He knew he couldn’t tell Paige what to do. He’d learned from his past mistakes. But he prayed she had enough sense not to try to go out there today at the cleanup event and make herself an easy target. Couldn’t she still be in charge from the safety of Cassidy and Ty’s home?
A bad feeling churned in his gut.
He swallowed another sip of coffee, but the liquid tasted like acid in his stomach. Cassidy had already left. She had to go into the office this morning before the cleanup began. Ty was checking on his cabanas outside in preparation for another retreat. And Paige hadn’t stirred yet.
At that thought, a footstep sounded behind him. He turned.
Paige stepped from the hallway. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her.
She’d showered and changed already into some black shorts and a tank top. Her face looked fresh, her curls springy, and her eyes brighter.
When he saw her flip-flops on, he knew without a doubt she was going to try to go out today.
He resisted a sigh and reminded himself that he could trust her. That he couldn’t make her decisions for her. That she was a fully capable woman.
“Good morning.” His throat felt tight as he said the words.
“Good morning.” She grabbed a coffee mug and poured herself some coffee, still looking a little stiff. “You need more?”
He looked at his half-full cup and shook his head. The liquid already wasn’t settling well in his stomach. “No, I’m okay. How are you feeling? Is your head still sore?”
“No, it’s not. I think a good night’s rest was the perfect medicine.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re doing better.”
She sat down beside him and stared at him over the rim of her coffee cup. “Anything new this morning?”
He shrugged, wishing he had something to tell her. “Not that I’ve heard.”
Her shoulders seemed to deflate. “That’s too bad.”
“Yes, it is. I was hoping that Jennifer would have been located by now.” He wanted to ask Paige about her plans for today. But he swallowed the words. He’d wait until she brought it up, not wanting to seem pushy.
Behind them, the door opened. Cassidy stepped inside, a grin stretched across her face. “Guess what I just found out? Jennifer’s car was spotted on the ferry first thing this morning. I wish the crews had realized it sooner, but there was a changeover in staffing and the new guys hadn’t been briefed about Jennifer yet. Anyway, the supervisor checked the surveillance photos and spotted her car. It looks like she left the island.”
Wes felt himself rising up from his seat. “Are you sure?”
“We’re fairly certain,” Cassidy said. “Of course, we’ll double-check everything. But maybe she finally realized that she wouldn’t get away with this, and she left. We’ll have police tracking her in other parts of the state, but it could mean good news for you, Paige. You too, Wes. Maybe you can finally sleep at night and get on with your lives.”
Wes and Paige exchanged a look full of hope . . . and some doubt.
Could Jennifer have really gotten the hint and left?
Part of him didn’t want to believe it.
But that would be great news if it was true. He just needed a little more confirmation first.
Paige felt excitement welling up in her. She wouldn’t have to sit in hiding all day. Jennifer was gone—most likely.
“I can go and supervise the cleanup day,” she announced, rising to her feet. “Which is great because if I have to stay inside anymore, I’m going to lose my mind.”
Wes and Cassidy exchanged a glance.
“What?” she asked, confused by their hesitation. “If Jennifer’s gone, there’s no reason for me to stay out of sight until it’s all over . . . right?”
“In theory, yes.” Cassidy’s smile dimmed. “We are still confirming things, of course.”
Paige wasn’t ready to back down. “How about this? I’ll stick with Wes today. That way, both of us will have our eyes open. I’ll be in public, directing people, for the most part. I should be okay, as long as I don’t go anywhere alone.”
“It’s your call, Paige. You can do whatever you feel safest doing.” Cassidy’s voice still held an edge of concern.
Paige nodded, her mind made up. “I’m going then. This is my event. I want to be there to oversee it. I don’t want this woman to dictate my life.”
Wes stood. “I’ll take you up on your offer. I’ll stick with you today, just to be on the safe side.”
“Absolutely.” Paige glanced at her watch, feeling more excited than she had in days. “I’ve got to get moving. Wes, how much time do you need before you’re ready?”
“Just a few minutes.”
Her mind raced through everything she needed to do for today’s event—in person now and not over the phone. “Great. I’ll meet you back here again in five. I’ve got to go grab a few things myself. This is going to be the best beach cleanup event ever.”
She glanced at Wes and Cassidy again. Neither of them seemed to share her excitement. But that was okay. Because she was going to make the most out of this situation.
Jennifer had left. That was great news.
But, if they were wrong . . . well, Paige didn’t want to think about it.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Someone let Paige use their golf cart. She, with Wes by her side, drove all throughout the island, monitoring the cleanup activities.
Forty bags of trash had already been collected. Mostly, it was bottles and food wrappers and illegal fireworks. There were also several cinder blocks, old tires, and some beach equipment that had blown out to sea before getting washed to shore. Huge trucks had been brought in to haul it all away
This was not only going to help the beach look more beautiful, but these efforts would also help the wildlife in the area. So much of this litter could harm or even kill them.
It felt good to be doing her part.
