Trouble? The only person who might think that was Zach. There was no one else here she could start trouble with.
Was Zach behind all of this? She’d tried to warn herself, to remember that he could be vile beneath his nice-guy exterior. Why hadn’t she listened to her instincts?
“I...I don’t want to start trouble,” she whispered.
He slammed her into the wall again. “Stop lying! I know who you are.”
Her head ached with even more intensity and the room spun. His grip on her arms was so strong that she knew she couldn’t get away.
“Stop investigating,” he growled. His hand went to her throat and he pressed on it.
She couldn’t breathe. She let out a feeble cry as she realized that the man was going to kill her.
NINE
Zach worked on his police report in his car, still unable to get over everything that had happened in this small, sleepy town over the past couple of days. He looked out the window and checked the moon.
No, it wasn’t full. He’d seen his fair share of people acting crazy when the moon was full and bright in the sky.
So what could he blame the strange events on? Something was going on in this town. Most likely it involved Madelyn Sawyer. He just couldn’t imagine what the pretty lady might have gotten herself caught up in.
He lowered his window slightly, wanting to hear the waves crashing in the distance. There was something calming about the sound, and he could use some calm right about now.
Lord, what’s going on? Are You trying to show me something?
Just as he muttered a mental amen, he heard something shatter in the distance.
That had come from Madelyn’s place.
He darted from his vehicle toward the duplex. His muscles strained as he sprinted, but he still couldn’t move fast enough. He took the stairs by two and didn’t bother to knock. He had the extra key and had intended on giving it to Mayor Alan in the morning.
He barged into her apartment with his gun drawn. Silence greeted him and as each second ticked past, his muscles tightened even more.
He scanned the dark apartment, searching for a sign of trouble.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a figure running toward the balcony. That wasn’t Madelyn. Someone had been in here with her.
Protectiveness surged through him.
The figure jumped over the balcony. Instinct told him to follow the man, but he had to check on Madelyn first. He feared the worst.
Darting through the house, he searched for her. She wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room. Finally he spotted her in the corner of the hallway. She crouched on the floor, holding her throat.
He knelt beside her and quickly checked for any obvious injuries. He saw none. “Are you okay?”
With her eyes squeezed with fear, she pointed toward the balcony. “Go,” she whispered.
His heart was pulled in two different directions. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
After a moment of hesitation, he shot down the stairs. This was his chance to catch this guy, and he didn’t want to miss it.
He dashed to the beach side of the building in time to see the man head for the water. The man limped; he’d probably injured himself when he’d hurdled the balcony railing. Zach hoped that would work to his advantage.
Zach pounded across the sand, his muscles burning with each step. The man had a head start. But Zach was determined to catch him and put an end to this once and for all.
Suddenly, the man stopped. He crouched a moment before turning toward Zach and flinging something from his hand.
Sand.
The specks invaded Zach’s eyes, temporarily blinding him. He bent over, trying to clear his vision before the man slipped away.
It was no use. The sand wasn’t coming out any time soon.
Despite that, Zach pulled his eyes open and pushed forward. Everything around him was fuzzy and hazy. He could barely make out the man running again in the distance.
He didn’t want to lose him. Not when he was so close.
The man reached the shoreline and jumped into a waiting boat. The driver of the watercraft sped off into the distance, taking the suspect with him.
He’d lost him, Zach realized. The sand in his eyes had prevented him from even getting a good look at the man.
But he wasn’t giving up yet.
This was nowhere near over.
* * *
From her perch on the balcony, Madelyn saw Zach walking back toward the house, and she rushed downstairs to meet him. His eyes were puffy and watery, not to mention the fact that he was blinking uncontrollably.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Instinctively, Madelyn’s hands went to his arm. She’d only gone outside onto the balcony a moment earlier and hadn’t seen everything play out. What had the man done to him?
“I just need a sink,” he muttered.
Madelyn didn’t ask any questions. Not now.
Instead, she helped him upstairs to the kitchen and watched as he ran water over his eyes. When he was done, she handed him a kitchen towel and he blotted his face.
“I can’t say that’s ever happened to me before,” he mumbled, still leaning over the sink, his hands near his eyes.
“What happened?”
“He threw sand in my eyes. A simple yet effective deterrent.”
Concern echoed through her. That had to hurt. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. He got away. There was a boat waiting by the pier for him.”
She frowned. “Did you get a good look at him?”
“Unfortunately, no. How about you?” He turned and leaned against the sink, running his index fingers under his eyes.
Madelyn shook her head. “No, he jumped out from behind me. And he was wearing a mask.”
Zach’s gaze fastened on hers, studying her as he had several times since they’d met. “Are you okay?”
She wrapped her arms over her chest, a tremble rushing through her. She’d thought she was going to die. Her jaw hurt. Her head hurt. Her pride hurt for that matter.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said. “Thanks to you. Again. How’d you get here so quickly? I didn’t even call.”
