Storm Warning (Assassin In Paradise Book 2)

by Jack Stroke

  It was difficult to project the appropriate air of confidence in her silky plum pyjamas. Officer Stacey flashed a plastic smile, well aware Amber wasn’t giving her the full story. Too bad.

  She didn’t have anything on Amber.

  39

  Amber watched the police car trundle leisurely up the road. She waited until it disappeared from view before wandering away from her cabin in search of Lion the cat for their customary morning pat session.

  She would have to be clever with things. Clearly Officer Stacey had some smarts about her. At the same time, she had no proof Amber was involved with any of this, other than a hunch.

  “Howdy, neighbour.”

  The voice gave Amber a slight jolt. Ted was standing in the doorway of cabin three.

  “Oh, hey, Ted. You gave me a fright. I’m not used to anyone else staying. I didn’t even see you there.”

  “Off in your own world. I hear that’s what happens when you are in trouble with the law.”

  “Ha, ha. Oh, well. They haven’t dragged me off just yet.”

  Amber shuffled over towards the cabin.

  “Everything alright?”

  “Yes, there was just some trouble in Port Simmons yesterday. Shootings, apparently.”

  Poor Ted just about fell from the porch. “Oh, really? How… how terrible. How does that involve you?”

  “It doesn’t. I just happened to be walking by. So you’ve moved in, have you?”

  Ted didn’t hear her, lost in thought.

  “Ted?”

  “Sorry?”

  “Now who’s in their own world? Don’t worry. The shootings aren’t anything to stress about. That sort of thing is highly uncommon for this area.”

  “Oh, good.”

  “I asked if you’d moved in.”

  A fresh look of concern clouded Ted’s face. “Possibly. Although I wouldn’t say anything too loudly.” He cast a furtive glance towards the owner’s cottage. “That was the plan. But now I am not so sure…”

  “The plan?”

  “I mentioned that I could be interested in possibly staying for a few nights, and Joan leapt at the idea. As… as a paying guest, of course.” He seemed at pains to point this part out. “But Joan insisted that wasn’t necessary, which seems to have sparked a major row with Megan.”

  “I see.”

  “Like World War Three in there.”

  “I can imagine.”

  Poor Ted. Amber didn’t envy him, stuck in between those two in a full-on fight. He would have had no idea what hit him. She resisted to the urge to tell him to run now and never look back.

  “I wasn’t… I’m not trying to cause any trouble.”

  “Don’t worry too much about it. Megan can be a little volatile. She doesn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Okay. The last thing I want is to step on any toes. And like I said, I am more than happy to pay for the cabin. I mean…”

  “I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll go see if I can suss out what’s going on. You just enjoy this beautiful morning.”

  Amber left Ted to it. She headed towards the owner’s cottage.

  Lion would have to wait.

  40

  Raised voices drifted out the screen door as Amber approached. Strangely, it was comforting and familiar. Megan and Joan often used to argue when the girls were small. Full-on shouting matches, leaving Amber stranded somewhere in the middle. Both Joan and Megan expecting Amber to take their side and make the other see sense. Amber remembered feeling vaguely uncomfortable, although since it had been occurring since she was young it felt quite normal as well.

  Both women’s heads spun around as Amber entered.

  “Knock, knock. Everything okay in here?”

  “Oh, Amber. Tell Megan she is being silly.”

  “I am not being silly. The last thing we need is another freeloader. We’re running a business here, not some sort of halfway house for strays.”

  “I don’t see what the issue is with having Ted stay a few days.”

  “I just told you. We’re running a business. We’re never going to get anywhere if we keep offering our cabins for free. I mean, who knows? Maybe your new boyfriend is just using you for your free accommodation.”

  Joan’s face burst into a shade of bright red. “He is not my new boyfriend. He’s just a friend.”

  “Oh, whatever, Mum.”

  “Amber —“

  “Why bother asking her? She’s no better.”