Paige glanced over at Wes. He scanned everything around them still, just as he’d been doing all day.
They’d seen no signs of trouble. No signs of Jennifer.
Good.
Because every time Paige thought about the woman, her head began to throb uncontrollably.
Jennifer was crazy. Certifiably. Why else would she have swung that stick out and hit Paige in the head? And what about the photos Cassidy had found in the room where she’d been staying? That woman had been watching her and Wes for several days.
Paige shivered at the thought.
“You still doing all right?” Wes asked, his gaze scanning the crowds on the boardwalk.
He’d been watching Paige also. No doubt he’d seen her shiver just now. Part of her resented it, and the other part of her delighted in his concern. It was nice to know someone was watching out for her.
“I’m great.” Paige used her strongest voice. At the first sign she wasn’t doing okay, Wes would probably try to find an excuse to get her back to Cassidy’s place and under lock and key.
That was the last thing she wanted.
“I’d say today has been successful,” he said.
Paige smiled. “Me too. I think this would be nice as an annual event.”
“Only if you’re here to head it up.”
Paige’s cheeks flushed at his words. So he wanted her to stick around? Yet he’d tried to get rid of her also. He was so confusing . . . and, at times, infuriating.
Part of Paige wanted to share all her feelings with the man and never leave his side. The other part held back, desperate to see more flaws. To realize early on why they shouldn’t be together.
Her walkie talkie buzzed, and she answered. It was her crew working in the Pamlico Sound. They’d found some old motors, anchors, and other hazardous items that could seriously hurt people if they stepped on them or fell onto them while tubing or waterskiing.
They needed more manpower, people who were comfortable snorkeling or scuba diving. People who had the strength to pull some of these heavy objects out. Ju
st as she was about to tell the water supervisor that she didn’t have anyone else who could help, Wes spoke up.
“I can help.”
“Really?” Paige expected Wes to want to stay out in public for only as long as necessary.
He shrugged, looking laid-back—though she knew he was anything but. “Yeah, I mean, they need help. I’m qualified. As long as we’re not out there alone . . . our chances are probably better on the water anyway. At least you can see people coming.”
“We should be safe . . . especially if Jennifer really did leave the island.” Why did Paige sound so uncertain as she said the words?
But the fact was, if Paige was out in the water, she should be okay. Most of the areas where they were working were shallow. Jennifer wouldn’t manage to get a speed boat in water at that depth. Any other boat, they would see coming.
“Okay then,” she finally said. “If you don’t mind helping, let’s head out there. I’d love to get some pictures anyway of that part of the cleanup so we can post them to social media.”
“Let’s go then.”
Wes didn’t need to gear up for the area where he’d be working. The water was only about three and a half feet deep. The location could be managed by walking out, but gear was needed to see what was beneath the water in order to remove any objects they found. He was amazed by the trash he’d discovered in the sound before this. People thought they could dump things beneath the water and get away with it. Unfortunately, it was a huge safety risk.
As someone who worked out on these waters, he tried to do periodic checks in the areas he frequented. But it was a big undertaking—more than one person could handle. The Pamlico Sound was the second largest estuary on the East Coast, right behind Chesapeake Bay. In other words, it was massive.
Thankfully, the water was shallow for nearly a mile out, which made it easier to navigate.
One of the volunteers let Paige use his motorboat. Sections of the water had been blocked out on a map so volunteers would know where to work.
“You sure you’re good with this?” Paige asked as they idled to a stop.
He adjusted the mask on his face. “I’m sure.”
“Okay. Be careful.” Her face looked pensive, like she was having second thoughts.
“I don’t have to do this . . .” If Paige was uncomfortable, Wes would stay right beside her. Go back to the golf cart. Whatever made her feel safe.
“Tommy and Jake are in a boat not far from here. I can call them for help if I need to. Besides, you’ll be coming up for air enough that I’ll be able to communicate with you.”
He nodded. She was right. There wasn’t much risk being out here. And he truly hoped that Jennifer had finally gotten frightened and left the island. Any sane person would.
The problem was she wasn’t exactly sane.
Wes jumped into the water, ready to use his snorkel to find the areas that needed to be cleaned up. Once he found problem areas, he could adjust his location, take off his snorkel, and dive deeper to retrieve anything he needed.
With one last wave at Paige, he put his snorkel in his mouth and disappeared into the water.
Beneath the surface, eel grass waved with the current. A stingray swam by not too far away. Tiny schools of minnows darted past.
It was like an entirely different world under here. It was beautiful and peaceful and a true sanctuary.
Wes swam around near the boat, determined to stay close.
He grabbed a broken bottle, some broken crab pods, and a few other miscellaneous things and stuck them in a mesh bag he’d brought down with him.
As he swam around another patch of grass, an old anchor came into view. He studied it a moment. This was definitely a hazard. The ends were sharp and rusted. If someone fell into the water and landed on this . . . it wouldn’t be pretty.
He came to the surface a moment and handed his bag to Paige.
