Oceans of Fire (11 page)

“We certainly got off the subject quick,” Joley groused. “Every time I want an answer to something you just slide right onto another subject. What does that have to do with the hot Russian?”

“Don’t call him hot. I don’t want to think about him being hot or cold or anything else. I wish he’d go back to Russia.” Abigail toed one of the two bags she had packed and had waiting on the steps. “Here, you take this one. It’s not that heavy.”

Joley picked it up and glared at her sister. “Are you out of your mind? This thing weighs a ton. And it doesn’t exactly leave my gun hand free. If we get shot dead, don’t you go blaming me. And for your information, Patagonia is
not
part of Russia.” She carried the bag to the car, muttering every inch of the way.

“Are you always like this?”

“Like what?” Joley stuffed the bag in the backseat and frowned at Abigail.

“Whine, whine, whine.”

“Yes. At three o’clock in the morning with no tea or coffee, yes absolutely I whine. Humans aren’t meant to wake up before noon and if you want me to be pleasant, come talk to me then.” Joley slid into the passenger seat and crossed her arms.

“You are such a baby. Put your seat belt on. And for your information, it isn’t three in the morning, it happens to be six-thirty.”

Joley shrugged. “Same difference. And if you want cooperation, get back to the hot Russian. It’s the only subject worth discussing.”

“Believe me, he isn’t worth discussing. Don’t go falling for him, either.”

Joley snorted. “I don’t fall for men. I run as fast and as far as I can. I am
not
about to get all gooey-eyed like Kate and Sarah.“ She shuddered. ”The idea is downright scary.“ The teasing glint faded from her eyes. ”Why are you worried about the house?“

“It let him in. Last night. All of us lit the candles and performed the ritual to bind the house, but he was able to get in. Even Aunt Carol helped and she’s very powerful. Elle and you and Hannah all can cast and yet the house let him in.”

Joley glanced sideways at Abigail and then away. She cleared her throat. “Him? The Russian?” Joley kept her tone casual.

“Yes, of course the Russian.” Abbey bit the admission out through clenched teeth. The fog had drifted in as it often did in the early morning and lay heavy over the twisting highway. She drove slowly, not taking any chances, when she felt like racing to get away from the implications of her home’s acceptance of the Interpol agent. “The house allowed him entry after
all
of us linked together to put a binding spell on it. Our magic isn’t working.”

“That would be one explanation,“ Joley ventured cautiously.

Abigail’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel until her knuckles grew white. “It’s the
only
explanation. I’ll have to let the others know the house isn’t safe.”

“The house doesn’t keep all people out, Abbey. Sarah and Kate’s fiancés can come and go with the doors locked. Don’t you remember how the padlocked gate swung open for Damon the first time he came to meet Sarah?“

“I met Aleksandr
before
the prophecy began unfolding and in any case, Matt and Damon are
engaged
to Sarah and Kate. That’s
completely
different.” Abigail glared at Joley, daring her to continue the conversation.

“Hmmm.” Joley studied her fingernails. “I do believe I heard a rumor you were engaged to this man.”

“Do shut up. I can’t drive with you annoying me.”

Joley laughed as they turned onto the long drive leading up to the old mill. “You seem to have managed just fine, if you ask me.”

“Which I didn’t.” Abigail parked the car as close to the old building as she could. The mill had been for sale for years, until their sister had recently decided to purchase it. The sprawling building overlooked Sea Lion Cove and had once been a small but thriving lumber mill hiding the much more lucrative business of smuggling. The mill had tremendous history behind it. Kate Drake wanted to preserve as much of the old building as possible when she renovated it into her bookstore and coffee shop. Once the renovations were complete, a large deck and a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass facing the ocean would offer a breathtaking view of California’s rugged coast.

“Do you ever wish you were normal, Joley?” Abigail asked as she pulled a heavy case from the car.

Joley shrugged, watching Abigail’s face carefully. “What’s normal, Abbey? We have each other and that’s what really matters in the long run. We have our aunts and our parents and cousins. Our family is different, yes, and maybe we pay a price for our gifts, but the good outweighs the bad.” She reached into the backseat and lifted out the other case. “You’ve been carrying a burden for some time. Don’t you think it’s time to share it with us?”