“I decided to stay outside in the car, just in case.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.
Her cheeks flushed. In that moment, however quick, she didn’t feel alone. Someone had been watching out for her. The realization brought her a brief yet immense comfort. “That was nice of you.”
“Just doing my job,” he clarified, raising his chin.
“Of course,” she said quickly, not wanting him to get the wrong impression. Her cheeks heated. Thankfully, Zach didn’t seem to notice, and he pressed ahead.
“Did the man say anything? Give you any clue about who he was or why he was here?”
Madelyn shook her head. “Nothing.”
“He must have come in from the other side of the building because I had my eye on the front door all night.”
Zach walked to the balcony and looked down. “I suppose it would possible for someone to scale the side of the house near the mounted water hose. If he was agile enough, he may be able to reach the balcony and climb up here. Still, the doors were locked, correct?”
She nodded, mentally running through her routine this evening. “I checked them again before I went to sleep.”
“It just doesn’t make sense. Of course, Tyler didn’t change these locks, only the front.” He rubbed his neck. “Regardless of that, I don’t think you should stay here, not until we know how this guy is getting in and out. I don’t think he’ll come back tonight, but it seems like he’s becoming more aggressive and that makes me nervous.”
“It’s the middle of the night. Where am I sup
posed to go?” Again, that mental reminder of how alone she was in the world almost seemed to overwhelm her. Though she had no one to hold her back from achieving her dreams, she also had no one to hold her hand on the hard days. The thought made her feel hollow inside.
“Nowhere tonight. You’re right—it’s too late. If you’re comfortable with it, I’ll stay on your couch. Otherwise I can wait in my car, but I’d feel better if I were closer.”
He’s just doing his job, Madelyn reminded herself. He wasn’t showing her any special care or attention. It would be best if she kept that at the forefront of her thoughts. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course.”
She wandered to the closet, grabbed a blanket and a pillow, and placed them on the sofa. She suddenly felt self-conscious, unsure if she should make polite conversation or just leave him alone.
She slowly lowered herself into the chair across from him and hugged a pillow to her chest. Just a moment of talking couldn’t hurt anything. “I’m crazy for staying in Waterman’s Reach, aren’t I?”
She wasn’t sure where the moment of honesty had come from. Maybe she just needed someone to talk to, someone besides Paula. Paula never seemed to hear what she said; she only heard what she wanted.
“Probably. Why are you staying here?” He sat across from her and leaned back on the couch as if he was exhausted.
“I have a job to do. I want to make my editor happy. I don’t want to be intimated into doing something.” All of those reasons were true. She wasn’t sure which took first priority, though.
He nodded slowly. “Makes sense.”
Madelyn’s throat tightened. She realized she could easily pour everything out to Zach, and she couldn’t risk that. Instead, she stood. “How about if I fix you some water? Tea?”
“Just water sounds great. Thank you.”
She hurried into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle from the refrigerator. The mayor had left them for her, as well as several other convenience items like snack-sized packages of crackers and cereal.
“You really do need to get some rest,” she said, trying to keep the conversation in safe territory. “You don’t want to make yourself sick.”
“I’ll be okay. But thank you.”
She pressed her lips together, realizing she’d sounded like her mom. Her mom in this situation, however, would have had pie ready, clean towels laid out and little mints to leave on his pillow.
“Seriously, you seem to be working nonstop since I’ve been here,” Madelyn said. “I know this is a small town and all, but have they ever considered hiring anyone else to help you?”
“You mean besides Tyler?”
She handed him his water bottle, noting that he’d unbuttoned the top of his shirt. Why did seeing him look so relaxed send a surge of attraction through her? She had to nix these feelings, especially considering the reason she was here. There was no room for real feelings to develop. “Yes, besides Tyler.”
He twisted the top off and took a long sip. “Small-town departments don’t usually have this much excitement. I’m hoping things will calm down soon.”
As she sat down, she pulled her legs under her and leaned into the chair. “Like when I leave?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.” She knew the truth, even if she didn’t like it.
He leaned back and studied her a moment. “So, if you weren’t here doing an article with a crazy person after you, what would you think of this town?”
Her thoughts wandered a moment. She only ever went to new places for articles. Otherwise, she’d just be taking a vacation alone, which didn’t sound like fun. She shrugged. “I’d think it was nice.”
“Nice?” His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “That’s awfully generic.”
She let out a self-conscious laugh. “Well, traveling by myself isn’t always a blast.”
“Okay, say you had someone with you. Then what would you think?”
She imagined it a moment before slowly nodding. The thought was so bittersweet, a longing she tried to bury. “I would like it. Spending some time on the beach, a carriage ride, shopping, eating at these restaurants. I heard there are some great waterside towns to explore. Maybe by kayak.”