“How’s it going?” She peered down at him from above.
“Good, but I need to pull an old anchor up. Can you move the boat about twenty feet to the west?”
“Will do.” She cranked the engine and puttered the boat in the direction he’d indicated. He held onto the side and glided through the water.
“Any signs of trouble?” He glanced around the open expanse of water around them.
Paige shook her head, looking calm and collected. “No, it’s been quiet out here.”
Good. Maybe Jennifer was no longer a threat. Could they really be that lucky?
He didn’t know. But he sure hoped so.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Paige couldn’t stop glancing around the beautiful, serene area surrounding her. She searched for any signs of trouble, but she didn’t see anything but birds, gentle waves, and a few passing cotton-puff clouds.
In between remaining vigilant, she answered calls and followed up with other beach cleanup crews to check on their progress.
It was just after noon, so most of the teams were wrapping up. She’d planned a cookout on the beach for the volunteers. Lisa had offered to oversee that, so Paige knew she didn’t have to worry about those details. Soon they would all be feasting.
Cassidy had checked in several times as well. Everything appeared to be going well on other parts of the island. There hadn’t been any problems today—thank goodness.
Paige should feel on top of the world. So why did she still feel nervous?
Maybe because everything felt easy. Too easy.
She shoved her doubts down and readjusted her sunglasses against the glare of the water.
She watched as Wes went underwater. He worked to set up lines that would pull the old anchor to the surface. He said it wasn’t especially heavy, but incredibly awkward. He disappeared beneath the surface again and again as he set things up.
Her phone rang, and Paige saw it was Cassidy. She took a sip of water before answering.
Her boss had been using the walkie talkies for most of the day. Why was she calling now?
“Hi, Chief. What’s up?” Paige answered, her gaze scanning the horizon in anticipation of trouble.
“Paige . . . I just got an update from a state trooper. They’ve been trying to track down Jennifer’s car all day, since she got off the ferry.”
“Okay. . .”
“And it looks like Jennifer paid a tourist here on the island to impersonate her. This woman drove Jennifer’s car on the ferry, just to throw us off it appears. But the woman wasn’t Jennifer. She doesn’t know where Jennifer is, for that matter.”
Paige’s heartrate accelerated.
Of course. She was correct when she’d thought things had been too easy. Now she and Wes might still be in danger.
“Where are you, Paige?” Cassidy asked.
She glanced back at land, which was a good half mile away. “We’re on the water around Milepost 17, near the lighthouse. Wes’s usual launching spot.”
“Come back to shore ASAP. I’m going to go out there and meet you myself. I need to know the two of you are safe.”
“As soon as Wes comes up to the surface again, I’ll tell him. We’ll take the boat back to shore and wait for you.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon.”
Paige glanced down at the water where Wes worked. She needed to get his attention.
Now.
Wes tightened another rope around the anchor and backed away. Everything looked good to go, but he still needed to wrap the rope around one more side of the rusty metal first. Then they’d pull the anchor from the water instead of trying to lift it himself and risk getting cut.
His foot hit something, and he glanced down and saw a metal rod there. It almost looked like an old crowbar that had been left and buried. He added that to his list of things to take to the surface. But first, he needed to finish working on this anchor.
He’d been holding his breath underwater in an effort to get this done efficiently. There was no air tank required. But he needed to go to the surface soon and fill his lungs before he c
ould finish securing the anchor.
Maybe when this was over, he would admit everything to Paige. He would tell her how he felt. Stop holding back.
He would be a fool to let someone like Paige walk away. Now that he’d fallen for her, there was no turning back. He’d wasted a lot of time already, and he regretted that. He needed to tell her how much he cared.
And he would.
Tonight after this was done, he decided. After the cleanup efforts were complete. When Paige would be more relaxed.
The truth was, Wes could see the two of them building a nice life together here on Lantern Beach. She shared his values. She didn’t care about money or material possessions. Living a full life was entirely more important than accumulating stuff.
He wrapped the rope around the anchor in one more place and tied a knot there. As he did, his lungs tightened again, reminding him he needed air.
He had to get to the surface. He couldn’t work underwater any longer without getting a breath.
As he started up, something pricked his arm. He flinched.
Blood seeped from a cut on his bicep.
Blood?
Had Wes accidentally scraped himself on the anchor?
No, he wasn’t close enough to injure himself. He’d been careful.
So what had happened?
As he watched the red streaks of blood mix with the water, he felt another pierce on his other arm.
He glanced behind him and saw something shoot past. Was that . . . a spear that plunged into the sandy bottom of the sound?
A spear?
It was one that was used for spear fishing, he realized. Someone had shot that from a gun.
But . . . who?
He jerked his head back around just in time to see someone dart behind a large bed of seaweed.
He didn’t have to see her face to know the truth.
It was Jennifer.
Jennifer had found him.
She was in the water.
And she was done playing games. This time, she wanted to end this . . . even if it meant hurting Wes.
Winds of Danger Page 12
