Sandra Orchard - Perilous Waters

The man must’ve noticed her distress because he immediately motioned them to move on. “Everything’s okay, folks. Nothing to see here.” The other man positioned himself in front of her car door, effectively blocking the view of the knife.

A few people craned their necks for a better look but then wandered off like the others.

“Thank you, Mr....” Jennifer whispered. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know your name.”

“Sam. Sam Tate.” He motioned to the tall, lanky fellow guarding the car door. “And this is my brother, Jake. He’s with the Stalwart Fire Department north of the city.”

Jake dipped his head toward her. “Ma’am.”

She could see the family resemblance in their faces, especially the kindness in their eyes, but other than that they seemed as different in appearance as she and her sister were in personality. “Pleased to meet you both. I’m Jennifer Robbins, and this is my sister, Cassandra.”

“What’s taking the police so long?” Cassie fretted. “It’s going to be dark soon.” She wrapped her arms around her middle and flitted her long lashes at the tall fireman. “You’ll stay until they come. Won’t you?”

Jake grinned. “Be happy to.”

His brother didn’t seem in a hurry to leave, either. He crouched down and studied the slashed tires as Jennifer silently thanked God for bringing these two Good Samaritans in their time of need.

Cassie paced. “What if this guy knows where you live, Jen? If only we were leaving on the cruise tomorrow. Then he wouldn’t be able to find you.”

“You’re going on a cruise?” Jake asked. “Which one?”

“Alaskan. We’re supposed to leave Monday.” Jen frowned at the note’s sinister threat. She hadn’t agreed to go yet, but maybe getting out of town for a week would be a good thing.

“Alaska? No way.” Awe filled Jake’s voice. “Us, too. What are the chances?” He turned to Sam, eyebrow arched.

“The trip is a birthday gift from our uncle.” Cassie flashed a photo-worthy grin. “We’re twins.”

“Cool. We’re celebrating our folks’ fortieth wedding anniversary.” Jake hitched his thumb toward his brother. “Sam’s treat.”

A wealthy cowboy then? And generous. Not that Jen cared about a man’s wealth. She just wasn’t interested in any guy who only cared about hers. Which seemed to be every guy who gave her a second look. Maybe the rest were too intimidated by her bigger bank account. Too bad Ian hadn’t been. He’d done his homework so well that she’d gullibly believed he wanted the private family life she craved. Right up until Uncle Reggie presented him with an ironclad prenuptial agreement to sign.

Cassie tugged on Jen’s sleeve. “See, Jen, the cruise won’t be just partiers. You have to come with me.”

Sam turned to her, looking surprised. “You’re thinking of turning down an Alaskan cruise?”

Jen shrugged. Maybe going away for a week would stop whoever did this from bothering her again. Except she couldn’t shake the niggling feeling Uncle Reggie wanted her out of Seattle for a reason.

Like maybe he’d heard that she’d secretly found a buyer for the gallery come their twenty-fifth birthday...when he lost his veto power.

She’d wanted out from the day her parents died driving home from a gallery gala. And the desire had only intensified with every gold-digging suitor who’d knocked on her door since. Uncle Reggie had to know she’d act on it.

She sucked in a breath. Two weeks. And she still had to win Cassie’s agreement to sell her half, too, for the deal to work. Which wouldn’t be easy, considering Cass had worked at the gallery since high school and loved everything about it. The last thing Jen wanted to do was take that away from her. But finding that stolen painting tonight, and now this, changed everything.

She’d already lost her parents and scarcely saw Aunt Martha since she’d divorced Reg. Cass was the only family she had left. She couldn’t bear to lose her, too. And she could, because if the deal fell through, it was only a matter of time before the police caught wind of what Reg was up to. And Cass would be implicated alongside him. Perhaps getting her away from him and the gallery for ten whole days might make it easier to win her over.

The wail of a police siren drew closer.

She sure wouldn’t have another opportunity tonight to broach the subject.

Sam studied her, his head tilted, as if he couldn’t figure out why anyone would turn down the gift of a cruise.

She chewed on her bottom lip.

If she went and won her sister’s agreement, she’d still have two days to finalize the sale once they returned before the buyer’s deadline expired. And she couldn’t let it expire. Not now that she knew his warning wasn’t just a scare tactic.

TWO

The fog didn’t look like it’d lift any time soon...in more ways than one.

Sam stood at the ship’s rail, scrutinizing the latecomers rushing up the gangplank as he listened to his deputy director on the other end of his cell phone. “It won’t be a problem, sir,” he assured.

“See that it’s not.”

Sam clenched his jaw. “Understood.” He clicked off and shoved the phone into his pocket. The guy had been gunning for him ever since he showed him up on the Carlisle case.

And the fiasco with Jezebel—as his brother fondly called her—had given his boss the ammunition to take him out. He couldn’t afford to mess up again, especially on a case with a couple of beautiful women involved.

Jake sidled up beside him and slapped him on the back. “Looking for a certain someone?”

“Just waiting for you guys,” Sam said, refusing to rise to the bait.

“Right.” Jake chuckled as his four-year-old son bounced up and down, tugging on his arm, begging to explore the ship.

Sam pressed his fingertips to his forehead and massaged the dull throb that had been there since seeing that note in Jennifer’s car.

“Hey, you okay?” Concern replaced the amusement in Jake’s voice.

“Yeah.” Sam dropped his hand and returned his attention to the wharf. He’d be a lot better if he knew who’d left Jennifer the note and why. Unlike her hysterical sister, Jennifer had kept a tight rein on her emotions, but he’d felt the tremble in her hand, seen the quiver in her lips. The guy had gotten to her. Thrown her off her game.

Maybe left her too spooked to make this trip.

“Hey, relax. You’re supposed to be on vacation. Remember?”

Yeah. The other night when Jake questioned him about giving Jennifer his undercover name, Sam had told him it was a precaution. He posed as a buyer in the art world too often to be known to people in it by any other name. Jake clearly hadn’t bought the excuse.

And Mom and Dad would not be impressed if he bailed on the trip.

But if Jennifer and Cassandra didn’t board, he’d have no choice. He couldn’t afford to let them off his radar.

Tommy tugged on Sam’s pant leg. “Can we explore now?”

“Sure.” Sam took one last look at the gangplank. “Where are Mom and Dad?”

“They headed up to the buffet for something to eat,” Jake said. “I told them we’d meet them there.”

“Hey, strangers!” a friendly female voice chimed from behind them.

“Look who’s here.” Jake leaned back, his arms resting on the rail, and nudged Sam’s arm. “Good to see you.”

Cassandra flounced toward them in a multicolored, artsy-looking getup with an uneven angular hem that reminded Sam of a court jester.

But when her sister didn’t appear behind her, Sam didn’t feel like laughing. “Jennifer’s not coming?”

“Sure.” The twinkly smile in Cassandra’s eyes conveyed almost a giddy pleasure in his interest in her sister, which could nicely work to his favor. Cassandra fluttered her hand in the direction she’d come. “She just wanted to make a few phone calls before we left port and lost cell phone reception. I’m meeting her at the buffet in twenty minutes.”