by Iris Abbott
She bypassed baggage claim, happy to be wheeling a carry-on bag behind her. She would have to arrange to have the few things she left behind shipped to her sister’s apartment as soon as possible. She’d also have to contact her landlord. Luckily, her lease was month to month. Jillian was sure her ultra-efficient sister would help make the transition from Italy to Maine seem simpler than it actually was.
The glow of an exit sign loomed ahead, and Jillian surged forward. The peace of mind that only came from being with loved ones was within her grasp, just beyond the glass doors straight ahead. She pushed herself harder and lengthened her stride. Her fingertips were just inches away from the exit and freedom.
Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, making Jillian come to an abrupt stop. Momentum made her stumble, but she caught her balance and kept herself from falling. Her sixth sense, as some people liked to call it, was well-developed. Right this second, it tingled like crazy, warning her that she was being watched.
Jillian whipped her head from side to side, taking in everything and everyone around her. Everybody appeared to be going about their own business. No one seemed to be fixated on her or even glancing her way. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was in someone’s crosshairs, and they were watching her with an intensity so intense it bordered on obsessive. A chill swept up and down her spine, and Jillian shivered.
Shaking off the imposing feeling that her life was about to change forever, Jillian reached the glass doors and pushed them open, stepping out into the filtered sunlight of a crisp autumn day. Her sister stood near the exit, and she was the first person Jillian saw. Both women exclaimed the other’s name at the same time.
“Jillian!”
“Jenna!” The unsettling mood of just a few seconds before completely disappeared. Jillian let go of the suitcase handle and threw her arms around her sister. “I can’t believe I’m finally here!” Tears of joy clogged her voice, making speech difficult.
“Me either! I have so much to tell you, and there are so many people who can’t wait to meet you.” Jenna’s face clouded over with a guilty look. “I’m sorry that I insisted you stay in Italy, but I hope you know it was for your own good.”
“My rational brain never doubted that for a second,” Jillian admitted. “But my feelings and emotions are a whole other story.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to become an easy target for Scott. I would never have been able to forgive myself if he hurt you or worse.”
“Even if he did hurt me, it wouldn’t have been your fault. The man is pure evil, and it had nothing what so ever to do with you.”
“I thought you were a lot safer in Italy several thousand miles away from my ex-boyfriend and his dangerous, twisted game of revenge.” Jenna stopped talking and looked her sister over from head to toe. She even lightly ran her hands over Jillian’s face, arms, and sides. “I can’t believe he actually went all the way to Europe to track you down.”
Jillian loudly cleared her throat. “Well, I guess Craig did such a great job of protecting you, he thought I’d be the easier target after all.” She gave her sister a nonchalant shrug. “But I’m fine. He didn’t get a chance to do anything other than grab my shoulder. I have five small bruises that match his fingers and thumb, that’s it.”
Jenna narrowed her eyes, and a harsh frown marred her delicate features. “Bruises are bad enough!”
“I guess I was lucky. You know, it was bizarre, almost like magic. Scott was there one second and gone the next.”
“Magic is such a wonderful thing,” Jenna replied with a mysterious looking smile.
Jillian didn’t question her sister’s odd comment. Magic was the least of her worries. She’d left all the magic in her life behind in Italy. “About Scott, I could have sworn someone was following me back in the terminal. Are you sure he’s no longer a threat? He managed to evade your husband and the law for over a year, are you certain he’s finally been caught?”
The change that came over Jenna was so sudden and drastic it was comical. Jillian almost laughed. She probably would have, if the subject weren’t so serious. It was apparent her sister didn’t want to answer the question for whatever reason.
“Umm, I can’t explain the how right now. Just know that Scott will no longer be a threat to you, me, or anyone else, and of that I’m positive.”
“I think I get it. You have inside information because of Craig’s job, and you don’t want to get him into trouble. I can understand that. I still don’t get the need for secrecy, especially since you’re the one that filed a complaint and pressed charges against the psycho in the first place.”