  Megan plonked down at the kitchen table and busied herself with the local paper.

  “Amber is paying rent, Megan. I told you that.”

  If anything, Joan’s face glowed even brighter. She wasn’t a good liar. Strictly speaking, Amber wasn’t paying rent. She had invested a significant amount into the business as a silent partner to help keep Paradise by the Bay afloat. However, that was a secret between Amber and Joan.

  “Amber, will you please talk some sense into her?”

  Megan glared, daring Amber to open her mouth. Fortunately the moment was avoided by Ben wandering into the room. His arm was in a sling.

  “What happened to you?” Amber asked.

  “Hurt my arm,” he said, holding it up.

  “Acting the fool in Port Simmons,” Megan said. “With friends who didn’t even go to the hospital with him.”

  “I told you, Mum, they had to go home. It wasn’t a big deal.”

  “Some friends they are.”

  “Is it all right?” Amber asked. “Not broken?”

  “No, it’s fine. Just a sprain. I need to keep it in the sling for a day or two.”

  Amber found herself pleased it was nothing more serious. Once again, the image of Ben falling off the platform flashed through her mind. The fear that he had been shot gripping her throat.

  He kept moving out the front door.

  “God, what a madhouse. I’ve got Mum picking up strange men and offering them free accommodation —”

  “Megan!”

  “— and visitors completely outstaying their welcome, and Ben doing God knows what and ending up in hospital. And who is the one who has to deal with all this mess? Oh, me of course.”

  She stomped out of the room, leaving Amber and Joan to exchange hapless looks.

  41

  A short time later, Amber and Joan slowly made their way from the owner’s cottage.

  “I can’t believe after all these years I still have to apologise for my daughter’s behaviour.”

  “You don’t have to apologise for anything, Joan.”

  “Not just to you. She was very rude to Ted. Sometimes I feel like she became stuck. Like she reached fifteen or sixteen and just stayed that mental age forever. I keep waiting for her to blossom into a beautiful woman like yourself. Or at least be pleasant. But it never seems to eventuate.”

  They moved along, Amber matching pace with the older woman.

  “Don’t be too hard on her.”

  “Why not? She’s an absolute pain.”

  “Maybe, but it’s because she is hurting. This can’t be easy for Megan.”

  “What can’t?” Joan said sternly.

  Amber was aware she needed to tread as cautiously as possible. “You and Ted.”

  “It can’t be easy for my daughter if I make a new friend?”

  “I imagine Megan feels like she has been left behind. Ben is getting older and doesn’t need her as much anymore. Now she sees you and Ted. I don’t think Megan has made a new… friend like that for a while.”

  Joan beamed at her. “Very diplomatic, Amber. You really should consider a career in politics.”

  Amber smiled back. “I’m serious, though. I think she’s lonely.”

  “Well, whose fault is that? Of course, if you asked her, Megan would blame everyone under the sun rather than look in the mirror.”

  Evidently Lion had got sick of waiting for Amber to show and went elsewhere for attention. They found him being attended to by Ted outside cabin three, his purr loud enough to be h
eard in Port Simmons.

  “Who is this friendly little fella?” Ted asked.

  “Lion the cat,” Amber said. “I think he likes you.”

  “Lion likes anyone who’ll give him the time of day,” Joan said. “Watch out, that cat has hypnotic powers. Once he has you in his sights, you end up stuck attending to him forever.”

  “It’s true,” Amber said.

  Somehow the rumble of Lion’s purr perfectly suited the early morning warmth of the day.

  “Sorry to just walk out on you in there,” Ted said to Joan. “I just thought…”

  “Oh, goodness, Ted. There’s nothing for you to apologise about. Just Megan being Megan.”

  “Do you think I’m right though, Joan?” Amber asked. “She seems lonely.”

  Joan gave Amber a long, searching stare. “Uh oh.”

  “What?”

