‘Hey, weirdo.’ She automatically poured a large Americano for him, sliding across the counter. He grinned his thanks and took a huge slug.
‘How’s the boyfriend? Gotta say, I liked him.’
Sarah beamed at him. ‘I’m glad.’
‘A definite upgrade.’
Sarah peered over the top of her glasses at him and tried to look disapproving. ‘Finn…’
Finn shrugged unrepentantly. ‘Truth, sorry. He‘s treating you well, yes?’
She nodded, feeling uncomfortable. Since Dan’s disappearance, Finn had often alluded to the fact he’d never really liked her husband, had never thought him worthy of her. Something came back to her; Isaac asking why and Finn had never hooked up. She pushed the thought away. That wasn’t why Finn had disliked Dan…was it?
She found she couldn’t look him in the eye then. ‘Yes, he is. Actually, we’re going to his place in the city for a few nights.’
‘Nice.’
‘Yep.’
‘Hey, you know how much this guy’s worth?’
She frowned at him. ‘None of my business – or yours either, Finn Jewell.’
He grinned. ‘Hey, the info’s right there on the internet. Besides, as a cop and your friend, I had to check him out. Don’t worry…’ He added hurriedly as she opened her mouth to complain, ‘Squeaky clean. Guy’s worth seven-hundred billion, though.’
‘Finn! I don’t want to know that.’ Sarah clamped her hands over her ears. She really didn’t need to know that; it was bad enough that she couldn’t hope to be on equal financial terms with Isaac, let alone knowing exactly what the difference was.
Finn chuckled. ‘Relax, I’m kidding. More like half of that.’
Sarah reached over and picked up a muffin, lobbing it at her friend. ‘Shut. Up.’
Finn caught the cake and took a big bite of it. ‘Thanks. Seriously, though, bubba, I am happy for you.’
She hugged him. ‘If only you could be as happy.’
Finn rolled his eyes. ‘That is entirely of my making, Bubs. And mine to sort out.’
Sarah chewed on her lip, wondering whether to tell him about the letters. Caroline was the only one who hated her enough to send them, the only person she knew was spiteful enough. She and Caroline had loathed each other since childhood; Caroline had been a bully even then and when the headstrong Sarah had failed to bow down to her playground majesty, Caroline had made her a target.
But she didn’t want to give Finn more stress. She smiled at him. ‘One day, I know you’ll be happy. I just know it.’
Finn finished his coffee and gave her a high-five. ‘From your lips to God’s ears, sweetheart. Better go, poorly performed policing to be done.’
Sarah watched Finn cross the street to the police station. Caroline was walking towards him, still haranguing him but he ignored her. Caroline stopped in the middle of the street and looked over to the coffee house. She scowled as she caught Sarah’s eye. ‘Bitch,’ she mouthed. Sarah, wearing a wide grin, cheerfully gave her the middle finger, laughing as Caroline flounced back to her house.
***
Isaac looked up as his brother and business partner Saul knocked at his office door. Saul, at forty-two, was Isaac’s elder by three years but stood half a foot smaller than Isaac’s six-five. Since their parents had died, Isaac and Saul had built the business up into a global endeavor thanks to Isaac’s genius and Saul’s solid and shark-like business nous.
Along the way, Saul had managed to find himself a wife and now he was the father of two children. His wife, Maika, was a Professor of Chemistry at the university and Saul had been taking a back seat in the Quinn business for the last few years.
He’d been delighted when Isaac told him about Sarah. ‘Damn, at last! I was beginning to think we’d have to refurbish our basement for you in your old age.’
Isaac grinned. ‘Very funny. Listen, she’s coming to stay with me in the city for a week, think you and Maika could be free for dinner?’
‘Sure thing. Let me know when.’
After his brother had gone, Isaac attempted to answer a few overdue emails but in truth, his mind was across the water, on the island, wrapped around the image of the beautiful brunette whose bed he’d left this morning. He could call her…then changed his mind. You’re supposed to play it cool, man. But he couldn’t be bothered with childish games. At thirty-nine, he’d thought himself a bachelor for life and he’d been okay with that. The day he’d walked into that coffeehouse had changed all of that.
