Deep Into The Night (Hartz Island Series) (29 page)

“I don’t think she would have a clue about the kayakers.” Totally adamant, Montana continued. “She bought into Armstrong’s story. Margery Anne wanted to believe what he told her. And when she didn’t…” Montana sucked in her breath and shrugged and fidgeted in her seat. “Somebody should have talked to her before it came to all this.”

“We had nothing to go on other than she was having an affair,” said Ray. He glared at her. “We talked about this. She wasn’t breaking any laws.”

“Well,” Montana shrugged, “Maybe. But if someone had done something sooner… Well, maybe. Who knows?”

“That’s right. Who knows.” Ray shot her a look.

Jeannie had the distinct feeling Montana had knowledge about Margery Anne that she wasn’t sharing. She hoped her friend had minded her own business, but sometimes Montana felt it was her business, and that spelled trouble.

At nine, they called it a night. Everyone wanted to get home to see the late newscasts. Cassie and Jack were in the lead, already climbing into the Tahoe.

“Hey, Jeannie, will you need my help tomorrow?” called Cassie.

“Yes. My daughter Betsy is still gone, so it would be great.”

“Okay then.” She waved, and they left.

“That’s good,” said Montana. “I’m tied up all day tomorrow.”

Jeannie didn’t say it, but she thought the comment was interesting.

Chapter Forty-Seven

C
assie speculated they were the only house left on the island without cable, plus a vintage television and a remote control that barely worked. Once she replaced the batteries, the remote control functioned better but not perfect.

“When we come back up here, we’re bringing a new television set. This thing is ancient,” said Jack.”

“When do you think you’ll be wrapping everything up?”

“Tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get on the afternoon ferry.”

She sucked in her breath and didn’t say a thing. At the moment, she wasn’t planning on returning to Seattle with Jack so the
we
wasn’t going to happen.

With the fire blazing, Cassie positioned the sofa to catch the heat and watch the television. She grabbed a couple of pillows and the Pendleton blanket, climbing in first in a semi-prone position. Jack joined her with his head resting on her chest. He had the controls.

Not much had changed since she was a kid. Without cable, the channel with the best reception came from Canada. The reporters had dug deep, with footage showing the trawler, the so-called employment agency, and the Korean woman who ran it all. They even invaded one of her massage parlors.

Before the newscast ended, Jack’s hand went slack, and he dropped the remote control. He was sound asleep, and she was wide awake, dreading tomorrow. Saying she wanted to be independent wasn’t going to cut it; he would want to know why. Cassie kept hoping the
why
would go away. Even if it had, Jack still deserved to know what she had done with Sergei’s accounts. She had to trust Jack to understand why she’d done what she’d done. The late night movie droned on, and Cassie finally fell asleep with her arms wrapped tightly around him.

He rolled over, waking her. Her body screamed for the toilet. Cassie pushed up and crawled over the back of the sofa. She turned off the television and headed to the bathroom. Returning, she stood at the glass door, looking out. At some point in the night, it had started to rain, making its own tapping music on the deck. Another comforting memory of being at the beach.

Cassie tossed a few pieces of wood on the embers and sat on the coffee table, staring at Jack. A slow smile graced her face, and a feeling beyond joy filled her heart. He’d released a person in her that she didn’t know existed. A confidence she hadn’t felt in years surged through her because of him. But more importantly, the ability to love another person beyond anything she understood existed within her. Cassie didn’t want to lose him, but she owed Jack the truth, and she would have to accept the consequences.

“I love you, Jack,” she whispered and kissed his lips. “With all my heart.”

He stirred and rolled over. “Cass?”

“I’m right here.” She climbed back in and pulled him in tight. The rhythmic sounds of the rain and his breathing lulled her to sleep.

In the early morning, she dozed and listened for the rain. She didn’t hear it. Jack snored quietly. He needed to sleep. Cassie eased out of the tight quarters and straddled the back of the sofa like a horse for a moment to stretch before swinging her leg off. She headed to the kitchen to get the coffee started. When the coffee finished brewing, she checked to see if Jack was awake for his. He wasn’t. She poured hers and frowned. Usually coffee made her smile, but this morning, she felt her cup was half full of dread and anticipation, so she doused it with a hefty amount of Irish Crème flavored creamer and headed to the shower.

