Obsidian (14 page)

It past midnight by the time Jamie made his way up the back steps of the boarding house. He stopped at the door, listening to the quiet.

His roundabout trip back had taken him to the store where he’d used Shelby’s radio to monitor the Coast Guard frequency. High winds and rough seas were hampering the search and after a distress call off Georgetown, the search for Josh had been called for the night.

It was a tough call. One that he knew from experience was heartbreaking to make. There was nothing worse then knowing someone out there needed your help, and there wasn’t a damn thing you could do about it.

They’d resume the search in the morning. Still, the chances of finding him were fading more with each hour. The National Weather Service had long since changed their forecast from a hurricane watch to a warning, telling those along the New England coast to prepare for the storm bearing down on them. With the increased tides, wind, rain and waves there was no way they could continue the search.

And that was the precise reason he’d gone into Special Ops instead of search and rescue. He’d done some time pulling people from the water, but his own past had made the failures too hard to deal with. It was easy to get burned out emotionally dealing with the consequences of situations like these. He hated the responsibility of having to explain why they couldn’t save someone. The worst part of the job was telling the family when an operation had failed.

After awhile, the pressure had taken a toll on him. He could deal with the trafficking. There wasn’t a better feeling than when they busted someone for drugs or running guns. It was a natural high just knowing he was helping to take drugs off the streets. But it was the other side he hated. It was the hopelessness of what he couldn’t control. He’d joined the Coast Guard to help people, not give up on them.

He preferred to go after the bad guys face to face. He dealt with the known, instead of the unknown and he found satisfaction in doing his job. It was a small reward to know he may have helped someone.

Jamie carefully swung open the screen door and let himself into the kitchen. The only light came from the clock on the oven, but it was enough to guide him.

Shelby must have decided to turn in; which could only mean that she’d heard that the search had been abandoned for the night.

It was then that he heard the noise. It was soft and low, an indefinable murmur that cascaded across him. The familiar prickling of the skin at the back of his neck alerted his senses as he ran a hand under the edge of his jacket to his gun holster, running his fingers across the grip.

He moved through the shadows of the living room, staying close to the wall as he searched the darkness.

And then, he heard the noise again. Jamie turned toward the direction of the sound and his gaze fell on a figure huddled against the cushions of the window seat.

Strained moonlight, muted by the soft fall of the curtains at the window, fell over Shelby’s huddled figure. Her hair had swung forward covering her face and her knees were pulled up tight in front of her as she rested her head on her arms. Jamie eased his hand from the grip of his gun and let out a sigh of relief, willing his body to relax as he leaned against the wall and tried to slow his breathing to normal.

He’d been worried about her. The afterthought struck him hard. Creeping through the darkened house looking for burglars was one thing, but he’d be a fool if he didn’t acknowledge that his mind had been on Shelby and her safety.

If he were a smart man he’d go back to his room and forget he’d seen her. Heck, if he were smart he’d never have agreed to come back and keep watch over her.

He should leave. He’d promised Case to look out for her, but comforting Shelby could be more of a complication. She was a self-reliant and determined woman and he respected her for it. But there was vulnerability underneath her resilient exterior that struck something within him. Shelby could take care of herself. So why was it that he found himself feeling responsible for making sure she was okay?

Shelby Teague was a complication he didn’t need right now. He was here to solve a problem and damned if he wasn’t going to do just that. He owed it to himself and to David to get through this and find out what had happened to him. He couldn’t give up now. Finding out what was going on in Chandler was his ticket to finding out the truth.

He didn’t have any other choice.

Jamie turned to make his way down the hall to his room when he heard her hiccup. That one, tiny, vulnerable sound was enough to convince his heart to change his mind. There was no way he could walk away and leave her crying. He just didn’t have it in him.

He retraced his steps back to the living room and walked over to stand beside her. Sensing his presence, she raised her head and in the meager light coming through the windows he could see the tracings of tears that streaked her cheeks. She sat up, brushing at the tears with the back of her hand as she tucked her feet up under her.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were there. I was just . . .” Her words trailed off as she tried to stifle yet another tear-filled hiccup and failed.

“It’s okay.” He was an idiot. He didn’t know the right words to say to her. He’d spent his life avoiding situations like this. He just didn’t have it in him.

“There's no word on Josh yet.” Her words were quiet.

“I know. Your Uncle tracked me down at Callaway’s and told me.” He left out the part about Case finding him lying on the ground.

“You were at Callaway’s?”

No doubt she thought he’d been out drinking while she was struggling with her brother’s disappearance.

“Oh, well, good then. You’re finding your way around okay.”

He was glad for the anonymity of the darkness as she lifted her chin to search his face. But the darkness couldn't disguise the fact that her lips were parted ever so much. Her breath was coming out in labored wisps as she fought the emotions warring within her. And yet, despite her worry, there was an almost defiant tilt to her shoulders. She’d be okay.

He liked her lips. They were simple, classic, untouched by anything but the wind. He found himself imagining their softness, how they’d feel against his finger, against his lips. He clenched his fists to his side.

Tonight only reinforced what he knew to be true. He wasn’t here for a quick relationship. Shelby deserved better than he could offer her. He needed to keep his head about him. He was here to do a job and if he was going to find out who was behind it, then he needed to keep his head on straight.

But more than anything, he needed to remember that he wasn’t here to get sidelined by some determined, hard-nosed, beautiful woman with a soft mouth.

