Phoenix: Book One of The Stardust Series (5 page)

Soap washed over one of
my cuts, stinging me and bringing me back to my current problems. If I hadn’t
been so wrapped up in myself, I would have been making dinner when Dad got home
yesterday rather than daydreaming in the woods. I would have been there when
the fire started, and we never would have gotten separated. What if I never saw
him again? I felt a sharp pain in my chest, my anxiety mounting at the thought.

Okay, Haley, you
need to focus. Even though you thought he was exaggerating, Dad did warn you
that something could happen to him. Considering the timing, there is no way
that the explosion at our house was a coincidence. He told you to run and to
take care of yourself first. You have to trust him. He knows how to handle himself,
which means he’s fine. So stop worrying about him for now and concentrate on
yourself.

I thought through my
current situation logically, trying to make sense of what happened. I knew that
I passed out at the fire and was brought to a secluded cabin in the woods.
Ethan, a complete stranger, took me in and cared for my injuries. And, my dad
apparently got away from the fire but was chased by unidentified men. It wasn’t
a lot to go on, and my mind warred with whether or not I could trust Ethan.

On one hand, he seemed
non-threatening and even concerned about my well-being. And he did allow me to
use his phone to attempt to call Dad. On the other hand, he could be working
with whoever was after Dad and using me for information or as bait.

Whatever the answer, I
wasn’t going to find it by staying in the shower all day. I needed to eat
something and try to get more information from Ethan. Hopefully I could at
least get a better feel for his intentions.

Tangled

I dried off and took
inventory of the clothes that Ethan provided: a soft navy T-shirt and light
blue and orange plaid Polo boxers.
Okay, someone definitely has a thing for
plaid
. Unwilling to put my dirty panties and bra back on, I pulled on the
shirt and shorts and looked in the mirror. I couldn’t help but smile at how
ridiculous I looked in a shirt made for a man who was so much taller than me. I
knew I should be embarrassed that I was wearing a stranger’s boxers, but I was
so thankful for clean clothes that I couldn’t bring myself to care.

Without a brush or hair
products to help me out, I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to work
through as many tangles as possible. Finally deciding it was a hopeless cause,
I left my waves alone to dry. I knew I wasn’t exactly looking my best, but at
least I was clean and smelling like apples instead of smoke and sweat.

I hobbled into the
kitchen, taking in my surroundings as I went. The cabin was clean and somewhat
spartan. With low ceilings and rough wood floors, it was just as you would
expect. Exploring the rest of it, I realized there wasn’t much more to it than
the bedroom and bathroom I had already seen.

On the far side of the
cozy living room was a wood door that I supposed was the front entrance. A
slightly worn-looking couch and chair sat facing pine shelves filled with
assorted books and games. Across from the living room, the kitchen flowed into
a dining area with a round wooden table and four chairs placed beneath a brass
chandelier. Beyond the table, a pair of sliding glass doors led to a large deck
outside.

Apart from the
necessary essentials and a picture or two on the wall, the place seemed like it
was rarely used. The few pieces of furniture looked dated and the air felt
stale. Large windows let in natural light that filtered through the trees giving
the feeling of being part of the forest. Inside and outside met almost
seamlessly.

I hadn’t realized how
hungry I was until I smelled breakfast. Ethan’s back was to me, and I took a
few moments to study him. Admiring the way his pale blue polo shirt hugged his
broad shoulders and obvious biceps, I wondered how often he found himself
cooking breakfast for a girl.

When he turned around,
I saw his eyes quickly flick from the top of my head down to my bare toes and
back. Self-conscious about standing there in nothing but his boxers and a
T-shirt, I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away.

I was surprised when he
walked to the table and grabbed a hoodie off the back of one of the chairs
before handing it to me. “Here, you look like you could use this.” It was red
and had the Anaheim Angels logo across the front. Grateful for more clothing,
especially since it was cool in the cabin, I thanked him and pulled it over my
head. It was big on me but warm and smelled faintly like cedar.

Ethan pulled out a
wooden chair for me next to the round table. I sat down awkwardly, trying to
avoid putting more pressure than necessary on my ankle. The chair felt sturdy
but creaked under my weight. The table was set with plain silverware that was
flat and patternless. It felt like the type of silverware you would find at a
cheap, roadside diner.

