Smoke and Mirrors

by Taylor Anne

  They walked through the sand, beneath the full moon, to his house. “How about a drink first?”

  “Sure,” she said.

  Graeme unlocked the door and stepped aside for her to enter before him. She followed him into the kitchen. He pulled two beers out of the refrigerator, handing one to her. Leaning against the counter, he watched her.

  “Abby, thanks for all you’ve done this week.”

  “No problem. I’ve enjoyed helping you.” Abby took a sip of the beer and wiped the moisture off her lips. “It’s been a week since the trial. I probably should start thinking about getting back to New Orleans.”

  Graeme finished his beer in two long swallows. Glass slamming against countertop sent a shiver through Abby’s spine. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” he grumbled.

  “Bullshit. You’ve been distant and edgy all week.” She waited him out in silence for several moments. When he didn’t answer, she demanded, “Okay, Graeme, spit it out.”

  He ran a hand down his thigh, massaging the same spot he always did. “I’m nervous about this situation. Mistrial and all.”

  Abby took a step closer to him. “No one can be more nervous about it than me. Why is it bothering you so much?”

  “Don’t know. Something just isn’t sitting right.”

  What could have him so worked up over the trial? She didn’t know, but she trusted his instincts. If he was worried, certainly she should still be concerned. She wrapped her arms around her middle.

  “Do you think it has anything to do with Lauren, or my parents?”

  “Hey,” he said softly. “Don’t worry. It will all be okay. Remember, they are safe. I guarantee it.” He extended a hand out to her. “I don’t want us to think about any of this tonight.”

  She took his hand, let him lead her out of the kitchen and into his bedroom.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Graeme kicked the door shut behind them. He turned so that Abby’s back was against the wall. Framing her face with his hands, he gazed into her eyes. Her lips quivered at his calloused thumb running over the sensitive skin. Rough but gentle. Just like the man. She slipped her tongue out to touch the tip of his thumb. He swiped at her lips, then lowered his head. His lips were only inches away from hers. The alcohol from his lips wafted up to her nose. She could taste his breath. Her heart beat faster in anticipation of his warm lips claiming hers. But he didn’t kiss her. He only smiled and ran his hands down her body.

  “I’ve missed you, baby.” His voice was raw and husky.

  Abby slipped her hands behind his head and pulled him closer so she could feel his mouth on hers. Their lips touched. She felt more than heard his groan. She smiled and deepened the kiss, her tongue toying with his. Yes, she missed this. One taste of him and she was addicted.

  Guiding her backwards, he stopped a few feet short of the bed. His lips left hers, he let out a grimace. He rubbed his thigh.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah, damn leg is killing me tonight.” He slid his hands around her waist, took two steps to the bed, and removed her clothes first, then his own. Then he laid her on the comforter. “But it’ll be fine.” He followed her down and wrapped her in his arms.

  Graeme needed to settle the urgency eating at him. Abby was happy to be there for him. His hands roamed impatiently over her body. His warm mouth touched every inch of her skin. No words were spoken. Only the sounds of heavy breathing, sheets rustling, and two bodies merging into one filled the air. He made love to her fast and hard, and very satisfying.

  He got out of bed, scooping her up into his arms.

  “You’re going to hurt your leg.” Abby’s words mixed with her laughter and her kisses.

  “To hell with my leg.” He kissed her, hard. Then he carried her to the shower. They took turns washing each other, exploring the few places left untouched. Soap suds glided over wet skin. Graeme followed the trail with the rag in his hand. He poured shampoo into his palm, and ran his hands through her hair. Her scalp was treated to a marvelous massage. When he was done, Abby leaned back against his chest. The water rinsed the remainder of the soap and shampoo off their bodies. His arms wrapped around her and he just held her. They lingered that way until the water ran cold.

  Graeme turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel for himself, then got one for Abby. The warm, plush cotton surrounded her body. Dressed in nothing but towels, they headed for the kitchen and raided the refrigerator.

