One Final Breath

by Lynn H. Blackburn

  Sabrina’s willingness to throw out a suggestion like this, with so little to go on, meant she was truly worried about Anissa’s safety.

  His hand twitched on the back of the sofa. He had to squeeze the cushion to keep himself from squeezing Anissa. That would go over about as well as Sabrina’s pronouncement.

  A grim mood settled over the room. It didn’t fit this space where laughter and warmth and joy were the standard. No one spoke for several seconds. Then everyone was talking at once.

  Adam and Ryan launched into a conversation that had Adam pulling out his phone and going outside on the massive wraparound porch. Leigh joined Sabrina as she closed her computer.

  Anissa didn’t move. She swallowed. She took breaths. But other than that, she sat ramrod straight beside Gabe.

  He shifted his weight and leaned toward her just enough that he could keep his voice low but she would be able to hear him. “I’d offer you a couple grand for your thoughts if I had that much.”

  “Why now?”

  Why now? Why would he pay big money to know what she was thinking when someone might be coming after her for something that happened thirteen years ago? Or why did he care now when he hadn’t cared before? How could he answer that? “Oh, I don’t know, Anissa. I guess I’ve realized I can’t live without you and I want to try to make you happy and it would really put a crimp in my plans if someone decided to kill you before I figure out how to broach the subject . . .” Yeah, that wouldn’t be great.

  “Why come after me now?” Her slight clarification changed his entire thought process.

  It’s not all about you, Chavez. He focused on her question. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out.”

  She turned to face him then. “We?”

  There were a million questions in that one word and he was tired of not answering them. “You and me. Together.”

  Her skin took on a rosy hue, but she didn’t break eye contact. “Together.”

  16

  Sabrina and Adam left thirty minutes later.

  Leigh was fussing at Gabe about not wearing the sling on his arm and Ryan took the opportunity to corner Anissa in the kitchen. Literally. She turned around from putting a cup in the cabinet and he had her blocked. “I think you should stay here tonight.”

  “I can’t.” She’d already thought it through. If someone was targeting her, she needed to get as far away from her friends as possible.

  “Well, you can’t go home. That would be like saying, ‘Hey, here I am. Come blow me up,’ and I know you’re smarter than that.”

  “I won’t go home. Or be predictable. I’ll Uber downtown. Then walk. Then Uber. I’ll get a hotel somewhere and I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

  Ryan stood in front of her. Arms crossed.

  “I know you’re not trying to bully me, Ryan Parker. We both know I can get around you if I want to.” Theoretically.

  He grinned but didn’t move. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  “You cannot tell me what to do.”

  “I’m not telling you what to do. I’m stating a fact. You aren’t going anywhere because if you do, Gabe will go with you. And you won’t want Gabe to do that, so you’ll stay here even though you’re afraid we’ll all die a horrific death because of it.”

  “He doesn’t have to know I’m leaving.”

  Ryan had the nerve to laugh. “He’ll follow you. Or try to. Go ahead. I’ll give you all of the five seconds you’re going to need to know that I’m right.”

  With a certainty that made her limbs feel like deadweight, she saw the truth in Ryan’s words. “I don’t want to put anyone at risk. I can’t survive adding any more friends to my own personal body count.”

  “You aren’t adding anyone to your body count, Anissa.”

  “What are we going to do? Stay up all night while Gabe and Leigh sleep? Take turns patrolling the place?”

  “No. We are all going to sleep. First, this place has an awesome security system. Second, Adam’s been on the phone. He called the captain. Some uniformed patrol officers will be adding the house to their route tonight.”

  “Great. I’m sure the captain was thrilled.”

  “He didn’t mind. Adam’s second call—”

  “There’s more?”

  Ryan nodded. “Oh, there’s more. Adam called his grandfather.”

  “He. Did. What?” Anissa didn’t think she could breathe. “Why?”

  “Grandfather Campbell adores you.”

  It was true, although she had no idea why. “I’ll concede the point, but what does it have to do with our current situation?”

