With a sweaty hand, she tapped a button to wake her phone. The indigo light of the screen seemed so much brighter in the dark. If she phoned the police, the intruder would surely hear her. So she texted Eli a single word—“Help.”
Her door opened, only a crack. She squeezed her eyes closed and held her breath. Footfalls receded. Another door opened somewhere. But just when she was praying the burglar would leave, her door opened wider.
“Sam?” someone whispered. Footsteps came closer.
Eli? She couldn’t tell, only that it was a man.
Hot-cold shivers racked her body. She didn’t dare peek around the chair to see him.
Suddenly he shoved the chair aside and grabbed her from behind, hauling her up against a solid wall of muscle and pinning her left arm between them.
She screamed, only for the second it took for him to cover her mouth. Before she could stab him with the knife, he’d immobilized her right arm. She struggled but knew it was useless. God, he was so strong. She tasted his leather glove as he tightened his grip on her. The knife slipped from her hand, clanging to the floor.
I won’t die like this.
She bit down on his finger. Growling, he crushed his hand against her neck, cutting off her air supply.
“Where’s the sapphire brooch?” he ground out.
Panic mixed with a kernel of relief that it wasn’t Eli.
“Where?” he shouted.
She tried to speak, but her voice came out a croak. When he loosened his hold a little, she kicked him and lunged toward the knife.
Before she could get it, he lifted her off the floor and bashed her head against the wall, hard. Dizziness and nausea drained all the fight from her.
Lightning gave her the briefest glimpse of his face—the L-shaped scar crossing his cheek. It was the man who’d been hanging around the parking lot. Why hadn’t she listened to her instincts and called the cops?
“Tell me where the damn sapphire is, bitch!”
“I don’t know,” she managed.
A punch to her stomach knocked the wind out of her. She doubled over, gasping.
He grabbed a handful of her hair and twisted it, pulling so forcefully that she couldn’t help but scream.
“Tell me.”
“Someone…stole it.”
Pain exploded at the base of her skull. All she could see was blackness as she fought to hang on to consciousness. If she let go, she knew she’d never wake. But the haze crept through her head in a moment. And everything went dark.
Something was wrong. Eli had been expecting an angry phone call from Sam as soon as she’d discovered the brooch was missing, but her one-word text frightened the hell out of him. Had he made a mistake with the gem? Too late now. He’d pushed the locker key under the door of Sam’s aunt’s store a moment before her text came through.
Muttering a curse, he ran to his car and headed toward the cottage. The storm made for lousy visibility, but he drove along the twisting roads as fast as he dared. When he got there, none of the lights were on. Even the nearby cottages were dark. The storm must have knocked out power.
He used his cell’s flashlight to find his way. His dread grew at the sight of wide, deep tire tracks in the wet ground a few yards from Sam’s car.
The SUV I saw earlier.
He banged on the door to the cottage before trying the handle. It was open, and the place was a mess. Cabinets, closets, and drawers were open, the contents littering the counters and the floor. Every nerve and muscle shifted to high alert as he tore through the house, room by room, in search of Sam. She had to be all right. “Sam? Are you okay?”
Silence.
When he entered her bedroom, his light found a dark streak on the wall. The hair on his nape stood on end.
Blood. Sam’s blood.
Panic drummed in his ears. He crossed the room in a few steps. Sam lay in a heap on the floor.
Please let her be alive.
Her weak moan sparked his hope. He lifted her into his arms and gently set her down on the bed.
She whimpered and hugged her arms over her stomach.
Giving her a quick once-over with his light, he shuddered. Her only visible injury was a gash on her forehead. He grabbed a shirt from an open drawer to apply pressure to the wound then called 911. That done, he cradled her in his arms, offering up a silent prayer that the paramedics would hurry.
A lamp on the nightstand flickered a couple times before coming back on. The mechanical hum of the air conditioner filled the quiet.
Sam stirred, blinked against the light.
