Every Vow She Breaks

by Jannine Gallant

  A win-win situation—if he could pull it off.

  He yanked open the car door then sat on the edge of the seat while he tried her cell. Again. When voice mailed picked up, he scowled.

  Where the hell is she?

  He hadn’t wanted to let her go alone to photograph the lighthouses, but after speaking with Alex, he’d understood the need to get organized fast. As he’d pointed out, parents wanted to nail down their kids’ summer camp schedules well in advance so they could plan family vacations around them. There was only so much he could do from the Sierras this winter, so moving on the project now was critical. He couldn’t afford to wait until spring to get started, and one of the rec supervisors he’d needed to talk to was heading out of town the next day.

  So he’d made up an excuse, albeit a lame one, about Kane wanting his help to repair a fence after a drunk neighbor had run into it the night before. The story wasn’t a complete lie. The drunken idiot had taken out the fence, and Kane had called to vent about it. Jed fully intended to tell Claire the truth—just as soon as he had all his ducks in a row. There was no point in getting her hopes up if the idea didn’t pan out.

  If only she’d answer her damned phone.

  His cell rang. He smacked his elbow on the edge of the door then swore as he juggled it to glance at the display.

  Thank God.

  “Claire, are you okay?”

  “Of course I…still…Point Bonita…going to…pictures…sunset…”

  “I can barely hear you.” He gave the phone a shake.

  “…service sucks…stay down here tonight…”

  “Claire, call me back. I can’t understand you.”

  “…hike out late…don’t want to drive…home tomorrow morning.”

  He gritted his teeth. “Damn it. I should have gone with you. I don’t want you spending the night somewhere by yourself.”

  “…perfectly fine. I’m not…danger. No one knows where…”

  “Claire? Are you still there? Claire?”

  “…here. Don’t worry…try call…later. Why don’t…stay…Kane’s…come home tomorrow, too?”

  He sighed. Now was obviously not a good time to explain. “Are you sure you won’t drive home tonight? Damn, I should never have let you go alone.”

  “No…fine…call...this evening. Love you.”

  He clicked his phone off and smacked the steering wheel with his fist. “Shit!” Maybe he should just drive down to…where? She was at the lighthouse now, but by the time he got to Point Bonita, she might have already left to find a campground.

  He let out a long breath. She was safe. He’d stayed behind her for a good ten miles this morning just to make sure no one else was following them. If someone from her past had somehow caught up to her, she would have seen him while she was taking photographs at the two lighthouses. Driving down to Marin for the night only to turn around to come home in the morning in separate vehicles didn’t make a whole lot of sense. He started the engine and glanced at the time on the dashboard clock. He had one more appointment at the rec center in Willits, and he’d barely make it on time as it was without breaking a few speed limits. Maybe Claire would have better service by the time he finished. He could talk to her again and make a decision then.

  * * * *

  Claire eased down on the shutter release just as the sun sank below the horizon on a blaze of orange and crimson, perfectly highlighting the Point Bonita lighthouse on its rocky perch along with the suspension bridge leading out to it. She’d taken the tour earlier in the afternoon during visiting hours then found a spot on the trail back with an absolutely perfect view—and waited, and waited, and waited. Her phone call to Jed had been a failure. All the rock outcroppings blocked the cell tower signals, and the reception was horrible.

  Damp and stiff from hours of inaction perched on moss-covered rocks, she stored her camera then stretched to limber up before hiking back to the parking area. Thank God she’d left Scoop with Theresa. He would have gone crazy cooped up in the motor home for all those hours. Not that she’d planned to stay out at the lighthouse for quite so long, but the lure of a sunset shot had been irresistible.

  Camping somewhere nearby for the night only made sense. Tiredness sapped her strength, and the daypack hung heavily from her shoulders. Trudging up the trail, she let out a huge sigh when she reached her motor home, all alone in the small lot. Tension tightened her muscles as she unlocked the door.

