He had set the stage brilliantly. She was primed. She would do anything he wanted now. He knew she would. It was time for action. He would make his move tonight. It would have to be tonight, before he lost his nerve. A little rum on the brain wouldn’t dull his instincts or dampen his pleasure. She was a pretty little thing. Too bad she’d end up bloated and beaten, washed up on some beach. No, he couldn’t afford to feel sorry for her. It must be the liquor that was going to his brain. No one had ever felt sorry for him. And when she was dead, he’d finally be at peace. With her demise, he could bury all the demons of his past.
Chapter 28
Nathaniel’s brain was raging. He had to stomp down his anger before he saw Patience or she would suspect something was wrong. He remembered bringing her home from the restaurant with a mind to finally take her to bed. He’d had the overwhelming urge to be close to her, closer than the space across a restaurant table permitted.
It was all he could think about, but he’d made the mistake of stopping at the Fair Winds, telling her he’d be right up to the house. And that’s when he had discovered the note.
The note that was now crumpled in his pocket. Someone had left it for him on the boat where he was sure to find it. It stated in no uncertain terms that Patience would pay if Nathaniel didn’t meet him at Casey’s, in town, tonight. He thought he had walked by Casey’s earlier that afternoon. The bar was narrow and crowded. It was a good place to be if you wanted to blend into the background.
He knew he should call in the police. He didn’t have the experience to handle something like this. The stalker was certainly dangerous, and he was getting closer. But this was nobody else’s business. And the man had specifically threatened Patience with imminent death if he contacted the authorities. He didn’t doubt the stalker would follow through on his threats. Who the hell was this man who was tracking them? He certainly wasn’t discreet. He was sloppy, and he left signs everywhere. Maybe intentionally. Perhaps it was Nighthawk coming to collect his due? If it was Nighthawk, he’d have to be an old man by now, wouldn’t he? He could take an old man. But evil transcended age.
Whoever he was, he had been in Marigold House, and on the Fair Winds several times. He was lurking, lying in wait for them, playing with them, biding his time. And now, apparently, their time was up. No doubt he was a contemporary of Patience’s grandfather, one of a nest of agents Wilhelm von Hesselweiss had planted on the island. But Nathaniel was flying blind. He didn’t know how many of them there were, or what had become of them since the war. Surely some of them had remained on the island. It had to be someone who knew about the gold. That could be any number of people. Island Eagle and Nighthawk could not have kept the gold a secret known only to themselves. The island was too small, too insular. They would have needed assistance to bring it ashore and to bury it.
If the stalker had gotten wind of the existence of a buried treasure, Nathaniel could find out what he was after and shut him down before word got out. And as long as he was talking to the man, he couldn’t hurt Patience, Nathaniel reasoned. He wanted to get his hands on the bottom-feeder who thought he could breach his boat and threaten his girl.
So what if he was possessive of Patience? He had a lot invested in her. He may as well face it. He loved her. How had that happened? He had come for the gold, and now she was all he could think about. He would give anything, pay anything, relinquish every last ounce of the gold, just to keep her safe. He had never been as sure of anything in his life. If that was love, then yes, he supposed, he was in love. She would just have to deal with it.
He walked up the stone stairs slowly, trying to work out the best way to approach her. He used the key she had given him to get back inside the house.
“Patience,” he called, trying to sound nonchalant as he walked in the side door.
“In here,” she answered cheerfully, acknowledging his presence. When he entered the kitchen, she was busy at the counter, apron on, happily peeling and preparing. She’d been watching Nathaniel cook enough times that she thought she could accomplish a meal by herself. She hoped it wasn’t too much to expect. With a large carving knife, she was trying to chop onions. Ingredients were scattered all over the granite surface of the island. A cookbook was propped up on the counter. Cabinets were flung open, the faucet was running and so were her eyes.
“Patience, what’s the matter? Have you been crying?”
“Crying? Oh no, silly. It’s the onions. I’ve been peeling onions.”
“Hey, I thought maybe we should go into town for a drink or dinner or something, to finish off the day. It would do us good.”
“Oh, but we just came from town, and I thought you said… I mean…” Patience was confused. She dropped the onion and the knife to crunch up her skirt in her fists. Her heart was beating fast, her brain going fuzzy. She must have misinterpreted his advances at The Lobster Pot. She was nervous and excited at the same time. She’d thought he wanted her, and she was finally ready to give herself to him, and then he had disappeared to his boat. She’d considered waiting in the bedroom, but when he’d been gone so long she had dreamed up the idea of making dinner to keep herself occupied.
She must have misread his intentions. Why would someone so dashing and daring and handsome be interested in her when he could have anybody else in the world and probably did have someone else? A girl in every port. Wasn’t that the expression? She turned away from the counter.
“Can’t you see I’m making you dinner?” she chattered, spilling the words quickly to quell her nerves. “All on my own. I’m so excited. It’s going to be fancy, Nathaniel. I found this great recipe, and I know I can do it. We simply can’t go out to dinner tonight.”
****
He smiled. “Hey, that’s great.” That was damn near perfect. He had counted on her not wanting to go with him. He didn’t want her to go. Not for this meeting.