Abigail looked away from her, her body going stiff with rejection. “I’m not ready yet, Joley.”

“That’s all right, Abbey,” Joley said. “Just remember we love you and no matter what’s wrong, we’ll find a way to help.”

Abigail blinked back tears. “I took my magic for granted for so long, Joley. Don’t do that. Don’t think you can just get comfortable with it and just use it without thought.” She turned her face away from her sister toward the sea. “Do you hear them?”

Joley had a million questions but she pressed her lips together and nodded. Abigail seemed fragile to her. Way too fragile. She was going to have to talk to Libby and see if she could help ease whatever trouble Abigail was carrying. Joley was suddenly very afraid for her sister. She swallowed every question and sought for something to say that would lift the sudden tension. “I think I do hear them, Abbey. I remember all your work, listening for hours with headphones and scanning your video footage all the time, but I never paid that much attention. They sound like clicks and whistles, don’t they?”

Abigail unlocked the door to the mill. “Each sound is used for a variety of reasons. All of them seem to have a signature whistle, rather like their name. I think it identifies the individual and they call to one another using that specific whistle. Many of the researchers believe, like me, that they do communicate on a much greater scale than we first thought.”

“They have their own language?” Joley had hit on the right thing to say. Abigail was so devoted to the dolphins and her research that her tone had brightened considerably.

“I think they do, but it certainly isn’t anything like our language.”

“They always seem so intelligent and happy. Whenever I see them I have this crazy urge to dive into the ocean and join them. And you know me and the ocean.”

“Just keep in mind that they are wild, Joley. Dolphins can be aggressive and they certainly could hurt someone given the right circumstances. All too often people misinterpret what a dolphin is doing simply because they seem to be smiling.”

“Well, I’m not really planning to dive into the sea with them,” Joley admitted. “I just meant the impulse is there. I know you do it, but I like to keep my distance from anything weighing more than I do.”

Abbey grinned at her sister. “That includes men?”

“Damn straight. Ever since that gate opened and the prophecy started unfolding I’m not even dating. I’m not even looking! Not me. No way. No how,” Joley declared. She watched as Abigail unlocked a second door leading down into the basement. “Isn’t that where the earthquake cracked the seal and allowed that spirit to escape?” She shivered. “I really need a cup of tea.”

“All this time I thought you were the adventurous one.”

“I’m
very
adventurous after twelve in the afternoon,” Joley pointed out. “And I really rock after midnight.”

Abigail laughed. “Be careful on these stairs; they’re old and crumbling. Kate told me there’s a place where the tunnel caved in but we can get through the rubble.”

“How exciting,” Joley said, rolling her eyes. “You owe me so big-time for this.” She made her way down the basement stairs and waited while Abigail searched for the entry to the tunnel that led to the cove.

“Have you ever met a man you considered marrying?” Abbey asked.

Joley tossed her head. “Not likely. No one could stand me. I’m too mean.”

Abbey laughed. “You really are a nut. You don’t let anyone push you around, but you’re one of the nicest people I know.”

Joley blew her a kiss. “Thanks, Abbey, but since I happen to know you don’t know very many people—in fact, you shun people—that isn’t much of a testimonial.”

“I don’t shun people. They shun me.” Abigail found the entrance and stepped through, wrinkling her nose. “It smells musty and fishy in here. And we’ll need a flashlight.”

“I brought a gun, not a flashlight.” Joley bumped into her sister as Abbey stopped to drag a flashlight from her bag. “I should have known you’d be prepared.”

“Naturally.”

“People don’t shun you, Abbey,” Joley said. She glanced nervously into the tunnel, then took a deep breath and followed Abigail.

“Yes, they do. Wouldn’t you if you weren’t my sister? Do you remember all those years in school when I couldn’t quite control my gift? All I had to do was accidently use the word
truth
and everyone within hearing distance would give the truth to me. Kids blurted out all kinds of things around me that they didn’t want known. Would you want to risk your deepest darkest secret? Look what happened when Inez roped me into joining the Christmas pageant committee last year. I caused a huge scandal.”

