Cuff Master

by Frances Stockton

  Morgan hoped Eve hadn’t gotten mixed up in something terrible. She very much wanted Eve to be happy and find her future with Remy. Eve certainly had a crush on Remy, but there was more, so much more than the other woman could ever anticipate coming their way.

  “Taran, do you have your smartphone?”

  “Are you kidding? You’re asking a Maddox if he has the technology of a computer in his back pocket.”

  “I take that as a yes. Can I use it?”

  Taran pulled out his touchscreen phone and handed it over. “Inside the diner first, once there you can share with me what you want to do with it.”

  “Make a few calls, surf the web,” she said. “I’d think a Maddox would know how the phone works.”

  “Since when did you get such an attitude?”

  “Since Ethan showed me that being submissive doesn’t mean I have to be silent or shy.”

  “Way to go, Ethan, he taught you right,” Taran remarked.

  They went inside the diner that was starting to come alive with activity. The firefighters must have given the staff the all clear to return to work because the smell of breakfast was strong.

  “Morgan!” Alex Grant’s voice boomed from the kitchen. Within seconds of seeing her, he rushed across the diner to sweep her into his arms. “Thank God you’re all right.”

  “I’m sorry about the fire, Alex. If it had damaged Book Haven Diner, I’d feel even worse.”

  “Now don’t worry about that. No one was hurt. That’s the important thing. When it’s time to talk to the insurance company, let me know if I can be of help.”

  “I will.”

  “Taran, take Morgan to a booth,” Alex demanded.

  “If you hadn’t been all lovey-dovey, I’d have done so by now,” Taran pointed out.

  “Smartass,” Alex remarked.

  Alex let go of Morgan, and Taran led her to a booth, taking the seat across from her.

  “Mind if I join y’all?” Samantha requested, carrying a laptop.

  “You bet,” Morgan said, scooting over so that Samantha could sit next to her.

  Taran glared at Samantha. “You realize if you’d answered my calls last night, a lot of this could have been avoided?”

  “Don’t bite my head off, pretty boy. I’ve got work to do. Why don’t you make yourself useful and get us some grub?”

  Morgan watched Taran stand up and lean in really close to Samantha, whisper something and saunter off. Judging from the flush that flooded her pretty face, Morgan bet another Maddox had just declared open season on a woman’s defenses.

  Morgan could empathize. She only hoped she hadn’t ruined things with Ethan by turning on him. She didn’t really blame sex as the cause of the fire or the loss of Grandma’s spirit. As soon as she was able, she’d apologize sincerely.

  Worried about everything, she debated going to her apartment this afternoon. It was odd that Grandma Everhart hadn’t shown herself in a while. Her last contact was to Ethan, via EVP.

  While Taran went to get them all breakfast, Samantha became entranced with the laptop. Morgan couldn’t tell quite what her friend was doing, but she thought it best not to interrupt and focused on Taran’s smartphone.

  “Is that Taran’s phone?” Sam asked.

  “Yep, mine is ancient. You know, it’s odd, but I haven’t picked up anything about him from the phone. Same thing happens if I touch something belonging to Phalen and Cassie. I was comfortable in their house. I think the closer I get to my friends, the more I’m able to control my gifts around them.”

  “Interesting, perhaps that’s because Taran, Phalen and Cassie are family to you now.”

  “Can I try something?” Morgan asked. “Give me something of yours, a pen, anything.”

  Samantha pulled an aluminum wallet out of her back pocket. “Will this do?”

  “I think so.” Morgan took it in hand. Momentarily, she got impressions of credit cards, responsible spending habits and a driver’s license. But it wasn’t too much for her to take and it proved something. “Well how about that, I’m not overwhelmed by your things either. That’s good.”

  “Can I see Taran’s phone for a minute?” Samantha requested, taking the wallet back.

  “Why?”

  “Please?”

  Morgan handed it over. Samantha scrolled through it, punched in some numbers and handed it back. “Whoa,” she commented, more to herself than Morgan.

  “Whoa, what’s that about?”

