Harlequin Intrigue, Box Set 1 of 2
Page 26
When she pointed out birds or plants, naming them, explaining about their habitats and how they fit into the ecosystem, he listened intently, asking questions and seeming to enjoy the marsh as much as she did as his understanding of it grew. She hadn’t expected that from a man who’d spent most of his life in the city or walking the beach. He’d surprised her in other ways, too, such as how well he was doing with the canoe.
She’d been half teasing when she’d said she’d teach him. She’d assumed he’d been canoeing at least a handful of times in his life, just maybe not in a swamp. She’d been shocked to find that he’d never even been in a canoe.
In spite of that shameful admission, he’d been a quick learner. Faye had planned on paddling at first to show him how. But Jake had been horrified by that idea. He wasn’t about to sit and do nothing while a woman did the work. His old-fashioned ideas were silly to Faye, but she also thought it was sweet. And she thought it would be fun to play along and see how many times he’d get them stuck on a submerged tree or mired in mud before he admitted he needed her help. Surprisingly, he hadn’t gotten stuck even once. He followed her instructions to the letter, and was soon paddling them down the waterway like a pro.
She would have liked to sit there facing him, admiring the way his muscles bunched in his arms with each powerful stroke of the paddle, but she had to navigate. Which meant facing away from him, calling out orders to turn, slow down or speed up.
Croc Landing turned out to be a disappointment for Jake, who’d expected to see dozens of the reptiles sunbathing on the banks of the waterway. Instead, the bank was deserted, which suited Faye just fine.
“I thought you were afraid of alligators,” she said.
“Let’s go with respectful. Wary. But as long as we’re inside the canoe, we’re safe. So I thought it would be cool to see a bunch of them on the bank.”
“Since we have to step out on that bank, I’m happy there aren’t any around right now.”
He looked at the water with renewed vigilance. “Good point. If it’s called Croc Landing, why are we talking alligators? Aren’t there any crocodiles around here?”
“We get a few crocodiles but they thrive more in the saltwater marshes. Mostly we have alligators.”
“Then why is this place called Croc Landing?”
“Because ‘Croc Landing’ sounds better on a tourist pamphlet than ‘Gator Landing.’”
“Ah, the almighty dollar at work. I didn’t see any tourist fliers in Mystic Glades. Does Buddy take people out on his airboat?”
She laughed. “I’m pretty sure he’d be insulted if you asked him that. He doesn’t like the idea of tourists traipsing through our precious ’Glades. It’s the airboat tour companies a bit farther south that sometimes bring people up as far as Croc Landing. No one in Mystic Glades would dream of welcoming people from the outside.”
“Your friends at SBO seemed pretty nice to me. And Freddie and Amy were nice, too, even though I’m an outsider.”
“Yeah, but we lied and told them you were with me. Makes a big difference.” She pointed to the right where she wanted to land the canoe.
Jake speared the water with the oar and guided them toward shore. “You didn’t grow up in Mystic Glades, right? But they accept you as one of their own. That’s because of your friend, Amber Callahan?”
She nodded, some of her fun with the canoe trip evaporating. “Yes.”
“I don’t remember meeting her. Does she help Freddie in the bar?”
She half turned, looking back at him. “Amber and I lost touch with each other a few years ago. She stopped returning my letters. When I...needed to move to a new place, I came to Mystic Glades, hoping to reestablish our friendship. But when I got here I found out she’d gotten lost and died out in the swamp. That’s why my mail went unanswered.”
Jake winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up unhappy memories.”
She nodded, and forced thoughts of Amber away. “Over here.” She pointed to a place that seemed to offer the easiest access to the “beach,” such as it was.
The bottom of the canoe ground against the shallows until the nose wedged into the sand. Faye reassured herself there weren’t any reptiles waiting to pounce on her from the water before jumping out of the canoe. She held it steady while Jake moved to the prow. He hopped out and together they pulled the canoe up the incline about twenty feet from the water’s edge. They stowed it beneath an oak tree and covered it with the tarp.
Faye pointed out some landmarks—twisted trees and groups of rocks—that they could use to find the canoe on their way back, rather than rely on the GPS on Jake’s fancy cell phone.
Two hours later, after hiking through the area around the Landing in concentric circles and finding nothing, Faye called an end to the search.
“I think it’s safe to say he’s not here. We’ll make camp for the night and head out to where Joe thinks he saw Calvin in the morning. It’s a bit of a hike.”
By the time they reached a good camping spot, the sun was sinking low on the horizon. But Faye was pleased with their progress. They had a good, relatively safe area to set up camp for the night and could resume their search for Calvin in the morning. On foot and with only a limited knowledge of the area from the few times he’d been to Mystic Glades, Calvin wouldn’t make nearly as good time as Faye and Jake. She was confident they’d find him before the next day was out.