“I’ll be able to explain everything to you later,” she promised. Jenna looked like she wanted to say more, but she nipped at her bottom lip instead. Finally, she broke the tense silence. “Are you sure you didn’t see what happened to him? It’s all right to tell me anything you thought you might have seen, no matter how strange it seemed at the time.”
She gave her sister a confused look and shook her head really hard. Her sister was acting odd, and it was beginning to bother Jillian. “Actually, it was really foggy, and that stuff was as thick as pea soup,” she said trying to make a joke.
Jenna didn’t laugh. “Well, at least you got away from him unscathed. You’ll be safe now that you’re in Enigma.”
Jillian wasn’t so sure about that, but she kept her reservations to herself. Talk of Scott was enough of a damper on their reunion. She wasn’t going to make things worse by mentioning the fact that her sixth sense was tingling like crazy, warning her of something.
A large black SUV glided to a smooth stop next to the curb right in front of them. “There’s Craig!” her sister was unable to hide the enthusiasm and love in her voice.
Jillian sighed and pasted on a big smile, hoping it didn’t look too fake. She’d heard a lot about her new brother-in-law, but she felt like Jenna was holding something back every time she mentioned her husband. But that may stem from the hurt feelings Jillian suffered when she found out her sister eloped without inviting her to the ceremony. What was worse, Jenna didn’t even bother to tell her about it until after the fact.
She watched the tall, dark, and handsome man exit the vehicle and move toward her. He was definitely a head turner, and Jillian could see why her sister was taken with the man. He was good-looking by most people’s standards, and confidence seemed to ooze from her brother-in-law.
Something about him reminded Jillian of her boss. She concentrated really hard, trying to put her finger on it. It wasn’t their looks. Both of them were sexy and had dark hair, but their features were nothing alike. Craig was lean, and his facial features were sharp.
Her boss was a couple of inches taller, and he was more muscular, though both men looked more than strong enough to handle any physical challenge thrown their way. There was a hidden vibe of darkness and danger that clung to Craig Aquila. Jillian decided that was what the two men had in common more than anything else.
Jillian allowed her sister to pull her forward. She accepted and returned the light hug her brother-in-law offered. “It’s great to finally meet you.” She tried to keep the hard feelings out of her voice, but if the arrogant arch of his eyebrow was any indication, she failed miserably.
“Same here,” he said with a pleasant smile. “Jenna talks about you a lot. I feel like I already know you.”
“Wish I could say the same.” Jillian slapped a hand over her mouth and stopped talking. She hadn’t meant to say the reproving comment out loud. From the crooked grin Craig gave her and the wide-eyed look of embarrassment her sister sent her way, she knew she had. Talk about making a bad first impression.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” She tried to sound as contrite as possible.
“Don’t worry about it.” Craig smoothly defused the tension by shrugging off Jenna’s bad manners. “I know how close you and your sister are. So I’m sure you have to know that she didn
’t keep you at a distance to hurt your feelings. She did it to keep you away from a dangerous situation that could have exploded at any time. She wasn’t willing to take a chance with your safety, and you should know that without me having to spell it out for you.”
Jenna placed a hand on her husband’s shoulder, and he stopped talking.
Jillian noted the silent look that passed between them and inwardly sighed. The last thing she wanted was to get off on the wrong foot with her brother-in-law. That would only make the growing distance between her and her sister worse.
She slowly raised her hands. “You’re exactly right, and I know that. Let’s start over.” She reached out and hugged him again. “Hi, I’m Jillian, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Craig said returning the embrace. “Let me help with that,” he offered when they moved away from each other. He grabbed her suitcase and hoisted it into the back of the SUV.
They settled inside the large vehicle, and Craig drove away from the curb. Jillian stretched out her legs in the roomy backseat. “Wow, this feels good after being cooped up in that tin can of a plane for several hours.”