  “Taran took off all the numbers of the women that he used to have stored in his contacts. There were a lot of them, including Catherine O’Brien, who was a Dominatrix.”

  “How do you know the numbers had even been there?”

  Samantha grinned. “I used to be a hacker in another life, among other things, but when you’re starving, it was better than turning tricks…or so I thought. It’s behind me now.”

  Morgan felt her eyes widen. “You hacked Taran’s phone?”

  “No. In this case, he left it in my sedan when we went to save Cassie from Donatelli.”

  “So you looked. You didn’t have to admit to the hacking.”

  “Maybe I feel comfortable enough with you to come clean. Cassie knows. I told her when she asked me to be in the wedding. I should have said something sooner.”

  “Your secrets are yours to share, Sam. We’re friends whether you wish to keep them or tell all. I’m thinking Ethan knows though.”

  “He does. He’ll keep the truth, even from you, because he knows it’s my decision to share. Just do me a favor, Morgan.”

  “Anything,” Morgan promised.

  “Don’t tell Taran. I’m not ready for him yet.”

  Morgan shook her head. “I think you are. Maybe not today or next week, but something tells me that man just staked his claim on you. If he did, you’re toast. Wait until you see him naked…or almost naked, as I did.”

  Now it was Sam’s turn to stare. “Do tell!”

  “On a scale from one to ten, Taran’s right up there with Phalen, a ninety-five. He definitely has the Maddox ass and eyes. I can only guess that his towel covered an impressive…you know, package.”

  “Wow! That’s a mighty big leap on the scale.”

  “Keep in mind I’m biased and think Ethan’s off the charts.”

  “As it should be, Ethan is pretty hot. But between you and me, Taran is the hottest of the brothers.”

  “Then give him a shot. What did you really do to his phone just now?”

  Samantha glanced around, whispering, “Saw that my number was first on his speed dial.”

  “Cool, yep, he’s close to making his move. Give him an opening and he’s going to take it. Just saying…”

  They changed the subject and got back to work. A waitress brought over the breakfast special, vegetable omelets, home fries and fresh hot coffee. Sam buried her nose in her research. Morgan used Taran’s phone to Google the Andrews’ family orchard near Concord.

  It was one of the oldest orchards in New England, dating back to when English landowners came over to settle in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Over time, the orchard was featured in New England literature and folk tales, but with the advent of fast food joints and supermarkets, Andrews Apple Orchard bought out a neighboring vegetable farm and became Andrews Produce Farm and Orchard to compete.

  Five years ago an injection of money saved the orchard from going extinct. It had been declared an historical landmark. Alisa Andrews married Spencer Bailey about the same time and he’d adopted her daughter, Jennifer. Alisa’s sister, Maura, became the manager of the farm.

  Now much of the vegetables, apples, cider, pies and locally made baked goods made were being shipped to grocery stores and kept the farm in the black. The haunted hay rides in October helped make the farm more visible and bring in locals and tourists alike.

  “Samantha, check this out. If I understand this article correctly, Spencer Bailey bought the Andrews orchard and married Alisa. She then moved to Boston with her husband, b
ecoming a socialite.”

  Samantha pushed the laptop aside. “There’s nothing illegal in that, Morgan.”

  “No. But when I talked to Alisa, she genuinely seemed to miss running the orchard. Her sister is the manager. To help promote the orchard and hay rides, Maura Andrews created a social network page. Look.”

  Sam took Taran’s phone, scrolled through the data and came to a photo. She stalled, clicked a few keys on the laptop, brought up a shadowy video, pausing it on someone’s face. “Fuckin’ hell, this is something Ethan needs to see. I’m saving this site to my favorites.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “I can’t tell you right now, Morgan. But Ethan and I need to get a search warrant for that orchard and, hopefully, the right to question Maura Andrews in the process. Ethan and I knew her name, but little else. Someone buried her identity under a mountain of bullshit. Why?”

  Morgan couldn’t answer because her phone went off. “Hello?” she answered.

  “Morgan, everything okay on the home front?” Remy asked. “I’ve got twenty missed calls from you.”