  No one was around. Imagining stalkers in the shadows of a bush swaying in the breeze was pure foolishness. Still, she started the engine, switched on the headlights and pulled out onto the road without wasting any time. Her first priority was food since her stomach had been growling for the last couple of hours. Second was another phone call to Jed to ease his anxiety before he did something stupid like driving down to find her. Impulsive and unnecessary, but thoughtful like the man himself. Once that was settled, she’d find a place to camp.

  Choosing a Mexican restaurant close to the highway, she parked and went inside. Heat and a blast of mariachi music hit her along with the appetizing scent of spicy food. Her stomach growled again. The pretty young hostess seated her then handed over a menu before filling her water glass and setting chips and salsa on the table. Claire thanked her, scanned the contents of the menu then ordered chicken enchiladas when the server stopped beside her booth.

  “Something to drink?” The man’s teeth gleamed beneath a neatly trimmed moustache. “The bartender makes a killer margarita.”

  “I’m fine with just water.” As tired as she was, if she drank a margarita, someone would have to haul her out from beneath the table.

  He nodded and left. Claire retrieved her cell from her purse and pushed the redial button. The sound of Jed’s deep voice sent a shot of heat through her that rivaled the salsa.

  “Where are you?”

  “A Mexican restaurant outside Sausalito. The chips are so fresh they’re still warm.”

  “I’m jealous. Should I drive down there to meet you?”

  She crunched and chewed. “From Vine Haven? Uh, I don’t think it’ll take them that long to cook my dinner.”

  Silence stretched across the airwaves.

  “Jed?”

  “I’m not actually in Vine Haven.”

  “I thought you were going to stay with Kane tonight?”

  His breath whooshed in her ear. “I never was in Vine Haven.”

  Her hand stilled over the chip basket. “Oh?”

  “I lied.”

  “Why?” She leaned against the seatback. The loud music that had seemed so cheerful before grated on her nerves.

  “I made a few appointments I had to keep. I think this is going to work.”

  “What’s going to work?” Her fist clenched. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “A plan for summer employment. I didn’t say anything before you left because I didn’t want to disappoint you if the people at the rec centers laughed in my face. I’m trying to set up a summer camp program for kids. Everyone I talked to today liked the idea. They think it’ll be popular.”

  She frowned. “You mean in the mountains? Did you drive back to your cabin?”

  “No, on the coast. I’d center the program in Shady Bend and arrange wilderness camping trips in the redwoods and along the ocean. The focus would be on survival skills in addition to outdoor adventure and plain old having fun.”

  “But—”

  “You could keep your house. We’d stay there all summer and fall, at least when I’m not knee-deep in kids, and live at my cabin during the winter.” His voice dropped, sounding almost hesitant. “If you wanted to. I know how much having a home base means to you. I hope this would give you that sense of…I don’t know…belonging somewhere permanent. I want you to be happy.”

  Tears smarted in her eyes. “You did this…for me?”

  “For both of us. I would have told you in person, but I couldn’t keep it to
myself any longer. What do you think?”

  The server returned to slide a plate full of enchiladas and rice onto the table in front of her. She blinked back more tears and smiled.

  “Uh, are you okay, miss?”

  With a sniff, she nodded. “Yes. Everything is perfect.”

  “Claire?”

  “Sorry. The waiter just delivered my food.”

  “Then I should hang up to let you eat.”

  She picked up her fork then set it down again and rubbed a hand across damp cheeks. “Do you know how much I love you?”

  “Almost as much as I love you.” He paused. “Are you crying?”

  “Maybe a little. Thank you for knowing what was in my heart, even when I didn’t want to admit it to myself.”

  His voice deepened. “I really, really want to kiss you right now. Maybe I will drive down.”

  “Jed, no. It’s too far. I’ll get an early start and be home by mid-morning.”

