Shadow of Intrigue

by Christy Barritt

  It was from the unknown number again.

  Our plan is in place, and we’ve set up an additional target. After all, two are better than one. Right, Braden?

  A picture was attached to the text. Braden waited for it to load onto his screen.

  When it did, he sucked in a breath.

  Lisa.

  It was a picture of Lisa.

  Retrieving something from the pantry. By herself. And, based on the clothes she wore in the photo, this was taken today.

  Braden glanced around, but no one in the restaurant looked his way or had their phones out. But this person who was tormenting him was close.

  And now Lisa had been pulled into this mess.

  His stomach clenched.

  That was the last thing he wanted.

  And now he had to figure out what he was going to do about it.

  As the day wound down, Lisa realized just how tired she was. She was thankful that Braden was here to help because the customers had been steady. Braden had been surprisingly attentive to her guests again today, and there hadn’t been any incidents.

  She was only an hour from closing, which was good. She was ready to rest.

  Lisa looked up from wiping down the breakfast bar counter as John Linksi stepped inside.

  Her entire body tensed.

  The man had obviously been drinking. His light blue T-shirt was stained with sweat or spilled alcohol or both. His steps staggered. His eyes were bloodshot.

  Thankfully the last customer had just left. Maybe that would make this less humiliating because Lisa could sense the man was on a warpath.

  Lisa felt rather than saw Braden come stand beside her.

  “I need some foie gras,” John announced, stumbling toward Lisa.

  Lisa could smell the beer and cigarettes on him. She could sense the way he’d lost his inhibitions. The man probably wasn’t much older than she was, yet he appeared decades older. Maybe it was the drinking or the unknown tragedy that had happened to him.

  She had no idea.

  “We don’t have any foie gras.” She kept her voice firm and steady. If there was one thing she knew about drunks, it was that she couldn’t entertain them. No, her boundaries needed to be clear.

  “Then make me some.” John stopped in front of her and met her gaze head on.

  “I don’t do custom orders. Sorry.”

  “Well, this is a sorry restaurant then. What kind of place doesn’t have foie gras? I’ll tell you what kind. A weird restaurant. And that’s what this joint is. Weird. Everyone around town thinks so. It’s a weird restaurant run by a weird wannabe cook. Or, should I say, chef?” John laughed obnoxiously loud. “Like anyone believes that.”

  Lisa’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment. Of course John had to make this personal and insulting. But instead of cowering, she raised her chin higher.

  Braden started to speak, but Lisa raised a hand to stop him. She wasn’t ready for him to step in. Not yet.

  “We’re closing,” she said. “You need to leave. Now.”

  John leered closer, his unseemly stench overwhelmingly bad.

  “I don’t want to leave. I want foie gras.” Even though his voice grew louder, his words still slurred.

  Lisa crossed her arms. “And I told you, we don’t have any.”

  “Well, what do you have?” His eyes skimmed lower, and a suggestive smile crossed his lips.

  The next instant, John flew back.

  Braden appeared in front of Lisa, his broad chest acting as a shield and separating her from danger. Adrenaline seemed to pulsate from him.

  “You heard the lady,” Braden growled. “She wants you to leave.”

  John scrambled to his feet, but the alcohol in him apparently made him braver than usual. “You don’t own this place, and you can’t tell me what to do.”

  “You want to try me?” Braden rolled his shoulders back, making him appear even larger.

  Lisa held her breath, watching as the two men faced off.

  She only hoped this didn’t turn any uglier than it already was.

  Chapter Eleven

  Lisa felt Braden nudge her behind him as he faced off with John.

  “Maybe I do want to try you.” The drunk man stared back at Braden, spittle clinging to his chin. His thinning brown hair stood up and appeared greasy. Lines stretched at his forehead and eyes.

  This man was a walking disaster.

  Braden’s hands went to his hips, and his chest broadened, making him even more imposing. “I’d rather do things the easy way. For your sake.”