  “The Campbells have a private security division that works all their properties. It’s not a huge division, but over the past couple of years they’ve been hiring some of our officers who need extra hours. It’s a win for everyone. They get highly qualified security and they get to help the men and women in blue with a second job that pays well and usually only involves making sure no punk kids are tossing pool furniture into the lake.”

  “Okay. Still not seeing what this has to do with me.”

  “Adam thought it would be best to get permission before he called in a favor. After he finished talking to his grandfather, his third call was to the private security division. They’re sending us some extra help for the evening. We’ll figure out the rest later, but I suspect you’re about to have a personal bodyguard anytime you aren’t in the sheriff’s office.”

  Anissa opened her mouth to protest, but before she could get a word out Ryan continued. “Don’t be mad. And please don’t kick me off the dive team for saying this, but don’t get all huffy with Adam about the security. He cares about you. He cares about all of us. This is a small way he can help, and he would be hurt if you didn’t accept it. This would be a good time for you to just thank the Lord for the friends he’s given you and thank your friends for looking out for you.”

  Sometimes Ryan nailed the role of older brother that he had taken on for himself.

  This was one of those times.

  “Fine.” She knew when to give in, and this was one of those times. But she was not happy about it.

  “Everything okay?” Gabe’s voice came from behind Ryan. Anissa couldn’t see Gabe, but she could hear the concern in his question. “Parker? Is there a reason you have Anissa pinned in a corner?”

  “Just having a little heart-to-heart,” Ryan said.

  “Okay.” Gabe’s tone said that it was anything but okay.

  “I’ll let you handle it from here.” Ryan turned and walked out of the kitchen. He tapped Gabe, with far more gentleness than usual, on his right shoulder. “I need to see if Leigh needs any help getting the rooms ready for y’all. Gabe, you’re downstairs. Anissa, upstairs.”

  Gabe didn’t move from his spot at the edge of the kitchen. When Ryan was out of sight, he spoke in a low voice. “What’s going on? Was he being a jerk to you? Because he has no business—”

  “No.” Anissa had to stop that line of thinking. Ryan was Gabe’s best friend. She couldn’t have him thinking Ryan was being a jerk.

  Although this might be the first time in, well, ever, that Gabe had assumed Ryan was in the wrong instead of her.

  Interesting.

  “We were discussing my safety and the safety of those around me.”

  “You were not thinking about leaving here alone.” He stalked toward her.

  “I was considering it.”

  Gabe started to speak. Twice. She wasn’t sure if he didn’t know what he wanted to say, or if he was trying to stop himself from saying what he wanted to say. He finally sputtered, “You can’t.”

  “I know.”

  “Promise me.”

  “Promise what?”

  Gabe took another step toward her. Only a few inches separated them. “Promise you will not take any unnecessary risks. That you will stay safe.”

  “I will. I don’t think you have to worry. Apparently Adam’s lining up private security. Which is—”
<
br />   “Brilliant.”

  “No, it isn’t. It’s ridiculous.”

  Gabe’s right hand stretched toward her. Was he reaching for her hair? Her face? She held her breath. If he did—?

  “Bedrooms are ready.” Leigh’s voice crashed into their moment of . . . whatever this was.

  Gabe blew out a breath and took a step back. “Ridiculous would be if I locked you in a safe room until this was all over. Which, for the record, is still my first choice.”

  Leigh breezed into the kitchen and went straight to the fridge. “Am I interrupting something? I certainly hope I am. Don’t mind me. I’m grabbing some water bottles to put in your rooms and then I’ll be gone.”

  “Not funny, Leigh.”

  If it wasn’t funny, why was Gabe grinning?

  “It’s hysterical and you know it.” Leigh winked at Anissa, blew them a kiss, and skipped out of the room, hitting the light switch as she went, which left them in the dim glow of the over-cabinet lighting.

  “What was that about?”

  Gabe traced a pattern on the counter. “I interrupted her and Ryan once before they were officially a couple. May have used a similar line. That was payback.”

  “Oh.” She’d have to remember to ask Leigh about it.