“The paramedics will be here soon.” He swallowed. “And the police.”
The hurt in her eyes was worse than he could have imagined as she looked up at him. “You took my brooch, didn’t you?”
A thousand-pound weight compressed his chest. Clenching his jaw, he averted his gaze and nodded.
Tears rolled over her cheeks. “How could you? Give it back.”
“I don’t have it, Sam. It’s in a locker at the bus station in town. I slipped the key under the door to your aunt’s shop. The envelope has the locker number written on the inside flap.”
When Sam furrowed her brow in confusion, he took a deep breath. Then he explained how he’d come to find her, about his gambling debt and Rodrigo’s henchmen roughing him up, and threatening his sister. “I never expected that I’d start caring about you, and I knew I couldn’t betray you. I hoped that I could protect both you and my sister. I’ve moved Lizzy to a safer facility. As for me…” He straightened. “I’m going to confess to the police. It’s the only way to stop Diaz, and protect you and my sister for good.”
He expected Sam to turn away in disgust, to yell at him, or tell him to get the hell out. Instead, she grasped his hand. “Don’t tell the cops anything, not yet.”
Shaking his head, he smoothed her hair off her face and checked her cut. Thankfully the bleeding had stopped, although she’d probably need stitches. “I have to. Rodrigo Diaz needs to be locked up.”
Sirens sounded in the distance, growing louder by the second.
Her tears started flowing again, and the sight broke him. “I don’t want you to go to jail, and you will if you confess to stealing the sapphire.” She squeezed his arm. “Leave now, before the police show up. I’ll be fine.”
“Not until I know you’re safe.” No way in hell was he going to leave her alone.
Colored lights flashed through the curtains.
Sam tried to sit up but winced. “I’ll tell them the guy who did this to me was the one who stole the sapphire.”
“Time for me to man up.” He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. I’ll understand if, after the dust has settled, you want nothing more to do with me. But you have to know, you’re an incredible woman, Sam—beautiful, talented and smart.”
She started to shake her head, but he stopped her with a kiss. “You are smart. More than that—you’re wise, and you’ve got such a kind heart.” Leaving her, he went to the door to let in the emergency personnel.
The next half hour was a blur of uniformed men and women tromping through the cottage, tending to Sam, questioning him, and finally saying goodbye to her. As long as she was safe, and Lizzy was, too, he’d deal with whatever consequences he had to.
Chapter Nine
Five days after that awful night at the cottage, Sam helped a customer find geranium essential oil.
“Thanks,” the customer said when Sam handed her the bag. “I hope your day gets better.”
“Hmm?”
The brunette shrugged. “You seem so sad. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be okay.”
Pasting on a smile, Sam stood up taller. “Thanks, I’m fine.”
After the woman left, Sam headed to the back room. Despite several attempts to draw over the past few days, she’d been unable to complete even the simplest sketch. Her muse refused to join her.
If only she could get Eli off her mind. He
hadn’t called, and she was beginning to think she might never hear from him again. It was probably for the best, but she couldn’t shake the emptiness his absence had left inside her.
When the front door chimed, she returned to the main room to find her Aunt Emma. Sam closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms as far around her aunt as they’d reach. Breathing in the comforting lavender scent Emma had always worn, Sam hung on for several seconds.
Emma held her at arms’ length and looked her over from head to toe. “You’re too skinny, child. We’ll have to fix that starting tonight. And what’s that bandage on your forehead?”
“I’ll explain later.” Sam ran a finger over the spot. “I’ve missed you. I hope you had a good time on your cruise.”
Her aunt merely raised an eyebrow, her deep blue eyes sparkling mysteriously. “I hope you can forgive me for throwing you to the wolves here. Looks like you’ve managed fine at the store.” She sighed. “I need to sit down. We’ve had a long drive from Port Canaveral.”
We? Sam relieved Emma of the heavy purse she carried. “I’ll turn the closed sign around. It’s almost lunchtime anyway. Do you want to go get something to eat?”
