Broken Shadows: Shadows Landing #5

by Kathleen Brooks

  “Can Karri come with us for the day?” Skye asked him and he felt horrible. He didn’t want to isolate her as Jim and Lenny had.

  “Of course. You never have to ask that. Your friends are my friends.” Trent bent and placed a kiss on the top of her head as Peter moved toward them.

  “I’ll drive you, Karri.”

  Karri nodded but watched worriedly as Trent placed his free hand on the small of Skye’s back and led her from the diner. He whisked her into the car and had her safely in Ryker’s guesthouse before she could blink.

  Trent, Skye, Peter, Karri, and Harper filled the living room as Skye broke out breakfast from the diner and passed it around.

  “It’s my dream. The darkness is coming,” Trent heard Karri whisper.

  “What dream?” Peter had heard her too. Karri’s face turned red and Trent wondered what kind of dream this really was.

  “Karri had a dream that Shadows Landing was our home and that darkness was coming,” Skye answered for her.

  “Dreams are very important. My grandmother says that in our dreams, our past, present, and future can join to share their wisdom.” Peter was staring at Karri, almost willing her to tell him the entire dream.

  “I saw myself starting a restaurant in the space to rent next to Harper’s bar. I saw all you inside of it and then I heard my wolf howl as darkness crept forward. I had to fight the darkness, but I wasn’t alone. Others were there to help,” Karri answered Peter’s unasked question of what she’d dreamt.

  Peter nodded and reached out to hold Karri’s hand. “You’re a wolf and your courage and loyalty are seen by this dream. I had a dream too. I saw the mist, but I also saw us fighting it together.” Peter looked around the room. “All of us.”

  Trent felt a shiver race through Skye’s body and looked down at her. “I’ll tell you later,” she whispered.

  Skye’s phone rang and everyone practically jumped out of their skin as the jarring sound echoed in the silent room. “It’s Olivia,” she said as she put it on speaker. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m pissed,” Olivia’s voice came through loud and clear, as did her anger. “Those little assholes with major crimes tried to arrest me for kidnapping.”

  Trent almost felt sorry for them. He knew Olivia would not respond well to that sort of thing.

  “This is Agent Castle. Agent Shaw of the L.A. office was supposed to call them,” Castle told her.

  “He did. But since he wouldn’t disclose Skye’s location, they said they couldn’t stop the investigation. They want the press and publicity and I told them what they could do with both.”

  “I take it they didn’t arrest you?” Trent wanted to hear what happened next.

  “Of course not. They don’t have a case. They’re totally confused as to where Skye is and why she’s missing. I refused to answer any question other than to say that my client was safe and had not been kidnapped. They wanted me to call you, but I refused that as well. If we have to, we’ll go public. They wanted a video call and I didn’t want them to hear or see anything that could give you away.”

  “Well,” Skye hedged, “it might be too late. One of the Star Power goons found me today, but I don’t look like myself and gave him a fake name. Granger came running at me so I told him he was my boyfriend.”

  Olivia let out a very unladylike snort of amusement. “I bet Granger loved that. Granger doesn’t do girlfriends. Just be careful. I’m here on business for another couple of days and have a feeling this won’t be the last I hear from them. If I need to prove you’re safe, Ryker has a soundproof room in his house that I’m sure he’ll let you use to verify that you’re alive and well. In the meantime, I’m fighting Jim Hexter and Tony Ketron over the alleged contract. Both camps have made threats, but I think they think I’ll swerve in this game of chicken. What they don’t know is, I don’t swerve. I decimate any obstacle in my way. I’ll keep you updated.”

  Olivia hung up and within minutes Morgan was calling.

  “Are you okay?” Skye immediately asked upon answering the phone.

  Morgan laughed with amusement and Skye looked at Trent with worry. “I haven’t had this much fun in years. The new attorney in town, Tandy Rawlings, was supposed to be here with me when I was questioned, but she got stuck in court. Henry Rooney came instead, and I know you don’t know him, but he wears shiny suits. That should tell you everything you need to know. And he speaks only in awful pick-up lines just for laughs. However, he’s brilliant. I just sat back and didn’t say a word.”