As with the canoeing instructions earlier, Jake was a quick learner at how to set up camp. Soon they had the small dome-tent up and some netting erected between the trees near the tent to dissuade small animals on foot. Little bells on the netting would alert them if something got caught in the net, or if something bigger was on the prowl.
Jake surveyed their temporary home. “What about alligators? Will the nets stop them?”
“Doubtful, but we’re pretty far from the water. We should be fine here.”
He didn’t look as if he believed her. He patted the pistol holstered on his waist. “Hopefully I won’t have to use this.”
She pulled up her pant legs to reveal her knife strapped on the outside of one boot and her pistol strapped on the outside of the other. “I’ve got us covered.”
He gave her a lopsided grin and shook his head. “I wondered where you were hiding those when you told Buddy you were packing.”
“A girl’s got to protect herself.”
He glanced up at the tree limbs hanging over their campsite. “What about snakes?”
She flicked the silver chain around her neck. “Snake repellant. I grabbed a new bag before I left the shop.”
“That’s fine for an emergency, but I’d rather not get close enough to a snake to use that.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry. If you get attacked I promise I’ll help you fend off the snake.”
“What if you’re the one who gets attacked?”
“I’ll just have to trust you to save me.”
He nodded, his expression serious. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She slid her hand up his chest. “See that you don’t.”
He took a quick step back, forcing her to drop her hand. “Since I don’t see a bathroom or a porta-pottie around here, I’m going to take a walk.”
Disappointment shot through her. She’d felt freed last night, at peace with her belief that he had a good soul, that she could trust him. She’d decided to pursue the incredible chemistry between them and just enjoy being with him for however long they had together. But every time she tried to initiate anything more than a casual touch, he pulled away. It had practically taken her attacking him back at the store to get him to kiss her.
But, oh my, did he know how to kiss once he’d let himself go.
She sighed at the memory and pointed to a break in the trees to the west. “You go that way and
I’ll go this way.” She grabbed a latrine kit from the pack and tossed it to him. “You’re a smart guy. I’m sure you can figure out how to use that.”
* * *
JAKE DIDN’T STOP until he was a good fifty yards from their campsite. He found a clearing on a slight rise and checked the bars on his phone. Only two—hopefully that would be enough. He took another minute to scout the nearby bushes and trees looking for snakes and alligators, but he seemed to be alone. Then again, a hungry reptile could be hiding in the dirt nearby and he might never see it. Just to be safe, he pulled out his pistol and set it on a fallen tree log beside him as he sat with his phone.
He absently studied the latrine kit while he dialed Dex Lassiter’s number. The green vinyl bag contained a small hand shovel, an equally small roll of toilet paper and antibacterial hand wipes. He laughed and set it aside.
“Lassiter,” the voice on the phone answered.
“Dex, it’s Jake.”
“Well, it’s about damn time. I was seriously considering reporting you as a missing person. I haven’t heard from you since you found Gillette’s car.”
“I know, I know. I’ve been busy.” He quickly summarized what had happened since then. “Faye thinks we’ll find Calvin sometime tomorrow. I don’t have a lot of phone time, so you’ll have to relay the information to Quinn for me.”
“No problem. Is Faye armed?”
“When is she not? She’s got a gun and knife strapped to her boots.”
“We should call Holder. Get some backup.”
“Quinn gave strict instructions to keep this on the down low. And if Holder makes the catch—”
“We don’t get paid. Yeah, I know. Still. I’m not sure the danger is worth it.”
Jake tapped the log beside him. “Faye has a good heart. She loves animals and plants, and risks her life to help people. Yesterday she saved a man from a boa constrictor. She’s not dangerous to anyone.”
“Tell that to Genovese.”
Jake tightened his hand around the phone. “Yeah, about that. How much do we really know about the case other than what Quinn told us?”
Dex groaned.
“What?” Jake demanded.
“You’re falling for her.”
“Shut up. I am not. I’m just curious. The woman I’ve met doesn’t mesh with what we’ve been told. I’d like to see some details from the case. Just get the file and double-check that no red flags go up, all right?”
A bush rustled behind him. He jerked around. Was that a shadow? A deeper black than the rest of the darkness as the sun slid lower in the sky? He grabbed his pistol and stood. “Faye? Is that you?”
“Jake, you okay?” Dex asked.
He waited but didn’t hear anything else. The shadow no longer seemed to be there. Were his eyes playing tricks on him?
“Jake?”
“I’m still here. Thought I saw something. You’re going to look into the case, right?”
Dex groaned again. “Okay, okay. I think it’s a complete waste of time. But since you’re the one out there putting your life on the line, the least I can do is get Quinn to email me a copy of the case file.”
“Sounds good. I’ll try to call you tomorrow but I don’t know when I’ll be able to get away or have cell coverage. Don’t freak if you don’t hear from me right away.”
He ended the call and answered nature’s call before starting back to camp. That dark shadow he’d seen, or thought he saw, had the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. He stopped a few times to listen and peer into the underbrush. But he never figured out what had caused that shadow. Unless it was his overactive imagination.