  “Are you sure? There aren’t any strangers lurking around? If you don’t feel one hundred percent safe…”

  “I do. I haven’t seen anyone I recognize or who even looks a tiny bit familiar at any of my stops today. No one’s following me.”

  “Thank God. In that case, I guess driving down there—”

  “—would be a huge waste of time and gas.”

  “Where are you going to camp?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ll probably drive a few miles and stop in either Novato or Petaluma. Now I wish I hadn’t waited for the sunset shot, even though the picture I took was spectacular. If I wasn’t so tired…”

  “Don’t even think about it. I don’t want a call from the highway patrol because you crashed the motor home.”

  “Fine. Did you pick up Scoop from Theresa’s?”

  “Yes. Maybe I’ll take him for a moonlight walk. Not exactly the evening I’d prefer, but we all have to make do.”

  She grinned. “He’ll appreciate the gesture. Good night, Jed, and thank you. What you’ve done means more than I can say.”

  “You can thank me properly. Tomorrow.”

  She put away her phone but couldn’t stop smiling. Digging into the enchiladas, her energy levels rose with each bite. By the time her plate was clean, her fingers tapped along with the festive music.

  Three and a half hours wasn’t such a long drive. She’d be home before midnight if she left right now. Dropping a handful of bills on the table for a tip, she headed over to the hostess station to pay her bill. With excitement buzzing stronger than a bee in a flower patch, sleep would be impossible anyway. Might as well drive.

  Jed would be so surprised when she slipped into bed…crap. She’d intended to pick up the mattress from her storage locker. Screw it. She’d rather sleep on the hard floor with the man she loved than on a cloud of feathers all alone.

  No contest.

  * * * *

  Jed threw a stick for Scoop then tipped his head to gaze up at the stars. Was Claire doing the same and thinking of him? He pulled out his cell, the urge to call her again strong, then shoved it back into his pocket. It was after ten o’clock, and she’d admitted to being exhausted. He didn’t want to wake her if she was already asleep.

  Warmth filled him, remembering her tear-choked voice as she’d thanked him. What an ass he’d been, agreeing that selling her great-aunt’s home was the smart move. Selfish didn’t begin to describe him. His driving need to maintain a carefree lifestyle had caused her unnecessary pain. Turned out, all he’d needed to do was open up to new possibilities, ones they could both embrace, instead of stubbornly holding his ground. He really had been a thoughtless jerk. Lucky for him, Claire was an understanding and forgiving woman. He was damned fortunate.

  When the dog dropped the stick at his feet, he bent to retrieve it. With a grunt, he heaved it down the beach.

  Everything would be perfect just as soon as the police figured out who was harassing Claire. Worry for her was eating a hole in his gut, and he was sick of harboring the nagging fear. He’d stopped by the police station when he got back from his appointment in Willits to find out if they’d made any progress, but the chief hadn’t revealed squat. Still, something in his tone gave Jed the impression they had a suspect…

  He pulled his phone out again to punch in his brother’s number. Kane answered on the first ring.

  “Did you find out anything?”

  “Have a little patience, for God’s sake. Gathering information takes time. I did talk to the chief in Shady Bend like you asked. He was a little more forthcoming with me than he was with you.”

  His grip on the phone tightened. “And?”

  “He wouldn’t give me a name, but he did say they had their eye on an old co-worker of Claire’s. Until they’ve established the man’s whereabouts when a few of those photos were taken, he won’t reveal anything more. The chief did admit the suspect looked promising.”

  “Why the hell wouldn’t he tell me that?”

  “It’s still an ongoing investigation. He only gave me that much information out of professional courtesy. But, I did a little checking on my own using the list of Claire’s co-workers and neighbors you sent me. Seemed obvious to me which man they were checking out.”

  “Who?”

  “Preston Meyer. The guy’s been in Shady Bend for weeks. The most likely suspect is usually the guilty one.”

