Dangerous Reunion (Love Inspired Suspense)

by Robbins, Sandra

  “I know. He kept asking me to go out with him, but I’d always have some excuse. The real reason was that the only person I wanted was Calvin. I kept telling myself that he was going to ask me out, but I think I knew that wasn’t true. Calvin loves the attention he gets from women. He flirts with every woman who comes in here.”

  “I think you’re right about Calvin. He seems to attract women wherever he goes.”

  Lisa snorted. “Yeah, and I thought he’d settle for me. But lately I’ve thought he might be seeing someone on the mainland.”

  The statement surprised Kate. She’d never heard Calvin mention anyone special. “What makes you think so?”

  Lisa shrugged. “He’s been spending his weekends off on the mainland. He’s never said anything, but I’ve seen him boarding the ferry in the late afternoons a lot lately.”

  Kate pursed her lips and tried to remember Calvin mentioning going to the mainland. “I didn’t know that. He never said anything. So you think he went to spend time with a woman?”

  “Yeah. One day I overheard him on his cell phone, and he was talking to someone about meeting that night at Lakeview Lodge. He said he was expecting a really good time. I kept hoping he’d notice how crazy I was about him. And all that time there was Doug, a nice guy who wanted to get to know me better, and I wouldn’t give him the time of day. Now it’s too late.”

  Kate chewed on her lip and nodded. Lisa’s words brought to mind how she’d felt since Brock came to the island. He said he wanted to find peace and to be her friend, but she hadn’t been willing to meet him halfway. Maybe tonight she would have an opportunity to apologize to him for her behavior today. He didn’t have to volunteer his time to help out the department, and she needed to remember that.

  Lisa pushed to her feet. “I need to get back to work.” She walked to the door but stopped and turned back to face Kate. “Oh, I have some messages for you. One from Sheriff Baxter. He called this afternoon.”

  Kate followed Lisa into the outer office and stopped beside the dispatch desk. “I was hoping we’d hear from him. Did he have any news about fingerprints or DNA from the envelope in Doug’s car?”

  “No, he said the lab in Raleigh is backed up and won’t have the results for some time. He wanted to let us know that there haven’t been any new leads in the burglary ring that’s operating on the mainland. The last robbery occurred last week at a home in Swan Quarter. The method of entry was the same. The occupants were gone overnight, so the thieves had time to completely go through the house. They even opened a safe and took a lot of jewelry from it.”

  “That sounds like they knew what they were looking for. Did Sheriff Baxter give you a description of any of the jewelry?”

  “Yes. He wanted you and Calvin to be on the lookout for any items that might find their way into the pawn shop here.” Lisa picked up a stack of papers from her desk. “He faxed these pictures to us. The lady whose house was burglarized had insured her jewelry, and she had pictures of all her pieces.”

  Kate flipped through the papers. Pictures of jewelry, cameras and assorted video equipment filled the pages. She gave a low whistle at one photograph. “Look at this bracelet. The description says it has one hundred sixty-seven diamonds and twenty emeralds on it. The diamonds and the emeralds each have a seven-carat weight. It says this bracelet is valued at over twenty-five thousand dollars.” She glanced up at Lisa. “How would you like to wear that on your arm?”

  “Not me. I’d be scared I’d lose it. Sheriff Baxter said the owner was really upset over that bracelet. It’s been in her family for nearly two hundred years. She was thinking of putting it up for auction at Christie’s in New York, but she hadn’t been able to part with it.”

  Kate laid the pictures down. “Well, the owner has lost it now. Maybe we’ll get lucky and it’ll turn up somewhere. This burglary ring is about to drive Sheriff Baxter crazy.”

  “Why does he think it’s a ring?”

  “There has to be more than one person because in the past there have been two robberies at the same time, but they’d be miles apart in the county. Our deputies are all over the place trying to catch these guys. It sounds like this time it might have taken more than one robber if the house was searched as thoroughly as it seems.” She shook her head. “I sure hope these guys don’t show up on Ocracoke. We’ve got enough to contend with right now without adding burglary.”