He turned back to the
stove. “Almost ready,” he said, still facing away from me. Shaking the pan of
scrambled eggs with one hand, he calmly ran the other through his chestnut
hair. He moved with ease, clearly in his element.

A minute or two later,
Ethan set a large, plain plate down in front of me piled high with scrambled
eggs, toast, and fruit. “I didn’t have a lot of options, so hopefully you like
eggs.” The steaming breakfast filled my senses with longing.

Before I could respond,
my stomach growled loudly. Ethan just laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He
handed me a glass of orange juice and a sealed bottle of over-the-counter pain
medication. “Take two with your food to help with your ankle. After breakfast,
it needs an ice pack and elevation.” I stifled my urge to salute him.

Ethan pulled out a
chair and sat down across from me. Despite his size, he moved smoothly, more
like an acrobat than a cat. I thanked him and quickly tucked into the savory
scrambled eggs and sweet fruit. Perhaps it was my hunger talking, but I was
pretty sure this was one of the best breakfasts I had ever tasted.

I had almost cleaned my
plate when I felt his eyes on me, and I slowly raised my own. His dark brown
eyes betrayed a hint of wonder. I quickly looked down and folded my hands in my
lap, embarrassed. I didn’t often eat in front of others, and while my dad had
taught me manners, I was so consumed by hunger I had forgotten to use them.

He chuckled, “Don’t let
me stop you. There’s more if you’re still hungry.”

I shook my head. “I’m
good. Thank you for the delicious breakfast. And for taking care of my
injuries.”

He responded with, “No
problem.”

My hunger mostly
satisfied, I picked at the remaining food, contemplating what to say next.
Ethan spoke first, breaking the silence. “Feeling better now?” I nodded. I
still felt like I had been run over by a train, but the shower and breakfast
helped dramatically.

Debating how to broach
the subject of my dad, my pulse quickened. Not knowing who Ethan was and what
he knew, I needed to tread carefully. “You said you saw my dad get away from
the fire?”

The light coming in
through the windows glinted on his hair and face. I noticed the shadow of
stubble on his jawline. He nodded, his hair shifting slightly with the
movement. He looked a few years older than me; I guessed he was in his early to
mid-twenties. I was struck again by how handsome he was.

Fiddling with the
napkin in my lap, I hoped to keep my voice calm and level. I didn’t want to
reveal anything more than necessary about me or my dad. Nor did I want to show
how nervous he made me. Looking down to keep from staring at his chiseled face,
I finally said, “I kind of live in the middle of nowhere. What were you even doing
there?”

He answered slowly, as
if weighing what he should say. “I was in the area and noticed the smoke. Since
I have medical training, I went to the scene to see if I could help.”

I internally scoffed at
his response. Did he really expect me to believe that he just happened to be in
the area? This whole situation was so suspicious, I had difficulty keeping my
disbelief hidden. “Can you tell me more about what happened? I don’t remember
much after realizing the house was on fire.” I trailed off, hoping he would
fill in the blanks.

I glanced up to find
Ethan studying me. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I promise to
tell you the truth even if I can’t go into all of the details.” Apparently I
hadn’t masked my reaction as well as I thought.

“I really was in the
area with a colleague when your house exploded. We were still several miles
away but saw the smoke and immediately headed that direction. Soon after, a
truck approached and then sped by with a car right on its tail. Your dad was in
the truck, but I don’t know who was following him or where he went.”

Ethan paused, giving
the new information a chance to sink in. I clutched my napkin and tried to keep
my face unreadable while my mind whirred, trying to figure out what happened.
The obvious answer was that the criminal organization Dad told me about managed
to find him. Did they cause the explosion, trying to kill him? If he got away,
where was he now? And how did Ethan even know that it was my dad in the truck?

“We didn’t know what
was going on, so we continued in the direction of the smoke which was billowing
in the sky by that point. We searched the outside of the house but didn’t see
or hear anyone, so I reported the fire to the authorities and left. Chase
called and told me that he rescued you and was headed toward the cabin. Since
I’m a paramedic, he knew I would be able to help with your injuries.

When I arrived here,
you were unconscious on the bed. But your injuries were pretty minor, and I
could easily treat them myself. I checked your breathing and then tended to
your ankle and other superficial wounds before leaving you to sleep. Mostly,
you just needed rest after such a shock.”

