CHAPTER SEVEN
"You guys fooled my brother Max, and that's not easy to do. He's a really smart guy with a whole lot of experience." The ladies had smiles on their faces. Sabrina knew flattery would be the way to seal the deal. "But we need to make sure Annie's okay."
"She's fine," Lois said.
"I know you think that, but we have to make sure." She tried to smile, but the muscles in her cheeks didn't want to cooperate. "We understand someone came in through her bedroom window last night. Is it the same man she's with now?"
"I don't know what you mean, dear." Gertie patted her hand. "A man was in Annie's bedroom last night? Did you know that, Lois?"
Maybe she'd been a little too confident. This called for a different approach. She figured maybe she should start out simple and work from there.
Lois shrugged in response and avoided eye contact. Maybe she was the weak link. Sabrina needed to put a little pressure on her to get her to spill the beans.
"What do you meet about once a year?"
"We're wizzes when it comes to the stock market. Together we're pretty much untouchable. At first people thought it was beginner's luck, but now everybody wants in on the action," Gertie revealed.
"Not going to happen. We've made a tidy sum over the years," Lois added.
The words Jake had heard clicked into place. Assassins? Yes, her brother had quite an imagination.
"We get together to focus and forecast for the next year. Of course we email every day and have strategies in place. Annie watches the foreign market for signs of any weakness, Gertie covers the small company stocks, and I go over emerging markets and blue chips."
Sabrina drew in a breath. Now on to the other matter. "Okay, let's start at the beginning. Were the threats real or not? I could see why someone might be after your secrets, but the fact that you ladies aren't worried about your friend makes me believe it's not about your success."
"Yes and no."
Sabrina shook her head. "You're going to need to clarify that for me."
Lois sipped her fresh coffee. "Let's just say Anthony spotted the note and went berserk and assumed the worst. And then we kind of had to play along. Of course he went overboard, but we knew what we were doing."
Gertie snorted. "He's a bit of a fuddy-duddy. Thinks we're supposed to be home twiddling our thumbs or something. He wouldn't understand that we need a bit of spark and excitement just like everybody else. And, most of all, Annie needed it."
"So you're saying Annie wasn't kidnapped?" Sabrina spun the scenario through her mind. Could they have concocted this elaborate scheme for a little excitement?
They both shook their heads. Lois looked at Gertie before she bent her head towards Sabrina. "We kind of sort of made Will believe Annie was in danger. God knows those two needed a little push. He tracked her down her to make sure she was okay yesterday and got a dose of pepper spray for his efforts. We never told Annie the threats weren't real, and she assumed…well…Will was there to kidnap her. Except she didn't know it was Will."
"Bottom line is they found each other again."
Sabrina closed her eyes and held up her hands. "Let me get this straight. One or both of you leaked this information to Will hoping somehow they'd reconcile?"
"It was the only way to get them back together. They're both so stubborn. And well we knew he'd come running if he thought Annie was in danger, so I kind of leaked the phony information to him. Worked like a charm, I've got to say," Lois said.
"But when did he find her? Somebody's been with you ladies the whole time you've been here." Sabrina wracked her brain to think of spots of vulnerability.
Gertie chuckled. "Did you really think we were that bad at knife throwing? Come on, we needed a bit of a diversion to get away. Will met up with us, but then we ran into those kids staging a party, and it fit perfectly in our plan. Will and Annie didn't have much of a chance to talk, so he climbed up to her room later that night."
If she wouldn't look like a total idiot, she'd slap herself on the side of the head. "I definitely underestimated you ladies."
Lois patted her hand again. "Don't worry. Everybody does that."
"Can you call Annie and have her come back? I know it sounds patronizing and old-fashioned, but we need to make sure she's okay." She winked at the ladies. "And I'd love to meet the infamous Will."
"Oh, he's quite a dear fellow. A little adventurous and a risk taker, which is why her father hated him. Climbs mountains even at his age."
That explained the agility her brother had attributed to youth. "I promise we won't call Anthony, but if we can't verify she's okay, we'll have no choice. You understand that, don't you?" She might be pushing it, but she had to make sure Annie was safe as well as satisfy a little of her own curiosity.