  The front door opened, and they both turned as Calvin entered. He flashed a smile in their direction. “I expected to see you two dressed like pirates. The tourists are already beginning to show up for the festival, and they’re decked out in some cool costumes.” He stopped beside Lisa’s desk and let his gaze travel over her face. “What about you? Do you have your outfit for tonight?”

  Lisa glanced at Kate and bit down on her lip before she answered. “I’m wearing the same one I did last year.” She handed Calvin the stack of pictures. “I know you’re about to go on duty, and I don’t want to detain you. But you’d better look at these pictures before you do. Sheriff Baxter wants you to keep a lookout for any of these items that might show up at the pawn shop here.”

  Calvin flipped through the pictures, then laid them on her desk. “I’m going to be patrolling the festival area tonight. Maybe I’ll see you there.”

  Lisa shook her head. “I doubt it. I’m going to see Emma in the play. Then I plan to go right home.” She glanced down at her desk and picked up a memo. “One other thing I didn’t tell you, Kate. Sheriff Baxter spoke with Clay Phillips about backing up Calvin on patrol tonight. He’ll be there from six o’clock until the booths close.”

  Calvin shrugged. “I doubt if I’ll need him. The only problems we ever have at the festival are caused by tourists who have had too much to drink over at the Blue Pelican.” He turned to Kate. “Anything else you need to tell me before I take over?”

  “Make sure you keep in touch with Clay, and call if you need him. I’ll have my cell phone, too.” Kate turned to Lisa. “Before you leave, make sure that you route the local calls as well as the 911 emergencies from the mainland terminal to my cell phone for the night.”

  Lisa nodded. “I will.”

  “And Calvin, I’ll relay anything to you. Do you have any questions?”

  “No, it’ll just be business as usual. Have a good time, and tell Emma I’ll try to get over to the theater to see her. But I may be too busy.”

  Kate headed to the door. “I’ll tell her. And Lisa, we’ll save a spot for your lawn chair at the play.”

  When Kate stepped onto the street, she could hardly believe the number of people who had already arrived for the opening of the festival. She was about to get in her squad car when Emma’s voice rang out above the crowd. “Kate, wait.”

  Emma ran down the sidewalk toward her. Kate smiled as Emma came to a stop in front of her. “What are you doing here? I thought you and Betsy were going to wait for me at home.”

  “Betsy is over at the booth she and Will Scott are sharing. He picked us up so he could load Betsy’s paintings in his van. Brock’s over there now helping them put Will’s pottery and Betsy’s paintings out.” She grabbed Kate by the hand. “Come and see.”

  The mention of Brock sent a guilty reminder of what their day had been like. She didn’t want to see him now. Kate pulled away from Emma and shook her head. “I need to go home and change clothes. I’ll be back for the play, though. Tell Betsy I’ll bring the lawn chairs.”

  “Okay.”

  Kate stared after Emma as she rounded the corner onto the street where the artists had set up their booths. Brock had told her he was going to help Will with his booth, so she shouldn’t have been surprised that he was also assisting Betsy. Perhaps surprised wasn’t the right word.

  Ever since Brock had come back, he’d made an effort to make her sisters like him. He’d charmed Emma right off by telling her about her mother. His connection to the mother that she barely remembered had made him a hero of sorts in Emma’s eyes.

&nbs
p; Then he had made Betsy believe he was only concerned about Kate’s safety. Now he was helping her set up her booth. If his intention was to trick her into forgiving him by making allies of her sisters, it wasn’t going to work.

  If she didn’t watch out, he would have them begging her to forgive him, and she wasn’t about to let that happen. She had taken care of Betsy and Emma since their mother’s death, and she had protected the island residents from those who broke the law. She didn’t need Brock Gentry’s assistance in either job. After the play tonight, she would tell him she didn’t think they needed to spend time together anymore. It was becoming too uncomfortable for her.

  It would be best if he would go back to Nashville and deal with his past choices as best he could. If he wasn’t around anymore, maybe she could get her life back to normal.