“Once you get settled in at the apartment, I’ll drive us into downtown Enigma, and you can have a look around Main Street. The ladies have been dying to meet you ever since I moved here. Now that you’re finally here, it will only take one phone call, and they’ll drop everything to meet us in the square.”
Jillian let out a deep breath. Good vibes surrounded her, and her body finally relaxed. It was a welcome feeling after living on pins and needles for so long. “Sounds wonderful, I know you well enough to know we’ll probably get some shopping done somewhere in there too.”
“Of course, Halloween is tomorrow night!”
“So?” Other than leaving out a bowl of candy for the neighborhood children, the Byrd sisters hadn’t celebrated Halloween in more than a decade. Jillian couldn’t quite figure out why her sister would want to go shopping because of Halloween.
“So, we’re going to be pushing our luck trying to find the perfect costume for you.”
“I don’t need a costume to hand out candy,” Jillian insisted. “I’m pretty sure the trick-or-treaters couldn’t care less about what we’re wearing as long as we give away good candy.”
Jenna threw back her head and laughed. “You’re not handing out candy. We’re going to a costume party. It’s extravagant, exciting, and you don’t want to miss it. It’s even held in a real castle.”
“Really?” Jillian arched a brow and gave her sister a funny look. “When did you get so into Halloween?”
“Since last year. Halloween is sort of a big deal in Enigma. There’s no way I’m letting you miss out on the party of the year.”
Craig snorted but didn’t say anything. He probably didn’t want to go to a costume party either.
“Sounds kinda interesting. A castle, huh? Next, you’ll be telling me witches, vampires, and werewolves are real.”
Craig had a coughing fit, and Jenna slapped him on the back a couple of times. As soon as her brother-in-law got his coughing under control, he and Jenna flicked nervous glances at each other. The flashy smile Jillian sported slowly died. Jillian couldn’t help but notice that neither one of them rushed to deny her silly statement.
A flutter of unease settled in her stomach. The weird feeling from the airport was back, and her senses screamed a warning that maybe she should take a little more seriously. Good lord, had her sister managed to get herself involved with some kind of crazy cult?
Craig broke the uneasy silence. “Actually, I think the shopping idea is a great one.” He glanced at Jenna. “I have a bunch of paperwork waiting for me on my desk, including a case I need to close.”
Jillian frowned, and her body tensed. Maybe she could get the inside scoop on what happened to Scott straight from the source’s mouth. “Does your paperwork have anything to do with Scott West? Jenna said he wasn’t going to be a problem anymore, but I need more concrete details if I’m going to be able to sleep at night.”
A long, masculine sigh filled the interior of the SUV. “I don’t think Scott is the one who’s going to be keeping you awake at night,” Craig mumbled under his breath. “I’m sorry, but I can’t give you the details yet. But West will never be a problem for anyone ever again.”
It was Jillian’s turn to sigh. “That’s exactly what Jenna said, and I know it should be enough to ease my fears, but it’s not.”
Jenna crossed her arms and gave Craig a mutinous stare. “This really sucks. We should be able to tell her everything! Why is Lucian being so difficult about this? I’m her sister. I should be the one to tell her!”
“You know why,” Craig insisted. When she looked like she might argue, he gave Jenna a negative shake of his head, silencing her with a sharp look. Jenna didn’t look happy about it, but she didn’t say another word.
Jillian frowned. Who was this Lucian person, and what kind of control did he have over her brother-in-law and sister? “Is Lucian your boss?” Was he the leader of some strange cult her sister managed to get involved with?
“You could kind of say that about Lucian. He thinks he’s everyone’s boss,” Craig said with a smirk.
“Well, what’s his connection to Scott and the case? Is he going to want to ask me questions about what happened in Italy?”
“I doubt it. He probably knows more about what happened last night than you do,” Craig told her in a matter of fact voice. The cryptic reply she got from him did nothing to settle her nerves. It only made her more suspicious.
