched, relieved when his color improved and he stopped panting. After a few more minutes, his breathing returned to normal and so did his color. Bella relaxed, dropping her muzzle on her paws and falling asleep on his feet.
Sasha laughed. “Well, Bella thinks you’re out of danger.”
She expected Pop to laugh, but he didn’t. His dark eyes pierced hers. “I may be. But you’re not.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You have to stop this search, Sasha. For all our sakes.”
She leaped to her feet and paced to the door of the shop and back. She held his eyes as she asked the question. “Is someone threatening you, Pop?”
He looked away. “Why would you say something like that?”
“Because you just said we’re in danger.”
He waved that away. “That isn’t what I meant.” He locked his gaze on her. “But you have to stop this, Sasha. For me. Please.
”
“I don’t understand, Pop. Help me see. Don’t you want to know what happened to Tony? How can you not?”
He sighed and seemed to collapse in on himself. He leaned forward, hands clasped between his knees, his posture one of defeat.
“How many times do I have to say it before you understand that it won’t change anything? There are no answers to find. Not after all this time. Digging only gets Mama’s hopes up. And when you find nothing?” He met her eyes, his bleak. “Mama cried for months, Sasha. Months. This cancer treatment is hard enough on her. On us. The stress of this might kill her. All because you’re too stubborn to stop?”
Sasha reared back as though he’d slapped her square in the face. “I’m not trying to hurt her. Or you. I’m trying to bring healing, closure. Why is that wrong?”
He stood so quickly, Sasha stepped back in surprise. “The cost is too high. That is what your young foolishness can’t understand. This can’t be fixed, and you can’t fix it.” He stopped, grabbed her arms. “If you love your mother and if you love me at all, you will stop this. Today. Right now.” He shook her slightly. “Promise me.”
Sasha’s heart shattered into little pieces, though she kept her gaze on his face. How could she promise such a thing, when Mama had asked her to promise the opposite, to keep looking and never give up until she had answers?
“How can I promise that, Pop? You know what Mama asked me.”
“And I’m asking you to stop. For her sake, above all else.”
“You’re putting me in an impossible situation. How can I make you both happy?”
“Do what I tell you, Sasha. In the end, Mama will understand you did it to protect her.”
Sasha swallowed hard. “I can’t,” she whispered.
Pop shook his head and slumped back into the chair. He wouldn’t look at her. “Then God help us all.”
Sasha shook her head and slowly backed out of the shop. When she looked up, she stood on the dock beside The Painted Lady. Her heart had automatically led her to Jesse, her anchor. He looked up from the engine and studied her face. “What’s up, Sash?”
She shook her head, not sure how to put what just happened into words.
“I’m about ready to take her out for a test run. Finally got the motor running again. Are you coming?”
“Absolutely.” She needed to get away, clear her head.
As they headed out of the marina, she and Jesse exchanged nothing but small talk while the wind whipped her hair and the waves soothed the ache in her heart. She let her mind wander, figuring it would offer up a solution in its own good time. When Jesse put his arm around her and pulled her close, she let herself sink into the warmth of his embrace. For this brief period, she wouldn’t think, wouldn’t choose—she would just be.
Sal had known deep in his bones that Sasha would never back down. He would have to stop her another way. He stepped up beside her ancient Jeep and casually scanned the interior. Where would she have put that file?
He found her tote bag on the floor on the passenger side and pulled it up onto the seat. He fished around inside, and sure enough, there it was. He pulled out the file and flipped through it, just to be sure. Seeing the details of that day, spelled out in blunt copspeak, cut deeper than he’d expected. He tried to stay detached, to read all of it as though it had happened to someone else, but he couldn’t.
The thing he remembered most was the agonized sound of Rosa’s screams. Hair rose on the back of his neck just thinking about it. It was a sound he hoped never to hear again. He didn’t know if he’d survive it.
He couldn’t think about this now. Maybe never. He closed the folder, turned, and smacked right into Blaze.
He reached out to steady her. “Blaze, honey, I didn’t hear you come outside. Did you need something?”
She scanned the folder he held. “What did you take out of Sasha’s bag?”
“She asked me to get something for her.” He hated lying, especially to this teen who generally saw far more than most people gave her credit for. He steered them back toward the house. “How is Mama? Is she resting?”
“No. That’s why I came to find you. She says she’s hurting.” Those kohl-rimmed eyes filled with pain. “I couldn’t stand it, so I left. I’m sorry.”
He pulled her into a one-armed hug, the most she would ever allow, and said, “I understand. It’s OK. It really is hard to watch.” They climbed the steps to the porch. “Why don’t you take a break while I take care of Mama?”
She stopped, studied him with those wide eyes that made him want to squirm. “Are you OK, Pop? You don’t look so good.”