  At ten minutes before seven o’clock, Brock stopped at the rear of the Hurricane Theater and let his gaze drift over the outdoor performance area where tourists were treated to musical and theater entertainment all summer. Tonight it looked as if half the visitors to the island had chosen to come see Blackbeard’s Last Stand.

  Lawn chairs dotted the grassy area in front of a wooden platform stage that rose about two feet off the ground. Large hurricane lamps with a candle in each sat at the four corners of the stage, and curtains hanging on a wire across the back of the stage provided a backdrop. A primitive table and crudely fashioned wooden chairs sat in the middle of the stage to give the impression of what an island home might have looked like in the early 1700s.

  Brock stood on tiptoe and searched the crowd for Kate. He caught sight of her sitting in a lawn chair in the front row. Lisa sat on one side of her and Betsy on the other. To Betsy’s right he could see Treasury with an empty chair beside her. He shook his head in disbelief. Kate had positioned him as far from her as she could.

  Pasting a smile on his face, he sidestepped the occupied chairs scattered about until he arrived next to Treasury. He dropped into the empty seat and laughed. “I didn’t know if I would make it through the crowd or not.”

  Treasury reached over and patted his arm. “You’re right on time. The play should start any minute.”

  He leaned forward and stared toward Kate, but she appeared not to notice his presence. After a moment he settled back in the chair and waited for the actors to take their places. The day that had started so badly hadn’t gotten any better. He needed to do something about that. He would find the right time after the play was over.

  Out of the corner of her eye Kate saw Brock sit down next to Treasury and lean forward to stare at her. She kept her attention directed to what Betsy was saying and didn’t look at him. When Lisa talked about Doug earlier, Kate had almost decided to ask Brock to forgive her attitude today. Now that she’d had time to think about it, she knew she couldn’t. It would be best for everybody if he left the island. She would tell him that after the performance.

  A cymbal clanged backstage, and one of the actors stepped through the center opening in the curtains to the middle of the stage. “Avast, ye landlubbers,” he called out. “And welcome to the home of Edward Teach, better known ’round these here parts as Blackbeard the Pirate. ’Twas November 22, 1718, that Blackbeard sailed out t’ battle the ships of Lieutenant Robert Maynard and met his doom off the shores o’ Ocracoke. Tonight we fly the Jolly Roger again as we take you aft to that moment in history.”

  He bowed and made a flourish with his hands as the actors filed onstage and took their places. For the next thirty minutes Kate didn’t take her eyes off the action occurring in front of her. Her heart swelled with pride when the pirates settled at the table for a meal and called for the serving girl to bring their drinks.

  Emma, wearing the long burlap dress Treasury had made, entered carrying a tray filled with large tankards. She moved to the table, served each man, then curtsied before stepping back to stand like an obedient servant girl awaiting further orders from her master.

  Kate and Betsy glanced at each other and smiled. Pride lit Betsy’s eyes, and Kate was sure it mirrored hers. She was about to lean over and whisper to Betsy when her cell phone chimed, alerting her to a received text message.

  She pulled the phone from her pocket and held it as she waited for the moment in the play she’d come to see. Onstage Emma stepped back up to the table and held the pitcher up. “More ale, sir?” she said. Kate mouthed the words with her.

  Smiling, she glanced down at her phone. Her thrill over Emma’s perfectly delivered line turned to horror. She gasped and grabbed the arm of her chair. The displayed sender’s name glowed on the lit screen like hot coals and sent a searing pain to her head. Doug? The message had been sent from Doug’s phone?

  She shook her head. What kind of evil trick was someone playing on her? She clicked on the message, blinked and reread it.

  It’s showtime, Kate. Watch out for Great Balls of Fire.

  Kate swiveled in her chair and scanned the audience for movement. A flash of red to her left caught her attention, and she half-rose to get a better look. A man dressed in a pirate costume and holding a small bag stood to the left side of the stage. A beard and mustache hid his face. A tricorn hat covered his head. He smiled, held up a cell phone and slipped it into his pocket.

  Her heart pounded in her ears, and she gulped a big breath into her burning lungs as she pushed to her feet. Before she could take a step, he pulled a bottle with a rag stuffed into the top from the bag. Dropping the bag, he flicked a cigarette lighter on and held the flame up for her to see.