  Jed let out a breath. “Of course I thought about Meyer being the stalker, but Claire said they were just friends. Nothing more. Ever. They didn’t even date, so what possible reason could he have for believing she’d broken her promise to marry him? I still think it’s Ian Rutledge, even though Claire doesn’t and Preston gave him an alibi.”

  Kane snorted. “The last thing you worry about is motive. Who knows what a crazy person is thinking. All I care about is opportunity.”

  “I suppose you have a point.”

  “Anyway, Meyer could have lied about the alibi.”

  “Why would he? There’s no love lost between those two. Ian has shut him down more than once when it came to getting his Bigfoot story.”

  “Frankly, I think it was a lame attempt on Meyer’s part to throw the authorities off his trail. If they believed his story about being with Rutledge, then he’d be in the clear for the incident in Crescent City.”

  “You don’t believe him?”

  “No, I don’t. I’d bet my badge it’s either Meyer or Rutledge. If you toss out the alibi, both had opportunity. It makes no sense to hunt for another man on Claire’s list when they have two viable suspects right there in town. I suppose they wanted to make sure no one else who’d been close to her in the past was in the vicinity. Unless another man turned up on their radar, I’d focus solely on those two since her old high school boyfriend’s alibi is solid.”

  Jed rested a hand on Scoop’s head when the dog dropped the stick and whined. “Still seems like Rutledge is the son of a bitch after her.”

  “Maybe, but I did a little checking on Meyer. The guy’s at loose ends. No home. Last known address was from six months ago. No current employment.”

  “What?” The dog yelped, and he released his grip on his fur. “Sorry, boy.” He drew in a breath. “What the hell are you talking about? Meyer works for Nature Exposed, has for years. That’s where Claire met him, when she was on staff at the magazine.”

  “They fired him eight months ago. From what I can tell, the man lost his home a couple months later and has been living out of his car.”

  “He said he was in Shady Bend for a Bigfoot story.” Jed frowned. “He told Claire he hoped getting a photograph of the creature would send his career to the next level.”

  “Maybe that’s true. Maybe a shot at salvaging his career is part of his motivation for being there, no matter how remote the possibility. Claire’s just an added bonus. Or Claire was always the primary goal, and a Bigfoot picture is the bonus. Do all these crazies actually believe in Bigfoot?”

 
“I really think they do. Well, hell.”

  “What now?”

  At the amusement in his brother’s tone, Jed straightened and gave the stick a final toss. “Ian irritates the crap out of me. I wanted it to be him. Now I’m not so sure. Preston lied, which tells me he has something to hide.”

  “Just to be on the safe side, I’d keep Claire well clear of both men. You can’t be too cautious. The guy stalking her is a freaking nutcase.”

  “Don’t worry. I will. Just as soon as she gets back.”

  “She’s not with you?” His brother’s voice rose. “Where is she?”

  “Photographing lighthouses. She’ll be back tomorrow.” He kicked a clump of seaweed strewn across the sand as his gut knotted. “She’s safe. We were careful.”

  “I hope so. Jed…”

  “What?”

  “Call Claire. Tell her to be extremely cautious. If either of those men comes anywhere near her, tell her to get the hell away from him as fast as she can.”

  “I will. Thanks for your help.”

  “You bet.”

  Jed disconnected then checked the time displayed on his phone. Nearly eleven. He’d let her sleep and call first thing in the morning. Early. Before there was even the tiniest chance that she’d be on the road. Hopefully by then the police would have enough evidence to make an arrest. No matter whom the stalker turned out to be, Claire would be safe.

  Which was the only thing that really mattered.

  Chapter 27

  Claire yawned so wide she feared her jaw would crack. “Stay awake. Stay awake.” She’d been repeating the words for the last half-hour, hoping her new mantra along with the loud rock blasting on the radio would keep her from drifting off. Only a few more miles to go….

  “What the heck?” She stomped on the brake and prayed as the motor home lurched to a stop just short of the waving figure. What kind of idiot stood in the middle of a dark highway? Was the guy crazy?