* * *
"No way was the guy I saw in his eighties. Granted he was dressed in black, but he climbed the trellis like a young man." Max shook his head.
Sabrina had expected that response from her brother. He was stubborn that way. Then again, maybe it was a Shaw trait.
"We'll find out soon since they should be home now." She opened up the front door as they talked.
"Annie," Jake shouted as he trailed behind them.
"Seems awfully quiet." Max added before he slid his gaze to Jake. "Don't say it."
"Who me? I wasn't going to say a thing about them being upstairs having sex." Jake smirked.
"Wait a minute." Sabrina held up her hand. "Is that music playing outside?" She walked through the house to the back patio and opened the doors.
There on the patio were Annie and Will, locked in each other's arms, swaying to the music while talking and laughing. He was tall and thin with a head full of grey hair. Oblivious to anyone or anything but each other, they continued.
Sabrina cleared her throat, but they still didn't respond. She turned around to look at her brothers and shrugged.
She walked up next to the couple and lightly touched her arm. "Annie."
Annie turned to look at her. "Sabrina, I'd like you to meet Will. The love of my life."
He had a mischievous glint in his eyes when he smiled and held out his hand. Something about him reminded her of Kane, dimples and all. "Good to meet you." He looped his arm around Annie's shoulders. "I can't believe I have her back after all these years."
"Tell me your story." Something about the way they looked at each other tugged at Sabrina's heart. She wanted to hear what they had to say. It might give her clarity in her own life situation.
Annie grabbed Will's arm, intertwining it with her own. "We were crazy about each other back then."
"Still are," Will added with a smile that seemed to brighten his whole face. "If it wasn't for Gertie and Lois' interference, who knows how long this would have taken?"
Sabrina shook her head. "Why didn't your father like Will?"
Will smiled. "He wanted an accountant or a lawyer for a son-in-law, not a guy who graduated college with a liberal arts degree and no idea what he wanted to do with his life except see with world with Annie by his side."
A dribble of tears fell down Annie's cheek. "I'm so sorry I listened to my father all those years ago."
"No need to be sorry. It all worked out in the end. We might have been separated for a while, but I always knew where you were."
Annie squeezed his arm. "After a career with the CIA, Will had a successful import-export business before he retired."
"I never married but kept tabs on Annie over the years through Gertie."
"I'm sorry if this is too personal, but your husband died nearly twenty years ago. Why didn't you try to find each other?"
"For me it was fear." Annie tugged him closer. "I was afraid I wouldn't get that same racing feeling in my heart like when I was in my twenties. I was afraid he'd reject me. I was afraid of a whole lot of things." She shrugged. "Such foolishness on my part."
Annie's words seemed to crystallize inside Sabrina's brain, and she knew then and there what she had to do.
* * *
Sabrina figured it was only fair for Max to make the call to Anthony. Turns out he'd already talked to Will and Annie, and a semblance of peace reigned in the family once again. Case closed. After lounging around waiting for the Shaws' respective significant others to arrive, it was finally time.
"What are you two talking about all secret like?" Sabrina linked her hands in her brother's arms. They were once again back to their existence of hurry up and wait.
Speaking of waiting…where was Kane?
"We're discussing the finer points of the beer we ordered for the weekend," Jake offered. "You can never have too much beer."
"But not enough is a huge problem," Max added.
"No way you two were discussing beer." She unlocked arms and placed her hands on her hips.
Max drew in a breath. "Jennings is retiring, and I'm taking over as director of The Alliance."
She wrapped her brother in a hug. "You love to boss us around, and now you'll get paid for it."
Before they could discuss it, a car pulled into the driveway, and the three of them rushed to the front door and opened it. Gianna.
Max smirked. "Looks like I win."
"How are you two going to keep an eye on two teens for the next couple of days?" Sabrina motioned toward Mick and Gabriella.
"I told Mick I had the bedrooms wired for sound. I think he bought it."
She shook her head. "You are so bad. Remember when you were his age?"
"That's exactly what I've been protecting against. Sex doesn't leave a guy's mind at that age, and I don't want any accidents happening on my watch."
