Forty-Four Box Set, Books 1-10 (44) (36 page)

And then I saw the boat.

It was a good size, parked at the end of the dock, rocking gently back and forth in the swells.

I got dressed quickly and threw on some running shoes. I wanted to feel the wind on my face, breathe in the salty air. I had been trapped indoors for days and my body didn’t feel right. It was time to go outside and see what I could find out. I walked downstairs quietly and over to the front door. The house was still and empty and it didn’t seem like anyone was around, but I couldn’t quite believe that they would just let me walk out on my own.

Someone had to be watching me.

I warily stepped outside and headed down the narrow path that led to the beach. I turned around, but was still alone. A bone-chilling wind blew through me, but it felt good to be out of the house.

I walked down to the water. Driftwood dotted the shore. I stood for a moment, staring out across the strait. There were areas of fog over the water, but it was lifting here and there, letting the early morning sun stream through, lighting up the surface like the patches on a quilt. I walked to the edge and put my hand in. It was freezing and left my fingers stinging long after I pulled them out.

I stared out at the island in the distance. There were a few others off to the left, but those seemed farther away. If there was any chance of escaping, this island across the water was the one I would have to shoot for.

The air was thick with the smell of salty water and fish and pine trees and mud.

I stopped now and then to pick up small sticks and flat stones to throw into the water as I walked along the shore. I started shivering. The chill here was different than in Bend. Wet and moist, like my entire body was submerged in water.

Seagulls squawked above me before dropping down, fishing for their breakfast. I walked a little farther down the beach. The shore continued, but I turned around. I wanted to check out the boat.

I glanced back at the house. It sat at one end of the small, narrow island, overlooking the water on three sides.

Someone had to be watching, but I didn’t see anybody at any of the windows. I had to take a chance. I quickly ran down the dock.

I jumped inside the boat, trying to steady my balance. I went below into the small cabin. Given that Nathaniel liked to live in style, someone probably made regular trips for supplies to a nearby town or even to the mainland. I could sneak on board and hide under the tiny galley table or in the bathroom.

Or maybe I could just speed off in it myself.

I didn’t know much about these kinds of boats. I knew about kayaks and canoes and rafts. I hadn’t even been on a motor boat before.

But it was time to learn.

I went back on deck and looked at the controls. It couldn’t be much harder than driving a car. All I needed was the key. I wondered who had it and how I could get my hands on it.

I stood there daydreaming of freedom and finally turned back to look at the house.

I suddenly felt sick. Simon was at the edge of the dock, heading my way.

Fear rushed through me as his heavy footsteps pounded down on the wooden planks. I could feel a tiny drop of sweat on my forehead even though it was freezing. There was nothing to say, no excuse as to why I was standing in their boat other than the obvious: that I was looking for a way to escape.

I might as well keep quiet.

I bit my lower lip as he ran up to me.

But he approached with the same gentle expression on his face that he had the night before. Then I saw that he was carrying something under his arm.

“Hello, Miss Craig,” he said, out of breath. He was wearing a striped apron around his waist.

“I thought perhaps you might need this.”

He handed me a rain jacket.

“Thanks,” I said, surprised.

He turned to leave, but spun around again quickly.

“Oh. I’m making breakfast, if you’re hungry. But no pressure. Enjoy your time out here. Looks like a storm is coming in. Don’t get too wet.”

He smiled awkwardly and walked away.

***

I put on the coat and headed back down to the beach. Even though I was cold and wet, I wasn’t ready to go inside yet.

I walked for a little while. The farther I went, the narrower the island became, the water closing in on either shore.

It helped to be outside. I knew I had to get stronger emotionally and that it was important not to feel sorry for myself. I had to toughen up. I had to have a clear head to figure out a way out of here.

The mist was getting thicker, rolling into shore. I couldn’t see the island across the strait anymore. But I saw something in the distance that looked like a…

A baseball cap.