  Gabe’s phone rang. A range of emotions flashed across his face. The predominant one was aggravation and it was clear in his tone as he answered. “Chavez.”

  She wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but as she was still somewhat stuck in a corner of the kitchen and Gabe didn’t seem inclined to move, she couldn’t help but see the way his brow wrinkled in surprise. Then concern.

  “Are you sure?” Gabe closed his eyes. “I’ll be right there.”

  He put the phone on the counter. “The cabin on the Masters property is on fire.”

  Thirty minutes later, Gabe stood on the edge of the Masters property. The cabin, such as it was, steamed under the spray of the fire hoses.

  There had been several ways this evening could have ended. Some of them might have been wonderful.

  Spending the evening watching a cabin burn down hadn’t been anywhere on Gabe’s list of possibilities.

  “We didn’t have a chance of putting it out,” the fire chief said. “This thing was burning hot and fast. The fire marshal will have to confirm it, but I’d bet my next paycheck that you have an arson on your hands.”

  “Was anyone inside?”

  “Don’t know yet. By the time we got here, there was nothing we could do but focus on putting out the fire and keeping it from spreading to the rest of the property. Sorry you came out, but I don’t think there’s anything you’ll be able to do or see until the morning.”

  “It was no problem,” Gabe said. “I wasn’t too far away.”

  He would have been here sooner if he hadn’t had to argue with Anissa about her staying at Ryan and Leigh’s. She’d wanted to come. He’d pointed out that whoever was trying to get to her could have set the fire. She argued that he shouldn’t drive. He noted that he hadn’t had anything stronger than ibuprofen in almost twenty-four hours and his right arm worked just fine.

  She was furious when he left. Boiling mad. And she hadn’t been completely wrong. He was hurting. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that standing out here, silhouetted by the flames, she would have been an awfully easy target.

  He spotted a familiar figure across the yard and walked over to join him. “Mr. Cook. How are you, sir?”

  “Better than most, I expect.” Mr. Cook nodded at the cabin.

  Gabe couldn’t argue with that.

  “How’s our girl?” There was the hint of a challenge in Mr. Cook’s question. A reminder. Messing with Anissa would not go over well with Mr. Cook. Best to be honest.

  “She’s mad at me.”

  “What did you do?”

  “Wow. Not even a chance that I’m innocent, huh?”

  Mr. Cook laughed. “This is no court of law. That child has my heart. As far as I’m concerned, you’re guilty until proven innocent.”

  “That’s what I thought.” Gabe stared into the smoking remains of the cabin. “She wanted to come, but I, well, we—Ryan and I, and even Anissa for that matter—have some concerns that make her coming out here a bit of a dangerous proposition.”

  “Someone’s after her.” Mr. Cook didn’t ask it. He stated it.

  How could he know? Gabe didn’t have the mental energy to try to understand where Mr. Cook’s insights came from. “I think so.”

  “So why’s she mad at you? She’s not one to get sideways about the truth.”

  Keen observation. Why was she mad? “I’m not sure. If she disagreed with me, she would be here by now. It’s not like I can keep her from doing something she wants to do.”

  “It’s good you’ve already figured that out.” Mr. Cook gave Gabe an approving nod. “Save you a lot of trouble down the road.”

  Gabe didn’t see any point in trying to set Mr. Cook straight about the nature of his relationship with Anissa. Especially since the older gentleman had a better handle on it than he did. Agreement was the only option. “Yes, sir.”

  Mr. Cook looked him up and down. “Didn’t they let you out of the hospital today? Are you supposed to be driving?”

  “I’m fine. Really. It was a very short drive. My right arm is fine.” He waved it to prove his point. “No problems.”

  “Huh.”

  The fire chief came over to speak to Mr. Cook. They chatted for ten minutes and covered the weather, the lake levels, the tourism season, the cryptosporidium outbreak at the camp, and what might have caused the fire. Gabe didn’t try to interject. He’d learned a long time ago that sometimes the best way to gather information was to shut his mouth and open his ears.

  A sweat-soaked, soot-covered firefighter approached, pausing several respectful feet away.