  “So, what happened?” Trent asked.

  Morgan laughed again. “The detective they sent was female and Henry started off by telling her he had a great idea on how they could use her handcuffs. When she ignored him and tried to threaten me with arrest, Henry turned to her and said the only law she was going to enforce was the law of attraction. Then he growled at her. It totally flustered her. Then she got stern and threatened me some more and Henry told her it was hot that she was playing bad cop and tonight he’d let her plant something on him while he showed her how to use his nightstick.”

  “That’s not right,” Karri muttered.

  “That’s Henry. I almost felt sorry for her,” Morgan told them. “But she threatened me so she’s lucky she only got some pick-up lines that are so bad they’re funny and not a direct response from me or my husband. She gave up and left with the threat that she’d be back. Henry shouted after her that he’d have her on her back too. You have Olivia. I have Henry. I bet Henry got rid of the detective a lot faster than Olivia did.”

  Trent tried so hard not to laugh. Skye smacked his arm. “I’m sorry. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it. I was envisioning what would happen if Olivia and Henry met.”

  There was a moment of silence and then everyone laughed. Not just a little snicker either, but full-out belly laughs.

  18

  It had been two days since the media had gone forward with their #FindSkye campaign. It was sad how fast a routine could be established. Skye sighed as she closed the door to the guesthouse after kissing Trent goodbye for the day.

  And thus day two began the same as day one. She and Trent woke up at five in the morning. They made love, showered, and then she kissed him goodbye. At eight, Tinsley and Karri would join her for breakfast. At noon, Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby would bring her lunch and sit with her for a while. Yesterday they brought Reverend Winston. Today it would be a surprise guest. Then Skye would work on knitting her scarf when Edie came over at three. Finally, Trent would be home at five. Kiss, eat, sex, repeat.

  Skye hated feeling like a prisoner, but the media hunt for her was reaching epic levels. It didn’t matter that she’d even had a videoconference with the L.A.P.D. from Ryker’s soundproof room, they still wanted to meet with her in person. She and Olivia, who had conferenced in from New York, had denied their request. They were so adamant Skye was tempted to hire Henry Rooney just for giggles.

  She took a seat on the back deck and waited for Karri and Tinsley to arrive. The ding of her phone told her she had a text. It was a strange situation to be in. She both dreaded being alone and yet every time her phone went off, she wanted to throw it in the river.

  Court date set for end of the week on your contract with Jim. You don’t need to be there. I’ll castrate him for you and send you the video.

  Gosh, she loved Olivia. Could it really be that easy? A court date on her contract and then she’d be free? Well, free of Jim, Lenny, and Tony. Not so free from whoever had been sending her threatening letters.

  Skye pulled up her email and got to work on changing her passwords and authorizations to all her accounts. Olivia had discovered that Jim and Lenny had tried to get into Skye’s personal bank accounts and promptly fired Lenny. He’d refused to leave, stating he wasn’t Skye’s employee, but Jim’s. That was the excuse Olivia needed to get the emergency bench trial to rule on her contract. She’d told Olivia they’d shot themselves in the foot with the move.

  “Hello
! Emma Kate?”

  Skye laughed as Karri and Tinsley announced their arrival.

  “Mary Jane packed us full this morning,” Karri told her with a smile as she set the gargantuan bag down on the outdoor table.

  “It must be good because you’re beaming like a kid in a candy shop.” Skye looked at her friend and noticed the light blush, the big grin, and the happy sparkle in her eyes.

  Tinsley gave a cute snort of laughter. “More like a woman in an FBI strip club where they let you touch the goods.”

  Skye whistled in surprise. “You and Peter?”

  Karri sat down in the chair and the smile only grew. “Nothing happened. Tinsley’s making too big of a deal out of it.”

  “It is a big deal!” Tinsley said with a faux pout as she handed out the food.

  “He stopped by last night after he checked in on you and we talked some. That’s all,” Karri said in such a way that Skye knew that definitely was not the whole story. She glanced at Tinsley who rolled her eyes.