  Anyone should be afraid of Braden right now. He was big, strong, and unwavering.

  And Lisa was so glad she was on this side of him. To his back. Protected. Safe.

  “I’m just a lonely man who needs some food and company,” John continued, his voice deflating slightly. “You can’t blame a guy for that.”

  “That’s not what I’m blaming you for.” Braden glowered. “I’m blaming you for acting like a jerk. Now get out of here before things turn ugly.”

  John stared at Braden a moment longer before taking a step back and nodding. “Fine. I’m out of here. Never liked this place anyway.”

  Braden didn’t move until John was out the door and out of sight. Then he turned toward Lisa with concern in his warm brown eyes.

  “You okay?” He studied her expression.

  Lisa nodded and looped her hair behind her ear, feeling shaken—both from the encounter and from Braden’s attention. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just glad you were here.”

  “I’m glad I was also. What a jerk.”

  She tried to brush off the encounter. But she also needed to get away from Braden because she’d been staring at his muscles a little more than she should have been. Braden might be broken, but he was still dangerous.

  That also meant he was off-limits.

  “John is like a tick around here,” Lisa finally said. “He sucks the life out of everyone, passes on diseases, and gives nothing in return.”

  “Ouch. Yeah, he seems like a leech.” Braden stooped lower, still appearing concerned. “You sure you’re good?”

  “I’m fine.” Lisa’s cheeks heated at his attention.

  “Maybe I should walk you home tonight, just to be on the safe side.”

  “Well, you could. But I live upstairs, so it would be a short walk.”

  Braden grinned—the action just a brief flash—before shoving his hands into his pockets. “I guess it would. At least I know you’ll be safe, though.”

  Something stretched between them a moment. Lisa wasn’t sure what. She only knew that her first impression of Braden was turning out to be wrong.

  And that fact, for some reason, delighted her entirely more than it should.

  Off-limits, she reminded herself. Off-limits.

  Just as Braden stepped outside to head home, a police cruiser pulled into the lot.

  His back muscles tightened as he waited for what would happen next. Mac stepped out and sauntered over toward him. Just as he did, Lisa stepped outside, concern etched onto her face.

  “I saw you pull up,” she said, pulling her sweater closer. “Is everything okay?”

  “There was another break-in last night, not far from where you’re staying, Braden,” Mac said. “More copper wire was stolen. We still don’t have any leads.”

  Braden felt the blood drain from his face but tried not to show it. “That’s a shame people are that bored.”

  “I agree. We don’t have any leads as to who broke into Ty’s place yet, either. But we’re working on it.”

  Braden hadn’t done it. He couldn’t have. Wouldn’t have. So why did he feel guilty? And, even worse, where was his gun?

  “Is that why you stopped by, Mac?” Lisa shifted her weight, turning against the wind.

  Mac shook his head. “I just thought I’d ask you to keep an ear open. You know how chatty people can be while they’re eating. If you hear anything, let me know. This little crime ring is getting on m
y last nerve. If I ever want Cassidy to ask me to fill in again, I need to put the kibosh on it.”

  “Absolutely,” Lisa said. “No word on my broken window either?”

  “Not yet. But we’re still investigating.”

  Broken window? It was the second time he’d heard her mention an incident—and he’d seen the broken pane on her back door. Some kid must have gotten bored and thrown a rock through it or something.

  Braden watched as the chief climbed into his cruiser. With one more glance and nod back at Lisa, Braden started his walk home.

  His thoughts undulated between everything that had happened since he’d arrived in town. But mostly, he thought about Lisa.

  He was glad he’d been there when that man had come in. The thought of anyone hurting Lisa . . . it sent fire up his spine. She’d handled herself pretty well, but the man had been aggressive. Was he the one who’d been upsetting her with his insults as of late?

