“Good idea.”
“We’ll back up to the part where you’re celebrating your friends’ engagement and I’m about to walk in.” She stepped backwards, pulled the door open, and slipped out.
“Wait. Don’t leave. Just tell me your—” he called through the door, before she shut it tight.
She leaned against it, torn between laughing and wanting to run back in. It felt like there was a magnet behind that door, drawing her back into life and sparkling fun and bright possibility.
Sparks with a stranger—definitely not on her agenda.
She ran down the staircase, back to the trail, starlight illuminating the path. Forget that sexy, scarred charmer. She’d never see him again anyway.
Yeah, about that…
Lisa whipped her head around to look outside. The first thing she saw was the back of a photographer side-stepping along the sidewalk as he snapped photos. When he stepped out of her line of sight, she finally got a glimpse of the glamorous couple strolling arm-in-arm down Constellation Way. The very same couple she’d just been reading about. And the same man she’d met at the tower.
“It’s Annika Poole,” Mrs. Murphy was saying. “Molly, I can’t believe an actual celebrity is coming to Evie’s wedding.”
Across the room, Molly sniffed. “Finn can do much better, in my opinion.”
“With those scars?” Mrs. Murphy shook her head and hmphed. “It’s a shame, it really is.”
“Stop that.” Molly’s body was trembling. She always shook to some extent, but when she was upset it got worse. Lisa pulled her gaze away from the couple and hurried to her side. “I adore Finn. He’s a sweet boy. He brings me flowers when he visits.”
Sweet boy? Lisa nearly snorted out loud at that description. During her encounter with Finn Abrams, the phrase “sweet boy” had never crossed her mind. She’d pegged him as the flirtatious player type.
“And he’s still very handsome,” Molly added.
“Obviously, you’re not the only one who thinks so,” Lisa said dryly. “I spy a movie star on his arm.” She glanced at Annie, who had pulled the scissors away from Molly’s head of flyaway white hair. “How’s the haircut coming?”
“Almost done. And Mrs. McGraw, I absolutely agree with you. He’s still a hottie in my book. You don’t have to worry about Finn Abrams. He’s a charmer.”
Lisa snuck another glance at the street outside. Annika had stopped to take a call and was speaking heatedly into her cell phone. Her other arm was wrapped tightly around Finn’s elbow. Wearing a stocking cap, a woodsy brown sweater and trousers, with both hands in his pockets, he looked casual and mouthwatering and…bored.
Huh. He definitely hadn’t looked bored when he’d flirted with her back at the Breton tower.
3
“Hasn’t he gotten enough shots by now?” Finn asked through clenched teeth. “Do you think we could move on?”
“Do you think you could look a little more excited?” Annika snapped shut the little crystal-studded case of her iPhone. “It shouldn’t be that hard.”
“I’m not an actor. I’m a firefighter.” Since he’d gotten out of the hospital, he had to keep reminding himself of that fact. Injured, still recovering, but damn it, he still had his red card. If he busted his ass, he could get on a hotshot crew, and that was all he wanted. Since the burnover, nothing felt right. As if he’d jumped off a cliff and was still falling. He couldn’t get his bearings.
For instance, he used to think Annika was sexy. Now she just seemed whiny.
“Honestly, it’s getting old, Finn.” Annika rested her head against his chest and aimed one more dreamy smile at him. “When are you going to let that whole firefighting thing go?”
“Thanks for your support. I really appreciate it.”
“Oh come on. Wasn’t I the one who ran to your bedside during all those surgeries?” She waved at the photographer. “That’s it for now, Mark.”
The photographer nodded and put the lens cap back on his camera. He worked for Finn’s father, Stu, who owned the studio that was producing the Miracle in Big Canyon movie, in which Annika was starring. Apparently, the publicity department thought that photos of Annika with the real-life “wounded hero” firefighter would get lots of attention.
Finn was going along with the charade for now, but his patience was wearing thin. Since the burnover, only two things mattered to him. Getting back into action. And learning the truth about the strange flashback he’d had during the Big Canyon wildfire.