  “Some? You talked until three in the morning and I found you two asleep on the couch this morning.”

  “You slept with him?” Skye knew Karri had been feeling lonely recently and to find someone she connected with made Skye so excited for her friend.

  “Yes, but only in the most literal sense. We didn’t even kiss.”

  “But you wanted to?” Skye pushed.

  “Of course I wanted to. Everything in my entire body feels connected to him. Ugh!” Karri flopped back against her chair and tossed her hands up in the air. “What am I going to do?”

  “Yo! Anyone here?”

  Skye cocked her head at the new voice. Who was that?

  “Back here, Harper!” Tinsley yelled.

  “Does everyone have a code to this house?” Skye asked.

  “Just family,” Tinsley assured her.

  Harper walked in looking none too happy about being up so early. Her hair might not have been brushed when she’d pulled it back into a sloppy bun, but it was the PJ bottoms that were a dead giveaway. Harper had rolled out of bed and come straight here. “Did something happen?” Skye asked worriedly.

  “Yeah, someone woke me up. Coffee. I need coffee.”

  “It’s in the kitchen,” Skye told her. Harper shuffled off and returned a minute later with a giant cup of black coffee.

  “Better. Dare got called into work. He’s going to be undercover for a week or so. He knew better than to wake me up when he left. Suze Bell, on the other hand, didn’t.”

  “What did Suze want?” Tinsley asked after filling Karri and Skye in that Suze had the large bed and breakfast next to Ryker and reminding them that Maggie and Gage were her kids.

  “She owns the empty space between my bar and Bless Your Scarf,” Harper dropped that bomb and then paused to chug some more coffee. “She wants to sell it. She got an offer from someone in Charleston but would rather it go to someone here. She asked me if I wanted to buy it.”

  Karri’s face paled and Skye remembered that in her friend’s dream, it was Karri who owned that space. “Are you going to buy it?” Karri asked in a studiously neutral tone.

  Harper took another healthy sip of coffee. “I can, but I thought you might want first dibs on it. I actually had an idea. I want to serve food at my place, but I’m not set up for anything but bar food. That meal you cooked me yesterday was out of this world. What do you think about a little demolition and building a connector between the two?”

  Karri sat up, no longer pale-faced but suddenly very animated. “A joint operation? I’d provide food to my own place and yours while you serve drinks to your place and mine?”

  Harper nodded. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. You do food, I do drinks, and everyone’s happy. I was even thinking you could give my place its own bar menu. Gourmet burgers and such and then you can serve the upscale stuff at your place. I can create special drinks for your restaurant to pair with your specials too.” Harper slid a piece of paper across the table. “Here’s Suze’s number. Let me know what you decide. If you don’t want to do it, I’ll buy it. I can also rent it to you if you want.”

  “Thanks, Harper. This means everything to me.”

  Harper grunted and got up. “I refuse to have morning meetings if we do this, though.”

  Karri smiled and Harper finished her coffee and stumbled from the house.

  “Are you going to do it?” Skye asked her best friend. Karri had wanted her own place since college and now it was in her reach.

  “I know it’s not L.A., but the only other place I ever considered living was Syracuse. We’ve talked about it, though. I just have this feeling. Shadows Landing is where I’m supposed to be. Then there was that dream. I think I’m going to learn more and then decide. Excuse me. I have a call to make.”

  Skye and Tinsley watched Karri walk inside and close the door behind her. “You know, I’ve heard that old Mrs. Cramble is thinking of selling her house.”

  “Um, okay. Good for her.” Skye had no idea where Tinsley was going with this.

  “It’s next door.” Tinsley pointed toward Shadows Landing. Ryker had an old historical estate. You didn’t see your neighbors what with the acres of land and the substantial hedgerows and trees planted all around for privacy.

  “The one with the beautiful scrollwork on the gate?” Skye asked, sitting up now that Tinsley had her attention.

  Tinsley nodded. “Want to go see it real quick?”