I absently twirled my
hair around my finger, trying to put all the pieces together. Apparently Chase
saved me, but I didn’t even know who he was. And if he and Ethan really just
wanted to help me, they could have dropped me off at the hospital or called the
police. Instead, they brought me to a deserted cabin in the woods. That wasn’t
normal behavior, even if Ethan was a trained paramedic.

Ethan cleared his
throat. “Do you have any idea where your dad might have gone?”

I debated the best
response and finally shook my head. Ethan’s dark brown eyes met my own and
intimated a hidden reserve within. “I want to help you find him.” It felt like
he was trying to read my mind and simultaneously reassure me.

I tilted my head and
crossed my arms. Afraid to utter my thoughts, I settled on a question that was
more vague. “Why do you want to help me?”

Ethan sighed and pushed
his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. “Look. There’s more going on here
than I can tell you right now. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

I felt one eyebrow
raise in response.
That was a bold request from someone who was involved in
basically kidnapping me.
Yes, I knew I was being slightly dramatic, but I
couldn’t help it.
Even though he seemed well-meaning, I would not hand
over my trust so easily. I felt my patience snap, and I let him have it.

“Ethan, I can
appreciate that there are things you can’t tell me. But, I at least need you to
explain why you are involving yourself in my life. And why Chase, whoever that
is, decided it was okay to bring me out here. To a one bedroom cabin. In the
middle of the woods.”

A look of surprise
crossed his face during my short rant. And then he started laughing, a smooth,
deep laugh that caused goosebumps to crawl up my arms. “You know, I’m happy to
see that backbone of yours. You were making this too easy on me.”

When I continued to
stare at him, he relented. “Okay, here’s the deal. Chase is a colleague and
friend; actually, that’s his hoodie you’re wearing. He had the best of
intentions. Since he wasn’t sure what happened back at your house, he was
concerned for your safety and knew that you would be fine here.”

The sound of Ethan’s
chair scraping against the wood floor signaled the end of the conversation.
Ethan took my plate, gently brushing my forearm as he did so. Turning toward
the sink, he quickly whispered in my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin.
“We’re the good guys, I promise.”

I felt a flutter in my
stomach, and my face flushed while thoughts swirled in my mind like clothes in
a washing machine. Every word from Ethan was reassuring, and yet, he had
repeatedly avoided telling me why he and his friends were so eager to help me.
I sighed, distracted by Ethan’s alluring touch and promises of good intentions.
I still felt confused and wasn’t sure what to do next.

The rest of the day was
spent idly. Ethan was around but mostly left me to my own devices. At one point
when he was outside, I rifled through the only paperwork I could find in the
house, none of which named an Ethan or Chase. I discovered the address of the
cabin was in Markleeville and felt a tiny glimmer of relief. Although I wasn’t
very familiar with the small town of Markleeville or the landscape surrounding
it, I knew it was only about a half an hour from Coleville. At least I wasn’t
as far away from home as I’d feared.

After lunch, I spent
time outside on the deck reading and surveying my surroundings. Now that I knew
my general location, I felt confident that I could find my way into town. But
what then? I had a little money in my bag, but not enough to live off of for
long. I wanted to ask Ethan more questions but doubted he would give me the
answers I was looking for.

What would Dad tell me
to do in this situation? I had no doubt he would advise me not to trust the
random guy who wouldn’t tell me why he was helping me and was obviously hiding
things. Dad had already told me not to go to the police. The only logical
conclusion was that I should run and make it on my own until I could find him.
I sighed, resigned to sticking it out the rest of the day and then escaping
after dark. I glanced down at my wrapped ankle, fervently hoping it could handle
the long walk through the woods.

*  *  *

It had been a long day,
and I felt no closer to finding my dad than I had this morning. Ethan suggested
that we turn in since it was getting late. He insisted I take the bed again,
stating that he was fine on the pull-out sofa bed. His kindness and generosity
overwhelmed me; I was even feeling a little guilty about my plan to slip out
during the night.
And yet, how could I trust him when he seemed so
determined to hide his motives from me?

As I limped toward the
bedroom, I heard the front door open behind me. Startled by the unexpected
intrusion, I jumped. Glancing quickly at Ethan, I noticed that his eyes had
darted toward the door. Turning slowly, I felt my jaw drop; the intruder was
the blue-eyed stranger from the library.