Isaac got up and walked to the window that looked out over the city and Elliott Bay. He couldn’t get the story Sarah had told him about her absent ex-husband out of his head. Why the hell would anyone want to get away from her? He agreed with Sarah – even though he hadn’t known Dan, there was something hinky about the way Dan Bailey had gone missing. Why take the dog with him unless he wanted someone to find him and his carefully laid out possessions? It was all too staged.
Be honest, he told himself, you want to be sure he won’t come back for her. He admired Sarah for divorcing Dan, for not being a victim. There was more she hadn’t told him yet, he was sure but that was up to her, he wouldn’t push it. Wouldn’t hurt to check out Daniel Bailey, though, would it?
Isaac reached for his phone and made a call. ‘Jake? Yeah, it’s Isaac. Listen…can you do a background check on someone for me?’
***
Molly took over for Sarah in the afternoon and Sarah went home, eager to do her laundry and get packing for her week in the city. She could barely wait to see Isaac; he was coming to pick her up over her protestations that she could drive herself.
‘I’m trying to show off,’ he’d told her with a grin, ‘I have my own chopper.’
Sarah had giggled at him. ‘A big one?’
‘A huge one just for you.’
That had stopped the protestation as suddenly, her mouth was busy kissing him, giggling over their silliness.
Now, she gathered clothes from all over the house, where they’d been discarded as Isaac had taken them off her. She loaded the washer then cleaned the house quickly. She remembered when Dan was here, the house had always looked pristine; Dan had hated clutter. Over the last two years, the house had become more homely, books everywhere, records and cds shoved into piles on the living room floor. More relaxed, more me, Sarah thought now.
She walked back into the hallway and saw an envelope on the wooden floor. It hadn’t been there when she came home. She picked it up and opened the front door, walking out onto the porch and looking to see if anyone was around. All she could hear was the breeze through the trees and the distant yell of schoolchildren from the private school that bordered their land.
She glanced at the envelope and her stomach knotted. Another one. Steeling herself, she ripped it open.
You will make a beautiful corpse…someday soon.
Fury tore through her. ‘Fuck you, creep,’ she yelled out into the woods around the house. Only the breeze answered her.
Angry now, she slammed the front door. Wilson came trotting up to her, sensing her distress, and stuck his nose in her hand. Sarah took a couple of deep breaths and tried to smile at the dog.
‘It’s okay, buddy.’ She looked at her watch. It was another couple of hours before Isaac was due and she was antsy now.
After a storm the previous evening, the air was fresher but still warm and after she hung the clothes out, she changed into her swimsuit, throwing her jeans and tee over it and headed out the back door. Much to the Wilson’s disgust, she tied him up in the barn, using what she called the party leash – the rope tied to his collar that allowed him to roam within the barn and a short way out into the yard. He began barking and whining, his usual song of self-pity and psychological manipulation whenever he was sent to the barn. Luckily, his singing carried to the beach rather than the school, sheltered as it was by the house and woods that surrounded it. Giving him a last pat on the head, Sarah made her way to the little sandy path that led
to their tiny beach.
At the water’s edge she stripped down to her suit, ran lightly along the little wooden jetty and dived into the cold water.
‘The feel of the water streaming past her limbs was glorious. Cold as it was, it made her skin feel fresh and clean, the weightlessness relaxed the taut muscles of her shoulders and neck. Sarah dived and swam beneath the surface for a few moments then, as she surfaced, pushed her hands over her face to clear her eyes, smooth back her hair.
A surge of angry adrenaline made her strike out again, swimming until she was exhausted. Stopping to catch her breath, something caught her eye. Her head whipped round and her eyes raked the tree line. The skin on her neck prickled. Nothing. Nothing…wait. Movement. Someone was there.
Someone was watching her.
***
At four o’clock, Isaac couldn’t wait any longer. Saying goodbye to his brother, he headed to the helipad on the roof of the building and got in. The piloting lessons he and Saul had taken had proved their worth over and over – none more so than now, Isaac thought, a little smugly. In a quarter hour, he’d be with her. He thought about calling her but decided to surprise her.