Aunt Emma shook her head. “Let’s speak here, in private. Go ahead and lock up, though. I don’t want any interruptions.”
Sam did as she asked then grabbed a couple Moon Pies and joined Emma at the table in back, handing the older woman one of the snacks. “Are you going to tell me why you’ve kept me hanging about the sapphire?”
Emma took a bite of her Moon Pie and nodded. After she swallowed, she opened her purse and took out her oracle cards, the same deck Sam had seen her use hundreds of times. “You know I do readings for you, even when you’re not here. I do that so I can warn you if I see something bad or dangerous in your path.”
“I figured that.” Sam sat on the edge of her seat. Her aunt’s advice was what she’d been waiting for.
Finishing the sweet, Emma pulled a wadded-up tissue from her purse to wipe her fingers. “Before I get into the reason I told you to hold onto the brooch your father left you, I want to apologize for dumping all this…” She waved her hand through the air. “…on your shoulders. I suppose I was caught up in the moment. You see, I met someone, on the internet. It was Phillip’s idea to take a cruise. He bought the tickets to surprise me. When I realized we were to set sail the very day you were planning to arrive, I almost canceled. But instead, I did a reading.”
What? Emma had a boyfriend? She’d been single Sam’s whole life, or at least, that’s what Sam had always assumed. “O-okay.”
“The cards said that it was vitally important that you not part with the jewel—not yet, anyway.” She smoothed a lock of salt-and-pepper hair off her forehead. “My sources on the other side told that the sapphire was going to give you the push you needed to move past all the hurdles holding you back from living your life. You were stuck in a rut, I think. That magical brooch was crucial to the transition.”
Sam had to agree with that. And in a roundabout way, the jewel had been a vehicle of sorts, one that had led her to open her heart to someone, which she’d been so terrified to do. Until she’d started falling for Eli. Even though she might never see him again, she’d never forget him. Over another Moon Pie, she filled Emma in on all the drama and intrigue that had unfolded in her absence.
Emma listened intently. After Sam had finished her story, her aunt set her hand over the deck of cards. “I did another reading for you this morning before we got off the ship. The message has changed.”
Sam set down her Moon Pie. “Oh?”
“The time is right to let go of the treasure you hold.”
“So I’m supposed to sell it now?” Sam asked.
Emma shook her head. “It was never truly yours. You were merely holding it for a while.”
Sam struggled to understand what her aunt meant. “What? After all, I’ve been through you think I should just hand over the sapphire to someone?”
“Not exactly. The message will become clearer in the coming days.” Aunt Emma’s head lolled to one side for a moment. “Pardon me. I’m so tired after the trip. I’m going to close my eyes for a few minutes.”
“Sure,” Sam said. “Go ahead.”
Someone knocked at the door, so Sam headed to the front room.
A tall, middle-aged blonde pointed to Sam’s artwork. “Are you the artist?” she called through the glass.
At the opportunity to possibly sell a drawing or painting, Sam unlocked the door and let the woman in. “Yes, I’m Samantha Cartwright.”
The woman shook hands with her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name’s Angie.” She tipped her chin toward the painting of Sam’s dad. “So that’s it, hmm? The missing sapphire brooch.”
Sam froze. How’d she known about the jewel?
Angie took a step toward Sam and lowered her voice. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Let me explain. I read a news article about the brooch that was seized from a mobster in Atlantic City. Fascinating story about how a case here led them to that awful man and his collection of stolen antique items. I’m a curator for the art museum in St. Augustine. We have a collection of antique amulets and talismans. The story piqued my curiosity, so I researched the one the article mentioned. It sounds like quite an interesting piece.”
Sam remained silent. She still didn’t understand how Angie had found her since the DA’s office had promised not to release her name to the public.