  It was strange that Braden felt so attracted to Lisa. His feelings were unlike anything he’d experienced before. Stronger than they should be. They preoccupied his thoughts and put a new bounce in his step. But until he figured himself out, there was no room in his life for a relationship of any sort.

  Not that Lisa would ever be interested in dating him. No, she seemed pure, like a piece of fresh fruit from a pristine farm. Braden, on the other hand, was the piece of fallen and bruised fruit from soil that had been over-farmed and sprayed with too many pesticides.

  He walked up the driveway to Ty’s place and paused at the trashcan. He held his breath a moment as he stared at it.

  There’s nothing inside it, Braden told himself. No, he’d removed the copper wire he’d found earlier and put it in the shed beneath the house. He’d figure out what to do with it later.

  And Braden hadn’t blacked out last night . . . he didn’t think so, at least. So all of his anxiety was for nothing. It was unfounded.

  Still, he hesitated as he reached for the lid. He nudged it open and peered inside. His stomach sank when he saw the wires there.

  What in the world . . . ?

  Was he really behind the break-ins? If not, how had these gotten here?

  Chapter Twelve

  Lisa had decided that Mondays were her days to experiment with new recipes—right after she did a few chores around the restaurant. She was surprised as she finished mopping the floors after lunch to look up and see Braden at the door. A flutter of delight swept through her.

  Leaning the mop against the counter, she walked toward him and twisted the lock. As the door opened, a strong wind swept inside. The chill it brought with it matched the gray, gloomy day outside.

  “Closed today?” Braden asked, rubbing his hands together.

  “I am. Watch out for the wet floor. I’m doing a little deep cleaning and playing with some recipes. Sounds fun, huh?”

  He shrugged, as if the idea didn’t totally appall him. “You need help?”

  She jutted her hip out and stared at him, trying to read his body language. “You’re really not good at this not working thing, are you?”

  Braden shrugged. “No, I’m not good at it at all.”

  Lisa stared at him a moment, trying to decide her response. Her first instinct was to try and get rid of the man. But another part of her thought the company could be fun. Braden had been different yesterday and the day before. Maybe that was the Braden Ty knew and what happened the first day Lisa met Braden was just a fluke.

  “If you’re just trying to make up for that first night, then I should let you know, your debt is paid,” she told him. “No worries.”

  He offered a half shrug. “I still do feel bad about that. But I actually kind of like it here. I’ve never been good at not doing anything.”

  “I can understand that.” Lisa released her breath. “Look, if you’d like to help me out, feel free. The pay isn’t great. It’s just dinner.”

  “It sounds like a winner to me.”

  Easy-to-please people were sometimes refreshing. “Let’s get busy then. You ever replaced a window?”

  “Actually, I have.”

  “Great. Mine got shot out earlier this week.”

  Braden stopped in his tracks, and his face looked pale. “What? I heard you say your window was broken but . . . someone shot it?”

  She nodded. “It happened a couple of nights ago. Someone just came past, fired the window out, and left.”

  “No idea who? Or why?”

  “Not a clue. I’m hoping it was just someone who got bored and had nothing better to do. It beats the other possibilities.”

  “For a sleepy little island, there sure does seem to be a lot happening around here lately.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. There does.” She nodded toward a storage room in the back. “I have all the supplies I need. My friend Austin stopped by and dropped them off. He said he would come back tomorrow to fix it. He’s apparently in the middle of a big job right now, and I didn’t want him to stop. So, if you could do it, that would be awesome.”

  Braden followed her to the back, beyond the kitchen. She showed him everything he would need to replace the pane, and he wasted no time getting started. She lingered close by, sitting on one of the steps leading to her apartment, in case he needed help.

  Lisa cleared her throat. She wasn’t one for silence—not if there were things to talk about, at least. “So, do you like Lantern Beach so far?”

  Braden pulled the wooden patch from her door and examined the broken pane. “It’s beautiful. No one can deny that.”

