Sweet Talkin' Scoundrel

  “Let me guess, is this Giza?”

  Becky’s voice popped me out of my thoughts. I looked down at the map. “No, you’re on the wrong continent.” I flipped the pages. With it being an old leather bound book, the pages ran through my fingers and stopped at the back cover. An extra piece of heavy vellum paper had been glued to the inside of the cover. It bulged with what looked like a stack of papers stuck inside.

  “Becky, what’s this?”

  She laughed. “I forgot about that. That was Daddy’s shh pocket.” She placed her finger next to her lips to add a visual. “He used to hide stuff in there that he didn’t want Mother to see. I’m the only person who knows about it.”

  She flipped the pages back to the middle. “We should probably hurry up. The smell in this room is making my eyes hurt.”

  “Then we’d better finish this and get out of the library.”

  Chapter 24

  Dax

  I had two hours before my next flight, taking Katherine back to Wildthorne. I’d forced myself to sit in the hangar office and do paperwork. My mind wasn’t on business though. It was on Kinley. Katherine had figured out everything, and she was determined to make sure I stayed away from Kinley. Only that wasn’t going to happen. I hadn’t figured everything out yet, but I’d have it solid in my head long before Tero’s wheels touched down on the runway. A job was one thing, but I was sure Kinley wouldn’t stay if she knew the full scope of Katherine’s plans.

  I finished logging flight hours and got up to grab a soda from the refrigerator. My phone rang, bringing me back to my desk. It was Katherine.

  “Yeah?”

  “Great telephone skills,” she scoffed.

  “Are you done early?”

  The background noise wasn’t normal. There was an announcement over a loudspeaker, and I was sure I heard plane engines.

  “Actually, I won’t be needing your services anymore today.”

  It took me a second to decipher what she was saying. “You’re not flying back to the island?”

  “Oh, I am. You’re not. I’ve hired a private helicopter service. I’m leaving King’s Beach in a few minutes. The helicopter pilot is extremely attentive, and he has a much steadier machine than that ridiculous thing you call an airplane. He’s a bit more expensive, and I’ll have to cut down on some of the flights to King’s Beach, but I think this will be for the best.”

  I wondered if it was humanly possible to crush a cell phone in a bare hand. I was so close to destroying mine, I was sure I heard it creak and groan as I squeezed it. “You can’t keep me from visiting Wildthorne.”

  “Sure I can. It’s my property.”

  “What happened to James always being welcome in his home? Oh wait, that’s right. That was just an act to give Kinley and Becky the impression that you’re human inside instead of robot.” The phone went dead. She’d hung up. But I didn’t give a fuck.

  Earlier, when we’d landed in King’s Beach, Katherine had recorded a reminder on her phone to buy aspirin for Marcus, which meant he was probably in bed. He spent at least one day a week in bed trying to stave off some imaginary disease. I decided to take a chance and radio the house. It was Janice’s day off, so only Becky and Kinley were around to answer. They spent most of their time in rooms far away from the kitchen, but it was worth a try. I needed to talk to Kinley. I needed to tell her that things had changed for the worse. I needed to convince her to leave the island. I knew that her attachment to Becky was going to make that a tough argument, but I had to try.

  I walked to my radio. “Tero One to Wildthorne Five, do you read me?” I released the button and waited. Nothing. “Tero One to Wildthorne Five, do you read me?” Katherine had taken this to a whole new low, banishing me from the island. She must have spent her entire afternoon searching for a reliable air service willing to fly back and forth to Wildthorne. “Tero One to Wildthorne Five, do you read me?” Just as I was about to rip the fucking speaker from the radio, I heard a voice that made my chest tighten.

  “Dax? I mean Tero One.” As she spoke her voice crumbled closer and closer to sobs. “This is Wildthorne Five, I read you, over.” A sniffle followed, and I wanted to jump through the damn radio and take her into my arms.

  I was in no mood for radio speak. “You need to get out of there, Kinley. She’s planning to trap you there. Over.”

  “I know.” Her voice was faint, but it wasn’t because of the radio. She was upset. All the pieces had come together for her. It seemed she was starting to realize teaching Becky was the only perk that came with the job. “Dax, I don’t know what to do. I need you.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Chapter 25

  Kinley

  I should have known it was all too good to be true. From the start, I’d found it hard to warm up to Katherine. Otherwise, the job had been perfect. Or at least it had seemed perfect. I was naive to think everything would go so smoothly. My life rarely went smoothly. Still, never in a million years would I have imagined myself caught up in some weird marriage scheme. Dax had been right. It was a little like living with the Addams Family, with one exception—Becky. It would break my heart to leave her, but I saw no way to stay.

  Becky had gone down to the television room to watch movies. I decided to head up to my room and pack my things. I needed the time alone to work up the courage to tell Becky. It wasn’t going to be easy.

  As I stood at the dresser in my bedroom, my eyes flitted up to the framed art on the wall. It was an intricately drawn picture of a sailing ship. I stared at it for a second and decided it was time to talk to Marcus. I needed to find out just what the heck was going on. I had every right to know just how badly I’d been duped.