Her brother had been so right about switching out the traditional water heater to the European style. She could stand there forever and never run out of hot water. She turned her body in all directions to allow the steaming water to pound away her worries. Finally, feeling a little energized, she finished up.

Jack was at the refrigerator pulling out various breakfast items. “I’m not having oatmeal, so don’t even suggest it.”

Cassie leaned against the kitchen sink and watched him fix breakfast. Other than her mother eons ago, no one had waited on her. She thought it was the sweetest thing.

“Ready,” he said.

They sat at the table, looking out the window. The rain had stopped, leaving thin clouds with the early morning light filtering through.

She ate her scrambled eggs and sighed. “Thank you.” Glancing up shyly, she smiled.

“For what?”

“This.” She touched his hand. “Everything. Being you.”

By his reaction, she knew he didn’t understand where she was coming from. She wasn’t even sure.

Jack dropped her off at the café and continued on. Jeannie waved when she walked through the door and pointed to the back. Montana had left the box of wigs and Cassie gladly adjusted the auburn one.

The café bustled with a constant flow of islanders and visitors. By two, the lunch crowd had diminished to just one table.

“You need to get something to eat,” said Jeannie.

“Would you mind if I used the laptop and checked my e-mail?”

“Not at all. Bring it out here. We’ll keep each other company.”

No longer auburn-haired, Cassie sat at the counter with the laptop, munching on the sandwich Winnie had prepared for her.

Cassie pulled up her e-mails, read through the titles, deleting all forwards. Her eyes widened, and she sucked in her breath, putting the last bite of her sandwich back on the plate. It was from Alexa, and it was not a forward. Taking a deep breath, she opened it and read.

“
SK and thugs been to the bank. Threatening us and u! B careful.
”

Her face clouded with agitation, and she shifted in her chair, murmuring several expletives. She bit her lip, deleted the message, and quickly closed the lid.

“Is everything all right?” Jeannie asked, looking kindly toward her.

“It is. I just didn’t realize how late it was.” She picked up the laptop, returned it to the kitchen, and grabbed her coat. Coming through the swinging doors, she said, “If Jack stops in, just tell him I started walking home. And thank you.” Waving, she exited fast and started walking.

Winnie poked her head through the window and asked, “What do you think that was all about?”

“Something was in her e-mail. She was fine until then.” Jeannie frowned a bit and then pulled out her phone. “I’m calling Kip.”

Fear and anger surged through her body thinking about that scumbag. She had to walk it out before she saw Jack. Every word and phrase she could think of to describe Sergei poured out of her mouth with each step. Not sure if Jack was at the compound, she jogged passed the entrance and ended up sitting on the big boulder by the trail. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes. She heard him before she saw him. Blinking fast to clear her eyes, she pasted a smile on her face. Jack came around the corner and tapped his horn.

Before she could even climb in, he said, “Sorry I was a late.”

“That’s okay. I wanted to walk. It felt good to stretch my legs.” She watched the scenery until they arrived at the house.

Jack backed in and parked by the door. He lifted the hatchback and headed in the house. “Come on,” he yelled. “Throw your stuff in the back and we can make it to the ferry.”

Cassie bypassed the house and headed straight to the driftwood log at the edge of the beach. Her heart pounded, and her stomach knotted. For a moment, she thought she would throw up. A few minutes later, Jack stood on the grass behind her.

“Honey, what’s going on? Where are your things?”

She gulped and turned. “Jack, I’m not coming with you. I’m staying here.”

His eyes narrowed, and his hands went on his hips. Taking a deep breath, she gripped her hands.

He came around and stood in front. “Why?”

“Because…because it’s not safe…for me.”

His eyes turned icy, and he cocked his head.

She took another deep breath and elaborated, “I’d hoped the situation would have improved, but it’s gotten worse.”

“And what exactly is the situation?”

She knew the look: don’t bullshit me. Cassie patted the log and motioned for him to come and sit down. She told him what she’d done and he listened without interrupting.

When she finished, he stood. His hands ended up on his hips and his face registered shock. “So let me get this straight. You stole one hundred and eighty thousand dollars of already dirty money. Mob money?”

