Colleen Coble (18 page)

The night air was moist and fragrant with spring flowers as Curtis parked the rental car in her driveway and they got out. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed someone’s company so much. Amy had a quiet strength about her that drew him.

“Want to sit in the swing a few minutes?” she asked. “Or do you need to leave?”

He took her hand and walked to the swing with her. “I have no idea what time it is, but I’m not tired. I suppose we both should be exhausted with the day we’ve had.”

The seat was comfortable for two, and it swung gently when they settled into it. The scent of the sea mingled with the roses rambling up the railing behind them.

She leaned her head back. “I love this place. The smells, the vegetation, the colors of the sky and sea. I’m glad I decided to move here.”

“When does the rest of your stuff arrive?”

“It should be here tomorrow. I think around three.”

“You need help unloading?”

Her hair grazed his arm as she leaned back in the swing. “I could use the help. I’ve got some heavy stuff. My desk, my dining room table. And the bed of course.”

“I could get the Coasties to come help.”

“That’d be great! I love being around them. How did you decide to get into the Coast Guard?”

Her eyes glimmered in the porch light, and he knew she was truly interested. Such rapt attention made him look down at his hands in his lap. “I’m no hero. I like being outside testing my mettle against the elements.” He shrugged. “Sounds dumb when I put it like that, but I feel like I’m using all the talents God has given me when I’m using every bit of my strength against the fury of the sea. We are out there racing against time, and we are all that stands between life and death.”

“Sounds like a hero to me.” Her voice was soft.

“Or stupid.” He grinned. “And when it’s all over, I sometimes want to shake the boat captain who ignored a hurricane warning or who didn’t check his boat before he went out.” His smile faded. “And when we lose one of our own, we’re all really mad at the idiots.”

“I can imagine.”

He shifted a little closer. “I guess I have to admit the basic reason I joined. Mike, one of my best friends from high school, dared me to do it. He said I didn’t have the guts to go up against drug runners or go out in a hurricane.”

She lifted a teasing grin toward him. “Ah, the truth comes out. A dare. Somehow I didn’t take you for the kind to listen to taunts.”

“I’m not anymore.” He went quiet as he remembered. “Mike died in Katrina. I was there and couldn’t do a thing when his chopper went down. No one survived the crash.”

She gripped his hand. “Oh, Curtis, I’m so sorry.” Scooting closer, she hugged him.

He let his arm drift down around her shoulders and pulled her tight against him. Tight enough he could rest his chin on the top of her head. Close enough that he could drink in the scent of her, the press of her against his side. It was almost enough to make him forget the night Mike died. Almost.

“I was ready to get out after that. Mike was like my brother. Hearing the whine of the helicopter going down over the howl of the wind was something I’ve worked hard to forget. Every time I pull someone from the ocean still alive, I chalk one up for the home team. But no matter how many home runs I get, none of them will bring back Mike.” He tugged on the edge of his Harley do-rag. “The hat was his.”

Her eyes grew wide at his admission. “Thanks for telling me.”

“I should put it up on a shelf with his picture, but as long as I’m wearing it, it’s like Mike is helping me. Like he’s still rescuing people too.” He shrugged. “I’m getting downright maudlin
tonight. We need to lighten things up. So tell me, what was your funniest delivery?”

She rested her head on his shoulder in companionable silence a moment. “Childbirth is so special, so fun. My first home birth was hilarious because my supervising physician was called away on an emergency C-section, and the mother, who had already delivered four babies, had to tell me what to do. I’d been fully trained, of course, but I just froze. The head crowned, and I stood there gaping like some kind of idiot. The mom yelled, ‘Hold out your hands, it’s coming!’” Amy giggled. “So I did what she told me, and that baby just plopped right into my hands.”

He liked watching the light in her eyes. “Boy or girl?”

“Baby girl. They named her after me. I hardly earned it.” She laughed again.