“Well, let me just whip into town for a while, then. I’ll pick us up a nice bottle of wine to go with dinner. I’ll be back before you even miss me.” His heart was beating out of his chest. He was doing his best to calm her down, but he couldn’t seem to gain control over his own ricocheting emotions.
“Not now, Nathaniel,” Patience protested. “Please. What if the stalker comes back?” She didn’t want to admit she was afraid. “Besides, I have a wonderful selection of wines here.” She didn’t want to let him go.
“Patience, I need to go into town for a while,” he said coolly.
“Well, okay,” she relented. “But will you be back before dark? I don’t think you’ve quite got the hang of the roads yet. I don’t want them scraping my dinner companion off the street.”
“What an appetizing thought. Umm, I hate to leave you alone, though. So, how about if I call Cecilia and invite her over to keep you company?”
“I can handle dinner without Cecilia. I have everything under control. Don’t worry. Besides, I want this dinner to be just for the two of us.” She blushed, and her eyelashes fluttered.
“Oh,” he choked, his heart racing. He reached out and closed his hand over hers. Her eyes were still watery. He had to remind himself that it was only the onions. He didn’t want to leave her, not now, not ever. He wanted to scoop her up for a never-ending kiss, drag her into the bedroom and toss her on the bed, but he couldn’t afford to be late to Casey’s. Too much was riding on it. On impulse, he leaned in and placed a quick, soft kiss on her lips. Patience kissed him back with a sweetness and a fire that took his breath away.
“That was nice,” he said softly. “Hold that thought. I’ll hurry back. But I want you to promise me you’ll lock up while I’m gone.”
“Nathaniel, I’ll be fine. You won’t be gone long. I’m not afraid anymore. Really.”
“Sure, I know,” he said, pretending a calm he didn’t feel. He was only going to be gone as long as it took to wipe the floor with the bastard who was threatening Patience, and then he’d be back in time for the first course. He’d pay the man off, give him what
ever he wanted, and hopefully frighten him away. He had money. If he needed to get his hands on some fast cash, he could always sell his boat.
“You have your key, don’t you, in case I can’t hear you from the kitchen?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said, checking his pocket to make sure as he looked back at her one more time. That she had given him an extra key really did prove she trusted him. She was smiling now, trying to put on a brave face, for him. He could be brave for her, too. He was a pirate, after all. Fearless. That’s how she saw him. And that’s what he’d be, have to be, for her.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
He couldn’t leave her hurt and mad, so he added, “Now, don’t burn the dinner, dear.”
Patience laughed in spite of herself. “I’ll try not to.”
****
Patience didn’t even know if she could make dinner, but she was determined to finish what she started.
She locked the door behind Nathaniel, put on a CD, and listened to some Forties music. She liked the sounds of the Big Band era. It made her feel closer to her grandparents and helped to lift her mood and temper her disappointment about Nathaniel leaving so abruptly.
She would finish dinner preparations, set the table, and put on something fresh and sexy for Nathaniel. She had seen Cecilia operate. She could do that. Her heart was in freefall, and tonight she was determined to make Nathaniel fall in love with her, too.
The main dish was in the oven. The timer was set. An accompanying dish was simmering on the stove. Patience went to her bedroom and turned on the shower, leaving the door open so she could hear the music while she showered. She sang along as she lathered up, washing her hair. Smiling, she daydreamed about what it would be like tonight. A candlelight dinner out on the veranda. Music pouring out into the moonlight. Stars everywhere. And then, after dinner, romance. She was finally ready, and tonight she would tell Nathaniel how she felt. She closed her eyes, let the warm soapy water wash over her while her imagination ran wild. She knew just how it was going to be between them. He would take her into his arms and press her close, and she would open her lips and—
Suddenly her naked body stiffened as a large, hairy hand reached in, snaked her from behind, and yanked her from the shower. She tried to scream, but another hand was covering her mouth. Her heart beat so fast she thought it would burst out of her chest. She shook from the shock, and the cold made her teeth chatter.
“Patience, don’t make a sound, not if you want to live.” The man spoke in broken English with a heavy, guttural German accent Patience found intimidating and frighteningly familiar. She gasped when she saw the flash of a sharp blade.
Fear shot through her, and she tried to struggle out of his hold, but the intruder was too strong.
“One wrong move and I’ll gut you.”
“W-what do you want?” She barely choked out the words. She didn’t think he could understand her since the words were muffled against his hand.
Releasing her suddenly, he dangled her sheer, white robe in front of her so she could catch it, and when she did, he clamped his arms around her body again.
“Now, get dressed. Slowly. And don’t turn around. He flicked the knife against her throat and drew a drop of blood.
She cried out.
“First blood.” He laughed. “You’re shaking. You’re afraid. That’s very good. You should be.”
“Nathaniel,” she whimpered, wanting to crawl into herself. She didn’t know if she had said it aloud or thought it.
“Your sea captain is otherwise occupied. He won’t be coming to your rescue. Not in time, anyway.”