  “Can I really?”

  “Let me call her.” Skye waited impatiently as Tinsley made the call. When Tinsley smiled and said they’d come by the back in ten minutes, Skye knew it was a go. “While you get your shoes on, I’ll tell Ryker we’re going to scale his fence so he doesn’t call the police on us.”

  “How would he even know?”

  “His fences have motion sensors on them. Motion sets off the video camera and sends the footage to Ryker’s security company.”

  Okay, there was a lot more to Ryker Faulkner than Skye could fathom. “Let’s go,” she said, slipping on her shoes.

  The fence-hopping wasn’t graceful and she’d gotten a text from Ryker with the thumbs down emoji. However, just thinking of Ryker sending a text with an emoji had Skye and Tinsley cracking up.

  Skye took in the large backyard, the big detached garage, the swimming pool, and the outdoor living space. It rivaled a home in the Hamptons except it oozed Southern charm.

  A sweet older lady came out the back door and waited for them. Tinsley took the lead and made the introductions. When Skye shook Mrs. Cramble’s hand, she didn’t let go right away. “Thank you for being so kind to Mitzy. She’s my sister and her daughter-in-law, Karen, is a viper. You made her feel so good by just talking to her at knitting club.”

  “Your sister is very kind. Why aren’t you in knitting club?”

  “I’m in needlepoint club. I could never get the hang of knitting. Now, Tinsley said you wanted to see the house. Are you thinking of moving here?”

  “I am, but it’s a secret.”

  “Of course, dear. I’ve seen your hashtag all over social media. You poor girl. To be hunted like that?” Mrs. Cramble shook her head in disgust, but then perked up. “I hear you’re staying with Trent Faulkner. He’s such a nice young man. He’s made several pieces for me. Do you think he’d be moving here with you?”

  “I don’t know, Mrs. Cramble. I sure hope so,” Skye admitted and as soon as she said it she saw her life with him in it. She saw him in the garage working on his furniture and their kids fishing off the dock. The more Mrs. Cramble led her around the house, the more she knew it was meant to be. It had room for everything. It was big, historic, and yet homey.

  “This sits on twelve acres. There’re two docks. One straight down there that you can see from the house and another farther down. The second one has a boathouse and boat ramp on it. So, what do you think?” Mrs. Cramble asked after they ended the tour.

  “It’s beautiful. I’d like to talk to Trent. Even if I
wanted to buy it right this second, I have to wait until this mess is cleared up. Would that be a problem?”

  “Not at all. I wasn’t going to put it on the market until springtime. Just let me know. It’s been a pleasure to meet you. I know all the girls are looking forward to seeing you at knitting club this week.”

  “I’m looking forward to it too. Thank you for the tour. It’s a lovely house.”

  “So, what are you going to do?” Tinsley asked as they crawled back over the fence and into Ryker’s property.

  “It feels right.”

  Tinsley nodded as if she understood and maybe she did. That was the thing about Shadows Landing. As long as someone didn’t bless her heart in a bad way, it meant they understood her. There was no preening or fawning just because she was a celebrity because it was, well, home.

  19

  Olivia Townsend rode the elevator of her law firm’s building in New York City down to the lobby. She’d been working on her arguments for Skye’s court date in two days. Nothing was a sure thing, but breaking this contract was as close as you could get to a sure thing. It made her mad that people like Jim Hexter took advantage of young women like this. It was more than likely that he took advantage of all his young clients who were desperate to break into the movie industry.

  The doors to the elevator slid open and her high heels clicked as she walked across the marble floor. It was rush hour and she was surprised to see a free town car. She lifted her hand and the driver who was taking a smoke break looked up and nodded. He ground out his cigarette and opened the back door. “Where to?”

  Olivia rattled off the address of the firm’s apartment where she was staying and leaned back to relax. She put in her headphones and turned on her audiobook. Time to unwind and then it was back to work once she got to the apartment.

  They made slow progress but then the driver turned off the congested avenue and went through a side street. “Where are you going?” Olivia pulled the earbuds from her ears and looked around.