  “I recognise that face.” She turned to Ted. “Do you know what we used to call this one when she was growing up? Little Miss Fix-it. You remember those books? Mr Men and Little Miss books? Mr Bump and Mr Strong? Little Miss Sunshine? Well, Amber was Little Miss Fix-it.”

  “I was?”

  “Why’s that?”

  “There was never an issue she couldn’t fix, at least in her own mind. If anybody had a problem or was upset, Amber was right there, trying to make it right.”

  “I don’t remember that.”

  “You were a lovely little thing. Very thoughtful. The problem was, the cures you devised were generally worse than the ailment.”

  “What was Megan’s name?” Ted asked.

  “Megan’s name?”

  “Yes, if Amber was Little Miss Fix-it.”

  “I don’t recall. Little Miss Pain in the Backside, probably.”

  Ted let out one of his roars of laughter. It was infectious. The type of laugh that made everybody else smile. Everyone, that is, except Lion the cat, who took exception to such a loud noise and pranced away, decidedly unimpressed.

  “Ha. Little Miss Pain in the Backside. That’s a good one.”

  Joan shook her head at Amber but did so with a smile. “I know what you’re thinking, Amber, but you are better off leaving this one, for all of our sakes.”

  “Leaving it?”

  “It’s up to Megan to dig her way out of this hole. There is nothing we can do about it.”

  Amber nodded back blankly. Out of nowhere, her head filled with thoughts of Ellis, Ben’s father. She couldn’t help herself. “What about with Ellis?”

  “What about Ellis?”

  “Should I have kept my mouth shut then? Not tried to help?”

  Amber’s insides unexpectedly felt boiling hot and gooey. As though she was full of lava.

  “Definitely. You should definitely have kept your mouth shut then.”

  No. That wasn’t true. Her face burnt red.

  That alarm sounded in Amber’s head, the one that always did when she thought of Ellis. Much as she longed to defend herself and her actions, she couldn’t trust herself to say the right thing. Or indeed have any idea what might come out of her mouth when it came to Ellis. Better to simply to stay quiet. Bury it back deep inside.

  Joan wrapped Amber up in a big hug. “Oh, Amber. You are such a nice girl. Too nice for your own good. People have to be allowed to make their own mistakes. You can’t fix everything for them.”

  Ted observed the goings-on with a curious smile on his face. What was his take on all this? He probably wanted to run a mile, being dragged into this strange family mix of Megan and Joan and Ben, with Amber loitering on the peripheries.

  At least Joan was happy. That was something.

  Amber decided to leave the smitten couple to whatever they were up to. She headed back to her cabin. As much as she loved Joan, it didn’t mean she was correct. In part she was - people had to be left to make their own mistakes. But that didn’t mean Amber couldn’t help.

  It didn’t mean people couldn’t be nudged in the right direction every now and again.

  42

  Returning to her cabin, a plan firmed in Amber’s mind. A plan to ease Megan’s loneliness. The inklings of an idea. It was a little rough and unsubtle, but the best plans often are. The end result was the important thing.

  She was interrupted by another knock at her door. This time it was Ben.

  “Hey.”

  “Hi, Ben.”

  “I was wondering… Did you want to go for a run?”

  They had run a couple of times since Amber had been in Paradise Cove. It had never really stuck, Amber feeling like she was dragging the teen out against his wishes. This was the first time a run had been his suggestion.

  “Umm, sure. Just give me five minutes to get ready.”

  Soon after, the two of them were striding along the soft white sand, lazy palm trees gently waving at the duo as they passed. They maintained an okay pace. Amber would have moved more quickly on her own. That didn’t matter. The kid was just starting out and he was improving.

  “So,” Ben said, fighting against his shortness of breath, “was that Officer Stacey here before?”

  Once again, Amber marvelled at how things worked around here. The whole of Paradise Cove probably knew about Officer Stacey’s visit by now. Ben sensed what she was thinking.

  “Mum saw her arrive. Made some joke about you finally being locked away.”