  “What is it, Jensen?” the fire chief asked.

  “We’re ready to shut things down, sir.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there in two minutes.” The chief turned to Mr. Cook. “You’d better head on home.” He nodded in Gabe’s direction. “The both of you. There’s nothing you can do here tonight. It’s too hot to touch until morning. The marshal will be out first thing.” He nodded at Gabe. “I’ll call you as soon as I have anything to say other than what you already know.”

  “Thank you.”

  Mr. Cook shook the chief’s hand, then turned to Gabe as soon as the chief walked away. “Is she staying with Ryan and Leigh tonight?” No preamble. No warning. No “hey, I’m about to get all up in your business again.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You staying there too?”

  “Yes, sir. Leigh doesn’t think I should be alone, which is ridiculous. And none of us think Anissa should be alone.”

  “Want some advice?”

  Somehow Gabe thought Mr. Cook really meant that as a question. Like he could turn it down if he wanted to, but if he asked for it, he’d better be prepared to heed it. “Yes, sir.”

  “Apologize.”

  “For what? No offense, sir, but I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m willing to grovel if need be, but it would help if I knew what to grovel for.”

  Mr. Cook chuckled. “You apologize for upsetting her.”

  “But I don’t know why she’s upset.”

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  Mr. Cook’s words rang in Gabe’s ears as he pulled into Ryan and Leigh’s driveway twenty minutes later. He spoke to the officer patrolling the property, then let himself into the house and stopped in the kitchen for a cupcake. He took some pain relievers, guzzled a bottle of water, and made his way to the stairs.

  Anissa was sitting on the sofa reading a book.

  “Hey.” How unoriginal could he get?

  She didn’t speak. Just looked at him for a few seconds and then went back to her book.

  He’d messed up with her tonight. Hurt her feelings. Made her angry. He was a long way from perfect, but he wasn’t the kind of guy who refused to admit
when he messed up.

  He walked over to where she sat, pulled the book from her hands, and tugged her to her feet. Confusion and frustration danced across her face, but she stood and didn’t back away when he pressed his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry.”

  “You didn’t have to go tonight.” Was she trembling?

  “But I did. I needed to see it. I learned a lot. Now I can sleep. I know you understand that.” She had to. She did the same thing all the time.

  “He could have come after you. You’re not anywhere near one hundred percent. He could have done anything. Taken a shot at you. Run you off the road. Kidnapped you and tortured—” Her words cut off in a strangled gasp.

  “Whoa.” He squeezed the hand he still held.

  “Sorry.” She stepped back. “I’m glad you’re okay. Good night.”

  “Come back here.” He pulled her toward him with his right arm.

  She took one step in his direction but then put her other hand gently on his chest and stopped him from pulling her any closer. “I can’t. I’m sorry, Gabe. I just can’t.”

  He released her hand but couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Why not?”

  Idiot. He should have let her go. Let it all end. But he couldn’t. He didn’t want to let it end. He wanted to see what would happen if they let it begin.

  Her face was turned to the floor so all he could see was the top of her head as she shook it back and forth. She didn’t move away from him. Her hand still rested flat on his chest.

  The wait was torture.

  “I . . . I don’t know.” A faster shake of her head accompanied her whispered confession.

  The memory of a conversation he’d had with Adam last winter flickered through his mind. One where he’d given Adam grief for expecting Sabrina to be able to read his mind.

  In this moment, he had a choice. He could keep pretending this was all a game and it didn’t matter to him. Or he could man up. Tell her how he felt. And deal with the fallout, for better or worse.

  He pulled in a deep breath. Pain sliced through his chest. Was he ready for her to do the same to his heart?

  “Anissa?” He didn’t like talking to the top of her head, but that was all she was willing to give him at the moment, so he’d have to work with it. “There’s something I need to tell you. I’m not sure if now’s the best time. Or if there will ever be a good time. And maybe I should keep my mouth shut, but I can’t. Not anymore. Because I can’t stop thinking about you. Ever. I want to be with you all the time, and even when we aren’t in the same physical space, I want to know that you’re with me.”