  “Where are you, Remy?”

  “Right now, Eve and I are trying to get home.”

  “You went to Nevada?”

  “Afraid not. Last night’s flight got rerouted due to engine trouble and we spent the night in Chicago. Managed to get back on the same plane, only to sit out on the tarmac for two hours and return to the terminal. The trip was a nightmare.”

  “No one was hurt?”

  “No, but it was scary and forced us to cancel the trip altogether. As it is, we’re considering renting a car to get home. Eve’s old man will love that, don’t you think?”

  “Remy, hold on a second,” Morgan said. “Sam, talk to Remy. He can tell you where he’s been all this time. Not sure why his phone was off.”

  Samantha took the phone, speaking to Remy quietly. By the time she returned the phone, she was already using her own phone to verify something Remy had told her.

  “Remy?” Morgan asked when she placed the flip phone to her ear. “Did Sam tell you what’s going on?”

  “Yes. I didn’t hurt you, Morgan. I sure as hell didn’t set fire to your store or use my car as a torch. Whoever did is fucked up and I want them to pay the piper. Eve and I are on our way home. I’ll talk to authorities in Danvers. She’s my alibi for the night you were hurt and last night.”

  “What?”

  “I got a call from Eve the night we went to dinner. She didn’t want her daddy to know she was in the area and I went outside briefly to talk to her about something she’d been researching for me, the Ransom Hunter gig.”

  “Thank God,” Morgan said. “I doubted you, Remy. I’m sorry.”

  “Under the circumstances, I would have too. We’ll be home as soon as we can and straighten out our travel arrangements. In the meantime, you tell that detective of yours to find whoever hurt you or I’m going to tear him to pieces.”

  “Don’t get mad at Ethan. I’ve been distracting him from work. He’ll get the job done.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  “Any progress with Eve, by chance?”

  “See you soon, babe.” The non-answer said a lot. Morgan wondered if maybe the third person those two were waiting for was closer than they realized.

  Often, love came when you least expected it. If she read Eve’s palm or something belonging to her, she thought it was a good possibility that the third awaited them in Nevada.

  Taran returned and claimed his seat. Morgan handed over his phone, wondering if he knew Samantha had snooped.

  It’d been such a girly thing for Samantha to do. Seeing her flush and practically glow because she was number one on Taran’s contact list made Morgan hopeful for Taran and Samantha’s future.

  “Morgan, I’ve got to go talk to my partner,” Samantha declared, closing the computer and packing it away. “Chances are we’ll have to go to Boston.”

  “Am I not included in this conversation?” Taran asked. “I am right here in front of you, in case you forgot.”

  “I let you hear me, didn’t I? If I wanted to keep you out of the loop, I would have led Morgan to Cassie and Alex’s office in the back.”

  “Careful, when Phalen gets home, I’m thinking that he, Ethan and I should teach our women some lessons in common courtesy,” Taran challenged.

  “I’ve already sacked your big brother right on his fabulous ass when he stepped over the line. I’ll do it to you and Ethan without second thought. You mess with the bull, you get the horns, know what I’m saying?”

  Taran’s gray eyes zeroed in on Samantha’s face. His intensity was as fierce and dominant as his older brothers. Morgan felt it and had to look away.

  “Threatening to wave a red flag?” he asked, his tone pure Alpha. “Go ahead, baby doll, I’ll charge and have no fear of your horns. It’s mine you should watch out for.”

  Okay, Morgan was feeling distinctly uncomfortable now and had to intervene. “Taran, Sam, do I need to send you two to separate corners? I will. Now’s not the time to challenge each other. Family sticks together.”

  “I’m not family,” Samantha said.

  “Like hell you’re not,” Taran remarked. “Morgan’s right. We need to focus on the here and now. When we know who caused the fire and their sorry ass is rotting in prison, you and I are going on a date, Samantha Riley.”

  Sam shook her head no, gathered up the laptop and stood. “We’ll see, pretty boy. We’ll see. As I was saying to Morgan, Ethan and I will have to work on this from Boston. You okay with remaining here until we get back?”