“By kayak?” He raised his eyebrows.
She nodded. “Yeah, I’ve always wanted to try. Somewhere placid, you know? But not too swampy. I think the water in the bay and the little creeks around it would be perfect.”
“You’re right. It’s ideal for paddling out.”
For a moment she imagined herself being with Zach on her journey. Pausing to have a picnic on the beach. Stealing some pictures together in between their travel locations.
The thought pleased her so much that she found herself flushing. Thank goodness he couldn’t read her thoughts. That would just be too humiliating.
Sure, the man had saved her life a few times. But that didn’t mean he was a good guy or her knight in shining armor. She had to stop forgetting that.
Suddenly, Madelyn stood, knowing she was treading dangerous waters here. She needed some distance from Zach. “I should let you get some rest.”
He nodded slowly, almost reluctantly. “It was good chatting, Madelyn.”
“Good night, then. And thank you again.”
As she turned to leave, Zach grabbed her wrist. At once, she imagined herself in his arms, wrapped in his embrace.
Fire spread through her skin at his touch.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Madelyn?” he asked her.
She nodded, nearly unable to breathe as she stared into his intense gaze. “I promise—I’m fine.”
But she’d be even better when she was farther away from Zach Davis. Because when she was around him, either her heart was in danger or her life.
TEN
Madelyn raised her face to the breeze as the boat whipped through Mockhorn Bay the next morning.
She’d chartered the watercraft to take her on a tour this morning. She had to somehow keep up the appearance that she was writing a travel piece on Waterman’s Reach. That meant doing things like exploring the bay and other activities that tourists might find interesting.
Captain Ernie had taken her on a tour of the barrier islands that stretched across what locals called the seaside, which really meant the ocean side, of the peninsula. Once inhabited, the islands were now abandoned and subject to the weather. The landmasses were doing what they were meant to do: protect the coastline. They were beautiful and untouched.
The perfect place for crimes to be committed.
Madelyn shook her head. Now where had that thought come from? Too many things had happened lately, and it had made her think that crime was waiting around every corner, she supposed.
She’d been strangely disappointed this morning when she’d gotten up and found that Zach was gone. She’d discovered the blanket neatly folded on the couch and the pillow atop it.
It was silly, really. Why should it matter if he was there or not? She didn’t even trust the man.
But if that were true why had she agreed to let him sleep on her couch?
Her conflicting thoughts toyed with her emotions. Either the man was honorable or he wasn’t. She had to stop wafting back and forth.
But his presence last night had calmed her down. She’d actually gotten some rest, a fact that surprised her.
Against her better instincts, she smiled. His image filled her mind. He was certainly handsome. But his attractiveness came from more than his good looks. He was proving himself to be respectable.
Before she’d met him, he’d just been a character: a combination of facts and things she’d read in articles. Now that she was here and getting to know him, he was becoming real. He had stories to tell and a past he’d lived a
nd a future ahead of him.
And that made everything more complicated.
Madelyn looked out over the crystal-blue water, which looked picture-perfect from the gentle waves all the way up to the seagulls squawking overhead.
“I heard you’ve had some trouble since you’ve been in town,” Captain Ernie said.
She turned to him, surprise lighting her eyes.
The captain shrugged. “It’s a small town. Word gets around quickly.”
Finally, she nodded. Why deny it? People would find out eventually. “Maybe someone doesn’t want my article written about Waterman’s Reach. It’s the only thing I can think of.”
“Now what sense would that make? It’s a travel article. Who wouldn’t want to increase tourism in the area?”
Madelyn had thought about it. On the surface that made sense. But things were rarely that simple.
“There are people who resist change,” Madelyn said over the motor. “They like things the way they are and the way they’ve always been. Maybe someone doesn’t want this town to change.”
Ernie waved his hand in the air. “I just can’t see it. A lot of people’s livelihoods depend on this town prospering. The fishing industry just isn’t enough anymore. After the factory on the outskirts of town closed, it’s really limited the number of jobs in this area.”
“Except for the fishermen. They seem to be doing just fine without any tourists coming here. As long as their livelihoods are secure, maybe the rest of the town doesn’t matter. Is there anyone who’s been really resisting the change?”
Ernie shook his head. “No. No one. I just hope Chief Davis can get a handle on this. Chief Watson wouldn’t have stood for this.”
Now that was an interesting comment. “Really? You don’t think Chief Davis is doing a good job? Earlier you made it sound like you did.”
Ernie’s eyes widened with surprise. Had the man said more than he’d wanted? That’s how it appeared.
“No, of course not.” He let out a weak laugh. “I think some people like to test the limits of the new guy in town, you know? Chief Watson was such a fixture around here. Like you said, some people don’t like change. They don’t like it one bit.”
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