When he reached the campsite and stepped over the netting, Faye was kneeling by a small fire, stirring a pot on top of a metal rack. Her long hair was twisted into a thick braid hanging down her back.
She looked up in question as he sat beside her. “You were gone awhile. I was about to come looking for you.”
“I took a short walk, looked around.”
Her brows rose. “You find what you were looking for?”
He was careful to keep his expression blank so he wouldn’t give anything away. “I didn’t see any tracks from Gillette, but I did get the feeling I was being watched. Thought I heard some bushes move as if something big had passed behind them. Are there any bears around here?”
She smiled and turned her attention to stirring the mouthwatering soup or stew that was in the pot. “We’ve got some black bears here and there, but they’re typically too afraid to go near people. There are some foxes out here, too, raccoons, even an occasional bobcat. But those are rare.”
He bent forward to get a better smell of the food. “Would a bobcat trigger the bells and netting we’ve got strung up?”
She pushed him back. “Patience. It’s almost done. And no, probably not. A bobcat would just jump out of a tree on top of us.”
He looked up at the branches hanging over them.
Faye laughed. “For such a large man, you sure are skittish.”
“I’d just prefer not to become a meal for some predator while I’m out here. That’s not the way I want to go out.”
“Get the bowls and spoons, will you?” She pointed to a small cloth lying in the dirt with the dishes sitting on it next to some bottles of water.
He handed her the bowls one at a time as she ladled out the meal. While they sat down to eat, he handed her one of the water bottles. She nodded her thanks.
“This smells incredible.” He took a large spoonful of the stew, which was full of potatoes, carrots and chunks of meat. “Wow, that’s amazing. Best beef stew I think I’ve ever had. What’s the brand?”
“Brand? You think this came from a can?”
He paused with the next spoonful halfway to his mouth and eyed it suspiciously. “It didn’t?”
She shook her head. “Nope.”
He put the spoon back in his bowl, untouched. “Did you catch, skin and cook a rabbit while I was gone?”
She laughed. “No. Buddy gave us some stew his wife made. It’s Grade A, Uncle Sam-inspected, one hundred percent pure beef. Relax.”
He grinned and quickly emptied his bowl, and a second one after that. Faye showed him how to clean the dishes without water and tightly store them and the empty plasticware that the stew had come in so that animals wouldn’t smell it and be attracted to the food.
After turning on a small battery-operated lantern, Faye put the fire out. Jake had wanted to keep it lit to scare critters away. But Faye had insisted on dousing the flames to ensure they didn’t accidentally start a marsh fire. He reluctantly agreed and helped her stow everything back in their packs, all ready for the morning. The only thing left was to go to bed.
The tiny tent would barely sleep one, let alone two. Jake didn’t think he’d be able to get any sleep with Faye lying that close to him. And even if he did, he was worried he might be drawn to her in his sleep and do something he’d regret. Well, regret might be too strong a word. He’d love nothing more than to finish what he and Faye had started in the back room of her store earlier today. But it wasn’t right, not when almost everything that came out of his mouth was a lie.
“We should probably take turns on watch,” he said, “just in case some animal wanders too close.”
She picked up the lantern and took his hand in hers. “That’s what the nets and bells are for. Plus we’ll zip up the tent. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” She tugged him toward the tent.
“I’m the one who’ll protect you,” he grumbled but didn’t argue anymore.
Even with the vents in the tent, it was too warm to get inside the sleeping bags. Jake lay on top of his. He kept his clothes on, both out of respect for Faye and to add an extra layer of protection between them if he reached for her in his sleep.
His mouth watered at the thought of that delicate, little bow, of grasping it with his teeth and tugging it down, down, down. Realizing where he was staring, he forced his gaze up to meet hers. She smiled, a slow, lazy smile that promised things that made him almost whimper out loud.
No, she’s off-limits. She doesn’t know you’re working for the FBI. It’s not right to make love to her with so many lies between us, especially since there’s no way we could ever be together once the truth comes out.
He shuddered and rolled over, scooting as far away from her tantalizing heat as possible. “Good night,” he rasped through his tight throat as he clutched his pillow to keep from reaching for her.
A deep sigh met his statement. “Good night.” The lantern went out, plunging the tent into darkness.
* * *
FAYE ROLLED ONTO her back and stared up at the complete blackness of the tent roof above her. The base of the dome-shaped tent was about seven feet long and four feet wide, and yet so far Jake had managed to keep his long, thickly muscled body from touching her in any way. Frustration was making her curl her nails into her palms.
She knew he wanted her. Just as he knew she wanted him. So what was the problem? Was he sleeping? She didn’t think so. His breathing wasn’t the deep and even breathing of someone off in dreamland. If anything, his breathing was too carefully controlled, as if he was trying not to think about her lying beside him.