“You love children. So do I. I want a houseful someday.”

The light in her eyes faded as she nodded. “I started babysitting when I was eleven. I told my mom I was going to have ten kids when I grew up.” Her lips flattened and she looked down.

“What’s wrong?”

She sat up and pulled away a bit. “Nothing. Tired, I guess.”

“I should say good night, then.” He knew he should release her, but his fingers tightened around her shoulders, and he pulled her close again. His lips brushed hers gently, and he inhaled the sweet scent of her breath before deepening the kiss.

She didn’t pull away, but her response was less than he’d hoped so he let her go. “What an amazing rescue delivery. I’ll never forget it, Amy. We had a fun, though eventful, day. Let’s do it again soon. Only this time without the car blowing up.”

She nodded and rose. “Good night, Curtis.” In a flash she was across the porch and inside the house.

He smacked his forehead and stood. They’d been having such a great time, and he’d moved too fast. What had he said wrong?

N
INETEEN

A
my took her boards and exited Rosemary Cottage in the dim glow of the rising sun. Yesterday’s events had left her muscles aching. If she hadn’t promised Preston she would meet him for surfing, she would have slept in instead.

The air held a hint of early morning moisture as she walked the mulched path to the beach. The shredded bark crunched under her reef shoes, and birds sang from the fragrant bushes crowding the path. When she stepped out of the maritime forest, she saw a sleek Mercedes parked along the side of the road, and her heart sank. It was Dara’s car, so she must have come with Preston. Sure enough, two figures were standing on the sand dunes.

Preston wore a black wetsuit that showed off his muscular physique. Dara was in slacks and a blazer.

Her gaze flicked over Amy, and her smile was tight. “There you are. I thought maybe you stood us up.”

Amy refrained from mentioning that there had been no
us
in the invitation. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She pointed at the pinkening sky. “It’s not quite dawn, so I’m actually a little early. No Zoe this morning?”

Preston shook his head. “She’s still curled up in bed. Surfing’s
not her thing.” He took the board she’d brought. “I’m ready though. I rented a heavy wetsuit. That water is cold.”

“Refreshing,” she corrected with a smile. “The waves are cooking out there this morning too. Beat you in!” Sand kicked from under her feet as she raced toward the foaming waves. The strong scent of the sea enveloped her. She gasped when the cold water soaked her thighs, then dove into the waves and came up sputtering and licking the salt from her lips.

Preston was right behind her, and she laughed when he shouted at the water’s temperature. “Weakling!” She splashed him, then leaped onto her board and paddled out to the break. She duck dove to reach the lineup, then paddled faster as the wave started to lift her.

In moments she was riding the pocket. Preston yelled behind her, and she knew he’d caught his own wave. The foam deposited her in flatter water, and sitting astride her board, she turned to watch him finish his ride.

He was grinning when he paddled over to join her. “Awesome! That was worth getting up for.” His smile faded. “Who’s that?”

She squinted toward the shore. “Edith Lowman. She’s an avid surfer and comes out here year-round.”

“She looks familiar.”

“She is Curtis’s aunt and is helping him take care of his niece. She’s a really great person. She talked me into surfing in the cold water.”

“Curtis? The Coast Guard guy you had dinner with?”

“How’d you know we had dinner?”

His eyes were smiling. “Your dad wanted me to keep an eye on you. One of my staff members mentioned they saw you at the Black Pelican last night. He’s raising a niece?”

She nodded, suddenly self-conscious and protective of Raine. “His sister, Gina, died a few months ago.”

“That’s too bad.”

She veered back to the subject that had tightened her stomach. “My father asked you to keep an eye on me?”

Preston shrugged. “You know your dad. You’ll always be a kid to him.”

She studied Preston’s face. Maybe he could help her. “You knew Ben well. Did you ever know him to use a code?”

Preston laughed. “You mean like a spy sort of thing? Ben was hardly a cloak-and-dagger sort of guy. Why would you ask that?”