  “I’m kind of stuck anyway,” Morgan said. “I’m going to have to deal with the insurance claims adjuster soon. After that, I might walk over to my apartment and check on things there until you all come back to Salem.”

  “I’ll take care of Morgan,” Taran promised.

  “I’ll be with her too,” Alex claimed, coming up to stand beside the booth. “I see the two of you enjoyed breakfast.”

  “Yes, thank you for sending over the omelet.” Samantha pointed to her empty plate.

  “Breakfast was delicious,” Morgan added.

  She hadn’t been able to clean her plate, but the omelet had been huge and laden with delicious Vermont cheddar cheese and her favorite veggies. The potatoes had been more than filling.

  In the back of her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about Ethan. She wished she could go with Samantha to at least talk to him and assure him that she loved him no matter what.

  “Samantha, will you tell Ethan that I’m sorry?” Morgan asked.

  “Sorry about what?”

  “I said some things that I shouldn’t have. I tried to apologize before but the inspector distracted him. I love him. I want him to know that.”

  Samantha grinned as she put the strap from the laptop case over her shoulder. “I will tell him. But don’t doubt how my partner feels about you.”

  “I’ll try not to.”

  “Don’t try. Do,” Samantha insisted. “Ethan loves you. You love him. We’ll be in touch when we can.”

  “Okay,” Morgan agreed.

  Alex cleared away the breakfast dishes. “Stay safe and come see me about membership when you’re ready, Sam,” he said before she left.

  “Membership?” Morgan repeated.

  “In Druid Creek Castle’s private club,” Alex amended.

  “It’s forbidden unless she joins with me,” Taran stated, accentuating each word so deliberately that the silence between him and Samantha became a living, tangible force to be reckoned with.

  Morgan and Alex stilled, watching as Taran and Samantha engaged in a stare-down that made the temperature around them rise. Ultimately, it was Samantha who caved first when her bag slipped off her shoulder.

  Catching it before the laptop hit the floor, she looked at Alex. “Thank you for the invitation, Alex. I’ll take you up on that offer.” With that, she walked away, not even daring to look back at the booth.
r />   Taran was smiling, reminding Morgan of a Cheshire cat.

  “Score,” he declared.

  “Seems to me that she didn’t do what you wanted,” Morgan objected.

  “She played right into my hands. That’s for another day, sis. Tell me what you two talked about while I was slaving away in the kitchen.”

  “You call ordering the cooks around slaving?” Alex questioned.

  “I’ll have you know that I helped stock supplies while you were being a peacock protecting his hens.”

  “The cooks are men,” Alex said.

  “Figure of speech, bro.”

  Alex didn’t bother to reply. He grumbled something about Taran being a pain in the ass and moved on, dishes in hand.

  “I think it’ll be best if I go to the office to talk to the insurance company,” Morgan said.

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “I won’t go far, promise. I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “Fine, if you’re not back in ten minutes, I’m there.”

  “Maddox bossiness did not miss a generation with you, did it?”

  “You have no idea,” Taran declared.

  “It didn’t occur to you that contacting someone at the company could take longer than ten minutes?”

  “Then I’ll come and check on you and wait in the bookstore. Go on with you.”

  Morgan went to take her phone. Taran handed over his too. “Mine’s better.”

  It was. She accepted the smartphone and went to Cassie’s business office. Once she was seated behind her friend’s desk, she scrolled through the contacts on her flip phone until she found the insurance company’s number and tapped the flat screen on Taran’s newfangled phone.

  No sooner had she finished going through the rigmarole of pressing a series of numbers to get through to an actual person than she was put on hold. Elevator music’s version of “Stairway to Heaven” came over the line and Morgan lost it.

  Last night she’d soared right up to the heavens with Ethan. Today, she was in hell because he wasn’t there. She knew he had a job to do and would do it well, but she missed him.

  He’d gone and hadn’t said goodbye. He must be pissed off and she’d only herself to blame.

  Sinking down in the comfy office chair, Morgan dropped the phone and buried her face in her hands, giving in to a good old-fashioned cry.