  “This looks good.” Graeme pulled out a huge piece of a chocolate cake left over from the day before. The microwave dinged alerting them it was warm. Then the cake was topped off with vanilla ice cream. Abby pulled two spoons out of the drawer. They sat next to each other at the kitchen bar and shared the late night snack. The camaraderie between them was so natural. It’s the kind of feeling where deep down you are at peace, like everything was going to be okay. Was it the night, the adrenaline from the incidents, working together so much? Or was it simply the chemistry between a man and woman? Abby couldn’t be certain, but whatever it was, it worked for now.

  After they finished their snack, they went back to bed. This time when they made love, it was sweet and sensual. They explored each other’s bodies like it was the first time. Graeme pleasured her with his hands, his mouth, finally claiming her as his own. From above her, he stared deep into her eyes. It was there. That same connection she felt before. Her feelings for this man ran a whole lot deeper than she wanted to admit.

  Abby woke to the sun trying to peek through the curtains. She stretched her limbs and realized she was not in her bed. And she was not alone. No, Graeme was lying next to her, fast asleep, his breathing even and relaxed. He was lying on his side with one hand tucked under his head and the other draped over her midsection.

  Carefully, she moved his arm so she could slip out from under the covers without disturbing him. She turned the alarm clock on the nightstand around to see the time. Seven thirty. A framed picture sat next to the clock. It brought a smile to Abby’s face. It was a picture from Brooke and Kyle’s wedding. The happy couple surrounded by their wedding party. Abby clearly remembered the shot. It was supposed to be the bride and groom in the center, with girls on one side, and the guys on the other side standing next to Kyle. Just before the photographer counted to three, Graeme grabbed Abby’s hand and pulled her next to him. So it turned out that Brooke and Kyle were the center of the picture. But Abby ended up on the guy’s side. Graeme had his arms wrapped around her. Big goofy smiles were plastered on their faces. She hugged herself, smiling at the memory.

  Putting the picture back on the nightstand, she noticed a necklace lying next to a folded piece of paper. Abby picked up the note and the piece of jewelry. She couldn’t fight the feeling that she was snooping, but it was laying out there in the open. Who wouldn’t take a peek?

  It was an open locket that held a picture of a younger Graeme with some woman. He was not quite as young as the picture from the wedding, so Abby figured it must be a more recent picture. How recent though she didn’t know. She told herself it was not a big deal. Of course Graeme saw other women after her. Her finger ran over the engraving on the outside of the locket. Abby examined it closer. It was a date—month and year. Realization hit. It was this month, and this year. It might be pictures from the past, but the locket was engraved recently. What could that mean? Her stomach turned to knots as she carefully unfolded the note paper. The words popped out at her. She felt sick. She read the note once more, just to be sure she didn’t misunderstand. ‘Hope you enjoyed my present. Make sure you keep her out of this.’

  Abby’s hope shriveled to nothing. She glanced over at Graeme, he was still sound asleep. There was no mistaking what a note like that meant. Abby had been a fool. She let memories and feelings for Graeme overload her good judgment. All that time over the past weeks, she thought they were moving forward in their relationship. She felt the fire from years ago rekindled. But had she been fooling hersel
f? Why would she think Graeme wasn’t involved with another woman? He was financially stable, compassionate, and a hunk on top of all that.

  Of course he had other women in his life. That certainly explained the distance he placed between them over the last week. Even though physically he demonstrated that he wanted her near, emotionally she felt him shut her out. Her heart ached with the realization that last night meant nothing to him. None of this meant anything to him except a physical release.

  Abby picked her clothes up off the floor, walked into the bathroom. She dressed quickly, then slipped out of the bedroom before he woke. She rushed out of Graeme’s house. Her toes sank in the sand as she trudged up the beach to the house that now felt like home. Fighting back tears on the walk, she soaked up the beautiful orange sun rising above the ocean. There weren’t many people on the beach this time of the morning. The gentle waves lapping at the sand was heard clearly since they didn’t have to compete with the sounds of people milling about. Peaceful. This was her favorite time to sit and meditate. But not today. No, her heart was lost somewhere out in the deep blue of the ocean, waiting to wash ashore like a piece of driftwood. How could she have trusted Graeme? His actions proved that she didn’t know him seven years ago, and she certainly didn’t know him now.