“What have you done to him?” she asked. She couldn’t see the man’s face. She did recognize his voice. It was the man who had threatened her on the phone. He sounded like an older man, but he had the thick, strong arms of someone much younger.
“Just threw him off course.”
“But I locked the doors,” she whispered.
“Yes, of course you did. Did you think that would stop me? I’m very resourceful. Did you like my little diversion, Patience?”
“Diversion?” Patience was puzzled.
“The fire,” the man hissed.
“You set the fire on Nathaniel’s boat?”
“Yes. It gave me a chance to get into the house, steal your keys, and make a set for myself. Did you and your sea captain have fun on Front Street today?”
How could he know?
“I’ve been here in your bedroom all afternoon, waiting for you. For us to have this time alone together. I think I’ve been very patient. You really should get the lock on your bedroom door fixed.”
Tears began to slide down her cheeks. All she could think was that her dinner was going to burn and she’d never see Nathaniel again, never touch him, never kiss him, never get the chance to tell him or show him how much she loved him.
The intruder stroked her neck methodically and his fingertips skimmed the front of her robe. Disgusted, Patience tried to pull away. She couldn’t stand his hands on her.
“You can struggle all you want. You can’t get away from me.” She was shivering uncontrollably now.
“Don’t worry, I’m not interested in your body, not in the way you think, just your dead body. Yes, I’m going to kill you, Patience. Do you want me to tell you just how? First, let me tell you about how I killed your grandfather.”
Still wet and slippery from the bath, and practically naked, she sprang on the balls of her feet, pivoting, to try to get a look at her attacker. But he grabbed her face and twisted it away.
“My grandfather?” she seethed. “You killed my grandfather? Why would you do that? How do you even know my grandfather?”
The man loosened his hold on her and whispered softly in her ear, “Because he was my father.”
Patience sagged against him. She couldn’t have heard correctly. She didn’t understand.
“But how can that be? My grandfather had no other children.”
He forced her face forward for one more moment, and then threw her roughly on the bed.
When Patience finally turned to face him, her mouth flew open in confusion and her eyes widened in shock.
“Grandfather?” she whispered, going pale. The intruder was younger than her grandfather, but as she stared at the man in the dimming light, he had the definite look of William Whitestone. “Is that you?”
“You think I’m your grandfather?” The man laughed wildly. “Or maybe your grandfather’s ghost? I think you’re going insane, Patience. Your grandfather is dead. There is a strong family resemblance, though, don’t you think?”
“Who are you?” she demanded, her teeth still chattering from fear and the chill in the room. She pulled her filmy robe tighter around her.
“I suppose you deserve to know the whole story, since I’m going to kill you anyway. I think you’ll be surprised. Would you like to hear it?”
She was too frightened to speak, but she nodded and huddled under the covers, scooting as far away from the apparition as possible.
Chapter 29
Nathaniel wrapped a shaky hand tightly around his beer, took a pull from the bottle, and then got up from his seat near the door to pace the length of the smoky bar again. The man was a half hour late for their meeting. It was getting dark. He had promised Patience he’d try to be home. She would be worried.
The jukebox was playing. The few tables that filled the narrow room were brimming with customers, but there was no sign of whoever had written the note. No one seemed to be looking for him. No one appeared to be nervous. He had looked every one of the patrons in the eye and received no acknowledgement, no response, no recognition.
He could have kicked himself. He had no idea what the man looked like. Why hadn’t he given a description? Was he young or old? Heavyset or thin? Bearded or clean-shaven? Dark-skinned or light? Local or foreign? Had he ever been in the bar at all? If so, why hadn’t he come forward? The man obviously knew what he looked like. He wasn’t going to
show. He was playing games.
Nathaniel got the sinking feeling that he had been tricked. Lured away from Marigold House and away from Patience. The man could be with her right now. She could be in danger. Nathaniel slapped some dollars on the bar to cover his tab and ran outside. A brief look around confirmed that no one was waiting for him here. His scooter was right where he had left it, untouched. He unlocked it, dragged on his helmet, and raced out of Hamilton like his life depended on it. Because he had a horrible feeling in his gut that Patience’s life might depend on it.
Chapter 30
Patience held her hand to her galloping heart. The man looked so much like her grandfather it was uncanny. She wanted to cringe and flee from him in terror, and at the same time she stifled the urge to fling herself into his arms and cry out, “Grandfather!” But this man exhibited no tenderness like her grandfather. And the look he gave her jolted her system like a shock. It was a look of bitterness and pure evil, emotions she had no experience with. Yes, his thick German accent was the same as that of the man on the telephone. She was sure of that. But she couldn’t put it together. It made no sense. He said he was going to kill her. What reason did he have to want to harm her? Why did he hate her so much? And what did he mean by saying William Whitestone was his father?
“If you want money, I have it,” she offered, her body shaking. “You can take whatever you want that I have in the house. I can get more. Why have you come?”
“To tell you the story, Patience. I’ve waited a long time to tell you the story. Money is only part of it.”
Patience bit her bottom lip until it bled, then took a deep breath. She scrunched the robe in her hand, bunching it up, letting it go, bunching it up again. She huddled further under the blankets.
Under the Moon Gate Page 23