But Annika had been sweet to him during his stay in the hospital, so he didn’t mind helping her with a little publicity.
“I have to get going, Annika. I’ll walk you back to your B&B.”
She looked at him vaguely, as if she’d almost forgotten he was there. Maybe now that the photographer was gone, she had forgotten him. “Fine. I’m going to see if that spa will send a masseuse to my room.” She used her phone to take a photo of the sign—as if remembering “Moon Glow” would be impossible.
He glanced at the salon. His gaze snagged on someone inside. A weird thrill traveled through his body—that feeling when you scan a crowd and know you’ve spotted a familiar face, but you can’t quite pin it down. A pair of wide-set dark eyes, inky hair swept into a loose knot.
Holy shit. Even though he couldn’t make out her features through all the obstructions—window, stylists, salon equipment—he knew it was her. The girl from the tower.
The girl who’d brutally shot him down without even telling him her name.
He stared into the salon, trying for a better look. Maybe it wasn’t her. Maybe it was just his imagination. Did he even want it to be her? Christ, he had enough things on his mind. He didn’t need another distraction.
Annika tugged at his arm, and he allowed himself to be dragged down the sidewalk toward the Goodnight Moon B&B. It didn’t matter, anyway. He needed to keep his focus where it counted. Get back on the crew, get some answers. Simple.
Okay, so he did take one glance back at the Moon Glow. He couldn’t help it. But they were too far away and he couldn’t make out anyone’s face.
His phone rang. It was Rollo, his closest friend in Jupiter Point. He was staying in the guesthouse on Rollo’s property while he tried to get his shit together. These days, the only people he felt right with were the hotshots. They’d been in the wildfire, they knew what it felt like. Rollo was the only one who knew about the weird flashback, though.
“Are you still in town?” Rollo asked.
“Yup. Just about to drop Annika off. You need something?”
“There’s a package for you at the post office. From that detective.”
“Cool, thanks man. I’ll swing by.”
Finn had hired a private investigator to track down his real parents, since Stu had completely shut him down.
“You’re Finn Abrams. That’s it. Nothing else to know.”
“That’s impossible. There must be records somewhere.”
“Records? It was an under-the-table adoption that cost a fucking fortune. No records. Maybe Ellie knew, but she died the year after. Drop it, Finn. I’m warning you.”
Of course he hadn’t listened to that warning. He couldn’t. He wanted answers. Stu got fed up and they had a big blowout. Finn had come here, to Jupiter Point. To his friends on the hotshot crew.
“Grab a couple of six-packs, too. Sean’s last night as a single man. Figure that deserves a toast or two.”
Finn’s gut tightened. “He probably doesn’t want me there.”
“Bullshit. You need to talk to him, Finn.”
“I know.”
“You’re running out of time, dude. The wedding’s tomorrow, then the honeymoon. You want on the crew or not? You have a shot since I’m retiring and Josh will need time off for the baby. He’s going to fill that spot one way or the other.”
Rollo’s voice rose, catching Annika’s attention. “Is that Rollo? Hand me the phone, I want to say ‘hi.’”
But Rollo had h
eard her. “Hanging up now,” he said quickly, the phone going dead right afterward. Rollo couldn’t stand Annika and avoided her whenever possible.
Finn shrugged an apology at Annika. “Sorry. You can say hi at the wedding.”
“Sometimes I think he doesn’t like me.”
Finn snorted. He had no idea why she cared what a bunch of firefighters thought of her. But she apparently did. “You’re Annika Poole. Why wouldn’t he like you?”
Her eyebrows drew together at his non-answer. He braced himself for a deluge of resentful questions about who did and didn’t like her, and why. Jesus. Sometimes he couldn’t believe that he’d spent so much time over the years dating women like Annika.
Again, the girl from the tower flashed into his mind. That girl—she was different. She hadn’t wanted charm or flattery from him. She was more the don’t-bullshit-me type. Maybe that was why he’d been so attracted to her. With everything in his life thrown into confusion, she seemed…real.