I stopped as I watched him step out of the fog and walk toward me. He was smiling and I started sprinting to meet him.

“Jesse!” I said, throwing my body full speed into him. I gave him a hug as my eyes filled with water. “You’re here!”

He smiled and we stood embracing on the beach for a long time.

“Craigers,” he said. “I’m so glad I found you. It was so hard. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I said. “Better now.”

I stared into his flecked eyes and held his hand as we started walking back up the shore.

“So do you know everything that’s been happening?” I asked.

“Enough. I got the gist. I’m really sorry I haven’t been around. I would have come sooner if I could. I’ve been looking for you for so long.”

He put his arm around me. It felt so good to be with him again.

He was wearing the same clothes and baseball cap from the last time I had seen him, when he was standing in the parking lot, trying to warn me that I was in danger. But he looked different, lighter, paler than before. If it weren’t for his clothes and hat, it seemed like he could have just disappeared into the fog.

“So how are you feeling?” he asked. “You’re okay, really?”

“Yeah. More than okay now that you’re here. They ran some strange tests and were giving me a drug or something that caused some real bad headaches. But I’m fine now. He says there are going to be more tests in a few days, but my plan is to find a way out of here before then.”

Jesse took my hand and kissed it gently and that familiar warm glow rushed through me. He smiled, like he felt it too.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I said, touching his face.

He looked down at the sand and we started walking again.

“I’m sorry about all this,” he said finally.

“What are you talking about?” I said. “It’s not your fault. You tried to warn me. But this was just all too much, Jesse. How could any of us have known what Nathaniel was planning? It’s beyond insane.”

“Like him,” he said. “But I should have known that. I should have done better for you, Craigers. It’s just that…”

“Just what?”

He pushed back his hat and sighed.

“I’m not able to be here as much as I’d like,” he said. “I can’t come and go like I used to.”

“What do you think that means?”

He looked at me, his eyes serious.

“I don’t know.”

I couldn’t take him leaving again.

“Well, you’re here now,” I said, trying to change the subject, change the thoughts that raced through my mind. “That’s the important thing.”

He skipped a black stone across the water.

“Hey, have you seen Kate since all this happened? It’s driving me crazy not knowing how she’s doing.”

“No,” he said, picking up another rock. “I’ve spent all my time trying to find you.”

A wave of sadness rushed over me as I thought about her.

“Craigers, she’s strong. I’m sure she’s holding up all right. I bet she’s already got a few leads about where you are.”

“I hope so. But I don’t see how.”

As we walked in the sand, I filled Jesse in about what had happened since I had seen him last. I told him about the tests they ran and about how I had dinner with Nathaniel and about how he wanted to talk to me every night and if I did, how he said that I could talk to Kate.

“Do it,” Jesse said. “Keep finding out as much as you can. Learn the layout of the house. Find a way off of this island. You have to escape.”

It sent a chill down my spine the way he said it, a strange urgency in his normally laidback voice.

“But do you really think he’ll let me talk to her? I can’t even imagine that.”

“I don’t know,” Jesse said. “He probably thinks it wouldn’t harm anything if he let you call. He might. So be prepared. Think of something that you can tell her so she knows where to look for you.”

He picked up a piece of driftwood and threw it into the water as the light rain turned heavy. I walked to the edge of the shore and pulled up my hood, staring out into the dark gray clouds.

“The island is just over there, but you can’t see it in this fog,” I said, pointing to it. “It’s really not so far. I just need to find a way across.”

But all that answered was a sudden gust of wind.

When I turned around, Jesse was gone.

CHAPTER 8

I walked back to the house to get in out of the rain for a little while. In the room, the fire was going strong and the bed had been made. I would head out again after I warmed up.

There was a knock at the door. It was Simon, holding a tray.

“Hello, Miss Craig,” he said. “I thought you might be hungry.”

I moved out of the way and he walked in, setting it on the desk.

“Please, call me Abby,” I said.

He smiled.