Max had a huge smile on his face as he greeted Gianna with a hug that seemed to last forever. Then he slipped an arm over her shoulder and grabbed her bag with the other.
"Sex doesn't leave my mind much at my age either." Jake cleared his throat. "Speaking of which, there's Tessa." He pointed toward the car that pulled in behind Gianna's. She opened the door and got out, looking like the perfect yin for Jake's yang, dressed in broken-in jeans, a T-shirt, and flip-flops.
She smiled and raced across the front drive, throwing herself in Jake's arms. "You two need to get a room." Max mumbled as he walked past.
Jake gave Tessa a chaste kiss before he glanced in Max's direction. "You're just jealous because you're going to spend the weekend babysitting."
"There's that." Max smiled at Gianna. "Speaking of which, where's Kane?"
Sabrina huffed and glanced at her watch. Now that she'd made a decision, he was MIA. Figures. "He had to stop in Manhattan." She waved her hands in the air. "Something to do with work I guess. Now he's more than likely bogged down in Friday traffic heading this way. He'll be lucky to make it here by midnight."
"Where's that fancy FBI helicopter when you need it?"
"Somehow I don't think they'd go along with using government resources for personal business."
She giggled and tried to work out the knot of tension that had set up between her shoulder blades over the last few days. Kane had been acting strange, and she didn't know what to make of it. He hadn't divulged what had been bothering him, which was unusual. Then again, they'd barely seen each other over the last couple of months between their crazy work schedules. And the last time they'd talked it had been…awkward as the discussion had centered on scheduling time around their work.
"Yep, I can see the expose on the front page of the Times as we speak," Jake said.
Sabrina sighed. "Then again, if he lost his job maybe we'd get a chance to see each other more." She chewed on the corner of her lip. A year ago she wouldn't have anticipated this feeling of vulnerability as it related to anyone other than her brothers. But with Kane it was as unexpected as it was terrifying. What had Annie said? Afraid.
She could definitely relate. But for her the fear had quickly morphed into vulnerability. Being vulnerable was not something she could openly embrace. It left her shaken and terrified most times. The little jump in her stomach every time she thought about him was unwelcome as well. She was a kickass woman. Going soft was not something she could own up to.
This was complicated.
The door opened a few moments later, but it was the people Max had hired to cook. "Ladies and gentlemen, in about ten minutes if you could go to the pizza station and choose some toppings we'll start cooking your dinner. In the meantime, we'll bring in some salad fixings to get you started."
Jake's arm was draped over Tessa's shoulder as they surveyed the station of condiments, pointing and laughing over the choices. "Shrimp on a pizza. What do you think?"
"Gross," Mick responded.
"Spinach?" Tessa suggested.
"Equally as disgusting," Mick added. "Maybe something artery clogging for the older crowd here, like sausage or something. Then maybe you foggies will go to sleep early."
"You wish." Max slid an arm over Mick's shoulder. "But it isn't happening. You two are going to have a tough time keeping up with us, especially when the music starts."
Sabrina glanced at a sound at the door, but once again it was someone bringing in more beverages instead of Kane. She hated that she was so anxious but couldn't seem to settle her racing pulse. It wasn't like her to second-guess herself, but their last words kept circling her brain. Something about changes coming down, but he'd been evasive.
Change never had a good connotation in her book. She liked the sameness of her life. The ordinary, if her profession could ever be considered ordinary. Okay, enough feeling sorry for herself. She needed to smack a smile on her face and go with the flow.
As her brothers always reminded her, she couldn't control the universe even if she wanted to. That didn't mean she wouldn't try like hell to make things shift her way if she could, however.
* * *
Kane shifted in the seat of his rental car. He thought he'd prepared for everything, but he hadn't taken into account the Friday afternoon traffic on a so-so weather weekend in the Hamptons. He hadn't expected all these people would be headed that way with the temps in the 60s. He rubbed his hands against his jeans as sweat pooled along his palms.
Sabrina was a tough read. He didn't know how what he had in mind was going to go over with her. But he couldn't imagine living his life without Sabrina in it, and this crazy way of seeing each other over the last year was starting to catch up to both of them. He'd been short-tempered and off his game at work, and she'd been the same with him. They needed something to pull everything together for both of them, and he was betting he had the solution to that particular problem.