***
She got out of the water, pulling herself up onto the jetty, never taking her eyes of the woods where she’d seen the movement. She raked the trees with her eyes, searching, seeking anything, any figure. Nothing. She let out a deep breath. Paranoia?
She tugged on her jeans over her wet swimsuit, ignoring the way her t-short clung to her damp skin and set of for home.
She hadn’t gone ten yards before she heard it. An inhuman scream of absolute pain, a scream that faded into a long mournful wolf-like howl.
Wilson.
***
Finn got home to find Caroline absent. He relaxed then, taking his time in the shower then grabbing a bottle of Jack and flicking on the t.v. It crossed his mind that Caroline was with another man. God, I hope so. Finn smirked to himself. Dude, you are so messed up.
But he truly didn’t care.
***
Her breath came in ragged, panicked gasps.
Sarah ran through the trees that separated the beach from the house, the thinner limbs whipping her as she scrambled her way through, away from whoever was watching her. As the woods thinned, she stumbled into the yard. Still no sound. Wilson should be going crazy by now. She yanked the barn door open, calling Wilson’s name. To her horror, she heard a pitiful whimper, followed by a hacking, vomiting retching. She cast around desperately and saw a hind leg sticking out from one of the stalls in the barn. She dashed over to where Wilson lay and cried out in despair. The dog lay on his side, a fit sending spasms through his body, blood, drool and vomit hanging from his slack jaw.
Wilson groaned in agony as Sarah scooped him up into her arms and ran for the truck.
***
Isaac landed the chopper expertly on Sarah’s land and got out. He frowned. Her truck was missing and the front door to the house was wide open. He walked to the house and inside.
‘Sarah?’
He walked from room to room only to find them empty. Returning to the hallway, he saw a balled up piece of paper and picked it up, smoothing it out.
His breath froze in his lungs.
You will make a beautiful corpse…
Isaac cursed to himself. Going back outside, he called her name, searched through the woods and down at the beach. Finally, he got back into the chopper, remonstrating with himself for not driving, and headed into town.
***
Dead-eyed and exhausted, Sarah sat in the coffee house wrapped in a blanket while Molly and Finn cast worried glances at each other. A quarter hour before, she’d walked into the Varsity, tears pouring down her face.
Molly had rushed to her side as she sobbed. ‘Sarah’s what’s wrong? I thought you had plans with Isaac tonight…’
Sarah interrupted her. ‘I was swimming. In the cove, I was swimming and I saw…someone was watching me. And then there was this scream and…’
‘Someone was watching you?’ Molly was incredulous. ‘What the hell?’
‘It was Wilson, he was screaming and…god…’
Molly shook her head, not understanding.
‘There was no…I ran, Molly, I ran…the trees, whoever it was had gone but Wilson…’ Sarah started to cry. Finn came in and stopped, his face a picture of confusion. Molly waved him closer, as she tried to comfort her friend.
‘What’s wrong, what’s happened?’ Finn put a hand on Sarah’s back and as she turned to him, he wrapped his arms around her, his eyes full of concern. Sarah sobbed out something but he just shook his head.
‘Sarah, I don’t understand, just tell me, honey.’
‘Wilson…he was lying down in the barn and having fits, there was blood and vomit…’
‘Oh my God,’ Finn pressed his fist to his forehead, realizing what she was about to say.
‘He wouldn’t stop, the spasms, so I picked him up and I just ran for the truck. The vet said…I had to say…’ Sarah was sobbing now,’…goodbye, but I couldn’t…he was in so much pain, Finn…’
He pulled her into his arms and she sobbed against his chest. He held her while she cried herself out, rocking her gently.
‘He was poisoned. The vet said there was no doubt. Someone poisoned my dog. Why would anyone do that?’
There was a commotion outside and the three of them looked up to see a helicopter land in the middle of the street. Sarah’s eyes widened. ‘God…Isaac…what he must have thought.’
Molly patted her shoulder. ‘I’ll go get him, fill him in.’ She went out into the street and Sarah could see her talking to Isaac. Finn’s arms were still locked around her and as Isaac come in, she saw his eyes flicker with something as he took in the scene. Finn released her and walked to Isaac and she heard them talk in low tones. Isaac’s shoulders slumped and he came over.