“I found a book in his handwriting. It was all in some kind of code.”

“Sleuthing, are you? Your dad says you think Ben was murdered. If someone hurt Ben, I intend to make sure he’s very sorry.” His lips tightened.

Her feet were getting cold in the water, and she flexed them. “I’d thought about calling you from the first, but I didn’t want to cause any division between you and Dad.”

His eyes softened. “You let me worry about your father. I want to help if I can.”

Her burden lifted with the realization that she had an ally, someone who knew and loved Ben. She told him about the e-mail she’d gotten and about Gina’s death. “Ben is Raine’s father.”

His eyes widened, and he said nothing for several long moments. “Your parents need to know about the little girl. You haven’t told them?”

She shook her head. “They’re coming for the weekend, and I thought it best to tell them in person. I want to protect Raine if I can. I love them, but you know how my parents are. They’ll want custody, Preston, you know they will. And she doesn’t know them. She loves Curtis and Edith. It would be cruel to yank her away from everything she’s known. She’s already lost her parents.”

He winced. “It’s a hard situation, but we’re talking about their grandchild. They’ll want to be involved in her life.”

“I want that too. But my parents can swoop in and not even see the damage they’re causing. I don’t know how to tell them to back off and be gentle.”

“Maybe by telling them just that. Be blunt. Sometimes that’s the only way people will hear the truth.”

“It’s not going to be easy. Want to do it for me?” She grinned when he shuddered. “Kidding, I’m kidding. I wouldn’t throw you to the wolves that way.”

“It’s a good thing because our friendship might be over.”

Amy glanced toward the shore where the other woman paced as she watched them. “Speaking of friendship, what about Dara? She seems a little possessive. I’m not sure Zoe would appreciate it.”

He winked. “She’s determined that I’m going to win. I think she wants a high-level appointment. And my wife actually hired her. They’re friends.”

“That’s a relief.” She looked back toward the waves. “We’re missing the best ones. Race you!”

The beachgoers weren’t out yet when Heather rode the bike to the pier. She’d gotten so used to getting up early for work that her eyes had popped open at five, and she’d decided to see if she could catch Edith out for her early morning surfing. Sure enough, Heather spied a figure in the waves and saw a canvas bag sitting on the dunes next to a pair of women’s flip-flops.

Heather spread out a towel and settled on the sand to wait for Edith to return. There was no way she would get in that cold water herself. Grant had called last night and was not pleased at her lack of progress. She had to do better, which meant she had to get close to Edith. Simple.

The sun was warming her arms by the time Edith emerged from the water. A Jack Russell terrier trotted behind her. Edith’s face was pink with cold and exertion. Her steps slowed when she saw Heather, but her smile beamed out.

She dropped her board a few feet from Heather. “You’re out and about early, Heather. Did you go for a morning swim?”

Heather smiled and shook her head. “I wanted to sit and watch the sun come up. I can’t seem to sleep in anymore since I’ve been working.”

“It’s a good habit to get into. The cold water keeps you healthy.”

Heather looked at the gooseflesh on Edith’s arms and grimaced. “I think I’d rather be sick.”

“Typical young person.” Edith pulled a towel from her bag and blotted the water from her hair.

Heather stared at the dog. “He goes surfing with you?”

“Oh yes, Sheldon loves it.”

Heather watched her peel off her wetsuit to reveal a body in pretty good shape for an older lady. Maybe there was something to that cold water. The old gal looked younger than the fifty or so she had to be. “Where’s Raine this morning?”

Edith stuffed her wetsuit in the bag and pulled out a bag of dog treats. “Sleeping. Curtis has babysitting duty until I get back.”

“The waves are pretty nice out there. Bet you wished you didn’t have to come in.”

Edith tossed the towel back in her bag and gave the dog a treat. “I could have stayed out another half hour, but Curtis has to get on with his day.”