  At the beach house, Abby threw as many clothes and personal items in her car as she could. She didn’t waste time in packing anything else. There would be time to come back later for whatever she couldn’t fit on this trip. Right now, she needed to get away. Be by herself. Her stay there in Orange Beach was over. She might as well go back to New Orleans to face the doom of a re-trial alone. And try in some way to get her life back together.

  An hour later, she sat in her car, soaking up one last memory of the place she loved. The sunrises and sunsets over the ocean. The sugary sands between her toes. The fresh warm breeze on her face. The salty spray of the ocean as she splashed at the water’s edge. She shook her head. If she dwelt on the luxuries, it would be harder to leave.

  She would have to apologize to Uncle Mark for deserting him in the middle of painting the beach house. The living room and kitchen were the only rooms left. He would have to finish those himself. She hoped he understood.

  Brooke may not forgive her for cancelling their lunch date scheduled for later that day. Or for running. It had been nice spending so much time with her favorite cousin again. They were so close growing up. These past weeks they rekindled that closeness. Now with Abby going back to New Orleans, they wouldn’t see each other as much. That thought dampened her spirits even more.

  And yes, she would miss Graeme. His help and protection with the case. His warm smile and tender touch. Helping him rebuild his bar after the fire. Rekindling their own fire in the process. His deceit.

  ****

  Pacing between the kitchen and bedroom, Graeme dialed Abby’s cell phone again. Voicemail. He grabbed a handful of hair and cursed. Dammit. Why was she not answering his calls? Why did she leave without a word? Where was she?

  He poured another cup of coffee, swallowed the bitter taste. Waking up to an empty bed after the night they shared left him feeling lost and uncomfortable. Hell, Abby should be there with him now, drinking coffee and eating breakfast. She was nowhere in the house. Not a sign, not a note, nothing. She’s just gone. And not answering her phone. He emptied the rest of the coffee down the drain. He couldn’t take any more of its bitterness. It was eating away at his stomach. Hell, it wasn’t the coffee doing that. Something was not right with Abby.

  Graeme walked into the bathroom and stopped just inside the doorway. He inhaled deeply. Fresh jasmines with a hint of something exotic hung in the air. Her sweet scent was branded in his senses forever. The lingering perfume was enough to drive him crazy. He breathed in again. Her scent brought to mind her body pressed against his all night. The connection between them was so intense, maybe it scared her away. But it was not like Abby to run. No, she would’ve confronted him, insisted they discussed the situation. He shook his head and turned to walk out of the bathroom.

  A shimmer caught his eye. Hanging from a hook next to the mirror was the locket and note he found at the fire. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands. He was positive he left that on the nightstand. When he discovered it at the fire, he wanted to hurl it across the bar, but it was evidence. That’s when the importance of it dawned on him. Instead of turning it over to the authorities, Graeme held on to it himself. Abby must have found it and misunderstood. Reading the words again, he could just about imagine the hurt Abby would have felt. He had to find her and explain. “Damn.”

  Graeme slid the locket and note into his jeans pocket. He jerked his cell phone out and dialed her number again. His blood boiled when it went straight to voicemail again. “Abby, where the hell are you? This is the third message. I need to talk to you. Call me back.”

  He threw on a shirt, hurried to his truck, and drove the short distance to Abby’s uncle’s beach house. Her car was not in the driveway. Graeme’s heart fell to his knees. The spare key she gave him was on his key ring. There was no hesitation in using it. She could be inside and in danger. The odds were against that since her car wasn’t there, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The emptiness hit his soul. He went through every room and discovered exactly what he feared. All Abby’s personal items in the bathroom were gone. Pictures of her family were missing from the nightstand. Clothes were strewn about. She packed what she could and hauled ass.

  ****

  The three-hour drive to New Orleans was exhausting considering Abby’s frame of mind. Coming into the city, she dug her phone out of her purse and switched it on. Five missed calls and three voicemails from Graeme. She would listen to them later. Right now she didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Instead, she called Laci to confirm it was okay to go back to her apartment. The call went straight to voicemail. She tried one more time before dialing the switchboard at the police station and asking to be transferred to Laci’s desk.