Or non-problem.
He was ready. Was she? That was the question. He'd been ready about an hour after they'd met. Her point of realization had come in Venice, but that was a whole other story.
He pulled in front of the home and got out of the car. Two hours later than he'd told her he'd get there. It was close to eleven. The last time he'd talked to her, her patience had seemed to be waning. Not that he'd blamed her.
When he opened the door to the backyard, she turned. As soon as she spotted him, she ran, jumped into his arms, and wrapped her legs around him. Everything he'd obsessed and worried about seemed to disappear in that half second of time.
"It took you forever to get here." Despite her brothers' presence, she kissed him.
"Who would have thought people would still come to the Hamptons when it's sixty degrees out."
"The rich are a fickle breed, aren't they?" She kissed him again before shimmying down to plant her feet on the ground. "While I'd like to take you into the bedroom right now, I think we need to do a little bit of schmoozing with my family before we can get away with that. Besides, I imagine my brothers would be relentless, don't you?"
"Yep." He kissed her back. "But let's go for a walk along the beach."
"You do not have to ask me twice."
"I'm going to snag a slice of pizza and some beer. You want something?"
"Maybe just a beer. I've been stress eating while waiting for you."
He grabbed her hand as they strolled down the tree lined path toward the beach. A case of nerves trailed along his back. But he'd already decided this was going to happen regardless.
"My first trip to the Hamptons. How about you?" Her voice sounded a little shaky for some reason.
"You know it's not my style, but at least we have some privacy with the cool weather."
"I hate bringing up trouble, but when's your next assignment?" she asked.
"I've got some time. No worries," Kane said as he tried to gauge the right time to divulge what he'd been up to.
"Me too. Maybe we could go somewhere?" she suggested.
"Or maybe just hang out in your apartment in New York, and I don't know…maybe just lay in bed together all day long and relax until we get sick of each other." He yanked her in close and kissed her.
"I don't think that will happen anytime soon. I've missed you." She chewed on the corner of her lip as she looked at him. "It feels like a really long time since I've seen you."
"Yeah, I was hoping you'd say something like that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box. Nerves set in like he'd never experienced. Doing undercover work was easy compared to this. "I'm in love with you, and I want to be with you forever, as corny as that might sound. This is about you and me sealing the deal. I choose ruby because of your mother's necklace. It seemed appropriate and perfect for you and what you are about."
When he slipped the ring on her finger, he spotted the hint of tears along her lashes. Only the second time he'd ever seen her cry—the first when she'd thought he was dying. He wasn't sure if that was a good omen or not.
"I've been thinking about us as well, and have to admit our conflicting schedules are making me crazy. I decided to cut back a bit," she said.
"About that…I've decided to leave the FBI and go work for The Alliance. Your brother offered me a job, and I grabbed it. It would be nice if we could both be on the same continent at least most of the time." Still a little unsure, he drew in a breath. "This ring can mean whatever you want it to. You'll get no pressure from me."
"I know. That's exactly what I love about you." She gulped, "I think I'm ready to take the next step even if I'm not exactly sure what that means."
"Sounds perfect to me."
* * * * *
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wendy has a Masters in Social Work and worked in the child welfare field for twelve years before she decided to pursue her dream of writing. Her first two books, Fractured and Mama Said were published in 2011 and 2012. Mama Said was a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Contest. She self-published The Christmas Curse in 2012.
Between teaching college classes, trying to get her morbidly obese cat to slim down, and tempering the will of her five-year-old granddaughter, who's determined to become a witch when she turns six so she can fly on her broom to see the Eiffel Tower and put hexes on people—not necessarily in that order—somehow Wendy still manages to fit in writing. She spends the remainder of her days inflicting mayhem on her hero and heroine until they beg for mercy.
To learn more about Wendy Byrne, visit her online at:
BOOKS BY WENDY BYRNE
Hard Targets:
Hard to Kill
Hard to Trust
Hard to Stop
Other works:
Mama Said
The Christmas Curse
Fractured