  “Yes, it was Officer Stacey.”

  “What did she want?”

  “Following up on yesterday.”

  Ben stole a sideways glance at his running companion. “Is that okay?”

  “That she’s following up? Sure. Stacey doesn’t know anything. She seems like a good one though.”

  “Is that important? That she’s a good one?”

  “Unfortunately, for better or worse, police are just people. Many are good, but some police are greedy. Some are criminals. Just how it goes.”

  “Are you speaking generally or about Port Simmons specifically?”

  “I don’t know enough to comment on Port Simmons at this point.”

  “When you found the drugs last time, with Ava and stuff, you destroyed them…”

  “Yep.”

  “Is that what you would usually do?”

  “Yes and no. ‘Usually’ is probably the wrong word. I don’t come across illegal drugs every day. But yes, if the opportunity presents itself. Destroying them lessens the chances for someone to do something foolish down the line.”

  “It also, like, ups the risks though, doesn’t it?”

  Smart kid.

  “Yes. Certain situations are challenging to talk your way out of, no matter your intentions. Like yesterday. If the police had caught us there with the drugs and numerous dead bodies, they would have drawn certain conclusions. Because we weren’t there, they drew other conclusions.”

  “What about Mother? And your… organisation?”

  “What about them?”

  “They would… help, wouldn’t they? I mean, if the cops got us?”

  Amber considered her response. “Mother’s not magic. She would do what she could, but… She’s not a get out of jail free card. There would be plenty of scenarios where she couldn’t do anything to help.”

  Or wouldn’t, Amber added in her head.

  “That’s the thing. All of this, it’s dangerous. There’s no way around that. Like when they were trying to shoot us in the warehouse. There was nothing Mother could have done about that either.”

  Ben thought on this. “Thank you,” he said eventually.

  “For what?”

  “Actually talking to me like I have a brain. Not like I’m some kid.”

  “Sorry if I speak to you like that sometimes. I don’t mean to.”

  They jogged on.

  “I’m sorry too, about, you know, like, turning up at the warehouse and whatever. It was pretty dumb. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Thank you. And for the record, it was courageous.”

  The sand squeaked under their feet as t
hey ran. Amber winced. She knew what was coming. No way to avoid it.

  “So what do we do from here?”

  43

  Amber and Ben continued along the sand. Amber said nothing. It didn’t help. Ben simply asked again.

  “Amber? Where do we do from here?”

  There was no way around it. He would keep asking.

  She sighed. “Honestly?”

  “Please.”

  “Not what I imagine you’re hoping for. We can’t do this, Ben. I know you want to be an agent, but…”

  Ben stopped dead still. He had that hurt expression on his face which reminded Amber of the five-year-old Ben, even though she had only met him at that age one time.

  “In a few years —”

  “No,” he said. “Not in a few years.”

  Amber gave up the pretext of jogging on the spot. Their run was over.

  “I want to do this. Now. I want to help you.”

  “I know.”

  “I want to help stop these bad people. And — ”

  “Ben, I get that. But I also have a responsibility.”

  He screwed up his face, shaking his head.

  “I do. That’s three times people have been pointing guns at you. It’s the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced.”

  “People point guns that you.”

  “I’m not fond of that either, but I’m used to it. It’s my job.”

  “I want it to be my job too.”

  “I understand. But you’re seventeen.”

  “So?”

  “So, with respect, as bright as you are, you don’t know what you want just yet. We grow older, things change.”

  Hatred flickered across his face.

  “I’m sorry. I know it is not what you want to hear. I just… I can’t put you in that position.”

  “You’re not putting me in any position. It’s my choice.”

  “I’m sorry, Ben.”

  Amber started walking to indicate the conversation was over.

  “I’ll tell,” came Ben’s voice from behind.

  Amber stopped.

  “Mum. And Joan. I’ll tell them who you are, what you did. What happened with Ava. Everything.”