Yeah, real—as in really, really not interested in him.
Luckily, Annika’s phone rang just then. “Gemma.” Her publicist. “Yes, it went great. Just the wedding left, then I’ll be back in LA.”
Finn couldn’t lie; he was counting the hours.
4
By the time Lisa drove home after her shift, she still hadn’t forgotten about that near miss with Finn Abrams. If he was really coming to the wedding with Annika and a potential entourage of photographers, she’d have to be extra careful.
Not that she wasn’t already. She was freakishly cautious. She hadn’t even rented an apartment in Jupiter Point yet. When she’d first left Houston, she’d bought a small motorhome and made it as homey as possible. Now, all these months later, it was her home.
And when she was ready to leave, all she had to do was turn the key in the ignition and go.
Her mother and stepsisters would laugh their asses off if they could see her now. They all had five-bedroom houses and a new car every year. A diamond necklace for Christmas, a Caribbean vacation, and they were happy.
She’d always been the odd one out. Working in health care was strange enough. But then tossing her whole career aside to help Maria? As always, they’d thought she was crazy. They’d definitely think so if they could see her new home here in the Jupiter Point Campground. Instead of live oaks and bayous, she was surrounded by towering pine trees and friendly little nuthatches and chickadees. Since it was the off-season, she often had the campground to herself.
Just how she liked it.
She parked her car on the road that circled through the campground. It was an old-model Mercedes that she’d bought when she started working for the McGraws. She’d chosen it because of its boxy, high-clearance design—the perfect height for helping Molly in and out of her wheelchair. Since then, she’d added a seat cushion and a kind of “lazy Susan” apparatus that made it even easier for Molly to get in.
A footpath led to her camping spot, which included a picnic table and a fire pit with a grill. With a grateful sigh, she stepped inside her motorhome and locked the door behind her. The familiar smell of motor oil and coffee and grilled cheese embraced her. She had exactly two appliances in the kitchenette, an espresso machine and a panini maker—which would also make her family laugh hysterically. No dishwasher? No ice cube maker? No microwave?
She made her way to the back of the motorhome, which was entirely filled with a platform bed. After plopping her tote bag at the foot of the bed, she dropped onto her back and gazed up at the swaths of indigo fabric she’d pinned to the ceiling. Whimsical stars and moons twinkled back at her. A down comforter as thick as marshmallows sank under her weight, along with over a dozen overstuffed pillows.
Home sweet teeny-tiny home.
Safe.
Alone.
A vivid vision flashed through her mind. In the salon, for one shocking moment, she could have sworn that Finn was looking right at her through the storefront window. He wore the same expression he’d had at the tower—intense, smoldering…curiosity.
Who was he, anyway? She reached for her tote bag and pulled out the old tabloid from the salon. They wouldn’t miss it, and she intended to return it as soon as possible.
Well, after she studied every word about Finn Abrams, “wounded hero firefighter.”
Okay, now her family would definitely be laughing at her.
A knock on the door sent adrenaline shooting through her. She scrambled off the bed. The campground was empty. No one visited her here. Ever.
She grabbed the baseball bat she kept as a weapon and hurried toward the front of the motorhome. Outside, she saw two men in police uniforms. She relaxed a tiny bit, recognizing Police Chief Becker from a picture she’d seen in the local newspaper. Not that having the police on her doorstep was relaxing…but it was better than a menacing stranger.
She discreetly stashed the bat and opened the door. “Yes?”
“Ms. Lisa Peretti?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“I’m the Chief of Police here in Jupiter Point, Chief Becker. This here is Sheriff’s Deputy Will Knight.”
She made a quick survey of the two men. Chief Becker was an African-American man who easily cleared six and a half feet. He had a slow, quiet manner that managed to be imposing even when he didn’t say much. Will Knight wasn’t quite as tall. He had broad shoulders, dark gray eyes and an easy smile probably meant to put her at ease.
It didn’t really work.