He smiled. “I’m fine. Just worried is all. Go on, relax. I’ll see you later.”
Once inside, he went to their room. He perched on the side of the bed, noting the extra strain around Rosa’s eyes. Her skin looked so pale, he could see the veins under her eyelids and the bruises below them. It tore at his insides to see her hurt and not be able to change it, not be able to fix it or make it easier. His job was to protect his family. To keep evil and heartache from his door. He had failed miserably once before. He couldn’t do it again.
He plastered a smile on his face, leaned down, and kissed her cheek. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she clasped his hand. He brushed a gentle hand down her cheek. “How are you, mi amore? Blaze says today is not a good day.”
“Hurts, Sal. Everything hurts.”
He reached for the pills on the bedside table and helped her wash them down with water. He sat, stroking her hand until she fell asleep again.
Then he went outside to the burn pile, tossed the folder on top, and lit a match. He stood, watching to be sure there was nothing left, before he went to find Blaze.
He would let nothing and no one hurt his Rosa.
Not even his own daughter.
The sea helped Sasha breathe again, finally. Just as it always did. When life closed in and didn’t make sense, being out on the water made everything right again. Here, things followed a pattern. Tides, waves, fishing seasons. There was rhyme and reason, order. True, the sea could be a dangerous mistress, and a gorgeous day could turn deadly in a heartbeat, but there was beauty in that, too. A power and majesty all its own.
Jesse had been content to leave her to her thoughts for most of the afternoon, something else she hadn’t expected. Most people wanted to talk all day long, fill the air with words. He seemed as satisfied as she was to simply enjoy their time on the water.
She studied his profile as he handled the wheel: the strength of his jaw, the way the wind molded his T-shirt to his admittedly impressive chest. Just looking at him made her heart give a funny little twist.
As though sensing her gaze, he turned, eyes hidden behind his sunglasses but his grin unmistakable. “You ready to take the helm? It’s too pretty out here for such deep thoughts. Time to feel, Sash.”
It startled her, the way he read her mind. She smiled back and nudged him out of the way. He let her slip in next to him, but he didn’t back away. Instead he wrapped his arm around her, nuzzling her neck. “This is much nicer, don’t you think?”
She shot him a saucy grin. “Trying to navigate here, Money-boy.”
“So navigate. Don’t let me distract you.”
His lips did something amazing to the sensitive spot behind her ear, and a shiver raced over her skin. She instinctively leaned closer and loosened her grip on the throttle. He chuckled against her neck.
“Why don’t we idle for a while?”
Without consciously agreeing, she lowered their speed until The Painted Lady bobbed gently in the late evening twilight. Together they watched the sun sinking lower and lower on the horizon. Jesse continued his tender assault on her neck while his arms pulled her closer. Sasha could barely breathe. She felt surrounded by his nearness, completely enveloped and unsure where he ended and she began. It should have been terrifying. Instead, she felt . . . safe. Cherished.
Jesse turned her in his arms so they faced each other, an
d she wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him close for the kiss they’d both been waiting for. As the boat rocked gently, their mouths met and clung, their bodies swaying with the boat’s motion. Sensation pooled low in her belly, every nerve in her body came alive, and every thought in her head narrowed to one: more.
The kiss went on and on, Jesse’s hands on her back, pulling her ever closer. Sasha heard a low moan and couldn’t tell if it came from her throat or his. She only knew she wanted more. More of this delicious sensation of being loved.
Wait. What? Loved? Who said anything about love?
She must have stiffened, because Jesse muttered, “Stop thinking.”
But the thought had lodged in her brain and wouldn’t leave. She couldn’t do this. Couldn’t get her heart tangled up and then walk away without a backward glance. Not without breaking her heart. Worse, not without breaking his.
Slowly she pulled away.
“We should head back,” she whispered.
He stroked a hand along her cheek as he studied her face in the deepening shadows. “What are you afraid of, Sash?” His voice was quiet.
It was the second time he’d asked the question. She still didn’t have an answer, not really, but maybe if she told him, he’d understand.
“It’s a long story.”
Jesse smiled. “I’ve got lots of time. Tell me.”
Sasha wondered where to begin. She’d never told anyone what happened. Ever.
“Just start at the beginning.”
She took a deep breath and started talking. “You know I was born in Russia. One December night when I was nine, Papa said he had to go out, but told me to stay and help my seven-year-old brother, Alexi, with his homework since Mama hadn’t come home from work yet. I begged him to take me along, but he told me not to argue. He said he had a meeting. That was all I needed to know.
“The minute the door closed, I grabbed my coat. Alexi told me not to go, but I ignored him. ‘Papa won’t mind once he sees me.’