  Her eyes widened in understanding. He had a firebomb. She reached for her gun before she remembered that she always left it in her car trunk when she was out of uniform. Gritting her teeth, she charged toward the pirate at the moment he hurled the bottle with the now-burning rag to the stage. She was too late.

  The audience screamed as the bottle shattered, sending its deadly cargo of fire dancing across the stage. The pirate saluted her, then turned and ran from the scene. Kate tried to pursue, but panicked playgoers mobbed the exits in an effort to escape the spreading blaze and blocked her way.

  “Police! Let me through,” Kate yelled. Emma’s scream from the stage stopped her, and she turned to stare at her sister. Her heart leaped to her throat at the sight of her little sister fighting the flames that climbed up the burlap dress. Emma screamed again and turned to run.

  “Emma,” Kate yelled over the crowd. “Don’t run.”

  She pushed back through the crowd and lunged to the front of the stage. Two actors jumped to the ground blocking her way. She pushed the frightened men aside and fought to get onto the platform. To her right a figure leaped onto the stage, and she recognized Brock.

  “Emma,” he yelled.

  Kate jumped onto the stage, but Brock was in front of her. Avoiding the flames licking at his legs, he vaulted across the stage and grabbed Emma around the waist. He dived off the stage to the ground, covered her with his body and rolled back and forth to extinguish the flames. As Kate dropped down beside them, several actors ran from behind stage with fire extinguishers and doused the fire that now licked at the curtains.

  Betsy, Treasury and Lisa rushed to where Kate hovered over Brock and Emma. Betsy dropped to her knees beside Kate. “I-is she all right?”

  Brock raised his head and rolled off Emma. Scorch marks and holes where the fabric had burned away covered the front of his shirt. His sleeve hung in blackened tatters. Underneath red splotches of skin stood as a testimony to the agony he’d endured.

  Kate’s gaze raked Emma from head to toe to determine if she’d been injured. Several burns on her legs appeared to be minor, and Kate pulled Emma into her arms. “Are you all right?”

  Tears streamed down the child’s face. “My legs hurt some, but I was so scared, Kate.” She glanced at Brock, and her chin quivered. “Thank you for saving me, Brock.”

  Wincing, Brock pushed to his feet and grinned. “I’m glad I was here to help.”

  Betsy reached for Emma, and
Kate stood. The muscle in Brock’s jaw twitched, and his eyes appeared dull. Kate had seen that expression once before when he’d suffered a knee injury at a college track meet. Now, he didn’t want them to know how much pain he was in from the burns he’d sustained. She reached for his hand and pulled his arm closer to examine it. “Those are some bad burns.”

  He shook his head and pulled his hand away. “I’m all right. We have to find the guy that did this.”

  Her eyes grew wide, and she gasped. “I was so scared that I forgot I’m a police officer. I have to alert Calvin.”

  Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, she punched in Calvin’s number. When she completed her call, she turned back to Betsy. “Calvin and Clay will be on the lookout for a pirate in a red costume wearing a tricorn hat, but there are probably dozens dressed like that tonight. I need to join the search. You take Emma and Brock to the Health Center and get their burns treated.”

  Brock shook his head. “I’m okay. I want to help you look for this guy.”

  “You’re hurt, Brock, and I want you to get some medical attention. If you’ve already left the Center when I get through, I’ll come by Treasury’s house. We need to talk.”

  He swallowed and stared into her eyes. “I think you’re right.”

  Kate tried to smile. “Thank you for saving my sister. I’ll see you later.”

  She turned and ran from the stage. There was nothing she wanted more than to go to the Medical Center with Emma and Brock. But Emma had Betsy and Treasury to take care of her, and Brock would be all right. The important thing was they had agreed to talk.

  Now she didn’t think she could carry through on her resolve to tell him to leave Ocracoke. When Brock had jumped on that stage to save Emma, she realized she had never really banished him from her heart. The problem was she didn’t know what to do about it.

  ELEVEN