“It’s a little bit of everything. I hope you enjoy it. When you’re finished, just leave it outside and someone will pick it up.”

“Thank you,” I said.

I wanted to kick myself. I hadn’t meant to thank one of my captors.

He left, closing the door behind him.

I looked over the tray. Cheese, slices of rustic bread. Olives, various meats. A small pot of coffee and big muffins.

I grabbed one of the muffins and poured a cup of coffee, drinking it in gulps. It felt good as it slid down my throat, warming me up a little.

I wasn’t sure if it was safe to eat any of the food, but on the other hand, I was their prisoner. If they wanted me, they knew where to find me.

As I looked around the room, I wondered if it was Simon who came in while I slept, feeding the fire and refilling the pitcher, or if it was someone else. Simon’s energy wasn’t dark. From what I could tell, he seemed pretty normal. Maybe I could talk to him. Maybe he would help me. On the other hand, I couldn’t be sure. Of any of it.

And then there was the woman. I didn’t know if she was a nurse or a doctor or a researcher, but I had to try and find her. Maybe she would help me. She must still be around somewhere. Nathaniel had told me that there was a small team. There must have been others that I hadn’t seen yet.

Nathaniel. I had almost forgotten.

I flashed back to the night before and how he stood there with that wild white energy dancing around him, the same energy I saw around Kate and Dr. Mortimer. The energy that surrounded Ty when he was with me.

I must have misread it. I had been doing that a lot lately. I had totally misread Jack all those months, thinking he was my friend. No way did Nathaniel have those kinds of feelings for me. I had to be wrong.

I wasn’t sure I could trust my new
gift
. It might end up causing me more harm than good.

I downed a second cup of coffee and finished eating, grabbing the extra muffin and putting it on the desk for later. I put the tray outside the door.

It was just past one. I changed, grabbed the coat, and headed back out the door.

CHAPTER 9

The rain continued to fall steadily, but I didn’t care. I walked along the edge of the water slowly, looking at everything. Not seeing Jesse made my heart ache, but I fought to keep my focus and studied the layout of the island.

The property was enormous. As I looked at the house from the shore, I saw that it was even larger than I realized. There was a tennis court on the side, as well as a smaller structure next to it that looked like a guest house.

I took a few breaths and gathered up my courage. I didn’t want to bump into anyone, especially Nathaniel, but I had to explore the area, had to find out everything I could. I followed a small cobbled path that headed up between the houses.

First I wandered around the outside of the main house, peeking through all the windows. There was no one around. I saw the dining room and the library and another large living room in the back of the house with French doors, overlooking a giant rose garden. I walked to the side of the house and found the kitchen. It also had a small door to the outside, with a path that led over to the guest house.

Something about it made me nervous. I noticed I was breathing hard as I walked up to it. I quietly tiptoed around the sides to the windows, but all the shades were drawn. I couldn’t see a thing. After a minute, I ran down the path, and past the flooded-out tennis court. I wondered if it ever stopped raining here long enough to play anything other than water polo.

I found the soccer field. It looked professional, completely chalked with two regulation-size goalposts on either side. The drainage system must have been state-of-the-art as well because I didn’t see one puddle on the neatly trimmed grass. It was impressive.

I figured Jack must have spent his spare time out on the field, practicing.

I walked back to the shore, away from the buildings, trudging through the sand and driftwood and rocks. It was really raining now, the wind stronger. Everything was a variation of gray. The sky, the water, the rain. But the more I moved, the warmer I felt. I kept walking and before long, I made my way to the very tip of the island.

I stared out at the vast open water in front of me, the whitecaps churning out in the Sound, the waves crashing loudly into the shore. There weren’t any islands in this direction and with the storm, the water looked mean. Darker clouds were in the distance, heading our way, blowing in from the Pacific.

I found a beaten up log and sat down, thinking about home and how much I missed it. The smell of the trees, the views of the late autumn mountains, already thick with snow.