“Was the Coast Guard able to come up with anything?” He knew the answer, but he knew that he had to ask if only to keep up appearances.

“Not much. They found his boat circling, but he wasn’t on board.” She looked out again at the water. Her voice was steady. Her words were calm.

He was right when he’d called Shelby a survivor. She’d been here before and survived. She’d survive this as well, long after he was gone.

“They’ll find something.” It was the best he could offer without giving her false hope.

Shelby got up to pace the length of the living room. Her bare feet made no sound on the worn carpet. “The hardest part is just knowing that Josh is in danger and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it.”

He’d seen this a hundred times before. The endless searching for answers and the hopelessness of being stuck on the shore while the search went on at sea. He hated the feeling of helplessness and the inevitable fear.

“They’re doing everything they can.” His words trailed off as he realized how futile they sounded. He’d said them so many times and yet they sounded lame even to his own ears.

She stopped her pacing and looked up at him. “Yes, I’m sure they are.”

She tried to manage a smile, but it faded as fast as it had appeared.

“It isn’t as if I haven’t been here before. I know the drill. I’ve paced this floor before. But I can’t help wondering if . . .” Her words fell off, floating around them in the quiet. He knew the words that she couldn’t bring herself to say. They were the words that could damn her brother’s life and keep him from coming home.

He wanted to say something to reassure her, but he’d seen enough to know that he couldn’t give her false hopes. She’d already lost her parents and her husband. Now, she could lose her brother.

She paced to the window again. The windows were open and he could hear the rhythmic lapping of the water, washing ashore and the rustle of leaves in the swirling uplift of the breeze. Streaks of silver moonlight played off against the small rippling waves.

A cell phone rang and she pulled the phone from her pocket.

“Hello?” There was silence as she listened to the caller. “Yes, I understand. First light. Okay.” She hung up the phone.

The official call.

“That was the Coast Guard. They’ve called off the search due to the weather. They hope to start searching again at first light, provided that the weather will allow.” The words caught like a cry in her throat.

“They’ve searched all of the islands in the immediate area and come up with nothing. They’re planning on sending divers down in the area again in the morning if the seas aren't too rough. With the hurricane on the way, they aren’t sure how much time we still have before it gets too rough. They told me to stay put near the phone for now in case he should happen to call.”

“We should know more sometime tomorrow.” She let out a frustrated strangled sigh. “I wanted to go out on the boat with my uncle, but they said I should stay here until word comes.”

No matter what the word is.
He added in his head. The chances of finding Josh alive and in good condition would diminish as the hours went by. Even with the unseasonably warm weather, the sea was still cold. His best chance would be if he could find a place out of the elements. It was a small chance, but right now it was the only one they had.

Jamie needed to get more information about the search without blowing his own cover. He’d already risked too much by calling the Coast Guard in. He needed to maintain his low profile. If someone were leaking information about seizure operations, then his cover would be at risk. There had to be another way to find out more, without being obvious.

“What are you going to do about the store?”

She let out a sigh. “I was going to shut it down for the day tomorrow, but I hate to do that. So many people around here depend on the store and with a storm heading our way they’ll be in need of supplies.” Her shoulders sagged under the weight of what she was handling.

“Why don’t I help you run it? I don’t know anything about running a store, but I’m sure I could help somehow.” That way he could keep an ear to the gossip and maybe find out something that would help them.

“You’d do that for me?”

He closed the distance between them, standing next to her in the window. He didn’t touch her, though he wanted to do just that. He just couldn’t risk Shelby or himself.

“How hard could it be working in the store?”

A weak smile crossed her face. A fist of emotion turned in his stomach.

His resolve wavered as she put up a hand to his cheek, resting it there in a simple gesture of gratitude. The warmth of her fingers sent bolts of electricity coursing across his skin and for a moment he gave in to instinct and turned toward her touch, leaning against her fingers. He could give himself this one gesture. It would have to last.

But Shelby surprised him as she stepped up on her toes and placed a soft kiss upon his cheek. Her warm lips grazed his bruised jaw and the trace of pain brought him slamming back to reality.

More than anything, he shouldn’t be doing this. And, he definitely shouldn’t be doing it with her. Letting her get close enough to touch him was a mistake. And yet, at this moment, it was what they both needed.

“Thank you, Jamie. You have a way of being in just the right place, when you’re needed.”

His hand covered hers as he brought it back down to her side. His fingers lingered against hers, before he pulled them back and stuffed them in his pockets.

Looking down into her eyes, he was struck by the realization that his reserves were melting. Shelby was open and trusting and she was putting her hopes in his hands.

She shook her head. “You came charging into Chandler on that bike and I was sure I disliked you. But now,” her words trailed off for a second. “Now, I’m just not sure how I feel about you.”

He used the moment to back up a step, putting badly needed distance between them as he laughed. “I have that effect on people.”

He’d known her such a short time and she knew nothing about the real reason he was in Chandler. Besides, Shelby wasn’t a casual relationship kind of woman. She was the kind you took home to mother. The worst part was that this whole situation would’ve tickled his mother. Her runaway, reluctant son, the one who always balked at any sign of a serious relationship, was stepping away from a beautiful woman out of respect for her. His mother would have a field day trying to figure this one out.

“I’m sorry,” she said, confusion in her eyes. “I never meant to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your help tonight.” She clasped her hands in front of her and lowered her gaze.