“You’re a hard woman to track down,” said the chief.
She stiffened. “You’ve been looking for me?”
“For a while now, as a matter of fact. Since last November.”
Last November? Had something happened to Maria? She tried to figure out a good way to ask that question without giving anything away, but couldn’t.
“Um…I’ve been traveling around. I just got back to Jupiter Point. What’s this about?”
“Is this a good place to talk?” He glanced around the little campground. It was about six in the evening, and shadows were settling around the edges of the clearing.
“Well, I’d invite you in, but I’m not sure you’d both fit inside this thing.” That was the truth; both men were big and tall. “How about we sit at that table. Can I get either of you anything to drink? I have cold coffee. Or I could make some hot coffee.”
Will Knight grinned. “Cold or hot coffee. I like a menu with variety. Nothing for me, thanks.”
The police chief also declined a drink, and they all trooped over to the picnic table. As soon as they were settled in, he began.
“Are you aware of the incident that occurred on the trail to the Breton lookout tower last November?”
A bolt of alarm went through her at the mention of Breton. “No, I wasn’t here then. I left at the end of October. But I was volunteering there all summer.”
She cringed at the way the words just flowed out of her. Damn it, didn’t all the TV shows say not to volunteer any extra information?
Will Knight picked up where the chief had left off. “This past November, a man with a gun assaulted a group of hikers from Jupiter Point. They were about half a mile from the Breton tower. The assailant grabbed Merry Warren, one of our local reporters here in town. He claimed he was looking for a girl who had dark hair and lived in the tower. The other members of the group disarmed him and we took him into custody. He lawyered up right away and pled guilty to assault. But he refused to say anything more about who he was looking for or why.”
Oh my God. Lisa’s thoughts whirled in ten different directions.
“Was Merry…she wasn’t the one he was looking for?”
“No. We did some process of elimination with everyone associated with the tower and the obvious target is you. The question now is why.” Chief Becker looked at her in an authoritative way that demanded an answer.
She swallowed hard. Since she’d helped Maria escape, she hadn’t told anyone what happened. She’d promised her silence, for both
of their safety.
“Maybe it was a random mugger. If he pled guilty, that’s the end of it, right?”
His steady gaze didn’t waver. “I certainly hope so, for your sake. But my gut tells me otherwise. I’m protective of this town. One of our own reporters was nearly kidnapped, and I don’t like that. The assailant knocked out Finn Abrams too. Nearly gave him a concussion.”
She flinched. Finn had gotten knocked out? That made two people hurt by someone looking for her. “I’m so sorry they were hurt.”
“It could have been a lot worse,” Knight said, his tone deceptively easygoing. Each word felt like a stab in Lisa’s heart. “Merry Warren’s wrist was badly sprained. She couldn’t type for two weeks.”
Becker narrowed his eyes at Knight. “I didn’t hear about that.”
“She didn’t report it. I pried the truth out of her. Gave her an on-the-record quote as bribery. Not bribery in the legal sense,” he added quickly. He popped a piece of gum in his mouth and gave it a laconic chew.
Chief Becker rested one elbow on the picnic table and shot the other officer a long-suffering look. “They had to assign you to this, didn’t they?”
“Yup.” Knight grinned back.
Lisa wondered if they had some kind of good-cop-bad-cop routine going on. Or maybe it was more of a stern-cop-goofy-cop routine.
“Back to you, Lisa,” Knight continued. “If you could just answer a few questions, that might help us figure this out. You came to Jupiter Point last summer, right?”
Scratch the “goofy cop” description. Knight was definitely using his casual manner as a smokescreen. “Yes, I came here last June and volunteered as a spotter at the Breton tower until the season ended.”
“Why here?”
“I heard the stargazing is spectacular,” she said blandly.
Knight and Becker exchanged a glance. “That it is,” Knight agreed. “Right, Chief?”
“So I hear. I’m usually too busy protecting the citizens from gun-wielding attackers to notice.”
Setting Off Sparks (Jupiter Point Book 4) Page 2