  I marched down the hallway with the confidence of a seasoned warrior but shrank into a trembling pile of cowardice by the time I reached his door. I took a deep breath and knocked.

  “Yes?” Marcus called back. I wondered what he knew or if he knew anything that was going on outside the germfree bubble he’d created for himself.

  “Marcus, it’s Kinley. I wonder if I could have a word with you.”

  Blankets shuffled and the bed creaked as he seemed to be readying himself for a visitor.

  “Come in, Kinley.”

  I stepped inside the room. He pointed to a line on the floor made with tape. “If you don’t mind, please stay back behind the line. I don’t want you to catch whatever I have . . . and vice versa.”

  I made sure to stop at the tape.

  Marcus looked even more pale than usual but then he’d spent the entire day in a dark room. He had propped himself up against pillows. He was a young man in his twenties, but with the life he’d made for himself, he might as well have been in his eighties.

  I didn’t have a chance to speak.

  “Guess you’ve figured out why Mother hired you.”

  I nodded.

  “I’m sorry. It’s really all my dad’s fault. He took pleasure in upsetting her, and at the same time, he was thoroughly disappointed and embarrassed by me. The will was meant to teach both of us a lesson.” A dry, terse laugh followed. “He had it set in his mind that I was doing this for some kind of attention. He could never understand it, and I couldn’t explain it. But he had James. James was the son he wanted. Tough as nails. Athletic. Courageous. He loved James more.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Yes, I do. And it’s all right. I accepted it long ago. I hate James for it, which is terrible because it’s not his fault. He is who he is.” He adjusted the blankets on his bed. “Since Dad never gave his lawyer the real will, we’re stuck in this situation. I don’t mind. I have everything I need here, but Mother will do anything to get her hands on that fortune.”

  I accidentally took a step over the tape and backed up quickly. “What do you mean the real will?” r />
  “The first one was meant as a joke to scare my mother. Which it did. Only Dad didn’t expect to die out on the water. He told his lawyer he’d drawn up his real will, the one he was supposed to read after the ugly, little joke. The lawyer never received it. So, the first will stands.”

  “That’s terrible. I’m sorry, Marcus.”

  “You and James?” he asked with a brow lift.

  “Yes.”

  “I knew the first time I saw you that you were going to be different. You were the first woman Mother hired that I thought—hmm, maybe I could get past my problems. You’re the first one who would have been worth the effort. Can’t blame James at all.”

  Tears filled my eyes, and my throat was too tight to speak.

  “Have you told Becky?”

  I shook my head. “Not yet.” I swallowed hard and got the rest of the words out. “And, Marcus, you would have been worth the effort too.” I turned and walked out of the room and stopped halfway down the hall to break down in tears.

  Chapter 26

  Dax

  I was half expecting a barrage of land to air missiles as I came through the dark clouds hovering over the runway. I was sure if Katherine could have arranged it, she would have. I’d heard through the radio that the transport helicopter had already left Wildthorne, so I knew the runway was clear.

  Tero was great at announcing our arrival, no matter where we landed. By the time the tires hit the runway, everyone in the house would know I was on the island. But that didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was Kinley. It wouldn’t be long before Becky understood that her mother had banned me from the island and that Katherine and Marcus had once again scared off another teacher.

  I jumped down from the cockpit and headed toward the house. The storm darkened sky above the island fit my grim mood perfectly. It was still dusk, but the clouds made it seem as if it was the middle of the night. A bitter, cold wind was starting to gain strength as it blew in off the choppy water. The entire scene reminded me of the day that the boat caught fire, the day when I knew my life on Wildthorne had changed forever.

  I picked up my pace. I had to hurry and find Kinley so we could get back to the plane and back to King’s Beach before the storm broke. I hadn’t really thought about what I’d say to Katherine, but at this point, it just didn’t matter. I was taking Kinley, and there wasn’t a fucking thing my stepmother could do to stop me.

  A light went on in the kitchen as I crossed the lawn. I saw Katherine peer out. She’d heard Tero and was waiting to pounce. I was ready for whatever she had to throw at me.

  I walked inside.

  “Kinley!” I called as I hurried through the entryway.

  There was no answer. I headed down the hallway to the kitchen. I was going to have to face Katherine, and I decided to get it over with. Kinley was standing in the kitchen with her bags in her hands. Her eyes and nose were red from crying.

  I shot a rage-filled glare at Katherine. “This is over. I’m taking Kinley now. Tell Becky I’ll see her when you let me back on the island.” I pointed at her. “You make fucking sure she knows this is on you.”

  “Tell her yourself,” Katherine snapped. “She’s upstairs in her room, hysterical because you are taking Kinley away from her.”

  “No, I’m leaving on my own free will. Don’t blame Dax,” Kinley said weakly. Her thin shoulders vibrated as she took a deep breath. “You weren’t honest about anything, Katherine. I can’t stay knowing you only brought me here to get access to your inheritance. I’m sure you can find another woman willing to give up her life, so you can continue living in luxury.” Kinley turned to me. “I’m ready to go.”