“That wasn’t your fault. That spirit had escaped and was wreaking havoc on all our gifts. You used the word
truth
in a room and Sylvia Fredrickson’s lover confessed they were having an affair.”

“It was so horrible. Two marriages broke up over that. And Sylvia slapped me in front of everyone.”

“You should have decked her.” Joley picked her way through the rubble of debris on the narrow stone stairs. “It’s wet and moldy down here. Ew.”

“I did cause it to happen. She went to school with us and she knew very well I did it,” Abigail said with a small sigh. “I didn’t really blame her for being angry.”

“She’s the one who was having the affair with a man whose wife was about to give birth. Sylvia’s always after somebody else’s husband,” Joley replied with a little sniff. “And if she’s the one shunning you, count yourself lucky.”

“It’s wet down here.” Abbey played the light over the wall of the tunnel. Most of it was rock, but there was one section where water seeped out and dripped onto the stairs, making them slick. “Watch your step right here. It looks as if someone fell.”

Joley stiffened. “What do you mean, someone fell? Katie and Matt haven’t been down here yet. Matt was going to close it off. He thought it was dangerous to keep the stairs. Did he come down here?”

“Either that, or the Russians are using this route to smuggle something into the country,” Abbey said.

“That’s not funny. Maybe I ought to get the gun out of my purse.”

“Actually, I’m not joking,” Abigail said, halting to study the skid marks in the slimy mud. “This happened fairly recently. We’ll have to ask Matt if he’s been down here, which is entirely possible, so let’s not panic.”

“I wasn’t going to panic,” Joley protested. “I was going to get out the gun. I really didn’t like the sound of a hotshot hit man. No one’s been in this tunnel for years, Abbey. And no one has access to the cove. You don’t really think they’re smuggling something through here, do you?”

“It’s a possibility we have to consider.”

“Great, Jonas is going to turn into the mad, tyrannical dictator. He’ll lose his mind over you going to the cove, Abbey.”

“What do you mean,
me
going to the cove?
You’re
with me.”

Joley laughed. “Jonas doesn’t expect me to exhibit any sense. I was smart enough to carefully cultivate the appearance of being a complete ditz. You, however, have all those impressive letters after your name and write papers published in journals and generally are expected to have tremendous sense at all times.” She peered closely at the scuff marks. “Matt’s a big man. Does it look like it could have been him?”

“It’s impossible to tell.” Abbey met her sister’s gaze. “Look, Joley. I didn’t expect this. I think one of the dolphins was shot last night. They risked their lives to save me and I have to go to the cove and try to help, but you don’t. Why don’t you go back to the house and call Jonas and let him know what’s going on? I don’t think anyone’s here, but it’s better to play it safe.”

“You’re out of your mind if you think I’m leaving you here, Abbey. Just get moving. I’m too bullheaded to be afraid. I get mad when people threaten me or someone I love, you know that. I mean it, get moving.”

Abbey touched Joley’s arm. “Thanks, Joley. I can’t leave the dolphin if he’s in need of medical help. They’ve come into the cove—they like the shallow water—and I’ll be able to treat him. Another few steps and we should be nearly to the beach. Let me go first just in case. When I know everything’s all right, I’ll call you.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Abbey shone the light along the bottom stairs. It was useless to argue with Joley once she made up her mind to do something. And truthfully, Abigail was grateful for her presence. She followed the stairway all the way down to a narrow entryway that opened into a natural cave. The ceiling had been painstakingly carved out until one could walk stooped over to gain entrance to the cave. Early morning sunlight filtering through the cave’s mouth provided enough illumination for them to see where they were going without the flashlight. The sound of the sea mixed with the whistles and chirps of the dolphins. The wind blew steadily and salt spray dashed against the rocks along the caves.

“It’s a beautiful morning,” Abbey said.

Joley rubbed her nose and grinned at her sister. “I haven’t seen one in a while. Yes, it is.” The sun had risen over the water, scattering rays of gold and silver along the surface to form gleaming pools in the cove, shimmering with invitation. “No wonder you spend so much time in the sea.”

Abbey caught her arm before she could step out of the cave. “Let’s be careful. Do you see those tracks in the mud? Several people have been here recently.”