“Many times, art objects that are seized during a criminal investigation are later auctioned off to the public. I wanted to make sure the museum got first dibs. So I contacted the DA here. She told me that the brooch belonged to an artist whose work is on display at a store in Cat’s Paw Cove. You have no idea how many shops I checked out before finding this one—and your artwork.”
Aunt Emma let out a loud snore. Sam cleared her throat. “Sorry, my aunt is…resting in the back room.”
Angie waved off Sam’s apology. “Curators are often detectives, hunting down long-lost treasures, following trails that may or may not lead to a forgotten master’s work.” The blonde looked up at the painting again. “Boy, did I luck out. Not only has my curiosity about the missing brooch been satisfied, but I think I might have found a very promising new artist.”
Sam swallowed. “Really?”
Angie nodded. “You’ve got a lot of talent.”
No, she refused to believe anything a stranger told her. Being naïve and taking people at face value had cost her too much. “Do you have a business card?”
“Sure.” She reached into her designer purse, pulled out a card, and handed it to Sam.
Angela Pierre, Assistant Curator, St. Augustine Museum, Sam read to herself. Angie appeared to be on the level. A shiver of excitement rolled over Sam’s skin. “You really like my work, huh?”
“Absolutely. We have an art study program that’s affiliated with the University of Florida.”
Sam gasped. Maybe she could handle art school after all. She thought about the sapphire brooch, the only connection she had to her father. But what use could the jewel be to her? Such a special gemstone shouldn’t be locked away in a bank. It ought to be somewhere people could admire it.
Having the jewel had made Sam a target. Aunt Emma’s words played in Sam’s mind. “Let go of the treasure you hold. It was never truly yours.” She met Angie’s stare. “What does it cost to enroll in your art study program?”
Glancing toward Sam’s paintings, Angie smiled. “We have a few scholarships available. With a talent like yours, I’m positive you’ll be accepted into the program free of charge.”
Sam cheered. “Wow. You made my day.”
“About the brooch,” Angie went on. “We’d like to acquire it.”
“Acquire it?”
Angie nodded. “Our financial officer will want to appraise it before we make you an offer.”
“Okay.” Could her day get any better?
“F
antastic. I’ll have him phone you.” She took a business card from the holder on the counter. “And if you’ll call me tomorrow, I’ll arrange to bring you in for a tour.”
Head buzzing, Sam couldn’t wait to share the news with Eli. But then she remembered that he was in jail, and her mood clunked. So many thoughts raced through her brain. One thing she was sure of, though—she now knew what she wanted to do with the brooch.
Before she did, though, she was going to use the gem’s magic.
Eli pushed his sister’s wheelchair under a canopy of bougainvillea in the gardens at the group home where she now lived. “This is even nicer than Mystic Pines. Are they treating you well?”
“Very well,” Lizzy said. “And I’ve made friends with several other residents.” With obvious effort she lifted her arm and pointed to a shady spot with a wooden bench. “Let’s stop there.”
He moved her next to the bench and locked the wheels, sensing she had something important to say. “What’s on your mind?”
Her pretty smile and bright green eyes were as warm as they’d always been, despite the ravages MS had inflicted upon her body. “You can talk to me, you know. I don’t like it when you hide things.”
He’d always hated disappointing her, but she was right. Her mind was as sharp as ever, and she deserved the truth. At least he’d already come clean with her about having been a professional gambler, rather than a traveling sales rep, as he’d told her years ago.
Sitting down, he drew a breath before speaking. “I got into some trouble, Lizzy. After a string of bad luck and poor decisions, I tried to run out on a debt. I should have known better. A loan shark threatened me with….” No point in telling her that she’d been in jeopardy. Knowing his sister, she’d blame herself for his wrongdoing. She’d admitted a long time ago that she already felt guilty because Eli had been supplementing her disability payments so she could have the best care. “Let’s just say he gave me a deal I wasn’t in a position to refuse—one that involved stealing from an innocent woman.”
Gambling on the Artist Page 10