“I transferred it after I detailed how much money I lost because of Sergei. I only took what was mine.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want to call it. You transferred a very large amount of Russian Mob money that probably wasn’t even Koslov’s.”

“Yes, but at the time, I thought it was his.”

“Jesus H. Christ, Cassie! Do you have any idea how many banking laws you have broken? Not to mention the Internal Revenue Service!”

“It’s not April 15th yet, Jack. I planned to file legitimately.”

“Yeah, if you’re not dead. What the hell were you thinking?”

“At the time, it seemed like a good idea.”

“That’s the problem, Cassie. It always seems like a good idea.” His voice was cold and exact, spitting each word out like a bullet.

“That’s not fair, Jack.” She looked him straight in the eye, challenging him. “And you know it.”

“It might not be fair, but that’s how I see it.” He paced back and forth on the sand, grinding his feet in. “You have put me in a very bad situation, not to mention your friend and her family’s safety.”

“You? I didn’t know we were going to be together.”

“Honey, we aren’t together, we’re involved!” He stood over her, blasting his words. “Ah, hell.” He frowned and shook his head. “Just out of curiosity, where’s the money?”

For a moment, she pushed the sand around with her shoe and sighed. “I opened an offshore account in the Cayman Islands and transferred it all into that.”

His mouth gaped opened, and he stared at her. “Ah, shit.” He threw up his hands and stormed off towards the house.

“Where are you going?” Cassie shouted, standing with her hands on her hips.

He turned and replied with the same intensity, “I’m leaving before I say something I’ll regret.”

A look of devastation spread over her face. “Ah, Jack.”

The door slammed shut on the truck. The Tahoe peeled out of the driveway, spitting up mud, and then skidded to a stop, reversing, spinning tires, and then forward, out of sight.

Cassie watched, her heart pounding, and she could barely breathe. “Jack,” she yelled, running after him. “Jack!” Her feet slipped on the soft mud, sending her flying, face forward in a pool of dark goo. Lifting her muddy face, she sobbed, “I’ve loved you since I was twelve.”

Barreling down the road, Jack slammed on the brakes at the entrance to the county park. His temper was out of control, and he knew it. In the cab of his truck, he unleashed every word he’d wanted to yell at Cassie. No wonder Kip’s contacts had said to be worried. If the Russians got their hands on her, they’d kill her.

Finally he felt back in control. There was still time to catch the ferry. His mind was going a mile a minute thinking about Cassie at the nightclub. She had been very brave, especially with Butkovsky showing up. Cassie was absolutely correct in that she wasn’t safe in Seattle. Heading north up the island, the road forked left for the ferry but he went right, pulling into the marina, parking next to Kip’s SUV.

Still beyond pissed, he tried not to stomp down the pier to the boat, but failed. Jack stepped onboard the DeFever, and Kip glanced up from his makeshift office in the wheelhouse. He motioned for his friend to come on in. Kip headed down to the galley and returned with two beers.

“Let me guess. Cassie?” asked Kip.

Jack downed half his beer before he answered. “One hundred and eighty thousand dollars of mob money is what she took. Oh, wait a minute, not took, transferred. She transferred it into her account. Hell, I forgot about the five hundred.”

Kip raised his brows and whistled. “No wonder they’re looking for her.”

“Oh, no. Not just her. They’ve now gone after her friend, showed up at the daughters’ school, and threatened the husband at the bank, where the fuckhead actually had one of his accounts. Koslov is out for blood, which tells me that wasn’t his money and the pressure is on him.”

“Ah, Christ.” Kip sucked in his breath and shook his head. “So she did know what he was doing?”

“Hell no. She stumbled upon the whole thing after she left and was on the run.” He drained the last of his beer, glaring at no one in particular.

“Have you had lunch yet?” asked Kip.

“No.”

“Let’s go down to the galley, have some beers and lunch. Every time I leave that café, I get more food handed to me.”

Kip opened two more beers and handed Jack four wrapped sandwiches of various choices. They each picked one. Kip found a yellow tablet and joined Jack at the small galley table.

“Tell me everything you know. I’m listening.” He took notes and when he finished, Kip scratched his head and said. “She should be in data mining or computer forensics, not an actress.” He started to laugh.

“There’s nothing funny about this.”