In the distance they could hear a siren.
"They may already be on their way."
A cell phone on the floorboards started ringing. He reached down to pick it up.
"Daryl Swinford." The caller ID showed who was calling.
Kara gasped, took a step back and pressed her hands into her stomach.
Nate held up a finger to his lips. He pressed speakerphone and took the call without speaking.
"The money is in your account." Daryl said.
Nate remained silent.
"Hello?"
Nate coughed twice.
"Tell me the job is done."
Nate coughed again.
"Damn it, speak to me. Do you have the woman?"
Nate went into a fit of coughing then hung up. The phone rang again but he didn't answer. "Hopefully I didn't spook him. If he calls again maybe they can trace it."
Kara stared at the dead man. "I've never seen that man before."
"The police will figure this out." He tucked his gun into his belt and laid the phone on the seat as the siren sounded closer. "Let's step away from the car. They're almost here."
Her hands were shaky as she held out the phone. "Do I still need to call?"
His concerned brown eyes gazed down into hers as he held out his arms. "Come here, baby."
She stepped into his embrace and closed her eyes as his arms closed around her. His hand rubbed her back as he stood holding her and he didn't let go even when the police car pulled up, lights and siren going.
The siren turned off and two patrolmen stepped out of the squad car cautiously, guns at the ready as they took in the scene.
"There was a report of gunshots." The taller man spoke.
"Yes, sir," Nate answered as he released Kara. "That man made an attempt on her life." He nodded at the dead body.
"Ma'am, are you all right?"
"I am now, thanks to Nate."
The policeman eyed Nate. "Your weapon?"
Nate held his hands out and turned around placing his hands on the car to allow the policeman to step up and remove the weapon.
As the man patted him down for more weapons he said, "You seem familiar with this procedure."
"Just making it easier for you, sir. I'd appreciate you taking us both down to the station where Kara will be safer."
"You'll be there soon enough."
The other officer had called in to the station and soon police officers; yellow tape and crime scene investigators ready to do their jobs surrounded them.
Kara and Nate were transported to the station in separate cars and she did not see him again for several hours.
When at last they were both released, she ran into his arms. "Oh Nate. What a nightmare this is."
He held her close and said, "It's almost over, Kara. They'll find Daryl."
Just as they were ready to leave, another police officer approached them. "Mrs. Worth?"
She turned to look at him. "Yes."
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have a few questions about your husbands death."
"What?"
"We have reason to believe this man is the same man who killed your husband."
She gasped.
After all this time if they could answer the questions that had haunted her so many nights.
As they sat down at the table the officer said, "I had a hunch." He tapped his pen on the table. "The man who shot your husband also drove a brown Ford sedan and the bullets were a match. Then when we checked his cell phone records we found calls made to and from Daryl Swinford just before and after your husband was murdered. We then checked his bank records. Large deposits were made to his account at the time and again this week. We believe Swinford paid this man to kill your husband."
"It wasn't a random act of violence?" Horror filled her. "It was a lie. Everything."
"Kara? Sweetheart," Nate reached for her hand.
"We believe Nate was next."
She shivered. "Oh, Nate, he would have killed you."
Nate reached his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder. "I'm not easy to kill. You wouldn't believe the near misses I've had."
She shivered again.
"We've issued a warrant for Mr. Swinford."
Kara gave him a nervous smile. "Will you call me as soon as you catch him?"
"Yes, ma'am. But don't worry. We expect to have him in custody soon."
Nate squeezed her shoulder, pulling her to him. "They'll get him. And I'll stay with you."
"Daryl is crazy. They'd better catch him soon."
"Come, Kara. We'll go back to the hotel and stay there until he's captured."
She nodded.
Later that evening, when things had settled down, he ran the bath he'd promised her. He added her bath oil, which was lavender scented.
"Smells good." He swished the water around as she watched him then announced, "Your bath is ready, my lady. Take all the time you need. I'll be right outside. Call if you need me."
He cupped her chin and looked down into her eyes. "You're going to be all right, Kara. You're safe here with me. I'm not going anywhere."
She nodded without speaking.
"All right," he stepped back with his hand on the doorknob. "Should I leave this open or closed?"
"Closed."
When he thought she'd been in there so long she might be turning into a wrinkled prune, he rapped softly on the bathroom door. "Kara?" When she didn't answer he eased the door open.
A vision greeted his eyes. Kara lay back against the wall of the bathtub; her face flushed pink, wet hair resting on her shoulders and her rosy breasts, which glistened with bath oil. She'd fallen asleep in the tub.
"Kara," he called to her softly as he stepped into the room, picking up a towel from the corner rack, not wanting to scare her awake and conscious of his immediate response to her beauty.
She opened her eyes slowly and looked into his for one brief moment then slid down into the tub and reached to cover herself with her hands as her cheeks blazed and her lashes dropped. Watching her only made his reaction intensify.
"You fell asleep. Ready to get out now?"
"Yes."
He held out a hand to her and she stood, water streaming down her body.
*****
The warm water and the floral scented oil had made her skin soft, warm, and slippery. Made her body long for his touch. For his eyes to gaze at her again with that look that made her feel every inch a woman.
Oh, how she wanted to be kissed and held and made love to by this wonderful man. The man she loved with all her heart.