‘I’m so sorry, Sarah.’ He pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips against her forehead. Sarah sank into his embrace, feeling her energy drain out of her. After a moment, Isaac held her at arm’s length and stared down at her. ‘We need to talk.’
Dumbly she nodded and sat down at the nearest table. Isaac turned to Molly and Finn, who were discreetly giving them space, and waved them over. ‘I think we all need to talk about this – and, Chief?’ He nodded at Finn. ‘We might need you in a professional capacity.’
All four settled at the table. Isaac took Sarah’s hands. ‘Darling….I was at your house, as you know. Sarah…I found the note.’
He pulled it from the table and smoothed it out so Finn and Molly could read it. Finn cursed viciously and got up, his hand in his hair. Molly covered her mouth with horror. Isaac rubbed his thumb gently on the back of Sarah’s hand.
‘There have been more, right? Am I right?’
Sarah nodded, resigned. ‘Yes.’
‘How many?’
There was a long silence. ‘Twenty seven.’
Molly gasped and Finn pounded his fist down on the table. ‘Jesus. H. Christ, Sarah, are you crazy? How did you not tell us?’
Sarah looked at Isaac, who was blank-faced. ‘It’s just a crank. A sicko trying to scare me.’
Finn cursed again and Isaac shook his head slowly. ‘No, sweetheart. This is a death threat. I assume the others were along a similar vein?’
She nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘For how long?’
She lowered her eyes. ‘Six months.’
‘And now someone killed your dog.’ Finn was almost wild with anger. She looked at him.
‘Calm down, Finn. Do you want to know why I didn’t tell you? Because I thought the letters were a sick prank – and we all know the only person spiteful enough to do that is..’
‘…Caroline.’ Finn gritted his teeth. ‘Well, we’ll soon find out.’ He stalked out of the coffee house. Sarah sighed and put her head down on the table.
Isaac stroked a finger down her face. ‘Look…why don’t we get your things and
go back to my place? We can’t do anything tonight. You need to rest.’
She smiled at him gratefully and Molly got up. ‘Look, I have my car, let me drive you back home to get your stuff. Isaac, why don’t you stay here and talk to Finn?’ She locked eyes with him and he nodded. He kissed Sarah, brushing his lips over hers.
‘Come back soon.’
‘I will.’
Molly and Sarah left and Isaac waited in the coffee shop for Finn to return. He didn’t have to wait long. The police officer came back with a disgusted look on his face.
‘She’s denying everything, of course. And I don’t think she’d go as far as poisoning Wilson. She hasn’t the brains to think of that.’
Isaac studied the younger man. ‘Can I ask you something?’
Finn tried to smile. ‘’Is it why am I married to such a bitch’? Because I haven’t got an answer for that, buddy, I really don’t.’
Isaac nodded then sighed. ‘Listen, I take these threats seriously. Sarah’s a beautiful woman and any freak could have fixated on her. I just want her safe.’
Finn nodded. ‘Preaching to the choir, Isaac. These last two years have been pretty…strange.’
‘You didn’t think much of Daniel Bailey, did you?’
Finn looked uncomfortable and Isaac held his hand up. ‘Strictly between you and me.’
Finn sighed. ‘I thought he was too in love…with himself. He could be very charming, even genuinely friendly and I do believe he loved Sarah but conditionally. He hated anyone else looking at her and if she talked to any other man for too long, he would sulk. Like a two-year-old. I think he was dreadfully insecure at the same time as being totally narcissistic. It was all about him.’
Isaac nodded, taking his words in. ‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Shoot.’
‘Are you in love with Sarah?’
Finn gave a genuine laugh then and he leaned forward, clapping Isaac’s shoulder. ‘You been talking to my wife? No, Isaac, me and Sarah are family, sure, but nothing more, I promise you.’
The Shameless Billionaire Series: Billionaire Romance Box Set (An Alpha-Male, Billionaire, Bad Boy, Bad Girl, Romance) Page 95