Jenna tried to supply a little more information. “This is an oversimplified way of looking at things, but Lucian is in charge of a select group that looks after the wellbeing of many.”
Jillian furrowed her brows. She didn’t remember her sister being so cryptic. “Oh, was he like your personal bodyguard, does he own a private security company?”
“No, that would be the Gannon brothers. What Lucian does is much more complicated. It would take way too long to explain right now. We’ll save that for another day. All you need to know for now is that Craig is the liaison between Lucian and the Enigma Police Department. Lucian and his group helped the Enigma Police Department find Scott.”
Jenna’s much lengthier explanation eased some of the building tension and helped settle Jillian’s nerves. “So many new names, it does sound a little too complicated for my jetlagged brain,” she admitted with a weary sigh.
“Actually, Lucian is married to our distant cousin Jessica. You’ll get to meet them at the Halloween party. The two Gannon brothers and their wives will be there also. We aren’t related, but they’re close friends with our cousins. Rose and Scarlet were the first friends I made in Enigma, other than Craig of course.”
“The costume party does intrigue me. An evening of harmless entertainment would be well received after the last twenty-four hours.”
“You have no idea,” Craig mumbled.
She couldn’t tell if he meant the words as an affirmation or a warning. It didn’t really matter. The party was a big deal for her sister, so she was going to try her best to relax and enjoy the occasion.
“You are such a male,” Jenna accused. “Don’t let him discourage you, Jillian. It’s going to be an unforgettable experience,” she insisted.
This time Craig grinned from ear to ear. She stared at her brother-in-law and waited for an explanation to his reaction, but he remained silent.
Jillian wanted to bridge the gap that grew between her and her sister over the past year. She also wanted to fit in and make a few friends. The Halloween party seemed like the best place to start. “I’m in,” she promised.
“Great! As soon as you’re rested, we’ll go see Brianna at the Witch’s Brew.”
“Please refresh my memory on our connection with her.” She was having a hard time keeping everyone straight in her mind.
“She’s friends with Lucian, which is how I originally met her. As it turns ou
t, Brianna’s mom and our great-grandmother were sisters. She’s the one that told me our grandparents are still alive. She also introduced me to our distant cousins, Brittany and Jessica.”
“Brittany is her granddaughter, right?”
“Yes, and Jessica is her great-niece.”
“What’s the Witch’s Brew?”
“It’s Brianna’s gift shop, and she has the best selection of costumes in town.”
“I can’t wait to meet her. It sounds like she helped you a lot when you first came to town.”
“You have no idea. The ladies are the best, and I can’t wait for you to meet them. It’s no longer you and me against the world. We have so many people here that love us. Coming to Enigma was the best thing that could have happened to me when I ran from Scott.”
“I’ll definitely agree with that.” The conversation was getting a little heavy for her peace of mind, so she quickly changed the subject. “Do you think Brianna will have a lot of costumes for us to choose from this close to Halloween?” If she was going to do this thing, she was going to do it right.
Waving a hand in the air, Jenna gave her a big smile. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about a thing. Brianna has a knack for matching a person with the perfect costume. I love the one she helped pick out for me last year. So much so that I’m wearing it again this year too.”
Jillian raised a brow at her sister’s testimonial. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Seeing is believing,” Jenna insisted. “I can’t wait for Brianna to work her magic with you.” A secret smile tugged at the corners of her sister’s mouth.
Before Jillian could question Jenna any further, Craig turned into a parking garage. He drove to a second gate that required a key card for entrance. After driving through the gate, he parked in a reserved space right next to the elevator. Jillian turned in her seat, taking in the surroundings. The well-lighted area looked secure and safe.
“This part of the parking structure and the elevator are private. You need a key card for access. This elevator opens directly in front of our apartment,” Craig informed her. “It’s the only apartment on the top floor.”