  But small-town living wasn’t for him, Lisa reminded herself. It was better that way and a good reminder that she should keep her distance. After all, Braden wasn’t dangerous, but he also wasn’t permanent around here. There was no need to grow too close to the man.

  He brushed out the remaining shards of glass. “Tell me about Ty’s wife. She must be pretty special.”

  “Cassidy? Oh, she’s really great. She’s dedicated and loyal and smart, not to mention beautiful. She just took over as police chief, and she’s doing a great job. It makes a big difference when someone cares about the area.” Lisa grabbed the broom and dustpan and swept up the stray glass.

  “I can imagine.”

  She glanced at Braden as he used a putty knife to scrape around the edges of the empty pane. He was the hotshot soldier doing menial household tasks—but he’d never once complained about it either. Lisa was impressed.

  She folded her arms across her chest and watched him. “What do you do, Braden? I know you were in the military, but are you working anywhere now?”

  “No, I’m just in recovery mode.” A certain sadness tinged his voice.

  “Any plans for after recovery mode is finished?”

  “I’ve thought about that a lot. And I don’t know for sure. A lot of people who leave the military go into law enforcement or private security. I’m just not sure that’s for me. Not in my current mental state, for sure.”

  “Well, the Lantern Beach PD is looking to hire someone.” She wasn’t sure where the suggestion had come from, but it seemed like an idea she should throw out.

  “Is that right?” He chuckled as if the idea were absurd as he picked up the pane of replacement glass Austin had gotten her.

  “What?” Lisa put a hand on her hip. “You can’t see yourself hanging around here?”

  “No, actually, this place would be like having shore duty. There’s not much excitement in it.” Carefully, he placed the new glass in the window and pressed the putty knife into it, using some kind of compound to hold it into place.

  “So you liked deployment?” Was he the type who always liked to leave? Who thrived on adventure instead of routine? On fleeting relationships instead of settled ones?

  He didn’t turn his gaze away from the door. “It was exciting. But you learn to live off adrenaline. That doesn’t bode too well for everyday life.”

  “I can imagine.”

  A few minutes later, Braden stepped
back and looked at his work. “All done. You might just need to touch up the paint.”

  She stood and inspected the door. “Looks good. Thank you for doing that.”

  He wiped his hands with a rag as he turned toward her. “Now what?”

  Someone who was ready to work. Lisa liked that. “Now for the fun part.”

  “Fun part? That wasn’t fun?”

  “Well, it was satisfying.” Lisa led him to the kitchen. “But we should have some coffee.”

  “I can handle that. Let me just wash up first.”

  As he did that, Lisa reached over the counter and grabbed a coffee mug. She filled it, mixed some special ingredients into it, and handed it to Braden. “Part one of my experiment. The coffee. What do you think?”

  “Experiment, huh?” Braden took a sip and almost spit it out. “What is this?”

  She grinned as she turned on her favorite mix of cooking music. “Candy Man” began to play.

  “It’s coffee,” she said, feeling the glimmer in her eyes. “Of course.”

  “With?”

  “Cayenne and coconut milk. Try it again. It needs to grow on you.”

  “I have no words.” He raised the mug, as if contemplating what to do next.

  “Just one more sip?”

  “I’ll feel emasculated if I say no.” Braden raised the mug higher and rolled his neck before taking another drink. “Okay, the second sip was better. Now that I know what to expect.”

  “Cayenne pepper promotes excellent cleansing properties within our internal systems, and it helps your metabolism rev up. The coconut milk is a little healthier than half and half. But I’m still playing with various ideas.”

  His gaze caught hers. “I think you’re brilliant, Lisa.”

  Her heart lifted with delight before she looked away, her cheeks burning. Was there more to the look in his eyes than a mere compliment? Or was Lisa reading too much into things? And why did one part of her like his affirmation?

  She cleared her throat and turned back to her work station. “But the really fun part is my experiment with apple pie.”

  “Sounds intriguing. I love apple pie.”