He took the towel and dried her off. It wasn't long until they were kissing and moving toward the bed.
Lightly he fingered a loose tendril of hair on her cheek. "You're so beautiful." His eyes searched her face, reaching into her thoughts. "You were afraid." His soothing voice probed further. "And you've been afraid for a long time. But Kara," he looked deep into her eyes, "I'm hoping you won't be afraid any more. All that talk about randomness and bad things happening. What happened to your husband wasn't random."
She inhaled sharp. It was as if he'd been reading her mind, though it wasn't possible.
"It's no shame to be afraid. It's what you do with your fear that determines the outcome. And you, sweetheart, are brave. You walked out of your bank job and now you're ready to leave everything behind. Do you realize how much courage you have?"
"Maybe I have a little bit."
"More than a little, sweetheart." His thumb caressed her cheek and his eyes softened. "You're beautiful and brave. That's quite a combination."
A warm glow flowed through her. No man had ever spoken to her this way. He meant every word he said. Her confidence formed a solid rock in the core of her being where once there'd been only doubt.
She was brave. She felt it inside herself now.
Her eyes glittered up at him and he bent to kiss her. She reached up and wound her hands around the back of his neck, through his hair. She kissed him back,
lingering, savoring each sensation. He was alive. Here in front of her, warm and strong, loving her. Joy filled her soul.
His hands caressed the planes of her back as her tension eased away, replaced by a different kind of tension. One that built slowly as his fingertips traced a gentle path over her body, followed by kisses which raised that hum within her.
They kissed and touched each other, celebrating the gift of life, the gift they brought to each other until soon they both rode on a great wave of passion. She rose to meet him and together they crested that wave until it broke, leaving them both panting in each other's arms like the edge of the sea drifting in and out across the sand once the wave had moved on.
He rolled onto his side and gathered her into his arms kissing her forehead. "I love you, sweetheart."
His cell phone rang.
Nate answered the phone. "Hello?" He listened for a moment. "Hold on, I want Kara to hear this." He turned on the speaker and handed the phone to her. "It's the police."
"Yes?" Kara said, holding her breath.
"Ms. Worth, Daryl Swinford has been picked up and he's being processed as we speak. You can rest easy now."
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."
"With the evidence we found at his house, the probability of conviction is high."
"Oh, thank God." She exhaled a great sigh of relief. "What was at his house?"
"Let's just say he's been watching you for some time, ma'am. We have enough photos and video along with the other evidence to put him away for a long time."
Thanking the officer, she hung up the phone and turned to Nate with a huge smile. "Let's celebrate."
He smiled back at her. "And just how would you like to celebrate, sweetheart'?"
She leaned in for a kiss. "Like this."
*****
She'd fallen asleep again after hours of lovemaking and she woke to Nate showering kisses all over her body.
He paused, seeing she was awake.
"Kara, I love you."
Nate's words of reassurance while snorkeling came back to her. "Take a chance Kara. I've got you."
She'd take a chance and move to be with Nate. They'd talked about it. It was amazing how much talking they'd done in between making love.
Nate would take care of her. He already had. He was a very capable man, but he wouldn't take care of her the way Neil had, doing everything for her, treating her like a child without expecting anything of her.
Nate expected her to do things for herself. He believed in her, believed her capable of things she'd never even dreamed of. And that belief strengthened her.
She now had a strength she'd never even realized, but Nate saw it in her all along. He'd stand by her side supporting her in everything she did.
What more could she ask for?
Again his words repeated in her head. "The only way to live life is to face your fears. If you don't they will control you."
She was aware of how fear could control a person.
"I want to share my life with you. I'll stand beside you each step of the way. But only if it's what you want."
"Oh, Nate, I love you. Yes, I want to be with you, however long our forever turns out to be. One moment of this is worth everything." She closed her eyes as she tears welled up.
She dared the biggest risk of all, her heart. Then Kara was in his arms, releasing all her hesitation, her fears, her thoughts as his arms closed around her, holding her tight.
Love and life could be a great adventure with the right man by her side.
*****
Kara sailed the seas with Nate and painted portraits of the nighttime sea.
The secret dream that had been buried beneath her predictable, safe life spilled forth like the most precious shell washed onto the sand. Painting became a part of her life and she found, to her surprise, she was quite good at it.
And in every painting she painted, up in the right hand corner was a small but bright, wishing star.
The End
About Debra Parmley
Debra Parmley is the author of two western historical romance books, Dangerous Ties and A Desperate Journey. For more about Debra's books as well as her poetry and short stories please visit her website. http://www.debraparmley.com
Originally from Ohio, Debra now lives in Tennessee, just outside Memphis. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has two sons. Debra enjoys history and in her spare time is a living history reenactor with the Society for Creative Anachronism where she enjoys primitive archery, embroidery and dance. A former travel consultant who has set foot in thirteen countries, Debra enjoys setting her contemporary romances in many of the places she has visited.
It is with infinite love and gratitude that she gives thanks for this opportunity to fulfill her dream of sharing her stories with readers all over the world. One of Debra's greatest joys is hearing from her readers.
Table of Contents
Title page
Dedication and Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
About Debra Parmley
Aboard the Wishing Star Page 19