  Katherine’s sharp, angry laugh startled her as she walked toward me.

  “Are you going to tell her, James, or should I?” Katherine barked.

  I stared at the woman, trying to figure out which way her devious mind was heading this time. Then it sank in. “There’s nothing to tell her. My motives are real. I love Kinley.”

  Kinley hurried to my side.

  “James probably forgot to mention that he was part of Jack’s wretched little joke,” Katherine spoke quickly.

  “Let’s go, Kinley.” I reached for her bags, but she backed up a step.

  Her lips parted in question.

  “That’s right. The first one of Jack’s sons to marry,” Katherine sneered at me, “gets the bulk of the Underwood fortune. You’re being played from both sides, my dear.”

  Kinley’s face paled. She looked at me with an expression that was both disbelief and heartbreak.

  I stepped toward her, but she stumbled back.

  “I don’t give a damn about the money, and she knows it, Kinley.”

  A streak of lightning lit up the yard and pulled everyone’s attention to the window for a second. When I turned back, Kinley was running from the room. I raced after her.

  “Kinley, I love you. I don’t give a damn about the money. It’s you I want.”

  She dropped her bags and raced up the stairs without looking back. Her bedroom door snapped shut behind her.

  I turned around. Katherine was standing behind me wearing that super villain grin she’d perfected. “Guess we both lose out this round.” With that she turned sharply on her pointed heels and walked back into the kitchen.

  Another streak of light lit up the entry, and a brutal gust of wind kicked at the house. A torrent of rain followed, spraying the windows and pounding the roof. The storm had rushed in faster than I’d expected. I wasn’t going anywhere now. Not that I had any intention of leaving the island without Kinley.

  The wind pushed the door open wider as I walked outside. I yanked it shut, lowered my head and ran for the guest house.

  Chapter 27

  Kinley

  The electricity had been turned off, and the room was bathed in darkness. I reached for the flashlight next to my bed and turned it on. My head throbbed from crying as I placed my feet on the floor. How could everything have gone this bad, this quickly? The pain I felt in my head was nothing compared to the heavy thud of despair I felt in my chest. I’d felt heartbreak before but never like this, never to the point that I couldn’t think straight or catch a decent breath.

  I walked to the window and jumped back as a shower of raindrops sprayed the glass. The yard was once again being littered with debris from the storm. I peered up at the sky. It was pillowed with black clouds. They seemed to have settled over the island for good. I really was in a prison, a prison from which there was no escape. And enemies seemed to be surrounding me on all sides.

  My mind went back to Dax, and immediately, my stomach clenched in on itself again. Using the flashlight, I navigated my way to the bathroom, turned on the sink and splashed cold water on my face to stop the nausea. The icy water brought me some clarity. I turned off the faucet and peered up at my reflection in the glow of the flashlight. My eyes were puffy and my nose was red enough to lead Santa’s sleigh. How could I have been so silly to have fallen for Dax’s charms? Unfortunately, that question was easy to answer. His charms were hard to resist. He’d seemed so sincere about his feelings for me. There had been those few moments when I’d considered the possibility that Dax had flirted and slept with all of Becky’s teachers, but his response had made me push aside that notion. Now it all seemed entirely possible. Dax might have been working to sabotage Katherine’s plans all along, either to anger her or to stop Marcus from getting the family fortune. Only there was nothing in Dax’s character that could lead me to think that he was greedy for money. He lived so simply that it seemed he never thought twice about material things.

  No. I had to shut down my mind. I had to stop defending him. He’d played me badly, and I’d let him. I wasn’t sure if I was more angry at him or at myself.

  I stepped back into the bedroom. Even though t
he black sky gave no indication the storm was over, there was a quiet lull outside. The resulting quiet assured me the entire household was sleeping. I stuck my head out into the hallway to be sure. I doubted that Dax had been foolish enough to take off in the storm. I could only assume he was in the guest house.

  I never wanted to talk to any of them again. If I’d taken a regular job in a city, I could have just slipped out, grabbed my bags and hopped on a bus or train. But I’d gotten myself stuck in an impossible situation. Or had I?

  I closed the door to my bedroom and sat down on the bed to reason out my plan. There was one small path to escape. It was a crazy and dangerous path, especially with the storm raging outside, but I’d been in some scary scenarios with my parents. They’d taught me that a good plan coupled with a heaping dose of courage could get you out of any mess.

  I picked up the flashlight, hopped off the bed and grabbed my coat. I had to try.

  Chapter 28

  Kinley

  Fortunately for me, Katherine was compulsively organized. Every box in the cellar was labeled, making it easy to find the self inflating raft. It was neatly contained in a box that looked somewhat like a briefcase, handle and all. I grabbed several more flashlights and a flare, just in case. I carried my haul up the stairs and didn’t waste any time. The storm outside had quieted almost as if it was inviting me to take the risk. I hadn’t needed the invite. Once I’d thought of the plan, I hadn’t second guessed myself once. If I had, then I might have started listing the possible risks and lost my courage. But I had to leave. I worried that if I faced Dax again, my resolve would crumble just like my heart.