  “Abby, this is Evan. Sorry but Laci is out on a case right now. How can I help you?”

  She closed her eyes for a second. She really wanted to talk to her friend. She needed to hear her voice of reason. “Laci had asked me to let her know when I was coming back to New Orleans, but I didn’t have a chance to call her until now. Is everything still good for me to go back to my apartment?”

  There was a pause on the other end. Finally, Evan replied. “Sure. You can go home. How much longer before you get there?”

  “Actually I’m in the city now. I’m going to stop by the grocery store first, but I should be home in about thirty minutes.” Home. The thought of going to her apartment in New Orleans no longer gave her the feeling of the comfort of home. Orange Beach was where she wanted to be.

  “Good. I’ll let Laci know you’re back in town.”

  “Thank you, Evan.” His concern touched her.

  By the time she arrived at her apartment, the sun was high above the city. Hot and humid. She grabbed a couple of the grocery bags from the backseat of the car and carried them inside, setting them on the kitchen counter. Standing in the middle of the room, she looked around. Everything was as she left it last time she was there. With Graeme, for the trial. A shiver ran down her spine. Things seemed the same, but something didn’t feel right. Stop it. She berated herself for feeling insecure. Even though Laci and Colby said she was no longer in danger, something wasn’t sitting right in her head. She shook off the feeling, convincing herself it was only because she didn’t want to be alone right now.

  Abby opened the blinds in the living room and bedroom, letting the sunshine brighten up the place. The air conditioner hummed, replacing the stale air with cooler temperatures. Before heading outside to unload the rest of her things from the car, she put the milk and eggs in the refrigerator. On her third trip back out the front door, she ran smack into a solid chest. Stale cigarette smoke invaded her nostrils. She jumped back and ope
ned her mouth to scream. A beefy hand clamped down on it, cutting off any noise.

  “Don’t make a sound, bitch.”

  The man’s hand crushed her face. She bit her lip and a bitter taste filled her mouth. Her insides cringed with dread. He pressed his body forward, forcing her back into the apartment. She tried to stand firm and push him back, but his size and strength overpowered her. She grasped the handle on the door trying to stop the intruder from entering any further into her apartment. Glancing up, she realized she had seen this face before. Hell, she testified against his partner, LJ. “Alonzo…wha…what are you doing here?”

  The beefy man grabbed her by the arm and jerked her close to him. This time, along with the cigarette smell, Abby nearly choked on the stench of alcohol and body odor. She stumbled and fell against his chest. “What the—”

  He snatched a handful of hair and twisted her head back. Fear and pain surged through her body. Tears filled her eyes. She lifted her foot to kick him, but he anticipated the move and effectively dodged it. He reached behind his back. In the next instant, his gun was pointed at her head. “Don’t fight me. Keep still.”

  With the gun pressed firmly against her temple, he released his hold on her hair. He grabbed one of her arms and quickly snapped handcuffs on her wrists, binding her hands together in front of her.

  “Why are you doing this? I don’t understand. The courts haven’t even tried you.” Abby’s throat clogged with panic.

  He jerked her arms, the metal cuffs bit into her flesh. He moved the barrel of the gun from her head to her side, just under her ribcage. “Shut up and walk out of this door to my car. If you try anything stupid, I will kill you.”

  She believed him. Her heart pounded in her chest, echoing in her ears. What the hell was going on? How did this thug know where to find her? This meant they were still following her. Had he been watching her apartment, waiting for her to come back? Another question popped into her head. Did anyone know where she was right then? Damn, she should’ve insisted on talking to Laci earlier. She would have been waiting at the apartment, welcoming Abby home. This would not be happening. Even with Evan telling Laci that she was back in New Orleans, Laci wouldn’t have any idea where to find her. She would think Abby stopped at the store or went out for a walk. The detective would not have any reason to suspect Abby had been kidnapped by Alonzo.